The runDisney Marathon will Now Start Even Sooner

runDisney made interesting changes based on “guest feedback.” Do you like this trade off?

runDisney Events

runDisney events are unlike any other race experience. Endurance, characters, and fun costumes make these events a “must-do” for many Disney fans.

Signing up for these events is an exercise in and of itself. With many events selling out within the first 30 minutes, it is best to be prepared with registration dates marked in your planner.

Participants sign up for events several months beforehand. For example, I (Donna) will be completing the Dopey Challenge for Marathon Weekend in January. I registered for this event on April 9, 2024, for a race weekend starting on January 9, 2025.

Earlier Start Time

One thing that sets runDisney races apart from the rest is the start times. Be prepared for extremely early mornings for these races, but now the marathon will start even earlier.

Most runDisney events at Walt Disney World begin at 5:00 am (yikes!) with the corrals closing even earlier. Now the Walt Disney World Marathon for January 12, 2025 will start at 4:30 am.

After signing up months ahead of time, this change was just sent to participants today. Thirty minutes may not sound that extreme, but many participants complete multiple races for this race weekend. That is several early mornings in a row and now an even earlier morning for the final race.

Reason for the change

The lack of sleep is the bad news. The good news is that this earlier start time will allow runners to enjoy more time in the Theme Parks.

Marathon participants will now run through each land at the Magic Kingdom.

The new course allows participants to run through each land in the Magic Kingdom. According to runDisney, participants said they wanted more time running in the Theme Parks. Although this early morning sounds extreme, more time in Magic Kingdom will be worth it.

What do you think of runDisney adjusting the start time after the event is already sold out? Would you trade sleep for more time in through? Share your thoughts with us and share this news with your Disney pals.