Marathon Weekend 2027

[GollyGadget]

Does anyone just do the marathon ? I’m thinking of signing up for the 10k and marathon. I’ve never run a marathon so the thought of goofy or dopey is overwhelming.

What is the minimum POT half marathon time for corral placement in the full marathon? I’ll trace down the POT thread and cross post.

Thx!

I run "just" the marathon. I've never registered for multiple races at MW. I might do dopey or goofy at some point, but, for now, the marathon is enough. The price tag & early mornings scare me away from the challenges. I find the marathon is fun & challenging without completely taking over my vacation.

 

[lhermiston]

SAFD: Thanks for jumping in @lhermiston! The winter weather ended up being largely a bust where I am, unfortunately. We were dead center in the dreaded "dry slot" between the two systems and sat watching absolutely nothing while getting pictures from my mother and daughter showing snow piling up higher and higher just a couple of hours to the west. They ended up with >12", while we were held to <2" by the time it filled in and reached us. Very disappointing.

On to the actual SAFD, now. My first RunDisney event was Marathon Weekend 2016, where I ran the 10k + Goofy. That was my first marathon, which was intended as a one-time "bucket list" item. Well, that didn't work out as planned, as I was hooked. I've attended every Marathon Weekend since, including participating in the 2021 virtual event, racking up 9 Dopeys and 2 Goofys. In addition to MW, I've run 2016 SWDS, 2016 & 2017 DLH and 2021 W&D.

As far as this year's plans go, I've already secured a charity bib to run my 10th Dopey at MW 2027.

I wonder how many of us thought we'd be "one and done" after our first runDisney weekend, ha ha.

 

[lhermiston]

Does anyone just do the marathon ? I’m thinking of signing up for the 10k and marathon. I’ve never run a marathon so the thought of goofy or dopey is overwhelming.

What is the minimum POT half marathon time for corral placement in the full marathon? I’ll trace down the POT thread and cross post.

Thx!

It's sort of a running joke/unwritten rule that no one does "just" a marathon or even "just" 5K. Every race has value and is an accomplishment we can be proud of. Not ragging on you or anything, just giving you the lay of the land.

That being said, I did "just" the the marathon in 2017 and it was great. One of my few gripes about MW (aside from the cost) is the overemphasis on Dopey. At any other race, a marathon is treated like the tremendous accomplishment that it is. At Disney, there's sort of a vibe from the merch, announce team, etc. that you didn't do enough.

Anyway, do what makes sense for you. Dopey and Goofy is definitely daunting, especially for your first.

 

[JediKnightXan]

Does anyone just do the marathon ? I’m thinking of signing up for the 10k and marathon. I’ve never run a marathon so the thought of goofy or dopey is overwhelming.

What is the minimum POT half marathon time for corral placement in the full marathon? I’ll trace down the POT thread and cross post.

Thx!

I did just the Marathon this year. Only RunDisney race I have done and my first marathon. It was absolutely the right decision (was the plan all along but even if I had wanted something more by the time I was able to register it was all that was left anyways).

It let me do a Family Disney trip with the race instead of a trip around the races if that makes sense.

That said I am eyeing Goofy in 28, but will see.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: My first RD race was technically the Race for the Taste 10-K (which eventually morphed in the Wine & Dine weekend) around 2006/07 (ish) although I no longer have the pint glass we got so cannot remember for sure. We happened to be going for a family trip and I saw it was happening so registered a few days before (ah those were the days). My first official RD event was the marathon in 2008. I had started running a few years before that and as I progressed, I thought I should do one marathon just to say I did it. They advertised the race in Runners World back then and I thought it would be the perfect place to do my one and only. Like many others though, after that first one I was hooked. I did "just" the marathon 3 times before doing Goofy (have done 4 times now) and completed one Dopey (partially completed two others). Have never done another race weekend at WDW. Signed up for Star Wars in 2020, but then COVID changed that plan. Took it as a cosmic sign to just stick with MW.

 

[RuntheMouse]

How was the marathon? I have a 2:20 half already . Do you know what time I need to get into corral B?

