This post contains sponsored content from Be Our Guest Vacations. Help support WDWNT by using the links in this article to book your next Disney vacation with our sponsors, Be Our Guest Vacations. Their expertise in trip planning can make your booking process a breeze, and their services are FREE! This week marks the start of the 2025 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, an annual marathon operated by runDisney. The race has been held since 1994, making this year the 31st anniversary of the yearly event! But what exactly is the marathon and why is it so popular?
Beginnings
The first marathon was held in January 1994. At the time, only 5,588 runners participated. This race began the Disney Endurance Series, which has since been rebranded as runDisney.
Over the years following, the race grew in popularity, attendance, and even scale. As Walt Disney World expanded, so did the race. in 1995, Disney’s Blizzard Beach was added to the marathon route. In 1999, the newly opened Disney’s Animal Kingdom was incorporated. Other course portions were amended and updated over time, such as the addition and eventual removal of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex segment.
The Event Today
Today, the ticketed weekend event is separated into categories of distance:
Walt Disney World 5K:
A 3.1-mile run inspired by Pluto.
Walt Disney World 10K:
A 6.2-mile run inspired by Chip ‘n Dale.
Walt Disney World Half Marathon:
A 13.1-mile run inspired by Donald Duck and Daisy Duck.
Walt Disney World Marathon:
A 26.2-mile run through all four Walt Disney World theme parks, inspired by Mickey and Minnie.
Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge:
This challenge has participants completing both the Walt Disney World Half Marathon and the Walt Disney World Marathon to earn this medal, featuring Goofy.
Dopey Challenge:
This final challenge has participants complete all four Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend races to earn both Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge medal and the Dopey medal.
Merchandise
As with all things Disney, of course, the Walt Disney World Marathon features plenty of merchandise for participants and fans to purchase! Since each medal features key art of the characters each race is inspired by, the merchandise most prominently features that art style and characters.
This year, the merchandise has a nostalgic style, calling back to the history of the marathon. This year in particular celebrates the 20th anniversary of Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge and the Dopey Challenge. The merchandise includes bags, apparel, drinkware, and pins.
Why a Marathon?
Some may wonder why Walt Disney World Resort would want to host a marathon event and how it can be so popular that it continues for over 30 years. The runDisney events not only inspire Disney Parks fans to stay active and improve their physical health, it also draw in new visitors who are avid runners.
Being such a large spread of land with plenty of walkable spaces, Walt Disney World serves as a perfect place to host races. The parks are meant for walking and have tons of things to see along the way.
Have you ever done a runDisney event before? Have you participated in a Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend? Let us know in the comments! If you haven’t and are interested in participating in a future one, consider booking a full vacation around the run! Our friends at Be Our Guest Vacations can help you plan every step of the trip, from hotels to park tickets. The best part; their services are entirely free!
Visit WDWNT.Travel to learn more!
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
This post contains sponsored content from Be Our Guest Vacations. Help support WDWNT by using the links in this article to book your next Disney vacation with our sponsors, Be Our Guest Vacations. Their expertise in trip planning can make your booking process a breeze, and their services are FREE!