Marathon Details - Disney World Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > FL > Orlando > Disney World Marathon

Disney World Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K,5K, Goofy Challenge, Dopey Challenge

Orlando, FL USA

January 12, 2025

http://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyworld/disneyworld-marathon-weekend

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Contact

Name:	Disney Endurance Event Manager
Address:	WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon and Half Marathon PO Box 10000 Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone Number:	407-938-3398
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.1

Organization 4.3

Spectators 4.0

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Number of comments: 818 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

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D. M. from Virginia, USA (7/11/2023) "Great race if you love running and Disney" (about: 2023) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon and was a truly fantastic event. It was very well organized. I was fortunate to be quick enough to get in the first corral, so the crowd size was not too bad from there and I was able to get most of the photos without much wait. Running up Main St USA and seeing the castle was amazing and I loved every park we ran through. I wish we'd run through the Star Wars area. My 3 star rating for spectators was because the only notable crowd was in the Magic Kingdom.
E. B. from North Carolina (1/17/2022) "Not a bad race, but could be better" (about: 2022) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 Overall, I had a great experience at the Walt Disney World marathon. However, there were a few things that could have made it better. First of all, the pros: 1. Even though 5am is an early start, I understand why Disney does that. Once the sun came up, it started to get hot. The high was upper 70s - lower 80s that day. Thank you for the early start. 2. Lots and lots of port-o-johns. 3. An abundance of water/Powerade stations and first aid stations. 4. Nice shirt and medal. Now, for the cons: 1. Powerade in plastic cups? Really Disney?! How am I supposed to run and drink when I can't pinch the cup into a funnel? This was my 8th marathon, and I have never seen plastic cups. 2. There was a fork in the course at one point. I couldn't hear what the person directing traffic was saying so I picked a route. The route I picked was only if you wanted your picture taken. PUT UP A SIGN! Not everyone who runs Disney wants to have their picture taken a hundred times during the course. 3. I didn't mind the long walk from the gear check to the corrals but I heard other people complain about it. 4. Why the random assignment of corrals? Since I didn't submit a recent race time, I knew I was going to be in the last corral. Turns out, I was in corral 3 (of 6). In the first 1/2 mile there were tons of walkers in front of me.
r. c. from Oradell, NJ (1/13/2022) "Expensive but the experience is unbeatable." (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Third Disney marathon and 6th runDisney event. I did the Dopey Challenge this year so the marathon was the final event of a 4 day, 48.6 mile adventure. As is typical of a runDisney event, lots of entertainment along the course, boring sections traveling between the various parks and plenty of friendly volunteers to encourage and cheer you on during your race. Marathon course itself, while entertaining in the parks and characters along the route, was disappointing with the out and backs and awful loop around a water park parking lot. Hugely disappointed Disney decided to do away with age-group awards for the weekend. Admittedly only a small subset care but in the 200+ races I've run, can't recall another race that didn't have some form of age-group awards. No reason given by Disney. Medals this year were almost over the top as they celebrated WDW 50th anniversary. Recommend Disney events for anyone looking for a fun Disney experience. Atmosphere is unbeatable!!
M. D. from CO (7/20/2020) "When the 1/2 is cancelled... run the full!" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was ready to run the 2017 1/2 marathon but the night before I found out it was cancelled. I decided to run the full and it did not disappoint. The energy from the spectators and the different bands was so amazing and I couldn't have done it without all the support!
