Marathon Weekend 2027

[FFigawi]

I actually think the 5K changes are a way to experiment with opening more of the races to more people without just adding bibs and crowding the course. I suspect a lot of the folks trying to get into an rD race right now are newbies looking at 5K and 10K. The staggered start could work for both and still allow for on-time park openings if they can figure it out. I also think they were playing with this a bit at MW with the longer times between waves within each corral.

The increase in 5k capacity could also be a test for this season to see if they feel they can do something similar for the other distances. They'd at least be able to get data from W&D and MW27 before the 2027-2028 season registrations start.

Increasing the size of the 5k should be no problem for rD or the Parks people. The vast majority will be done and out of Epcot well in advance of rope drop. I think the issue with increasing entries for the half and the full is that you potentially have more runners in Epcot after the park is open, and we know Park Operations does not like that one bit. My theory is that if Park Operations ever relaxes their stance on runners in the park, rD could take advantage of that and increase the number of runners. Until that change happens, though, I don't see much chance for a significant number of runners.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

The 10 Miler is the only race I haven't run yet and looking forward to more Studios time and the sun not being up.

This was my favorite course. Absolutely loved it!

 

[WDW 4 ME]

I’m in the no lottery camp. I do think you will have people throwing their name in there just to see, who have no real intentions of coming. And again…lose the ability for families to sign up. And ruin the rD community vibe, as regulars would no longer be regulars. BUT…maybe a small lottery for AP, DVC, or those who have ran races before, just to show them some sense of loyalty. And if you didn’t get in with the lottery, you could still have a chance to register on registration day with everyone else. I never really thought about it before, but having 11 devices going, multiple browsers on each, my 2 sons, DH and both my parents watching the “more than an hour” screens for what felt like an eternity, my youngest said “don’t you get a special code or something since you’ve done these before?”. And while I get they can’t give all past runners a spot, because obviously there’s not enough bibs for all of us, it would be nice to have a little edge somewhere. I know, I know. The logistics of this would be a nightmare and it wouldn’t benefit Rundisney, etc, would create a whole new set of issues. But loyalty matters and would love to be rewarded for that.

 

[PrincessV]

That's why my idea for summer races is strictly 5Ks

I would absolutely consider doing summer 5Ks! I mean, I’m ready running in it living down here all summer - a little mid-summer-hell Disney race could be just the boost I need to keep going until October.

(Can you tell I woke up this morning and realized I’ll be doing Goofy training through the worst of FL summer heat this year?! Oy, what have I done…)

Count me among those who likes a walk out to any race. There’s a tonal shift from the chitchat and laidback vibes of the runners gathering area to the more locked in vibe of the corrals/starting area. Plus 1000 points if it’s still dark.

The almost somber, introspective march to the start. Relative quiet except for feet hitting pavement. It tells my mind sh*t is about to go down and it’s time to get ready to rock.

That, plus the first few miles in the dark of just steady footsteps is my ideal start.

CHILLS!!!!!! For real, you just painted the picture in words perfectly. I don’t even race for time, but that period of calm and focus was almost meditative for me. I don’t get that with the new start procedure and I miss it very much, especially that nearly silent first mile or so.

 

[The Expert]

The 10 Miler is the only race I haven't run yet and looking forward to more Studios time and the sun not being up.

It IS a great course, but still not worth doing the 10 Miler again* in the Florida heat.

*unless they bring Star Wars back. Or do Muppets. Damn.

I would absolutely consider doing summer 5Ks! I mean, I’m ready running in it living down here all summer - a little mid-summer-hell Disney race could be just the boost I need to keep going until October.

I was thinking about this and I don't think I'd make a whole trip for "just" a 5K during the heat and crowds of summer. (She says, knowing she's making a trip for "just" a 5K for Wine & Dine.) Now, if they lined them up on consecutive days, that might do it.

 

[KCO5988]

Road or parking lot start, I just wish they would have more, smaller-sized corrals that were easier to pop out to go to the bathroom and/or warmup.

 

[jrsharp21]

Road or parking lot start, I just wish they would have more, smaller-sized corrals that were easier to pop out to go to the bathroom and/or warmup.

Agree with this. If you get in a corral early, good luck getting out to go to the bathroom. That swim upstream is brutal. I try to hang out and stretch outside the corral as long as possible and do one more bathroom break before heading in to stand around until start.

I think this is why you see the long lines at the first port a potties on the course. People are holding it standing in the corral and it's not worth the hassle to fight the crowd to go out the corral and come back in. This was really bad at Princess HM. The lines at the port a potties were insane. I was running with my wife and daughter and had to go to the bathroom. Saw the lines at the port a potties and said no way. I told them I had to run ahead to MK to use the bathroom, which was a whole other mess there. LOL.

 

[PrincessV]

Fun fact: one SW Dark Side year, they had potties INSIDE THE CORRALS!
It was glorious.
Why they never did that again is beyond me.

 

[The Expert]

Agree with this. If you get in a corral early, good luck getting out to go to the bathroom. That swim upstream is brutal. I try to hang out and stretch outside the corral as long as possible and do one more bathroom break before heading in to stand around until start.

I think this is why you see the long lines at the first port a potties on the course. People are holding it standing in the corral and it's not worth the hassle to fight the crowd to go out the corral and come back in. This was really bad at Princess HM. The lines at the port a potties were insane. I was running with my wife and daughter and had to go to the bathroom. Saw the lines at the port a potties and said no way. I told them I had to run ahead to MK to use the bathroom, which was a whole other mess there. LOL.

This gives me a chance to once again share my hack. As you make the final turn into the start chute, there's a break in the fence where the security CMs will let you out to use the portas. They'll give you a password to get back in. Yes, you'll risk losing your position in the corral, but you won't have to hold it for the first opportunity on the course.

