Marathon Weekend 2026

[jmasgat]

ETA: I have Peachtree questions (lottery, POT), but I moved it over to the Running Thread since it's not really a MW26 thing. If anyone wants to answer, please pop over there.

 

[Herding_Cats]

whoops!

 

[Fenway1970]

Deep freeze was Disney on Ice in 2010. This year was nowhere near that cold and miserable.

I'll take your word for it, that was before I discovered the joys of runDisney. All I know is there should be a Constitutional amendment outlawing weather for which I have to bundle up when I'm in Orlando FL.

 

[nancipants]

I bought a discounted (as in $5) running hat in Dopey colors at the SS expo, so I guess I need to do Dopey at some point in time.

 

[marty3d]

I bought a discounted (as in $5) running hat in Dopey colors at the SS expo, so I guess I need to do Dopey at some point in time.

That’s a completely logical conclusion!

 

[Baloo in MI]

As has been shown time after time, as far as runDisney races go, this is a place of enablers! And in that spirit, @nancipants I fully support your Dopey themed hat purchase and recognize it as a sign that four early rises on consecutive January mornings must now take place for you!

 

[nancipants]

If it happens, it will be 2029, the year I turn 48.

 

[Dopey 2020]

If it happens, it will be 2029, the year I turn 48.

You spelled ‘when’ wrong

 

[The Expert]

I bought a discounted (as in $5) running hat in Dopey colors at the SS expo, so I guess I need to do Dopey at some point in time.

I'm so happy you went back for it! I may have done some gentle in-person enabling today.

 

[JediKnightXan]

As has been shown time after time, as far as runDisney races go, this is a place of enablers!

And that is one of the things I really appreciate about this place. I know some folks who seem to think a marathon is nothing more than an signing up to ruin your knees and around here its folks talking about/encouraging running 2x that.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I know some folks who seem to think a marathon is nothing more than an signing up to ruin your knees

Oh, so you've met my parents and all of my aunts/uncles on my dad's side?

 

[Disneyslowrunner]

I have been watching the "buy products" on the Marathon Weekend page and I was wondering why most of the men's presale jackets are sold out already. Most of the sizes were already sold out a day after registration and this doesn't make sense to me. The event is something like 9 months away, surely they would be able to just put in an order for more? I would understand if they put an end date by the middle of summer, but being sold out of a presale item a few days after registration seems a bit odd. Have they ever added more sizes at a later date for rundisney presale stuff?

 

[Herding_Cats]

I have been watching the "buy products" on the Marathon Weekend page and I was wondering why most of the men's presale jackets are sold out already. Most of the sizes were already sold out a day after registration and this doesn't make sense to me. The event is something like 9 months away, surely they would be able to just put in an order for more? I would understand if they put an end date by the middle of summer, but being sold out of a presale item a few days after registration seems a bit odd. Have they ever added more sizes at a later date for rundisney presale stuff?

No. It seems like rundisney allocates a certain amount of units for pre-order, and when they're gone they're gone. At least at this point, they have NOT "restocked" pre-orders in the last 3 years they've offered them. Let's be honest about this: they want to drive foot traffic and the feeling of scarcity into the expo and the "official" merch building so that if they are sold out of the particular thing you wanted you'll spend money on OTHER things in their place to make up for "missing out" on the thing you really wanted. They want you to impulse buy. This is probably also why they don't show us ALL of the merch that will be available before the expo opens.

 

[Fenway1970]

Let's be honest about this: they want to drive foot traffic and the feeling of scarcity into the expo and the "official" merch building so that if they are sold out of the particular thing you wanted you'll spend money on OTHER things in their place to make up for "missing out" on the thing you really wanted. They want you to impulse buy. This is probably also why they don't show us ALL of the merch that will be available before the expo opens.

Not to mention that creating a sense of FOMO also gets people to buy Club rD memberships for the early expo entry.

Not bagging on rD specifically here. They are far from the only example of a FOMO-based marketing strategy. They do it because it works (as my bank account can attest to).

 

[camaker]

Good afternoon RunDisney All-Stars! It's time for this week's Sundays are for Disney (SAFD) question. Before we get started on that, let's recap last week's March Magical Madness finals matchup between Skipper's Canteen and Les Halles. In the end, the jungle boats and their captains were just too much for Ratatouille and the pastry chefs to handle, with Skipper's Canteen taking the title of most favoritest place to eat for Marathon Weekend 2026 thread participants, 15-10. Their trophy has been dispatched on the Nile Nellie and should arrive soon. Thanks to everyone who participated!



For this week, let's get back to RunDisney. Marathon Weekend 2026 registration came and went during our tournament, so let's recap. Were you able to register for the race(s) that you wanted and what are your goals for MW 2026?

 

[camaker]

SAFD: I pre-registered for Dopey through the Scott Carter Foundation, so I'm just waiting for my official charity registration link to come through. At this point, my Marathon Weekend goals are what they always are: have fun completing all four races, attend as many meet-ups as possible and go drinking around the world with the good folks from here. Looking forward to it!

 

[FlyingDonut]

SAFD: I registered for the marathon, which will be my first marathon. My main goal is to finish with no injuries from the race or training. I'd like to break 4:00, but will reevaluate that in a few months.

Other goals include: go to at least one meetup, make sure my parents who will be coming with us but haven't been to WDW in 20 years have a good time.

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: I was hoping to register for the 5k and Marathon, but the 5k was full before I was able to get in so I am registered for the Marathon. Excited to be there for a weekend running only one race and training for a Marathon without it being part of a Dopey Challenge.

ETA: Goals- A great training cycle, a new marathon PR, and a great vacation with some time at WDW and a day or two at Epic Universe.

 

[Baloo in MI]

SAFD:
I write this waiting for Country Bears to let us in having wrapped up Springtime Surprise. So grateful for these opportunities!

I was able to nab another Dopey, and this will make 10! I was also able to get my wife and since then my older DD the 10K. 5k sold out on us so they are jumping up to the 10k.

New news, my youngest DD who had accepted at one college just got an offer for a premed program at another university. So now her decision is back up in the air. And this only matters here in that one school conflicts with MW and the other allows her to come with the family. Of course this is not part of her decision making but would sort change our plans and my goals.

For now my goals are simply to have fun and complete all 4 races healthy and ready to play in the parks.

 

[princesspirateandrunner]

SAFD: Registration went well! DH wanted the marathon only, and I was undecided between the 10k and half. As I’ve posted on here before, I had a major emergency abdominal surgery in mid-2022, with complications, and my running hasn’t been the same since. On the other hand, I have completed nine half marathons since then, although much slower than previously, and so I decided to go for it, and I registered for the half. My running goal is to actually train properly and run a strong race. Our non-running goal is to finally make it to DATW. This was going to be the year, but I caught the flu on Sunday and we had to ditch our plans. We will try again this year, and hopefully make it work this time!