m. s. from mansfield, TX (1/18/2020) "Overrated" (about: 2020) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Typical Disney, overpriced hype. For the cost, there should be a ticket to one of the parks after the race(s). Dopey Challenge is definitely unique and a runners bucket list. Great aid stations and volunteers. Pre-race walk to the start way too long. Nice medals. Six t-shirts a bit much, should be a credit if runner does not want 1 - or 6. Great Florida weather in 2020 :)
J. Z. from Upstate NY (1/15/2020) "A Wonderful Experience (Once You Get There!)" (about: 2020) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I had the joy of completing the Disney Marathon this past weekend. I'll start with the bad, the same way my day started- It's an early marathon, with a start time of 5am. Understandable, with the heat getting to the mid-80s by 9am. They recommend getting to Epcot around 3:30 AM to give you time to get through security, bag check, and to get to your corral which is probably close to a mile from drop off. All of this is quirky, but fine. But this year, they apparently changed the course and had to close some additional roads near the park, which led to a complete logjam of traffic. I left on my hotel's shuttle at 3am, knowing it was about a 15 minute drive normally. Around 3:30, I noticed the traffic was pretty awful, so I peeked at my phone's GPS to see how far we were from Epcot. It said about 20 minutes. ... Odd. But that would still put me there before 4, and I didn't have a bag to check, so no big deal. At 4, we hadn't moved more than 50 feet or so. I checked again, and now it said 25 minutes to Epcot. Uh oh. I started to freak out a little, but tried to play it cool. 4:30 hit and my phone still said we were 25 minutes away, so I said 'Screw it' and hopped off the bus. From there I jogged along state highways for close to 2 miles with tons of other panicked racers trying to make it to the start on time. I was corral 'A,' which meant my group was going to start right at 5. Because this wasn't an intended entrance, there were no signs along the highway and no one telling people where to go, so you sort of just had to assume that if you kept aiming towards the giant purple Epcot ball, you'd eventually get there. After hugging the shoulder trying not to get hit by cars, I made it to the parking lot at about 5am. I heard a volunteer say they had bumped the start back a few minutes to give people time because of traffic. I jogged a little trying to get to my corral, not knowing it was still quite a ways away. Long story short, I got to corral A around 5:15am, with about 1 minute to spare before Mickey yelled 'Go!' I was sweaty, stressed out, and had already run somewhere between 2 and 3 miles. My anxiety was through the roof. Thankfully, from that point on, I had the time of my life. I had already planned on stopping to take pictures with characters, taking video of the scenery, etc. etc. I did all that and more, and still ended up with a ~3:45 total time. Running through the parks with all of the lights and sounds, bands and DJs, TONS of people cheering you on... it really was Disney magic. The service roads in between are a little dull, but they try to make up for it with music and characters, which keeps your mind off the monotony. Overall, I had such a blast. So, if you can avoid the nightmare of traffic at the beginning and actually get there at a reasonable hour, don't pass up the opportunity to feel like a kid again on race day. Hopefully they can iron out the issues with the new course and do what they do best.
W. W. from Los Angeles (1/22/2019) "A Fun Marathon" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon route goes through all major theme parks in Disney World. There were many Disney characters along the way cheering for you. If you like, you could stop by and taking photos with the characters. The event allowed the runners and park goers sharing the roads without major conflict. You actually running through some of the park attraction areas and main streets. Many volunteers and park workers along the way to support and to help. People cheered the runners along the way even before the day light. The finish medals are very well designed and well made. Disney guys are experts to organizing parties. The marathon were a well organized event, including the expo and the race. The race started at 5:30am before day light. Most areas were well lighted. However, some sections were very dark. Especially, after you got used to running through well lighted area, then, all of sudden getting into the pitch dark road sections could be very dangerous, if you are not used to run in a dark environment. There was about half mile long walk in the dark from the bag checking to the start line.
