Marathon Weekend 2023

[FFigawi]

For what it's worth, this is probably my favorite of the Disney marathon courses I've run

 

[camaker]

For what it's worth, this is probably my favorite of the Disney marathon courses I've run

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I still miss the Sorcerer's Hat in DHS.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I really liked running on the race track in 2015, that was pretty cool. Though obviously that's not possible anymore.

 

[UNCBear24]

I've run eight WDW marathons and it's never been the same course twice. It would be fun to see a history of all the courses over the last 10-12 years.

 

[dancingtodisney]

I very much prefer the new course! Leaving MK and being nearly halfway was a great feeling. Yes, the bit after AK is mentally challenging, and the BB part is a joke, but it's better than the long slog on Osceola parkway with only ESPN to look forward to at the end IMHO.
My only hope is that they include more HS time - I remember the "good old days" with the disco tunnel and lots of HS time.

Aw the disco tunnel! I had that for my one and only WDW Marathon - amazing!

Thanks for all the replies, I do like that the parks are more evenly spread out, crowding at the start and the parking lot at Blizzard Beach less so!

What is a fast start btw? Seen this mentioned a few times..

 

[Ariel484]

For what it's worth, this is probably my favorite of the Disney marathon courses I've run

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I think this is the same one they used in 2012? If so then yes, I agree with you. The early-morning Epcot part did make things crowded but it was SUCH a fun way to start the race off. The Christmas tree and torches were lit and everyone was still excited because the race had *just* started (miles 2/3). I think it has what @fatmanatee was saying with more of a "balance" as to when the parks came up, and what @BigEeyore mentioned with coming out of MK and essentially being at the halfway point. I think the second half of the 2011/2012 course is a little better in this version because you get to the halfway point and you still have 2 parks left, compared to the course they started using in 2013 (up through 2020ish I guess?) where AK is the halfway point and ESPN is, like, 2-3 miles of the second half of the course (in 2013 they had zero entertainment in ESPN, it got much better once they decided to put characters throughout the complex). That out & back at miles 20/21 in the 2011 map is rough though...but I they seem to have some version of that almost every year?

I'm of the @GreatLakes camp of taking extra Epcot time + the halfway point being just after MK vs. ESPN being SUCH a big part of the course for the second half (plus the lap around the Speedway that they had before that area was demolished). Curious to see what they come up with for 2023 (Galaxy's Edge time maybe??).

20th anniversary course map below:


EDIT: And the 2017 map without the Speedway:

 

[luv2cheer92]

Aw the disco tunnel! I had that for my one and only WDW Marathon - amazing!

Thanks for all the replies, I do like that the parks are more evenly spread out, crowding at the start and the parking lot at Blizzard Beach less so!

What is a fast start btw? Seen this mentioned a few times..

Aww, I had the disco tunnel in 2015 also, lived that.

It typically takes about an hour to get everyone across the start line at all WDW races, they got everyone across the start line in less than 30 min for the full in January. Presumably because of the forecasted high temps that day. A lot more people released at a time, and less time between each wave. Led to a whole lot more congestion, especially with the narrow places in the first few miles. Did not work very well in my favor unfortunately, but not something I like to talk about lol.

 

[sandam1]

What is a fast start btw? Seen this mentioned a few times..

For most races, Disney spaces out the starts, letting small(er) groups of people go, then pausing before letting the next group go. These are termed "mini-waves" and helps to spread people out and ease crowding near the start. However, for the marathon this year, due to the predicted hot weather later in the day, they made the mini-waves larger with a lot less time between them, causing people to cross the start line a lot earlier than usual.

Usually it takes about an hour to get everyone started for a Disney race. If I recall correctly, everyone started in just about a half an hour.

 

[MissLiss279]

Aww, I had the disco tunnel in 2015 also, lived that.

It typically takes about an hour to get everyone across the start line at all WDW races, they got everyone across the start line in less than 30 min for the full in January. Presumably because of the forecasted high temps that day. A lot more people released at a time, and less time between each wave. Led to a whole lot more congestion, especially with the narrow places in the first few miles. Did not work very well in my favor unfortunately, but not something I like to talk about lol.

For most races, Disney spaces out the starts, letting small(er) groups of people go, then pausing before letting the next group go. These are termed "mini-waves" and helps to spread people out and ease crowding near the start. However, for the marathon this year, due to the predicted hot weather later in the day, they made the mini-waves larger with a lot less time between them, causing people to cross the start line a lot earlier than usual.

