Marathon Weekend 2026

[marty3d]

However long you want! We usually start at 11 at Mexico and slowly make our way around via Norway, China, etc. We stop in each country and some folks pick up a drink (alcoholic or not) and maybe some food, we chat, hang out a while, and move on. People come and go throughout the day and the last of the group usually breaks up around 4-5ish, imho. Join us!

Last year was my first one and it was lots of fun. I like how people come and go with no pressure. Though some people (no names!) might have made it all the way around to Canada last year ....

 

[smileyanna]

SAFD: I’m loving this trip down medal memory lane! I usually give my medals to my neighbors (my kids and their friends tend to use them as weapons, Ahhhhg), so I’m not picky.

[I have many hopes and dreams about shirt designs though…]

Excited that this is another milestone for our race weekend in any case!! I hope to see something soon.

 

[nancipants]

I didn’t spend much at DATW last year, but I’m also not a big drinker and had to drive myself home. Baguette, popcorn, and coke were enough for me.

 

[Herding_Cats]

SAFD: I’m loving this trip down medal memory lane! I usually give my medals to my neighbors (my kids and their friends tend to use them as weapons, Ahhhhg), so I’m not picky.

[I have many hopes and dreams about shirt designs though…]

Excited that this is another milestone for our race weekend in any case!! I hope to see something soon.

The shirt designs for the included shirts will be whatever the art is in the website for the various distances. The other shirts at the expo are either the I did it shirts, the distance shirts, or the very cheap cotton shirts (which generally have cute designs but feel sooooo scratchy!)

I didn’t spend much at DATW last year, but I’m also not a big drinker and had to drive myself home. Baguette, popcorn, and coke were enough for me.

Same. I think. I only got 2 or 3 drinks and a couple of snacks. Nothing major.

It’s very low key and fun. We aren’t too difficult to spot; just look for a group rearranging the tables to fit all of us!

 

[Naomeri]

I don't know that I've had any medals that I've disliked, other than the clanking sound while trying to wear one in the park.
For that reason, I'm going to try to remember to bring a couple of pipe cleaners that can be used to secure any moving parts from moving/rattling/clanking. (One year I grabbed a long stem from some of the vegetation and wrapped it around the moving part of the medal so as to pad it and prevent movement and noise).
DATW: Just how long does this go on? One on hand, it sounds like a lot to spend to get into Epcot to just spend more, OTOH, I've never done it and FOMO and all that....

I think we started splitting up a bit when we hit France around 4 this year? But really, you stay for as long (or not) as you want.

The first challenge this year was getting up (and then back down) the steps of the pyramid in Mexico. I was really glad that I'd been religiously using the stairs at my resort, because I just zipped up and down those steps like I hadn't done my first ever marathon and Dopey over the weekend

 

[nancipants]

I think we started splitting up a bit when we hit France around 4 this year? But really, you stay for as long (or not) as you want.

The first challenge this year was getting up (and then back down) the steps of the pyramid in Mexico. I was really glad that I'd been religiously using the stairs at my resort, because I just zipped up and down those steps like I hadn't done my first ever marathon and Dopey over the weekend

Meanwhile, me and @superchime took the accessibility ramp in Japan and barely beat everyone who came down the stairs from the seating area.

 

[pluto377]

Maybe a kidney to sell?
Build a still in the backyard and sell hooch?

I'd prefer to keep both my kidneys. But maybe I could sell feet pics? There's got to be someone into runner feet, right?

 

[KCO5988]

I will not add more days, I will not add more days... I just keep repeating that to myself . It's a solo trip and I'm leaving DH alone with the two kids so I feel like 6 nights is all I can ask, especially since I'm also doing springtime solo. Arriving on Tuesday and leaving Monday morning (having FOMO on DATW). Though I did already change from leaving Tuesday after work, to Tuesday at lunch, to Tuesday immediately after daycare drop off. It's a 4 hour drive so I'm glad to have the flexibility on when to travel.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

Checking with this group on a sorta random question before I go the black hole of emails to RunDisney. My DD is planning on doing the 5-K at MW weekend this year. She's got mobility challenges but is planning on attempting to walk the whole thing, so she's not registered as an AWD. However, given the walking to the busses, then to the start and corrals, as well as all the waiting, and then the reverse walks when we leave, I would like to have the ability for her to have her wheelchair until we go to the corral. Does anyone know offhand if RD will allow us to either check the chair at the gear drop or even better at the AWD tent? Will they allow us to bring a folding camp chair into the corral that we would likely donate (like throw away clothes)? On the seocnd one I assume they would be ok with it as people bring in props for costumes that are similar in size. I will absolutely reach out to RD to confirm, but I find that sometimes having a bit of firsthand knowledge in advance is helpful to know how to ask RD and get the right answers.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I had the guy next to me sitting on a folding camp stool in the corral, the caveat being that it was back when we lined up on Epcot Center Dr (if I have the road correct), so it has been a few years. When we started moving, he just sat it over the fence with all the shirts and towels.

 

[xjillianpaige]

Training question, and this will be long winded because I've never made a long story short in my life.

