Marathon Weekend 2027

[SheHulk]

Quoting myself because actually it was the “Mile 25 Spectacular!!!”

But.

It was still not “spectacular.”

I’ll be tremendously disappointed if they don’t supply a “Mile 13 Spectacular!” with Donald’s name misspelled.

I think you're right on both counts: on the 20th anniversary they had a "Mile 20 spectacular" that was gigantic puppets maybe? And the "Mile 25 spectacular" for the 25th anniversary was even less spectacular than that.

 

[SheHulk]

I know it wasn't W&D as I didn't do any of those races until after Covid. This would have been Princess or Star Wars in 2017, 2018 or 2019 iirc.

I do recall it being rather complicated for those who drove since the start and end were in different places. Everybody had to park at Epcot and take a bus up to the start, so rD had buses going from resorts to the start AND Epcot to the start. I'm sure it was a nightmare.

I think it was Star Wars 2019 at least, maybe more of them. I ran that race though and that sounds right.

 

[PrincessV]

I think you're right on both counts: on the 20th anniversary they had a "Mile 20 spectacular" that was gigantic puppets maybe? And the "Mile 25 spectacular" for the 25th anniversary was even less spectacular than that.

You’re right! I didn’t run the 20th but remember now the talk of it. I was so thankful that a friend a little ahead of me forewarned me via text about the 25th before I got to it lol!

 

[FFigawi]

I think you're right on both counts: on the 20th anniversary they had a "Mile 20 spectacular" that was gigantic puppets maybe? And the "Mile 25 spectacular" for the 25th anniversary was even less spectacular than that.

Both spectaculars were anything but. I’m not holding out hope for anything this time around either.

 

[Barca33Runner]

LOL - remember that "spectacular" coming out of ESPN WWOS? What a dud

Yes, I remember hearing the DJ and seeing the stage and big Sebastian puppet and thinking, “this is what they’ve been talking up all year?” It wasn’t the “spectacular” itself being underwhelming so much as the degree to which they oversold and under delivered. It was all over their promotions for the Weekend and dominated the talk leading up to the Marathon.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Not a chance this happens, sadly. More excitement, maybe, but I can’t see them changing the half marathon course to bring it up to the enjoyment level of the other three. There are not many options to add time in Epcot while still going up to MK and back.

It’s just a fool’s hope. I certainly don’t anticipate any pro-runner changes from rD or Disney. That course has been the same for the entire 15 years I’ve run Marathon Weekend. To paraphrase a popular idiom, “if it is broke, but is still technically functional, don’t fix it.”

Much more realistic to hope they just don’t pare anything back. Maybe a few extra character stops along the way if they really want to get crazy.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I certainly agree that the MW/PW half course is pretty boring, but to be fair, most non-Disney races also use the same course every year, barring things like construction. I think the early years of course variation (which I only know about through the boards - my first rD race was in 2023!) were more of an aberration than the current system.

 

[fatmanatee]

I think it was Star Wars 2019 at least, maybe more of them. I ran that race though and that sounds right.

2017-2019 was the same course from MK to Epcot, 2016 was a wild course that started with a loop at Epcot, went through HS and AK, ended at ESPN. HS portion was just like the marathon but you wonder since it happens so early in the course, in theory you could do the SS/W&D loop they currently do. Of course, this involves a different start and end point and they don't seem willing to do that anymore.

 

[lhermiston]

Y’all are over here talking about spectacular this and spectacular that seem to have forgotten 2027 will mark the return of two of the most spectacular things in runDisney history: Rogue Two and The Goof Troop Roving Road Party (TM).

I’m not even sure why anyone is worried about anything else.

 

[jrsharp21]

“if it is broke, but is still technically functional, don’t fix it.”

This sounds like our IT department!

 

[Naomeri]

It’s just a fool’s hope. I certainly don’t anticipate any pro-runner changes from rD or Disney. That course has been the same for the entire 15 years I’ve run Marathon Weekend. To paraphrase a popular idiom, “if it is broke, but is still technically functional, don’t fix it.”

Much more realistic to hope they just don’t pare anything back. Maybe a few extra character stops along the way if they really want to get crazy.

Once in a while, they do make pro-runner changes, like when they finally figured out that adding a water stop to an already congested path like between HS and Boardwalk was a really dumb idea.

But I heard it was Brooks that clued them in, after they sent in some runners as essentially secret shoppers.