Welcome to planDisney, Karen! You are asking about one of my favorite topics: runDisney. My legs are still recovering from Marathon Weekend. Whether you are thinking 5k, 10k, the half, full marathon, or going completely Dopey and doing all four in one weekend, Walt Disney World Resort is the most magical place to race.
Like you, runDisney is already preparing for the 2024 - 2025 season!
- Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend: October 31 - November 3, 2024
- Marathon Weekend: January 8 - 12, 2025
- Princess Half Marathon Weekend: February 20 - 24, 2025
- Springtime Surprise: April 3 - 6, 2025
If this is your first runDisney event, you may not know the most important dates to start paying attention to are the registration dates.
- Wine & Dine: March 12, 2024
- Marathon Weekend: April 9, 2024
- Princess Weekend: July 30, 2024
- Springtime Surprise: August 27, 2024
runDisney gives you plenty of time to lace up your sneakers and train (and begin planning your costume). In my first in-person runDisney event, I saw signs that read, "You made it through registration, the 10 miles is the easy part!" These races are wildly popular - for a reason - but they sell out quickly. Once you know the race you want to run, put "runDisney Registration" on your calendar with a reminder. It is usually at 10 am on that day, but make sure you check the runDisney site just in case it changes. Log in 10 minutes before registration opens. Everyone logged in before registration begins will be assigned a number in the queue randomly; people logging in after will join the end of the queue. Many sell out within an hour. It is the most stressful part.
You may also want to consider making a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort. They provide transportation to all events and the expo, making it very easy to climb aboard and let the drivers get you to where you need to be.
The running community is amazing! You may want to include runDisney in your Facebook and Instagram connections for updates on all the things: registration dates, themes, medal and shirt reveals, course maps, just to name a few. There are so many moments where the excitement of seeing the medals is just the boost you need to keep putting in the training.
It is true the training is the work and the race is the celebration. With the characters, volunteers and spectators along the course, every mile is magic!
Happy Running,
Jana