Walt Disney World Marathon

Location: Bay Lake, Florida
Country: United States
Website: https://www.rundisney.com/events/disneyworld/disneyworld-marathon-weekend
2025 Marathon Date: 12/01/2025
2026 Marathon Date: 11/01/2026
Winning Time 2025: 2:27:17
% Sub-3s: <0.5%
# Sub-3s: 10–49
Total Runners: 10k+

The Walt Disney World Marathon is held each January in Bay Lake, Florida, and is one of the most distinctive marathon experiences in the United States. Organised as part of the wider runDisney race weekend, the event is designed around entertainment, spectacle and mass participation. While not traditionally viewed as a fast course, the Walt Disney World Marathon offers a unique and immersive race-day experience.

The route begins and ends within the Walt Disney World Resort, taking runners through all four theme parks: Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. In between, the course includes backstage service roads, resort areas and long connectors between parks. The terrain is mostly flat, with a few highway ramps and overpasses that introduce gentle gradients.

January weather in central Florida is variable. Cool mornings are common, but humidity can rise quickly, and temperatures occasionally reach uncomfortable levels before the race concludes. Rain is possible but not typical. Runners must be prepared for a wide range of conditions, often within the same race.

The event is meticulously organised, with exceptional signage, aid stations and crowd management. Disney’s logistics infrastructure supports tens of thousands of runners over several days. Course entertainment includes character meet-and-greets, music, and themed cheer zones. Spectators are concentrated near park entrances and along public viewing areas.

The Walt Disney World Marathon is not primarily designed for speed. Narrow sections, high density and distraction-heavy features make pacing difficult for runners targeting specific times. However, it holds strong appeal for runners prioritising atmosphere and experience over performance.

Sub-3 runners are a small minority at this event, and those targeting that mark should be prepared for early solo pacing and limited competition at the front. While not a natural choice for time-focused racing, the Walt Disney World Marathon offers a memorable setting for experienced runners who want to combine a marathon effort with a family-friendly destination or a break from conventional racing goals.