Hi Tracey,
Thanks for bringing your question to planDisney! I am thrilled to hear you are planning to run the
Disney Princess 5K at the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend! I love participating in
runDisney events, and the
Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend is on my list of “must-do” race weekends.
I have good news, Tracey. In past
runDisney race weekends, the 5K event course runs through EPCOT. You’ll begin in the EPCOT parking lot, go through the World Showcase, and cross the finish line in the EPCOT parking lot. This means that you get a lot of time enjoying your 3.1 miles in EPCOT, but you won’t be running past Disney Resort hotels. Spectator viewing for the 5K event is available at the start and finish areas. The course and spectator areas are subject to change for future race weekends, but you’ll find that information in the Event Guide which can be found on
runDisney.com in the weeks leading up to your race weekend.
When it comes to where you’ll stay for your race-cation, you can’t go wrong with any
Disney Resort Hotel. Complimentary transportation is provided to and from the Runner Expo and races. The 2024 Disney Princess 5K has a listed start time of 5:00 AM ET and buses start running a few hours before to take you to the starting area. I know it’s early in the morning, but believe me, the atmosphere at the starting line will give you the burst of energy you need before your race. There is music, characters to meet, and plenty of other race participants who will share in the excitement.
I have a few tips for your race experience, Tracey. You should find a sign in your Disney Resort hotel Lobby that details the timing for the weekend events. Pay special attention to the times that the buses are running to take you to these events. You don’t want to arrive too close to the start time of the race, so I suggest catching one of the earlier buses. Also, make sure you take a moment to enjoy running through the World Showcase when the park is closed to general guests! I love to safely pause on the side of the course to look across the World Showcase Lagoon towards Spaceship Earth. Finally, keep an eye out for brightly lit areas with PhotoPass photographers under green tents and smile!
Race and finish line photos are a great souvenir to commemorate your participation in a runDisney event. For this, I recommend purchasing
Memory Maker for your visit as you can link your bib number to your account and download any race photos along with your attraction and Disney PhotoPass photos you take inside the theme parks!
I hope this was helpful, Tracey. I’m sure you can tell I love to talk about runDisney! I would love to help you prepare for your race weekend and visit to Walt Disney World Resort, so
send me a message if you have any more questions!
Wishing you many magical miles,
Kaitlin