Marathon Weekend 2027

[smileyanna]

I've been thinking only the marathon for 2027 so that I can prioritize rides over photo ops, and then maybe Dopey in 2028 for the anniversary year. YMMV

Yeah, this is also a way to keep the experiences fresh... MW's are similar but doing a different suite of races makes the annual experience unique.

Would you feel like you've missed out on those if you do Goofy?

I definitely missed the 5k and 10k, but I was pleasantly surprised that the pride/finish line feeling from Goofy was 100% on par!

I had to switch to Dopey again this year because of a charity snafu, but had it gone well (i.e. I wasn't injured this year) I probably would have gone back to Goofy this year, But now I want "revenge" so back to Dopey I go.

Redemption Tour - 100%

2 early mornings are so much better than 4. Oh and the late visit to expo, the best!

Yup - watching Wednesday expo day from afar made me very happy to be doing Goofy

Thanks everyone. Leaning more Goofy right now! But wait a few minutes...

 

[camaker]

I am having trouble deciding between Goofy and Dopey for 2027, and will need to let my charity know pretty soon. I'd love your advice. Background: Longtime marathon runner, just recently (re)started runDisney. Ran Dopey in 2025 and Goofy in 2026.

Pros of Dopey:
- It's the Everest of runDisney events.
- So much camaraderie. More meetups. The podcasts I listen to focus on that week's Dopey training and I like feeling a part of that. I was shocked how it felt like my entire corral was running Dopey and not the standalone Marathon/Half/Goofy!
- The 5k and 10k are my favorite races. My least favorite course is the half marathon. Marathon weekend is my only runDisney event for the year, and I like these morning run experiences
- Forces an extra long vacation, and I'd go to the parks on 5k and 10k day.

Pros of Goofy
- I call it "The Working Man's Dopey," in that you get almost all of the challenge in a fairly efficient weekend. The training is almost identical. The feeling of accomplishment was the same for me.
- Much less Disney hangover - I found reentry to real life MUCH easier this year.
- It was great getting to the corrals on half marathon morning this year fresh and excited, and not feeling like "oh, this again?!" Dopey is awesome but also a slog
- Cheaper, less time away from family
- I can avoid the expo on the first day
- Rumor has it that 2028 is a good year for Dopey (anniversary?). So if I am really torn, I can hold back for 2027 and then return to Dopey in 2028

I think it depends on your personality. You've already done both, so you should be in a good position to make an educated decision already. I have a "do it all or don't do it at all" personality. After running 10k + Goofy in 2016 followed by Dopey in 2017 & 2018, I decided to do Goofy in 2019 for most of the reasons you outlined. I did not enjoy it. I constantly felt like I was missing out on part of the experience. It's been Dopey every year since and I've not regretted a minute of it.

 

[smileyanna]

I constantly felt like I was missing out on part of the experience.

I’ll be honest, I felt a little of this with Goofy. It mostly went away when I actually started running my races but I get it.

 

[Erika10021]

I have a "do it all or don't do it at all" personality. After running 10k + Goofy in 2016 followed by Dopey in 2017 & 2018, I decided to do Goofy in 2019 for most of the reasons you outlined. I did not enjoy it. I constantly felt like I was missing out on part of the experience.

Though this year was only my second Dopey, I just cannot imagine not doing all the races. I must have a "do it all or don't do it at all" personality too.

 

[KCO5988]

This was my first Dopey too and add me to the "do it all or don't do it at all" club. Maybe because it was my first one the excitement outweighed any negativity towards the early wakeups? I didn't find them too terrible, but I've been in the thick of the infant, toddler, infant, toddler sleep deprivation cycle with my 6 & 3 year old for, well, 6 years now so I guess maybe I'm just used to it.

 

[Fenway1970]

I've been to three runDisney weekends and they've all been Marathon Weekend and they've all been Dopey. Prior to that I'd done a few halfs and wanted to cross running a marathon off my bucket list, and I figured it might as well be the Disney Marathon.

And then I thought, what the hell, if I'm going to train for a marathon anyway why not do Dopey? Go big or go home right? At the time I thought it would be a one and done kind of thing once I'd checked that box.

Yeah, riiiiiight. It was a great time start to finish, and one of the best feelings of my life crossing that first Dopey finish line. Now up to three Dopeys total and I'm planning to register for my fourth come Mar 17. If I can't get Dopey on reg day I'm not sure I'd be happy "just" doing Goofy or the Marathon or whatever. As much of a pain as it can be to train in cold December weather in my part of the country, and to get up at dark o'clock four days in a row, I'm also very much in the "all or none" faction of Marathon Weekend.

 

[nancipants]

This was my first Dopey too and add me to the "do it all or don't do it at all" club. Maybe because it was my first one the excitement outweighed any negativity towards the early wakeups? I didn't find them too terrible, but I've been in the thick of the infant, toddler, infant, toddler sleep deprivation cycle with my 6 & 3 year old for, well, 6 years now so I guess maybe I'm just used to it.

See, this is exactly the reason I CAN’T do Dopey. My kid is six and has thankfully been a good sleeper since around 6 months, but before then it was AWFUL, and I never want to go back to those sleep deprived nights.

 

[The Expert]

See, this is exactly the reason I CAN’T do Dopey. My kid is six and has thankfully been a good sleeper since around 6 months, but before then it was AWFUL, and I never want to go back to those sleep deprived nights.

