Marathon Weekend 2027

[sandam1]

But it kinda stinks for the athletes. It was cool to have that last mile be a full loop, get a drink from wherever you wanted as long as it was open, etc.

I ran the marathon in 2023 (i.e. the "old way") and in 2025 (i.e. the "new way") and personally, I enjoyed the dash through Epcot to the finish more than the so-called victory lap. Knowing that there was less than a mile to the finish when I entered Epcot was a game-changer for me mentally.

It's also incredibly emotional. When I was spectating in the tunnel at Connections this January, I noticed a distinct shift as we got to the last hour or so of participants, from party pace to a huge range of BIG feelings. As they came around that corner they were palpable: joy, relief, pain, exhaustion, disbelief, and a thousand others. I switched out my funny signs for the one that said "Believe" and boy did that resonate with every single person who passed by. We shared high fives, screams, hugs, fist bumps and lots of tears through all of it. Yes, there were still those in party mode, but I was truly not prepared for that emotional shift. I know that race probably meant a lot to a lot of runners that day, but it sure seemed to mean more to many of those folks in the back.

This past year I spectated the marathon on Main Street (awesome experience, would highly recommend). I stayed until the bikes went past and experienced something very similar. At the very end were the people, who just by getting to Main Street, won that day. They weren't going to finish. I knew it and they probably knew it too, but at that moment, nobody cared one bit. It was all about them giving everything they had to get to that place. It is a testimony to the human spirit and something that I will never forget.

 

[BradleyCB]

Good morning, RunDisney All-Stars! The time is upon us! The real competition to determine our favorite Disney movie starts now! Today’s Sundays Are For Disney (SAFD) question is what are your movie choices in each of the match ups below? Let the games begin!

View attachment 1058155

Thank you for doing this @camaker!

Here are my votes:
- Lion King
- Encanto
- Incredibles!!
- Coco
- PotC
- Roger Rabbit
- Raiders
- Empire Strikes (my beloved Rogue One though! Such a tough match up)

 

[accm]

SAFD: Some tough choices having to be made here. I don't have much of an opinion on the live action movies (haven't even watched a few of them), so I'll refrain from casting a vote.

Lion King
Encanto (tough one to pick)
Toy Story
Up (I think. This is another tough one)

 

[3princesandaprincess]

There are some tough choices here!

• Lion King over Little Mermaid
• Beauty & the Beast over Encanto
• Toy Story over Incredibles
• Up over Coco

• Pirates over Enchanted
• Mary Poppins over Roger Rabbit
• Guardians over Raiders
• Empire Strikes Back over Rogue One

 

[Zutroy]

Running is a community and it’s a big enough tent for everyone.

Similarly, if you DNF, DNS, or took 8 hours, I applaud that effort. Not everyone is a born runner or an elite runner. It takes mental fortitude and strength of character to get out and try something daunting, knowing very well you might fail and people might be judging you. Regardless of whether they finish or finish by a certain time, they made themselves better by trying.

It’s a slippery slope when we start drawing lines in the sand and say, “You must be X, Y, or Z to even sign up.”

The problem is that for all the talk of “inclusivity,” people in the RD community have no problem trying to shame faster runners. I literally responded to a comment that stated that people who previously qualified for a world major only did so because they were “genetically gifted” and that they “had never experience failure before in their lives.” What an ignorant statement that discounts all the hard work of those runners. Yet no one here said a peep about that.

There’s such a thing as toxic positivity. Growth can only occur when you acknowledge and learn from your failures. Everyone has different abilities, and we measure our successes differently. But I’m not going to applaud a person who signs up for a marathon having never run, doesn’t train, shows up unprepared for race day, and predictably DNFs. But the RD community will predictably cheer that person on, while telling a fast runner that they’re wrong for racing the course and not “experiencing the magic.”

It’s perfectly acceptable to expect that a person running a marathon will prepare for it. That doesn’t mean they have to run a certain pace, but it does mean that if a person agrees to take a marathon spot from someone else, that they should do their best to tackle the distance.