I'm doing Dopey (2nd Dopey, 6th marathon) in January and I have a half marathon on November 9. I downloaded the training plan from the runDisney website that is aimed at those who are running the Wine & Dine Half followed by the Marathon in January since I believe the timeline is almost the same, if not exact.

Has anyone done this plan for Dopey? Any thoughts/recommendations/criticisms/loves about it? Anything at all.

Some context for where I currently am in my running journey since I don't really update my journal anymore

I've been maintaining some level of regular running, generally 3 miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then some distance on the weekends based on whatever race is next (I did the BAA Medley this year). My focus currently has been on the half in November, so my training plan has been based on vibes more than a real plan. I've gone up to 7 miles on the weekend, with 8 or 9 planned for this Sunday, depending on how the spirit moves me. I also have a 6 week track program starting tonight to get some speed work in with my club's coach.

I have a few options for training, including to continue with a half marathon training plan, then do the Wine & Dine to Marathon short plan and doing the dopey plan and just sort of make amendments to it based on what races I have coming up and to avoid any runs longer than 20 miles (that's where I'd like to cap my plan, and if that means I do a few 20 miles or just 1 then I'm fine with that).

Thoughts?

 

[marty3d]

Training question, and this will be long winded because I've never made a long story short in my life.

I'm doing Dopey (2nd Dopey, 6th marathon) in January and I have a half marathon on November 9. I downloaded the training plan from the runDisney website that is aimed at those who are running the Wine & Dine Half followed by the Marathon in January since I believe the timeline is almost the same, if not exact.

Has anyone done this plan for Dopey? Any thoughts/recommendations/criticisms/loves about it? Anything at all.

Some context for where I currently am in my running journey since I don't really update my journal anymore

I've been maintaining some level of regular running, generally 3 miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then some distance on the weekends based on whatever race is next (I did the BAA Medley this year). My focus currently has been on the half in November, so my training plan has been based on vibes more than a real plan. I've gone up to 7 miles on the weekend, with 8 or 9 planned for this Sunday, depending on how the spirit moves me. I also have a 6 week track program starting tonight to get some speed work in with my club's coach.

I have a few options for training, including to continue with a half marathon training plan, then do the Wine & Dine to Marathon short plan and doing the dopey plan and just sort of make amendments to it based on what races I have coming up and to avoid any runs longer than 20 miles (that's where I'd like to cap my plan, and if that means I do a few 20 miles or just 1 then I'm fine with that).

Thoughts?

I can't speak to the Galloway/ rD plans because they don't work for me (not because they're bad - just not right for me). If it was me, the first question I'd ask myself would be if I'm running for time or for fun for either/ both races.

If I was running a half November 9th and not running for time, what would work best for me would be to treat the half as one of my long runs in my marathon training plan as opposed to training for the half and then starting a marathon training plan. If you're running for time I'm not sure.

I'm not in exactly the same situation but timing is similar. I'm currently training for NYC Marathon November 2nd and then Goofy in January. Still trying to figure our my own plan.

 

[Disneyhanna]

If I was running a half November 9th and not running for time, what would work best for me would be to treat the half as one of my long runs in my marathon training plan as opposed to training for the half and then starting a marathon training plan. If you're running for time I'm not sure.

Agree! November 9th falls during week 9 of the Higdon Novice 2 marathon plan if you line it up with Dopey, which calls for a half marathon, so the timing is perfect! The Higdon Dopey plan ramps up milage earlier and so that week is a 17 mile long run. Those are some good plans to compare the Disney plans to. Higdon plans are on the low milage side for marathon training but not as low as Galloway. I really like the Novice 2 marathon plan and it's only 4 days of running per week. It gets me plenty ready for Dopey since I treat the first 3 races as easy training runs.

 

[matt and beth]

Training question, and this will be long winded because I've never made a long story short in my life.

I'm doing Dopey (2nd Dopey, 6th marathon) in January and I have a half marathon on November 9. I downloaded the training plan from the runDisney website that is aimed at those who are running the Wine & Dine Half followed by the Marathon in January since I believe the timeline is almost the same, if not exact.

Has anyone done this plan for Dopey? Any thoughts/recommendations/criticisms/loves about it? Anything at all.

Some context for where I currently am in my running journey since I don't really update my journal anymore

I've been maintaining some level of regular running, generally 3 miles on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then some distance on the weekends based on whatever race is next (I did the BAA Medley this year). My focus currently has been on the half in November, so my training plan has been based on vibes more than a real plan. I've gone up to 7 miles on the weekend, with 8 or 9 planned for this Sunday, depending on how the spirit moves me. I also have a 6 week track program starting tonight to get some speed work in with my club's coach.

I have a few options for training, including to continue with a half marathon training plan, then do the Wine & Dine to Marathon short plan and doing the dopey plan and just sort of make amendments to it based on what races I have coming up and to avoid any runs longer than 20 miles (that's where I'd like to cap my plan, and if that means I do a few 20 miles or just 1 then I'm fine with that).

Thoughts?

I usually do the one on RunDisney and run both races. Because both races are fairly close together and with taper time it’s even closer I’m trying something different this year. I’m building my base up sooner with last weekend being a 8 & 18 back to back. Running a down week (nothing more than 8) and a hard week every other. Will finish with a 12.5 & 25 at Christmas time.