When is the Disney Marathon 2027?

The 2027 Walt Disney World Marathon is Sunday, January 10, 2027. It closes Marathon Weekend, January 6-10, 2027, at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The 5K is January 7, the 10K January 8 and the half marathon January 9. 2027 marks the 30th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon.

Is the 2027 Disney Marathon sold out?

Yes. runDisney lists all six Marathon Weekend events as sold out: the 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge and the Dopey Challenge. The only way in now is a charity team bib, which adds a fundraising minimum. Most charity teams are full as well.

How much does the Disney Marathon cost?

For 2027, runDisney charged $255 for the marathon, $249 for the half, $175 for the 10K and $125 for the 5K through September 14, 2026, and $10 more after that. The Goofy Challenge was $495 and the Dopey Challenge $769, also $10 more from September 15. Prices include runDisney's 6.6% platform service fee. Charity bibs cost the race fee plus a fundraising minimum.

What is the Dopey Challenge?

The Dopey Challenge is all four Marathon Weekend races on four straight days: the 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon, 48.6 miles in all. In 2027 it runs January 7-10. Runners must be 18 or older, and Dopey finishers earn six medals: the four race medals plus the Goofy and Dopey challenge medals.

How early do you have to wake up for runDisney races?

Plan on a 3:00 a.m. or earlier alarm. Disney transportation starts running around 3 a.m., corrals fill well before the start, and road closures make late arrival risky. Most races start before sunrise.

Can you get swept at a runDisney race?

Yes. runDisney enforces a 16-minutes-per-mile minimum pace. Runners who fall behind the sweep point may be picked up and transported to the finish. Character photo stops count against your buffer, so plan them carefully.

Should I stay on Disney property for Marathon Weekend?

It makes race mornings dramatically easier — resort buses take runners directly to the start area, avoiding overnight road closures and parking. Off-property runners should plan to arrive very early. Florida drive-in runners should consider booking at least the night before their longest race.

Does the Disney Marathon go through all four parks?

Yes, the full marathon is the only runDisney race that runs through all four Walt Disney World theme parks. Between parks, the course covers highway stretches and backstage roads, so be mentally ready for quieter miles connecting the highlights.

Disney Marathon 2027: Dates, Registration & Race Guide

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is the biggest event on the runDisney calendar — and in 2027 it runs January 6-10, with the 30th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon headlining the celebration. It is also a logistics puzzle unlike any other race: four races in four days, tens of thousands of runners, pre-dawn starts, and a theme park vacation stacked on top. This guide covers what actually matters once you have a bib.

Disney Marathon 2027: Key Dates and Registration

The 2027 Walt Disney World Marathon is Sunday, January 10, 2027, the last race of Marathon Weekend, January 6-10 at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The weekend also has a 5K, 10K and half marathon, plus the Goofy and Dopey challenges. runDisney registration opened in March 2026, and every event is now sold out.

Event	Date and first start	runDisney price	Status
Walt Disney World 5K	Thursday, Jan. 7, 4:30 a.m.	$125 ($135 from Sept. 15)	Sold out
Walt Disney World 10K	Friday, Jan. 8, 5 a.m.	$175 ($185 from Sept. 15)	Sold out
Walt Disney World Half Marathon	Saturday, Jan. 9, 5 a.m.	$249 ($259 from Sept. 15)	Sold out
Walt Disney World Marathon	Sunday, Jan. 10, 4:30 a.m.	$255 ($265 from Sept. 15)	Sold out
Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge (half + full, 39.3 miles)	Jan. 9-10	$495 ($505 from Sept. 15)	Sold out
Dopey Challenge (all four races, 48.6 miles)	Jan. 7-10	$769 ($779 from Sept. 15)	Sold out

Prices are runDisney’s and include its 6.6% platform service fee. The lower price covered March 17 to September 14, 2026, and the price rose on September 15. Status is as of September 24, 2026.

The 5K starts earlier than it used to. Its first group goes off at 4:30 a.m., 30 minutes earlier than in past years, and the last groups start as late as 7:30 a.m. Those are first-wave times; your start group decides when you actually go.

How registration went

March 10, 2026: early registration for Club runDisney Gold and Platinum members.
March 17, 2026: general registration opened on runDisney.com.
August 3, 2026: the proof of time deadline. You needed one to start up front if you expected to run the marathon in 5:00 or faster or the half in 2:30 or faster. Missed it? You start in the last group.