 

[Novatrix]

The problem is that for all the talk of “inclusivity,” people in the RD community have no problem trying to shame faster runners. I literally responded to a comment that stated that people who previously qualified for a world major only did so because they were “genetically gifted” and that they “had never experience failure before in their lives.” What an ignorant statement that discounts all the hard work of those runners. Yet no one here said a peep about that.

There’s such a thing as toxic positivity. Growth can only occur when you acknowledge and learn from your failures. Everyone has different abilities, and we measure our successes differently. But I’m not going to applaud a person who signs up for a marathon having never run, doesn’t train, shows up unprepared for race day, and predictably DNFs. But the RD community will predictably cheer that person on, while telling a fast runner that they’re wrong for racing the course and not “experiencing the magic.”

It’s perfectly acceptable to expect that a person running a marathon will prepare for it. That doesn’t mean they have to run a certain pace, but it does mean that if a person agrees to take a marathon spot from someone else, that they should do their best to tackle the distance.

First off, I believe the failure comment was only in reference to failure to register for these races, not to the greater trials and tribulations in life. And goodness knows, registration had become significantly harder as races are far more popular than even a decade ago. Running is no longer a niche activity.

Look, rundisney races have never had POT requirements for registration. Everyone has just as much of a right to sign up as anyone else.
If preparation was the standard requirement, then the event would implement qualification or proof of training requirements.
But it doesn’t, by design, and it would be an insane invasion of privacy to require it.

So criticizing participants for not meeting a standard the event itself does not require is just imposing personal preferences on a public event.

 

[Psymonds]

Day 1 of week 1 for my training plan for my non Disney July Marathon. I added the dopey training plan to the spreadsheet and it backs up to that, so... other than a few weeks of rest after that marathon looks like I'm dopey training now.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

The problem is that for all the talk of “inclusivity,” people in the RD community have no problem trying to shame faster runners. I literally responded to a comment that stated that people who previously qualified for a world major only did so because they were “genetically gifted” and that they “had never experience failure before in their lives.” What an ignorant statement that discounts all the hard work of those runners. Yet no one here said a peep about that.

There’s such a thing as toxic positivity. Growth can only occur when you acknowledge and learn from your failures. Everyone has different abilities, and we measure our successes differently. But I’m not going to applaud a person who signs up for a marathon having never run, doesn’t train, shows up unprepared for race day, and predictably DNFs. But the RD community will predictably cheer that person on, while telling a fast runner that they’re wrong for racing the course and not “experiencing the magic.”

It’s perfectly acceptable to expect that a person running a marathon will prepare for it. That doesn’t mean they have to run a certain pace, but it does mean that if a person agrees to take a marathon spot from someone else, that they should do their best to tackle the distance.

I agree, and we have some very fast runners posting right here in this thread who might have been offended. Also consider that it was in response to a post about people who were making elitist remarks about others running in these races. Sometimes what we mean to say gets lost in the writing. Maybe that is happening all the way around. Or maybe good people are having bad days/moments.

A little empathy goes a long way.

 

[The Expert]

This past year I spectated the marathon on Main Street (awesome experience, would highly recommend). I stayed until the bikes went past and experienced something very similar. At the very end were the people, who just by getting to Main Street, won that day. They weren't going to finish. I knew it and they probably knew it too, but at that moment, nobody cared one bit. It was all about them giving everything they had to get to that place. It is a testimony to the human spirit and something that I will never forget.

I started at TTC and then moved to my spot at Epcot after the last racers went by. I keep thinking I should go all the way up to get the Main Street experience, but my assumption was that there are SO MANY spectators there, and it's so early in the race that they don't really need me there. This gives me a different perspective I hadn't considered. I'll have to really think about this.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

made themselves better by trying.

I LOVE this! Wrote it on my gym chalkboard…”I made myself better today for trying.”