R. H. from Milwaukee, WI (1/19/2019) "Horrible corral placement" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I am attempting to knock down 50 states and this was state #12. I brought my wife and 3 kids along so that we could enjoy Disney for several days after the marathon. The packet pickup was fairly organized but you had to traverse multiple buildings at the ESPN Wide World of Sports to get your bib and race shirt. Upon leaving the venue, I looked at my bib and noticed I was placed in corral H. I didn't think too much of it simply enjoyed family time. Race day came and I got on the bus at 3:00 am for a 5:30 start time. Busses were full and everyone was eerily quiet compared to other marathons I have completed. The area housing all the runners prior to the start of the race was what you would expect - many people taking photos with characters and quite a bit of entertainment. I tried to find someone who could help place me in an earlier corral with no luck. We walked at least a half mile to the corrals and what do you know, I am placed in the LAST one. I submitted a pdf of a previous marathon finish of 3:36 when I signed up for the event but that was clearly overlooked by the race committee. Again, I tried to talk my way in to an earlier corral and was scolded and sent away. I lined up in corral H with the 7 hour pace group knowing that this would be a challenge like no other. I finally crossed the line 45 minutes after the first corral and was immediately met with having to dodge walkers and picture takers. For the record, I applaud anyone who completes a marathon but there were people literally walking within 50 yards of starting the event. I passed at least 5k runners weaving and dodging people for at least 15 miles. There were parts of the race where it funneled down to a one lane road where I was forced to walk or hop....I had no choice but to hop through the Disney Castle. Running through all 4 Disney parks was very cool and seeing the Disney castle lit up was amazing. Spectators on the course was varied as a lot of it was run on service roads where the average spectator was not allowed. The only electrolytes on the course were those jelly beans and they seemed to find every wet spot in my mouth so they were quickly spit out. I crossed the line at 4:00:32 and then watched all of corral's C & D come in after me. To summarize, it wasn't all bad. The course is unique and very flat/easy. The race is truly set up for beginners and runners who simply want the Disney experience. There were character spots all over the course where you could stop and take pictures - I did not partake. The medal is awesome as well. I emailed Disney about their error and have yet to receive a response. At over 6 feet tall, 200 lbs, and running sub 8 minute miles (in the first half) - it could have led to injuries/crashes for myself or others.
A. R. from Winchester, VA, USA (9/22/2018) "Flat, Fast, Fun Marathon (w/ Crowds / Wait Times)" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the Disney World Marathon in January 2017. My family and I stayed in a resort in Disney World, so as far as logistics go, everything was a breeze in regards to that (free shuttle service all over the park, including to the packet pickup area, race start area, and then back to our room). That said I cannot imagine trying to participate in this marathon without staying in the park. With close to 30,000 people, there are crowds, crowds, and more crowds. Plan to wait in line to pick up your race day packet the day before there race. Also with a race start time of 5:30 a.m., you will have to wake up VERY early in order to get a shuttle over to the race area, walk to your corral position, and then wait for the race to start. Unfortunately the year I ran it, it was abnormally cold in Florida with temps in the 30s that morning with wind chills. It was COLD & so standing around for 2 hours huddled in a masses of people for 2 hours waiting for the race to start was not fun. However once the race began, it was a great experience. You get to run through all 4 of the Disney Parks, and there is constant crowd support and entertainment along the way. For those not running for time, there are Disney characters at every mile marker that you can have your photo taken with. Upon finishing the race you get a really nice medal and other goodies (I distinctly remember a nice pre-race food box full of goodies to replenish your energy). While this is not a marathon I would plan on running for a PR, I would recommend running it for the experience especially if you parlay it into a family trip down to Disney, as my family had a wonderful time at the parks for the few days after the race.
