Walt Disney World Marathon
Orlando, USA · Second Sunday of January
The world's most magical marathon starts and finishes at EPCOT and winds through all four Walt Disney World theme parks — runners get exclusive pre-dawn access to an empty Magic Kingdom (past Cinderella's Castle), Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and the EPCOT World Showcase. This is a bucket-list experience, not a PR race: the 4:30am gun, character photo stops, costumed crowds, and 7-hour time limit mean spectacle takes priority over speed. Florida's flat terrain keeps elevation gain to just 90 m, but congestion through theme park gates and backstage roads makes a personal best essentially impossible.
Course
Elevation gain
90 m
Net elevation
Flat
Finishers
~13,000
Month
January
Second Sunday of January
Race-day weather
Median start temp
13°C
Historical range
8–22°C
Hot-year risk
Moderate
The 4:30am gun fires into pre-dawn January temperatures around 10–15°C — comfortable for racing. Late finishers (5+ hours) encounter Florida sunshine, potentially 18–22°C by mid-morning. January is Florida's coolest month but warm race days occur.
Getting in
Sells out fast. Opens to Club runDisney Gold/Platinum members first, then general public via virtual queue at rundisney.com — sells out within hours. Also available as the full leg of the Dopey Challenge (5K/10K/half/full over 4 days). Register the moment registration opens. Official site ↗
Pacing plans for Walt Disney World Marathon
Course-adjusted splits for every common goal — not flat even splits, but pacing that matches where this course is fast and where it bites.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Walt Disney World Marathon a fast course?
It is not considered a PR course. The course has 90 m of total elevation gain and no net drop. We rate it 3/10 for PR potential.
What is the weather usually like at the Walt Disney World Marathon?
The median start-line temperature is around 13°C, with a historical range of roughly 8–22°C. The 4:30am gun fires into pre-dawn January temperatures around 10–15°C — comfortable for racing. Late finishers (5+ hours) encounter Florida sunshine, potentially 18–22°C by mid-morning. January is Florida's coolest month but warm race days occur.
How do you get into the Walt Disney World Marathon?
Sells out fast. Opens to Club runDisney Gold/Platinum members first, then general public via virtual queue at rundisney.com — sells out within hours. Also available as the full leg of the Dopey Challenge (5K/10K/half/full over 4 days). Register the moment registration opens.
Is the Walt Disney World Marathon a Boston qualifier?
Yes — the Walt Disney World Marathon is a certified course accepted by the B.A.A. for Boston qualifying times. Note that it is not eligible for records due to its point-to-point or net-downhill layout, but that does not affect Boston qualifying.