 

[WDW 4 ME]

• Lion King over Little Mermaid
• Beauty & the Beast over Encanto
• Toy Story over Incredibles
• Up over Coco

• Pirates of the Caribbean over Enchanted
• Mary Poppins over Who Framed Roger Rabbit
• Raiders over Guardians of the Galaxy
• Empire Strikes Back over Rogue One

 

[KCO5988]

I agree, and we have some very fast runners posting right here in this thread who might have been offended. Also consider that it was in response to a post about people who were making elitist remarks about others running in these races. Sometimes what we mean to say gets lost in the writing. Maybe that is happening all the way around. Or maybe good people are having bad days/moments.

I will say that I get frustrated reading in other forums (which is why I only actually participate in discussions here) with people shaming those who want to run "fast" at Disney. I like to run fast (not PR level) at Disney but also take all the pictures I can. But on the flip side I've seen people shaming those who walk right out of the start line (not to start any sort of discussion on course etiquette - simply people that are shaming others for no other reason than "why are they signed up for a race just to walk"). I hate the "elitist" attitude, that ironically is not typical among true elite runners. I think the shaming all around needs to stop, and I really appreciate that it doesn't occur here in either way. Everyone has different goals and can view these races however they want.

 

[nancipants]

I will say that I get frustrated reading in other forums (which is why I only actually participate in discussions here) with people shaming those who want to run "fast" at Disney. I like to run fast (not PR level) at Disney but also take all the pictures I can. But on the flip side I've seen people shaming those who walk right out of the start line (not to start any sort of discussion on course etiquette - simply people that are shaming others for no other reason than "why are they signed up for a race just to walk"). I hate the "elitist" attitude, that ironically is not typical among true elite runners. I think the shaming all around needs to stop, and I really appreciate that it doesn't occur here in either way. Everyone has different goals and can view these races however they want.

This is so true. I understand why people say you shouldn't try to run fast/PR at Disney, but I think that the message gets mixed up - it should be "there's a lot of crowding, so be aware of that if you want to PR." Or "there's a lot of photo ops, so don't let going fast get in the way of having fun." But everyone should run a race the way they want to, even if it's walking.

 

[Dopey 2020]

This is so true. I understand why people say you shouldn't try to run fast/PR at Disney, but I think that the message gets mixed up - it should be "there's a lot of crowding, so be aware of that if you want to PR." Or "there's a lot of photo ops, so don't let going fast get in the way of having fun." But everyone should run a race the way they want to, even if it's walking.

Yes, exactly this. My half and full PRs are at Disney. I always push the full as hard as I can and Wine and Dine is my “A” race for a new POT every year. I’ve fortunately not heard anyone comment about me racing on course but if I did I’d tell them some things that aren’t appropriate here. I have a great deal of respect for anyone finishing these races at any pace but I expect that in return.

 

[Baloo in MI]

For me running is a personal endeavor. I recognize that my fast is slow for a lot of people and my slow is fast for some. Meaning that I need to be aware of people around me as I pursue my goals in a race. RunDisney is a community designed around creating space for newer runners and I hope that never changes. Part of the magic of this community is the invitation it creates for people getting healthier and having fun. There is a lot of positivity that comes from that.

The runner coming in first, crushing the course at a blistering pace and the runner sliding in just in front of the balloon ladies, and everyone in between, have the right to run the race they want. But all of them also have the obligation to be positive members of the event. I try to keep in mind while I am running that some folks I will have to go around and others I need to get out of their way. Their race is theirs and mine is mine, but we can all have a good experience if we respect others and focus on ourselves.

Stepping off soapbox.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

I will say that I get frustrated reading in other forums (which is why I only actually participate in discussions here) with people shaming those who want to run "fast" at Disney. I like to run fast (not PR level) at Disney but also take all the pictures I can. But on the flip side I've seen people shaming those who walk right out of the start line (not to start any sort of discussion on course etiquette - simply people that are shaming others for no other reason than "why are they signed up for a race just to walk"). I hate the "elitist" attitude, that ironically is not typical among true elite runners. I think the shaming all around needs to stop, and I really appreciate that it doesn't occur here in either way. Everyone has different goals and can view these races however they want.