You just need to book a cheap hotel or crash with someone here for those wake-ups, even if you were home the rest of the time. I'm betting all of us with DVC rooms have a random bed available for you.

 

[Novatrix]

Put me in team Goofy camp. I've done Dopey twice, and the distances aren't the tough part, it's the back, to back, to back, to back early morning wake-ups that get to me, especially since I need to wake-up the time my body naturally wants to go to sleep! Frankly, I'd love to "downgrade" at some point to 10k + Marathon, but the half just happens to have an anniversary next year and might as well get yet another luggage tag...

 

[MissLiss279]

I wouldn’t mind running 10k + Goofy, but it is just easier to register for one race with Dopey.
And next year will be my 10th Dopey. After that - maybe I’ll switch. ???

 

[marty3d]

Put me in team Goofy camp. I've done Dopey twice, and the distances aren't the tough part, it's the back, to back, to back, to back early morning wake-ups that get to me, especially since I need to wake-up the time my body naturally wants to go to sleep! Frankly, I'd love to "downgrade" at some point to 10k + Marathon, but the half just happens to have an anniversary next year and might as well get yet another luggage tag...

That pretty much describes my feelings. I'm Team Goofy for 2027 - but I'm open to Dopey in 2028 as it's the anniversary year. I will just never go back to doing back to back Dopeys. Now if they were to introduce a 10K + Marathon Challenge....

 

[Novatrix]

That pretty much describes my feelings. I'm Team Goofy for 2027 - but I'm open to Dopey in 2028 as it's the anniversary year. I will just never go back to doing back to back Dopeys. Now if they were to introduce a 10K + Marathon Challenge....

I freely admit to being a hypocrite who is going to try for 2027 Goofy (because of the half anniversary) and 2028 Dopey (because of the Dopey anniversary), just would prefer the 10k + Marathon challenge as well.

 

[nancipants]

That pretty much describes my feelings. I'm Team Goofy for 2027 - but I'm open to Dopey in 2028 as it's the anniversary year. I will just never go back to doing back to back Dopeys. Now if they were to introduce a 10K + Marathon Challenge....

I think next time I do the marathon, that's what I'll sign up for.

 

[The Expert]

I will just never go back to doing back to back Dopeys. Now if they were to introduce a 10K + Marathon Challenge....

Same! Back to back Dopeys is just too much training for me. I've pretty much decided to stick with the 5K + 10K + Half for 2027 and go back to Dopey for 2028. At that point, I will likely do Dopey in years when I'm not doing another marathon and/or anniversaries.

I agree they need more challenges for MW in general. 10K + Marathon could be the Minnie Challenge, and rD is welcome to steal my Happy Challenge, too.

 

[Novatrix]

I agree they need more challenges for MW in general. 10K + Marathon could be the Minnie Challenge, and rD is welcome to steal my Happy Challenge, too.

I was thinking 10k plus marathon can be the "Hercules" challenge. Aka, I CAN go the distance.... I just don't want to.

 

[marty3d]

I was thinking 10k plus marathon can be the "Hercules" challenge. Aka, I CAN go the distance.... I just don't want to.

Ok - I'm slow this morning - I just got this

I think I better go for a run to wake up....

 

[RuntheMouse]

Now if they were to introduce a 10K + Marathon Challenge....

I think next time I do the marathon, that's what I'll sign up for.

This is my plan for 2027. DH wants to do the 10k and I would like to do a rD race with him but I also plan on running the marathon.

 

[garneska]

Honestly the 10k + Marathon is the way to go. I love the 10k course, but marathon is still out for me next year and since it is an anniversary year am doing the half. I can't do back to back yet so 10k + Half is out for me.

I do have a Dr appointment on monday for the knee dr. I am hoping to do some hyaluronic acid shots again. See if it helps. I had them in 2024 when i was still recovering. This cold weather we have in the south is not making my knee happy.

 

[camaker]

Honestly the 10k + Marathon is the way to go. I love the 10k course, but marathon is still out for me next year and since it is an anniversary year am doing the half. I can't do back to back yet so 10k + Half is out for me.

I do have a Dr appointment on monday for the knee dr. I am hoping to do some hyaluronic acid shots again. See if it helps. I had them in 2024 when i was still recovering. This cold weather we have in the south is not making my knee happy.

Are you guys getting any of the snow this weekend? We're supposed to get 3-6", maybe more here. It would be our biggest snowfall in years.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Dopey vs Goofy.

Did goofy the first year, had fomo because I was only 9.3mi away from dopey. It was also my first rundisney race weekend and while I was expecting it, DOPEY was in your face a lot, talked about constantly, etc. So then I ran Dopey for 3 years in a row.

Dopey weekends are all about Dopey, and for me that means that everything is planned around it. The bedtimes, the park days, the meals, how much other stuff I do all goes by the wayside in favor of making sure I have enough rest, calories, and hydration to get through all 4 days. And I'm usually a hot mess on Saturday afternoon no matter what I do.

This year I did the 5k plus Goofy, and this allowed us to make the trip more about the trip and less about my sleep schedule. And it was a really nice change. I thought I would have major fomo missing out on the 10k and only being 6.2mi short of Dopey. But I didn't have any. I was 100% ok with my choice.

Do a Dopey at some point. Pick a year that is meaningful to you or just works well schedule-wise. And have fun with it, whatever that looks like to you.