As of the last chart
2:08:02 for B
1:53:58 for A

 

[fatmanatee]

Today in “you really have to prepare for everything in Florida winters”: Ratatouille fountain is frozen.

 

[Naomeri]

Today in “you really have to prepare for everything in Florida winters”: Ratatouille fountain is frozen.

View attachment 1044123

It's really cool to look at, but I don't ever want to experience it--I go to Disney to escape the ice!

 

[jillinastoria]

SAFD: Last month's Marathon Weekend was my first every RunDisney race! I totally loved it and plan on doing the 2026 Wine & Dine half and the 2027 Marathon Weekend half next. I'm curious about Princess and Springtime Surprise, too, but those are often awkwardly timed with my son's February and April breaks. But we'll see what the future holds ...

 

[GollyGadget]

SAFD: My first rD race was the Princess Half Marathon in 2014. I've always been a runner & Disney enthusiast so it'd been on my bucket list for a while but I finally bit the bullet in 2014 because I was getting married that year and worried that I wouldn't have complete control of my vacations in the future . I chose princess because I wanted to run the marquee distance but I've never been much of a princess girl so marathon weekend probably would have been a better fit. I still had an absolute blast though!

My first MW was 2018 when I finally decided it was time to try the marathon again after a truly eye opening & painful first marathon in 2012. Again, I had an absolute blast and thought it would be something I would do every 5 years or so. After all, there are other races & vacation destinations.

I've done 4 MW since, 3 marathons & 1 half. I've also run W&D & another princess weekend in 2019 which I signed up for only a few months in advance after I convinced my employer I needed to go to a conference in Orlando the week prior . The good ol' days.

 

[Erika10021]

SAFD: I was never a runner until my husband said "you know, they do races through the parks at WDW." My first runDisney event was the 2024 Springtime Surprise challenge. And I was hooked! I've started every WDW race since then and plan on doing them all this year. (Already planning for the 2027 races too).

 

[smileyanna]

SAFD: Did the 2018 marathon, coinciding with a family vacation. At that point, my reaction to the marathon was "too many highway miles," and took a long break from runDisney until trying Dopey and Goofy over the last two years. I love how Marathon Weekend gives me the motivation to continue training past the typical fall marathon season (though I reserve the right to complain in December!), and the communal aspect of the training cycle.

 

[DianaMB333]

SAFD: my first rD was Princess 2023, literally from (47 yrs) couch to a full weekend, because I saw someone at the parks with a medal.. (the bling in mouse ears!)

I have done almost all race weekends since, jumping to my first (and only?) Dopey last year, just because I felt that doing “just” the half in January wasn’t good enough as per Disney (merch) standards LOL

i have been going to Disney quite frequently, and now with the race weekends as “excuse”, the adults around me that don’t get Disney are a bit less judgmental LOL

I will go to all race weekends this year, God willing.. as for Dopey maybe 2028 anniversary year because -of course- the medal!

in all seriousness, this hobby has given me a sense of self-realization and proudness, discipline that I never knew I had in me… so I count it as a blessing! And lately being able to socialize and talk to “strangers” has been another discovery to cherish, you are all so amazing!

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: My RunDisney history is a very mixed bag at this point. I began running in 2011 to train for the 2012 Half. I finished that race and had the bug. My family and I have been back every year since. All of my races are listed in my signature (might not be visible on phone). Ran my first Marathon in 2013 and then rD announced Dopey for 2014 when my sister and I had planned to run Goofy. I was perfect Dopey for the first 6 years. My sister is still Perfect Dopey.

Although I had gradually been losing fitness for a few years after a health scare (internal GI bleeding from an ulcer); my RD troubles began when I DNS the Marathon in 2020 because of massive blisters (blisters that were brought on largely from being too heavy and not well enough trained). I’ve been in a bit of a spiral since then, finding it hard to get the motivation I once maintained. 2026 was the first year I didn’t finish a race at Marathon Weekend since I began in 2012. I was signed up for the marathon trying to motivate myself, as that race has always been my ultimate motivation (even more than Dopey), but I knew several weeks before the race that it was not happening and decided to have a great vacation cheering on my mom in the 5k and my sister in Dopey.