Yes, exactly this. My half and full PRs are at Disney. I always push the full as hard as I can and Wine and Dine is my “A” race for a new POT every year. I’ve fortunately not heard anyone comment about me racing on course but if I did I’d tell them some things that aren’t appropriate here. I have a great deal of respect for anyone finishing these races at any pace but I expect that in return.

100% agree. I think the best way to sum it up is "you do you" whatever that is and we will have fun before the race starts and celebrate after!

 

[lhermiston]

The problem is that for all the talk of “inclusivity,” people in the RD community have no problem trying to shame faster runners. I literally responded to a comment that stated that people who previously qualified for a world major only did so because they were “genetically gifted” and that they “had never experience failure before in their lives.” What an ignorant statement that discounts all the hard work of those runners. Yet no one here said a peep about that.

There’s such a thing as toxic positivity. Growth can only occur when you acknowledge and learn from your failures. Everyone has different abilities, and we measure our successes differently. But I’m not going to applaud a person who signs up for a marathon having never run, doesn’t train, shows up unprepared for race day, and predictably DNFs. But the RD community will predictably cheer that person on, while telling a fast runner that they’re wrong for racing the course and not “experiencing the magic.”

It’s perfectly acceptable to expect that a person running a marathon will prepare for it. That doesn’t mean they have to run a certain pace, but it does mean that if a person agrees to take a marathon spot from someone else, that they should do their best to tackle the distance.

I don’t have a problem with you being fast. More power to you. At my peak, I was PRing at 3:45. It takes a lot of work. So, congrats on that.

But when you’re saying stuff like paying dues, respecting the sport, checking certain boxes before even signing up for a race, that’s when I’ve got a problem. You said you didn’t want to gatekeep, but that paragraph contained a lot of gatekeeping.

I doubt hardly anyone is going to go through the hassle of registering, spend that money, book a relatively overpriced trip, etc. while planning to fail. You have to start somewhere and if that’s how you start, good for you. If you don’t make it to race day or don’t finish, it’s not for me to judge the reasons why.

I know for a fact people lurk on these boards, feeling nervous, maybe even intimidated, at the thought of running a race. Because when they do post, they say it’s this community that gave them the confidence to try.

So toxic positivity? Guilty as charged. I want people to be successful and have fun, you included, brother.

 

[PrincessV]

Really interesting that there's so much talk right now not just here, but across the running spectrum, about "gatekeeping," entry qualifications, the impact of social media, etc. I mentioned a trail pod the other day that briefly got into it, but I'm currently in the middle of the March 22 episode of the Singletrack pod and it is FASCINATING - really worth a listen, IMO.

It includes an interview with a major UK race director and he speaks in depth about the business of holding races, and where business and safety clash. In particular, he expresses concern for races trying to scale up to make it a viable business model that do not have technical requirements in place to register. He's talking about true danger here: races with serious technical mountaineering sections that have NO experience requirements in place for participants. And he specifically points to more and more people entering these kinds of races with no experience because they think it will make good social content. I mean, this is worlds apart from someone going from couch to Dopey... but I found it interesting and applicable in that this is clearly an issue impacting all types and levels of running sport.

Another interesting tidbit he dropped was about DNS rates and how RDs factor that into capacity decisions. He said the shorter the race distance, the higher the DNS rate. 50Ks are typically 20%, while 100Ks are around 11%. That 20% DNS rate for a 50K jumps to about 50% the next year if a race allows deferrals - meaning, roughly 50% of the people who defer to the following year actually show up that following year. So to hold a profit line, that race needs to anticipate the higher DNS rate with deferrals in the mix and oversell accordingly.