R. K. from Michigan, USA (5/17/2018) "Not a typical marathon" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 2018 was the second time I ran the Disney World Marathon. This time it was as part of the Dopey Challenge. I made the mistake of running the first one like a regular marathon and spent the entire time being frustrated at having to dodge people and not being able to keep any sort of consistent pace. I never stopped for a character photo and never attempted to enjoy the Disney experience. This year was totally different although the crowds still were annoying. My training partner and I decided that we weren't going to concern ourselves with time but rather would just enjoy the race and get as many photos with characters as we could. We did submit proof of times which got us into an earlier corral. You HAVE to do that. They have cast members who will check numbers as you enter the corrals and you don't want to be in a later corral if you have any ability to run a decent pace. The corrals start in a stagger fashion. Not only are the entire corrals staggered but the corrals themselves have mini-waves. That was fine and each mini wave had its own fireworks send off. Very cool. Because of the wave start and the open roads in the beginning the course was not crowded at all for the first three miles or so. That all came to an abrupt end once we stopped for our first character photo. As we waited in line to get our picture taken I saw more and more slower runners going by. Then there was a pace group of probably 30 people doing the Galloway run/walk thing that passed us right when we were rejoining the course and they all stopped running at the same time completely blocking the course. I'm a big fan of Galloway and I totally support the pace groups. However, this course is not set up for it. There are WAY too many narrow sections. I'm talking about sections where it is one lane of a road wide. On top of those pace groups there were also a lot of people with absolutely no consideration for anyone else around them. For example, there was one point on one of those narrow sections where 5 really big guys were walking shoulder to shoulder completely blocking the road. Really? Does anyone think that is o.k.? Of course we were out there to enjoy the experience and stopping for character photos means that finish time is not a concern. However, there are are so many long stretches where you just want to run a nice steady pace that it becomes a major annoyance when people don't practice considerate course etiquette. What really made it annoying was that there were people who were obviously aware of course etiquette but failed anyway. They would do a hand signal indicating that they were going to walk but instead of moving off to the side to begin walking they just immediately stopped in the middle of the course! So close to doing it right. O.K. end of rant. I still loved this race and would do it again. Why? Because there really is such a thing as Disney Magic if you allow yourself to experience it. I was never a Disney kind of person which is probably why I didn't have as much fun the first year. This time I let myself go with the Disney thing and it was a blast. We would practice poses for the character stops and get the characters to play along. We joked along the course and just tried to enjoy the ride. You know you are not running a typical marathon when you stop at almost exactly the halfway point to ride a roller coaster. My running partner to this day talks about riding Expedition Everest in the middle of a marathon. There were a ton of aid stations and in general everyone had a really positive attitude. Cast members along the course were all into the experience and really added to the enjoyment. Some people have commented on the pour quality of food at the end of the race. It wasn't great but mostly that's a personal preference thing. I thought the post race experience was fairly good considering how many people they had to handle. As an added bonus to our race, because it was the 25th anniversary of the Disney World Marathon, marathon finishers received commemorative marathon mouse ears! I actually cheered when I saw that. It was a complete surprise. General comments: We stayed off site and drove to the race. It was awesome having a car in which to wait while everyone else was outside freezing (it was 35 degrees at the start). After the race we were able to go back to the car and pick up clean clothes and refreshments without have to wait around for a bus. It's WAY cheaper to stay off site. Also, we had a condo with a full kitchen so we were able to make our own pre and post race meals. I've always found the food at Disney properties substandard and expensive. The bling at Disney events is almost over the top. Doing the Dopey Challenge we got six shirts and six medals, each one getting larger as you went from the 5k to the full marathon. It was very cool to get a picture wearing all of those medals. Disney is expensive. You need to treat this like a vacation and not a destination marathon. Budget accordingly. Be aware that the expo and packet pickup are two different things even though both are held at the ESPN Sports Complex. Remember that Disney holds six separate events during marathon weekend. Each one has its own packet pickup. The Expo where they have vendors and merch is in a different building and it's as crowded as the races. Race clothing can be purchased online as well as at the expo and I believe there were things you could get online but not at the expo. Weird. If you want photos get the Disney PhotoPass package. It is a bit pricey but it includes all of the character stops as well as other photographers along the course and in the parks afterward. You get unlimited digital copies of all of the photos. On the course, look for the little green tents hiding the photographers and for God's sake don't hog the camera so that people behind you can get photos. So, here's the thing with Disney. Treat it like a fun run and you'll really enjoy it. Don't think about qualifying for Boston unless you are in corral A. Rather, kick back, enjoy the surroundings and go with the Disney experience. You'll end up having a great time. For a complete recap of my Dope Challenge experience you can go to: https://randallknight.wixsite.com/randallknight/single-post/2018/01/12/Disney-World-Marathon-Weekend-1

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D. M. from Virginia, USA (7/11/2023) "Great race if you love running and Disney" (about: 2023) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon and was a truly fantastic event. It was very well organized. I was fortunate to be quick enough to get in the first corral, so the crowd size was not too bad from there and I was able to get most of the photos without much wait. Running up Main St USA and seeing the castle was amazing and I loved every park we ran through. I wish we'd run through the Star Wars area. My 3 star rating for spectators was because the only notable crowd was in the Magic Kingdom.