I’m not sure what I’m signing up for in 2027. Maybe nothing. I feel guilty about some aspirational sign ups I’ve made in the past couple years that I haven’t been able to follow through on. Ultimately, I know I’m going to be back crossing that Marathon and Dopey finish line again, but it won’t be 2027. I’m determined to never sign up for too much again. I’ve had a great few weeks of training since MW 2026, but another month and a half won’t have me in position to sign up for anything that includes the marathon. I’ll probably be looking at 5k and 10k double (I hate the Half course, so I’ll only run that as part of a challenge). My goal is to be kicking myself that I didn’t sign up for more when I’m at the expo in 2027(regardless of what I choose), that’s one way I’ll be measuring success this year.

 

[marty3d]

SAFD: My rD story is split into 2 parts - pre and post pandemic (and also pre and post DIS)

Part 1: I tend to be goal oriented so in 2008 when I decided I needed to get back into shape, I targeted the 2009 MW Half Marathon as my "one and done" Disney race (sound familiar). I loved the experience so much that the next day I committed that I would run the Marathon one day. But first came the 2012 ToT 10 Miler - then the Marathon in 2014, (the infamous) Goofy in 2017 - and 2021 was supposed to be Dopey. Then the world came to a halt. At the time, I didn't know if a lot of my favourite things that I took for granted would ever be back - in person races, live music, live theatre, Disney parks....

Part 2: Post pandemic I've now done 5 Marathon Weekends in a row, 1 DL Half, 1 W&D Two-Course Challenge, 3 Dopeys, 1 Goofy and 1 Coast to Coast. I also found this group and that has been both motivating for me to stay on top of training. as well as perhaps enabling a little bit of my runDisney obsession . It's also led to me running more races outside Disney. I'm also determined to never take any of this for granted again. That's perhaps why I get nervous if I don't have a race scheduled, concert tickets on my phone or a trip to NYC on my calendar.

For the 26-27 rD Season, I'll be trying for the W&D Challenge (which I probably shouldn't be doing) and Goofy. I also have the registration dates for Spring Surprise circled on my calendar in case there is a Star Wars theme for the 50th anniversary.

 

[The Expert]

SAFD: My first rD race (or race of any kind) was the 2016 Princess 5K. DH and I were on a DVC trip in 2015 and I saw a bunch of people walking around MK with medals. I knew Disney had races, but I wasn't a runner, so I never bothered to look into it. Once I found out you could WALK and wear costumes, I was in. I had so much fun at that 5K and was SO disappointed by the rubber medal that I did a deep dive into everything that was out there. The moment I saw the Kessel Run medal, it was over. I started a couch to 5K program the next day and set that as my eventually rD goal.

Now I'm about to celebrate my 10th rD anniversary at the upcoming Princess 5K, and the Half that weekend will be my 50th rD race. I've done all the race weekends at WDW, a few at DL, done Coast to Coast twice and Castle to Chateau, 4 marathons and 3 Dopeys, and it's all because runDisney made running feel accessible to me. It also introduced me to all these fabulous new friends!

This year, I did the 5K/10K/Half at MW, I'm doing all three races at Princess, and I'll do the 5K at SS and at W&D. Since I'm signed up for the Chicago Marathon, I'll likely do the 5K/10K/Half again at MW in 2027, coming back again for Dopey in 2028.

 

[jmasgat]

SAFD: My first Disney race was the year I decided to take up running— the 2008 Minnie 15k. It was part of a “pre-Princess era” weekend of women focused races called Women Run the World (if only). I finished that and decided next goal would be the half, which I did in 2009. Then came my first marathon at the 2010 Disney on Ice MW. Since then, I have done Princess once, Race for the Taste/Wine and Dine, and multiple MW.

Since my competitive racing days are over, I am pretty lax about having anything scheduled. Did the DL 10k yesterday and I’m in the lottery for an international half, but don’t expect I’ll get in. That’s it for now.