 

[PrincessV]

Really interesting that there's so much talk right now not just here, but across the running spectrum, about "gatekeeping," entry qualifications, the impact of social media, etc. I mentioned a trail pod the other day that briefly got into it, but I'm currently in the middle of the March 22 episode of the Singletrack pod and it is FASCINATING - really worth a listen, IMO.

It includes an interview with a major UK race director and he speaks in depth about the business of holding races, and where business and safety clash. In particular, he expresses concern for races trying to scale up to make it a viable business model that do not have technical requirements in place to register. He's talking about true danger here: races with serious technical mountaineering sections that have NO experience requirements in place for participants. And he specifically points to more and more people entering these kinds of races with no experience because they think it will make good social content. I mean, this is worlds apart from someone going from couch to Dopey... but I found it interesting and applicable in that this is clearly an issue impacting all types and levels of running sport.

Another interesting tidbit he dropped was about DNS rates and how RDs factor that into capacity decisions. He said the shorter the race distance, the higher the DNS rate. 50Ks are typically 20%, while 100Ks are around 11%. That 20% DNS rate for a 50K jumps to about 50% the next year if a race allows deferrals - meaning, roughly 50% of the people who defer to the following year actually show up that following year. So to hold a profit line, that race needs to anticipate the higher DNS rate with deferrals in the mix and oversell accordingly.

Darn it - I hit Submit too fast!

To continue... the concern here was with how to balance the huge increase of interest in doing run endurance events with business needs and safety. As an example of concern, he points to some UK races that can have unexpected and brutal weather conditions: in some locations, a runner could spend 12 hours on a hilltop if unable to continue and be perfectly safe waiting for help, while in others, it could turn into a life or death situation. Who's responsible for making sure a participant has all necessary training, experience, equipment to manage if things go wrong? He feels strongly that a race org should take great care in providing direction, instructions, and as much emergency assistance as it reasonably can... but ultimately the participant is responsible for ensuring they are prepared for whatever kind of race they enter.

 

[Psymonds]

Darn it - I hit Submit too fast!

To continue... the concern here was with how to balance the huge increase of interest in doing run endurance events with business needs and safety. As an example of concern, he points to some UK races that can have unexpected and brutal weather conditions: in some locations, a runner could spend 12 hours on a hilltop if unable to continue and be perfectly safe waiting for help, while in others, it could turn into a life or death situation. Who's responsible for making sure a participant has all necessary training, experience, equipment to manage if things go wrong? He feels strongly that a race org should take great care in providing direction, instructions, and as much emergency assistance as it reasonably can... but ultimately the participant is responsible for ensuring they are prepared for whatever kind of race they enter.

Any time you go into the wilderness (more than a few hundred yards from a road) you change the equation for safety immensely. My uncle trained Search and Rescue teams for years and he is fond of saying "A hike, bike or run is great until you can't move, then it immediately becomes an exercise in wilderness survival: will someone come help you or can you help yourself get out" That's not as pertinent here but yeah, I carry my garmin inreach if I go more than 2 miles up the trail from my house.

A marathon is a different safety proposition at Disney to an ultra and frankly, I've had the unfortunate experience of crossing the finish line of a local half while they were doing CPR unsuccessfully on a fellow competitor in the finish chute. There are real safety risks to running, HOWEVER there is no real way for a race organizer to control that at registration.

Given the distance between registration and the race, it's almost definitional that people are not in the shape they want to be in when they register for the race. We are most all aspiring to run faster/better/further than we can today when sign up for a future race. That's part of the transformational journey. I don't know how a race director or organization would determine at that point who "deserved" to be registered and who doesn't based on safety: and frankly very fit runners also end up with serious medical issues as a marathon is testing their bounds.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this other than to say I know it's frustrating to not get registered, I do think Disney could make some increases to capacity, but I don't think anyone who is registered doesn't deserve to be registered. I think that's where the line is to be drawn, it's probably fine to talk at length about how Disney could improve the process, but I don't really think it's appropriate to say people don't deserve to be registered.

Anyway. hope the movie tabulation is going well.