Ultimate Guide to runDisney: The Races

The runDisney "season" holds four events at Walt Disney World: Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, Marathon Weekend, Princess Half Marathon Weekend, and Springtime Surprise Weekend.

Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

When: Fall, typically late-October/early-November during Epcot's Wine & Dine Festival

Races: 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon. There is also a Two Course Challenge that combines the 10k and Half Marathon. If you want to run every race during W&D you'll need to register for the Two Course Challenge and the 5k. There is also an After Hours event starting at 10pm at Epcot (participants can enter starting at 5pm) after the Half Marathon that is included in registration for the Half Marathon and Two Course Challenge. Anyone else can register for the After Hours event on the runDisney website for a fee.

Theme: Food and dining, typically referencing Disney movies. In 2025 the themes are breakfast (Mulan), lunch (Frozen), dinner (Lady and the Tramp), and dessert (Sleeping Beauty).

Vibe: The first runDisney event of the season, W&D is very popular and the favorite event for many. It is a fun weekend and you'll usually see tons of finishers out and about throughout the resort following the Half Marathon. The 5k and 10k courses run primarily though Epcot and the Boardwalk area, while the Half Marathon loops from Epcot through Hollywood Studios and back.

WDW Marathon Weekend

When: Early- to mid-January - of note, the Florida weather in January is all over the place, so watch the weather and plan accordingly. It can be 80s and humid (2022) or 30s and cold (2025) and anywhere in between.

Races: 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, and Marathon. There's also the Goofy Challenge that combines the Half Marathon and Marathon, and of course the Dopey Challenge that combines all four races for the weekend.

Themes: The overall theme for the weekend varies, but the medals typically feature Pluto (5k), Chip and Dale (10k), Donald and Daisy Duck (HM), Mickey and Minnie Mouse (Mara), and Goofy and Dopey for their respective challenges.

Vibe: Feels like an extension of Christmas as all the decorations are still up for the week. There's definitely a nervous excitement amongst the Goofy and Dopey runners as the specter of the Marathon looms over the weekend. The 5k and 10k are similar to W&D, whereas the Half Marathon treks up to Magic Kingdom. The Marathon goes through every park - and infamously the Blizzard Beach parking lot.

Princess Weekend

When: Late February

Races: 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon. There is also a Fairy Tale Challenge combining the 10k and Half Marathon (similar to W&D, you'll need to register for the 5k and Challenge to race in every event), as well as a Sunrise Yoga event in front of the Magic Kingdom castle the day before the 5k.

Theme: Princesses! You'll see plenty of Disney princesses, princes, sidekicks, and the occasional villain on throughout the courses.

Vibe: All the runDisney events seem to lean more women racers than men, and Princess Weekend definitely draws more women. Racing tutus are everywhere, regardless of gender. There are some anecdotes of increased "diva" behavior during the Expo and on the course, but I'm guessing it's really no different than the general etiquette breaches that happen in every race, runDisney or no. The 5k, 10k, and Half Marathon courses mirror the Marathon Weekend counterparts, so you'll get to run through the castle for this Half Marathon.

Springtime Surprise

When: Early- to mid-April

Races: 5k, 10k, and 10-mile. There is an aptly-named Springtime Challenge combining the 10k and 10-mile races, so similar to W&D and Princess you'll need to register for the Challenge and 5k to run every race. There has also sporadically been Sunrise Yoga to kick off the weekend, and in past years there has an After Hours party for 10-mile and Challenge participants at one of the water parks, but it was cancelled for 2025.

Theme: All over the map - in 2025 it was heroes with Groot (5k), Baymax (10k), Hercules (10mi), and the Incredibles (Challenge). In 2024 it was Adventure - so there's really no predicting this one.

Vibe: This one feels the most like a party. It's the last race of the season, and also the shortest overall distance. If you've been training for the marathon or half marathon distance, a 10-miler feels easy.

Disneyland Races

In April 2025 runDisney announced a "hiatus" for Disneyland races following the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend in January 2026. The Disneyland races had just returned from a long hiatus in 2024 with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend right after the WDW Marathon Weekend and the Disneyland Halloween Weekend in September. Now they're going on a break again. If and when they come back, I'll update the information.

Virtual Race Series

There are also a variety of Virtual Race Series offerings by runDisney. The latest offerings were Christmas-themed (usually a mainstay), a Valentine's Day theme, and an attraction theme. Each series has three races (typically no more than a 5k each) and a challenge package for all three races. You're on the honor code for finishing the races, so just by registering runDisney will send you your medals and swag. If you're new to running and would rather run races on your own schedule, then the Virtual runs are probably a good carrot to chase. Otherwise you're just buying the medals, which admittedly are usually pretty cool.

Next Section: Registration