E. B. from North Carolina (1/17/2022) "Not a bad race, but could be better" (about: 2022) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 Overall, I had a great experience at the Walt Disney World marathon. However, there were a few things that could have made it better. First of all, the pros: 1. Even though 5am is an early start, I understand why Disney does that. Once the sun came up, it started to get hot. The high was upper 70s - lower 80s that day. Thank you for the early start. 2. Lots and lots of port-o-johns. 3. An abundance of water/Powerade stations and first aid stations. 4. Nice shirt and medal. Now, for the cons: 1. Powerade in plastic cups? Really Disney?! How am I supposed to run and drink when I can't pinch the cup into a funnel? This was my 8th marathon, and I have never seen plastic cups. 2. There was a fork in the course at one point. I couldn't hear what the person directing traffic was saying so I picked a route. The route I picked was only if you wanted your picture taken. PUT UP A SIGN! Not everyone who runs Disney wants to have their picture taken a hundred times during the course. 3. I didn't mind the long walk from the gear check to the corrals but I heard other people complain about it. 4. Why the random assignment of corrals? Since I didn't submit a recent race time, I knew I was going to be in the last corral. Turns out, I was in corral 3 (of 6). In the first 1/2 mile there were tons of walkers in front of me.
r. c. from Oradell, NJ (1/13/2022) "Expensive but the experience is unbeatable." (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Third Disney marathon and 6th runDisney event. I did the Dopey Challenge this year so the marathon was the final event of a 4 day, 48.6 mile adventure. As is typical of a runDisney event, lots of entertainment along the course, boring sections traveling between the various parks and plenty of friendly volunteers to encourage and cheer you on during your race. Marathon course itself, while entertaining in the parks and characters along the route, was disappointing with the out and backs and awful loop around a water park parking lot. Hugely disappointed Disney decided to do away with age-group awards for the weekend. Admittedly only a small subset care but in the 200+ races I've run, can't recall another race that didn't have some form of age-group awards. No reason given by Disney. Medals this year were almost over the top as they celebrated WDW 50th anniversary. Recommend Disney events for anyone looking for a fun Disney experience. Atmosphere is unbeatable!!
M. D. from CO (7/20/2020) "When the 1/2 is cancelled... run the full!" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was ready to run the 2017 1/2 marathon but the night before I found out it was cancelled. I decided to run the full and it did not disappoint. The energy from the spectators and the different bands was so amazing and I couldn't have done it without all the support!