Fun fact: one SW Dark Side year, they had potties INSIDE THE CORRALS!
It was glorious.
Why they never did that again is beyond me.

I remember this too! Was this one of the MK parking lot starts maybe?

 

[nancipants]

This gives me a chance to once again share my hack. As you make the final turn into the start chute, there's a break in the fence where the security CMs will let you out to use the portas. They'll give you a password to get back in. Yes, you'll risk losing your position in the corral, but you won't have to hold it for the first opportunity on the course.

Was going to mention this! I always do this before a race (except for 5ks or races where we’ll be in a park quickly, like the marathon). But for the PHM or MWHM it’s essential with all those highway miles up front.

 

[PrincessV]

I remember this too! Was this one of the MK parking lot starts maybe?

That was a long time ago and stupidly early in the morning, so I'm not sure I trust my memory, but I want to say yes lol!

 

[SheHulk]

Not to be all sour grapes or anything, but I need to talk about my experience in the queue on Tuesday: I had 3 devices going, with one Chrome session open on each plus one Safari on one of them, so only 4 windows all together. I entered the waiting room with all of mine prior to 9:30 and didn't refresh or anything. I was admitted to the queue on all of them with more than an hour status. I never dropped to under an hour, even after everything sold out.

Once everything was listed as sold out, I gave up and shut down my two devices, but my husband was interested and kept his session open. He was just wondering what would happen if he stayed in the queue. Here's the weird thing: He was in the queue another half hour after everything was sold out! Then finally he got through and it said nothing was available. Is this weird to anyone else? How did I still have a half hour wait after everything closed? Were enough people still in the queue ahead of me, after everything was gone? I'm wondering what the process was there. Almost feels like I was on a timer, not in a queue.

Again, I'm not a conspiracy theorist but that is nutty to me.

 

[Psymonds]

Not to be all sour grapes or anything, but I need to talk about my experience in the queue on Tuesday: I had 3 devices going, with one Chrome session open on each plus one Safari on one of them, so only 4 windows all together. I entered the waiting room with all of mine prior to 9:30 and didn't refresh or anything. I was admitted to the queue on all of them with more than an hour status. I never dropped to under an hour, even after everything sold out.

Once everything was listed as sold out, I gave up and shut down my two devices, but my husband was interested and kept his session open. He was just wondering what would happen if he stayed in the queue. Here's the weird thing: He was in the queue another half hour after everything was sold out! Then finally he got through and it said nothing was available. Is this weird to anyone else? How did I still have a half hour wait after everything closed? Were enough people still in the queue ahead of me, after everything was gone? I'm wondering what the process was there. Almost feels like I was on a timer, not in a queue.

Again, I'm not a conspiracy theorist but that is nutty to me.

I left a window open in the background because I was working: anyone who left a window open stayed in the queue, and then their window was open for 10 minutes until they timed out, so the system had to wait for people to close their windows or time out, and the timeout was probably slower than people who got in and registered.

ETA: it was frustrating and I am sorry that you didn't get what you had hoped for, I want to validate that for you.

 

[lhermiston]

CHILLS!!!!!! For real, you just painted the picture in words perfectly. I don’t even race for time, but that period of calm and focus was almost meditative for me. I don’t get that with the new start procedure and I miss it very much, especially that nearly silent first mile or so.

It’s the calm before the storm. I love it.

There’s even something about hearing the fireworks behind you as you start the marathon and knowing you have this long, epic journey ahead of you as you leave the safety of the corrals behind you.

runDisney is stupid and expensive and so many other things, but the vibes are often immaculate and I won’t take that away from them.

 

[fatmanatee]

I left a window open in the background because I was working: anyone who left a window open stayed in the queue, and then their window was open for 10 minutes until they timed out, so the system had to wait for people to close their windows or time out, and the timeout was probably slower than people who got in and registered.

ETA: it was frustrating and I am sorry that you didn't get what you had hoped for, I want to validate that for you.

I think someone here has also mentioned that the queue has trouble adjusting for when people leave before they get to the front (i.e. they closed out all of their browsers or left when they found out stuff sold out). Fundamentally this is a ridiculous process where there could very well be 4x or 5x (or more!) the number of spots in the queue as there are people monitoring them.

I accidentally left my cell phone queues open though, so that didn't help.

 

[Naomeri]

I was thinking about this and I don't think I'd make a whole trip for "just" a 5K during the heat and crowds of summer. (She says, knowing she's making a trip for "just" a 5K for Wine & Dine.) Now, if they lined them up on consecutive days, that might do it.

That's what I want, a 4 race weekend with a night 5K in each park.

I have no idea how they'd manage the logistics of runner staging up somewhere while day guests are also leaving, but that's why I'm just the ideas girl

 

[Novatrix]

@SheHulk - Yeah, that was a widely reported phenomenon on reddit. Probably for the reasons as reported by @Psymonds and @fatmanatee.

Even beyond that, the rundisney programmers were pushing through updates to the source code even 10 minutes before the start of registration, and it seems like Safari may have been having more issues with the adjustments than other browser types.

 

[The Expert]

There really should be a way to say "I'm done" or "I'm leaving" and actively close out a queue to clear it for others. They obviously know we're all using multiple sessions.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

I’m guilty of leaving one browser open. I thought I closed them all but missed one. I was close to the end though, before I got to register and the browser left open was still over an hour when everything sold out so hopefully it didn’t negatively impact anyone.

 

[The Expert]

I don't think closing the browser actually ends the session, though. If you close the browser and open it back up to the rD site while things are still active, it goes right back to where you were. I don't think it actually closes you out unless/until your queue is live and you don't use it.