Is Disney Marathon 2027 sold out? Can you still get a bib?

Through runDisney, yes, it is sold out. The way in now is a charity team. Charity bibs cost the race fee plus a fundraising minimum, usually a few hundred dollars for the 5K up to more than $1,000 for Goofy or Dopey. Most teams are full too. When we checked on September 24, Team Marathon Kids still had its last spot or two in the 5K and 10K. The charity listings on our site show the current status of each team:

runDisney does not let you transfer or sell a bib, so skip anyone offering one secondhand. If 2027 is out of reach, the runDisney 2026-27 season guide lists the Princess Half and Springtime Surprise weekends, and they usually open later.

Age limits

5K: 5 and older. Kids under 14 run with a registered runner who is 14 or older.
10K: 10 and older, same under-14 rule.
Half marathon: 14 and older.
Marathon, Goofy and Dopey: 18 and older.

Expo and bib pickup

You have to pick up your own bib at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at least one day before your first race. Bring a photo ID and your Check-in Pass, and do the digital waiver in your MyDisney account first. The 2027 hours:

Wednesday, Jan. 6: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 7: noon to 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 8: noon to 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 9: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Merch on the expo’s first day goes through a virtual queue. You can join it from within about 45 miles of Walt Disney World.

The Weekend Structure

Marathon Weekend follows a four-day race pattern: the 5K kicks things off, followed by the 10K, then the half marathon, with the marathon closing the weekend on Sunday. The Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge combines the half and full (39.3 miles); the Dopey Challenge is all four races (48.6 miles). The expo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex opens before the first race — bib pickup is in person, and everyone must attend.

Expect each race morning to start dark and early. Corrals fill well before the start, Disney transportation begins running around 3:00 a.m., and road closures mean arriving late is not an option. The single most repeated piece of veteran advice: respect the 3 a.m. alarm. You will nap later. The parks will still be there.

Getting There: Transportation Beats Driving

If you stay at a Walt Disney World resort, race-morning buses run from the resorts to the start area — no parking stress, no closed-road roulette. If you stay off property, you will be driving into a maze of overnight road closures, so leave absurdly early and follow event parking signage. For Florida runners doing this as a drive-in weekend: consider booking at least the marathon night on property. The 2:45 a.m. drive from Tampa or Jacksonville sounds fine in July and feels very different in January.

Race Day: Corrals, Weather, and the Sweep

Corrals: your start position comes from your submitted proof of time — the standards and the August 3, 2026 deadline are covered in our proof of time guide. Later corrals can start 45+ minutes after the first wave.
The pace rule: runDisney enforces a 16-minutes-per-mile minimum. Character photo lines eat your buffer fast — pick your must-have stops in advance.
January in Orlando is a coin flip. Race mornings have ranged from below freezing to muggy and 70s. Pack throwaway layers for the corral and check the forecast obsessively during race week. Florida runners: you trained in heat; a cold snap hurts you more than the tourists. Gloves and a cheap fleece you can toss are worth their weight.
Fuel early. Corral time plus race time means you may be on your feet four to six hours after a 2:30 a.m. breakfast. Carry more than you think you need — a FlipBelt or similar holds gels without bounce.

The Course Experience

The marathon course is the only race that touches all four theme parks, and the crowd-pleaser moments — running down Main Street U.S.A., through the castle, around the World Showcase — are real and worth the trip. Between parks you will run long stretches of highway and backstage roads, which is where the mental game happens. Veterans treat the parks as rewards and settle into rhythm on the connectors. Take the character stops if that is your race; skip them all if you are chasing a time. There is no wrong answer, only the sweep pace.

Park Strategy for Race Weekend

Do not spend the day before your longest race walking 20,000 steps around EPCOT. This is the most broken rule in Disney racing. Plan park days after your race, not before.
Book dinner reservations early and eat familiar food the night before long races.
Celebrate after the marathon — Monday park days are the reward that makes the whole trip worth it, medals welcome everywhere.

What Florida Runners Should Do Now

Between now and January: build your long-run schedule backward from race week, and use local races as dress rehearsals for the early wake-up. The proof of time deadline passed on August 3, so start groups are set. Our proof of time guide explains how they were assigned. Florida's fall calendar is full of tune-up opportunities — browse upcoming Florida races or the Disney races hub for more runDisney-specific planning.