m. s. from mansfield, TX (1/18/2020) "Overrated" (about: 2020) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Typical Disney, overpriced hype. For the cost, there should be a ticket to one of the parks after the race(s). Dopey Challenge is definitely unique and a runners bucket list. Great aid stations and volunteers. Pre-race walk to the start way too long. Nice medals. Six t-shirts a bit much, should be a credit if runner does not want 1 - or 6. Great Florida weather in 2020 :)
J. Z. from Upstate NY (1/15/2020) "A Wonderful Experience (Once You Get There!)" (about: 2020) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I had the joy of completing the Disney Marathon this past weekend. I'll start with the bad, the same way my day started- It's an early marathon, with a start time of 5am. Understandable, with the heat getting to the mid-80s by 9am. They recommend getting to Epcot around 3:30 AM to give you time to get through security, bag check, and to get to your corral which is probably close to a mile from drop off. All of this is quirky, but fine. But this year, they apparently changed the course and had to close some additional roads near the park, which led to a complete logjam of traffic. I left on my hotel's shuttle at 3am, knowing it was about a 15 minute drive normally. Around 3:30, I noticed the traffic was pretty awful, so I peeked at my phone's GPS to see how far we were from Epcot. It said about 20 minutes. ... Odd. But that would still put me there before 4, and I didn't have a bag to check, so no big deal. At 4, we hadn't moved more than 50 feet or so. I checked again, and now it said 25 minutes to Epcot. Uh oh. I started to freak out a little, but tried to play it cool. 4:30 hit and my phone still said we were 25 minutes away, so I said 'Screw it' and hopped off the bus. From there I jogged along state highways for close to 2 miles with tons of other panicked racers trying to make it to the start on time. I was corral 'A,' which meant my group was going to start right at 5. Because this wasn't an intended entrance, there were no signs along the highway and no one telling people where to go, so you sort of just had to assume that if you kept aiming towards the giant purple Epcot ball, you'd eventually get there. After hugging the shoulder trying not to get hit by cars, I made it to the parking lot at about 5am. I heard a volunteer say they had bumped the start back a few minutes to give people time because of traffic. I jogged a little trying to get to my corral, not knowing it was still quite a ways away. Long story short, I got to corral A around 5:15am, with about 1 minute to spare before Mickey yelled 'Go!' I was sweaty, stressed out, and had already run somewhere between 2 and 3 miles. My anxiety was through the roof. Thankfully, from that point on, I had the time of my life. I had already planned on stopping to take pictures with characters, taking video of the scenery, etc. etc. I did all that and more, and still ended up with a ~3:45 total time. Running through the parks with all of the lights and sounds, bands and DJs, TONS of people cheering you on... it really was Disney magic. The service roads in between are a little dull, but they try to make up for it with music and characters, which keeps your mind off the monotony. Overall, I had such a blast. So, if you can avoid the nightmare of traffic at the beginning and actually get there at a reasonable hour, don't pass up the opportunity to feel like a kid again on race day. Hopefully they can iron out the issues with the new course and do what they do best.
W. W. from Los Angeles (1/22/2019) "A Fun Marathon" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon route goes through all major theme parks in Disney World. There were many Disney characters along the way cheering for you. If you like, you could stop by and taking photos with the characters. The event allowed the runners and park goers sharing the roads without major conflict. You actually running through some of the park attraction areas and main streets. Many volunteers and park workers along the way to support and to help. People cheered the runners along the way even before the day light. The finish medals are very well designed and well made. Disney guys are experts to organizing parties. The marathon were a well organized event, including the expo and the race. The race started at 5:30am before day light. Most areas were well lighted. However, some sections were very dark. Especially, after you got used to running through well lighted area, then, all of sudden getting into the pitch dark road sections could be very dangerous, if you are not used to run in a dark environment. There was about half mile long walk in the dark from the bag checking to the start line.
