You’re a runner, and you love Disney, but have you “runDisney”!?
runDisney is such a fun travel niche to experience! If you’re a runner and you love Disney and you HAVEN’T experienced runDisney – you have to put it on your list for next years races!
runDisney consists of 4 (soon to be 5!) race weekends per year so you can choose which time of year or theme fits you best! The CURRENT runDisney options include 4 Walt Disney World event weekends…
Marathon Weekend in early January
Princess Half Marathon Weekend in late February
Springtime Surprise Weekend in April
Recently replaced Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend
Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend in early November
Plus…
Disneyland Half Marathon weekend returns in 2024!
So far, I’ve participated in each runDisney event in Walt Disney World (including the long-gone Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend). Each weekend truly feels like a separate experience from the others – whether its the theming, the race distance, or the time of year for the race.
If runDisney sounds like the next race on your list….here’s what you NEED to know.
runDisney events SELL OUT. You can visit the runDisney site to check when registration opens (typically ~ 8 months in advance). You will want to be online (maybe even with multiple devices!) the date registration opens BEFORE the time it opens and be ready to go.
runDisney events are EARLY. In Walt Disney World, most races start between 5:00am and 5:30am. If you stay on Disney property, there is complimentary bus transportation to all runDisney events. Be aware….because these events draw such a large crowd, runDisney encourages you to be very early to the starting line…so for races starting at 5:30am, you are waking up around 2:30am to board the buses around 3:30am. This can be an adjustment and something you may want to consider while training for your race.
Think about FOOD in advance. Quick service restaurants will NOT be open at 3:00am when you are getting ready for the race. It’s best to either pack your meal (think oatmeal you can make in the room, protein bars, bagels). or purchase your breakfast items the night before at the quick service – there is typically a ‘runners bag’ available that works great. THEN consider how long it will be between eating…and actually running. I like to bring an extra snack to race start just in case!
Be CREATIVE! runDisney races are crowded…with runners in costume! Yup – that’s right – some runners will be dressed in a full costume for up to 26.2 miles!!! You can be as creative about your costume as you want – I like to stick to “Disney Bounding” which means I’ll wear running clothes inspired by a Disney character! One year my husband and I ran as Peter Pan and Wendy and I found a blue running skort, blue running tank top, and used ribbons to tie up my hair – easy!
It’s not always a RACE. runDisney races are full of character…literally. Throughout the course you’ll run through one to four theme parks and encounter unique character stops and photo ops! This is what makes runDisney SO fun – ENJOY the character stops, enjoy running through the parks…don’t feel like you need to earn your personal best time at a runDisney race.
A word of warning…a runDisney vacation is unlike any other Walt Disney World vacation. Avoid spending a full day in the parks – your feet will thank you! Go to bed early! And be aware of the restaurants you choose for dining reservations BEFORE the race…try to stick to healthy foods to fuel your run!
I love sharing the magic of runDisney with you, this has always been a great motivator for me to return to the running world after a hiatus. Springtime Surprise weekend 2024 is around my birthday and I’m already itching to sign up!