R. H. from Milwaukee, WI (1/19/2019) "Horrible corral placement" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I am attempting to knock down 50 states and this was state #12. I brought my wife and 3 kids along so that we could enjoy Disney for several days after the marathon. The packet pickup was fairly organized but you had to traverse multiple buildings at the ESPN Wide World of Sports to get your bib and race shirt. Upon leaving the venue, I looked at my bib and noticed I was placed in corral H. I didn't think too much of it simply enjoyed family time. Race day came and I got on the bus at 3:00 am for a 5:30 start time. Busses were full and everyone was eerily quiet compared to other marathons I have completed. The area housing all the runners prior to the start of the race was what you would expect - many people taking photos with characters and quite a bit of entertainment. I tried to find someone who could help place me in an earlier corral with no luck. We walked at least a half mile to the corrals and what do you know, I am placed in the LAST one. I submitted a pdf of a previous marathon finish of 3:36 when I signed up for the event but that was clearly overlooked by the race committee. Again, I tried to talk my way in to an earlier corral and was scolded and sent away. I lined up in corral H with the 7 hour pace group knowing that this would be a challenge like no other. I finally crossed the line 45 minutes after the first corral and was immediately met with having to dodge walkers and picture takers. For the record, I applaud anyone who completes a marathon but there were people literally walking within 50 yards of starting the event. I passed at least 5k runners weaving and dodging people for at least 15 miles. There were parts of the race where it funneled down to a one lane road where I was forced to walk or hop....I had no choice but to hop through the Disney Castle. Running through all 4 Disney parks was very cool and seeing the Disney castle lit up was amazing. Spectators on the course was varied as a lot of it was run on service roads where the average spectator was not allowed. The only electrolytes on the course were those jelly beans and they seemed to find every wet spot in my mouth so they were quickly spit out. I crossed the line at 4:00:32 and then watched all of corral's C & D come in after me. To summarize, it wasn't all bad. The course is unique and very flat/easy. The race is truly set up for beginners and runners who simply want the Disney experience. There were character spots all over the course where you could stop and take pictures - I did not partake. The medal is awesome as well. I emailed Disney about their error and have yet to receive a response. At over 6 feet tall, 200 lbs, and running sub 8 minute miles (in the first half) - it could have led to injuries/crashes for myself or others.
A. R. from Winchester, VA, USA (9/22/2018) "Flat, Fast, Fun Marathon (w/ Crowds / Wait Times)" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Disney World Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the Disney World Marathon in January 2017. My family and I stayed in a resort in Disney World, so as far as logistics go, everything was a breeze in regards to that (free shuttle service all over the park, including to the packet pickup area, race start area, and then back to our room). That said I cannot imagine trying to participate in this marathon without staying in the park. With close to 30,000 people, there are crowds, crowds, and more crowds. Plan to wait in line to pick up your race day packet the day before there race. Also with a race start time of 5:30 a.m., you will have to wake up VERY early in order to get a shuttle over to the race area, walk to your corral position, and then wait for the race to start. Unfortunately the year I ran it, it was abnormally cold in Florida with temps in the 30s that morning with wind chills. It was COLD & so standing around for 2 hours huddled in a masses of people for 2 hours waiting for the race to start was not fun. However once the race began, it was a great experience. You get to run through all 4 of the Disney Parks, and there is constant crowd support and entertainment along the way. For those not running for time, there are Disney characters at every mile marker that you can have your photo taken with. Upon finishing the race you get a really nice medal and other goodies (I distinctly remember a nice pre-race food box full of goodies to replenish your energy). While this is not a marathon I would plan on running for a PR, I would recommend running it for the experience especially if you parlay it into a family trip down to Disney, as my family had a wonderful time at the parks for the few days after the race.
R. K. from Michigan, USA (5/17/2018) "Not a typical marathon" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Disney World Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 2018 was the second time I ran the Disney World Marathon. This time it was as part of the Dopey Challenge. I made the mistake of running the first one like a regular marathon and spent the entire time being frustrated at having to dodge people and not being able to keep any sort of consistent pace. I never stopped for a character photo and never attempted to enjoy the Disney experience. This year was totally different although the crowds still were annoying. My training partner and I decided that we weren't going to concern ourselves with time but rather would just enjoy the race and get as many photos with characters as we could. We did submit proof of times which got us into an earlier corral. You HAVE to do that. They have cast members who will check numbers as you enter the corrals and you don't want to be in a later corral if you have any ability to run a decent pace. The corrals start in a stagger fashion. Not only are the entire corrals staggered but the corrals themselves have mini-waves. That was fine and each mini wave had its own fireworks send off. Very cool. Because of the wave start and the open roads in the beginning the course was not crowded at all for the first three miles or so. That all came to an abrupt end once we stopped for our first character photo. As we waited in line to get our picture taken I saw more and more slower runners going by. Then there was a pace group of probably 30 people doing the Galloway run/walk thing that passed us right when we were rejoining the course and they all stopped running at the same time completely blocking the course. I'm a big fan of Galloway and I totally support the pace groups. However, this course is not set up for it. There are WAY too many narrow sections. I'm talking about sections where it is one lane of a road wide. On top of those pace groups there were also a lot of people with absolutely no consideration for anyone else around them. For example, there was one point on one of those narrow sections where 5 really big guys were walking shoulder to shoulder completely blocking the road. Really? Does anyone think that is o.k.? Of course we were out there to enjoy the experience and stopping for character photos means that finish time is not a concern. However, there are are so many long stretches where you just want to run a nice steady pace that it becomes a major annoyance when people don't practice considerate course etiquette. What really made it annoying was that there were people who were obviously aware of course etiquette but failed anyway. They would do a hand signal indicating that they were going to walk but instead of moving off to the side to begin walking they just immediately stopped in the middle of the course! So close to doing it right. O.K. end of rant. I still loved this race and would do it again. Why? Because there really is such a thing as Disney Magic if you allow yourself to experience it. I was never a Disney kind of person which is probably why I didn't have as much fun the first year. This time I let myself go with the Disney thing and it was a blast. We would practice poses for the character stops and get the characters to play along. We joked along the course and just tried to enjoy the ride. You know you are not running a typical marathon when you stop at almost exactly the halfway point to ride a roller coaster. My running partner to this day talks about riding Expedition Everest in the middle of a marathon. There were a ton of aid stations and in general everyone had a really positive attitude. Cast members along the course were all into the experience and really added to the enjoyment. Some people have commented on the pour quality of food at the end of the race. It wasn't great but mostly that's a personal preference thing. I thought the post race experience was fairly good considering how many people they had to handle. As an added bonus to our race, because it was the 25th anniversary of the Disney World Marathon, marathon finishers received commemorative marathon mouse ears! I actually cheered when I saw that. It was a complete surprise. General comments: We stayed off site and drove to the race. It was awesome having a car in which to wait while everyone else was outside freezing (it was 35 degrees at the start). After the race we were able to go back to the car and pick up clean clothes and refreshments without have to wait around for a bus. It's WAY cheaper to stay off site. Also, we had a condo with a full kitchen so we were able to make our own pre and post race meals. I've always found the food at Disney properties substandard and expensive. The bling at Disney events is almost over the top. Doing the Dopey Challenge we got six shirts and six medals, each one getting larger as you went from the 5k to the full marathon. It was very cool to get a picture wearing all of those medals. Disney is expensive. You need to treat this like a vacation and not a destination marathon. Budget accordingly. Be aware that the expo and packet pickup are two different things even though both are held at the ESPN Sports Complex. Remember that Disney holds six separate events during marathon weekend. Each one has its own packet pickup. The Expo where they have vendors and merch is in a different building and it's as crowded as the races. Race clothing can be purchased online as well as at the expo and I believe there were things you could get online but not at the expo. Weird. If you want photos get the Disney PhotoPass package. It is a bit pricey but it includes all of the character stops as well as other photographers along the course and in the parks afterward. You get unlimited digital copies of all of the photos. On the course, look for the little green tents hiding the photographers and for God's sake don't hog the camera so that people behind you can get photos. So, here's the thing with Disney. Treat it like a fun run and you'll really enjoy it. Don't think about qualifying for Boston unless you are in corral A. Rather, kick back, enjoy the surroundings and go with the Disney experience. You'll end up having a great time. For a complete recap of my Dope Challenge experience you can go to: https://randallknight.wixsite.com/randallknight/single-post/2018/01/12/Disney-World-Marathon-Weekend-1

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Marathon Details - Disney World Marathon