Usually it takes about an hour to get everyone started for a Disney race. If I recall correctly, everyone started in just about a half an hour.

They also started the race early. I think I may have been in s2, and my start time was 4:58 per my Garmin file.

 

[sandam1]

They also started the race early. I think I may have been in s2, and my start time was 4:58 per my Garmin file.

That too! They also closed the corrals early (i.e. I was in S5 and that was closed by 4:45 a.m.). On one hand, I understand why they made the decisions that they did. On the other hand, I think that it was crummy to not forewarn anyone about it and showed a surprising lack of awareness of the running community. Most runners have a specific routine pre-race (last stop at the porta-potties, fueling strategy, warm-ups) and to throw that into chaos at that start of a marathon wasn't exactly the best idea that they ever had.

 

[luv2cheer92]

That too! They also closed the corrals early (i.e. I was in S5 and that was closed by 4:45 a.m.). On one hand, I understand why they made the decisions that they did. On the other hand, I think that it was crummy to not forewarn anyone about it and showed a surprising lack of awareness of the running community. Most runners have a specific routine pre-race (last stop at the porta-potties, fueling strategy, warm-ups) and to throw that into chaos at that start of a marathon wasn't exactly the best idea that they ever had.

I was at the front of s6, which was off to the side from the rest of the corrals, and next to the back of s5. The number of people I saw trying to hop that fence into s5 was crazy. They were trying to stop people, but at one point one of the CMs just opened a gate on the side up briefly and let like 20 people in.

 

[sandam1]

I was at the front of s6, which was off to the side from the rest of the corrals, and next to the back of s5. The number of people I saw trying to hop that fence into s5 was crazy. They were trying to stop people, but at one point one of the CMs just opened a gate on the side up briefly and let like 20 people in.

I already knew that I was going to pull myself at the first medical tent by the time I got to the corral area, but if not, it would have seriously thrown me for a loop to get to the start area and find my corral closed. Particularly over an hour before I anticipated actually starting.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Re: the "fast start" on MW.

I started pretty close to the front of S5 for the half and the full.

On the morning of the half I crossed the start mats at at 5:35. The 3:30 pacers I tracked crossed at 5:56.

On the morning of the full I crossed the start mats at 5:16. The 7:00 pacers I tracked crossed at 5:31.

 

[deadvc]

That too! They also closed the corrals early (i.e. I was in S5 and that was closed by 4:45 a.m.). On one hand, I understand why they made the decisions that they did. On the other hand, I think that it was crummy to not forewarn anyone about it and showed a surprising lack of awareness of the running community. Most runners have a specific routine pre-race (last stop at the porta-potties, fueling strategy, warm-ups) and to throw that into chaos at that start of a marathon wasn't exactly the best idea that they ever had.

I was at the front of s6, which was off to the side from the rest of the corrals, and next to the back of s5. The number of people I saw trying to hop that fence into s5 was crazy. They were trying to stop people, but at one point one of the CMs just opened a gate on the side up briefly and let like 20 people in.

I hadn't heard about this, sounds a bit concerning. I'm anticipating being in S1 or S2 and I'd hate to be in a situation where they unexpectedly closed the corral early. Starting in a later corral wouldn't be good for anyone - me being forced to weave, or the people who are supposed to be there having to deal with people weaving through them. That's the whole point of time based corrals!

Can't say I'd blame someone forced into S6 because their corral closed trying to hop up as far as they can.

 

[sandam1]

I hadn't heard about this, sounds a bit concerning. I'm anticipating being in S1 or S2 and I'd hate to be in a situation where they unexpectedly closed the corral early. Starting in a later corral wouldn't be good for anyone - me being forced to weave, or the people who are supposed to be there having to deal with people weaving through them. That's the whole point of time based corrals!

One can hope this was a one-time occurrence and that it won't happen again. But with runDisney, the rule is to plan for the unexpected.

Every year, as we get close to race day, people will start asking some variation of "do I really have to there (at the bus, heading to the corrals, etc.) that early?" And the answer from experienced people is always yes, just for these reasons. I believe that the S1 and S2 corrals always close quite a bit before the race starts and I think that - plus the usual mile walk out to the corrals - can catch some people unaware.

 

[dancingtodisney]

Oh no that sounds really stressful! It also puts more pressure on people that could potential be swept I imagine that are not in the last coral as there is less of a buffer. I would be totally thrown off by my coral being closed

 

[camaker]

One can hope this was a one-time occurrence and that it won't happen again. But with runDisney, the rule is to plan for the unexpected.

Every year, as we get close to race day, people will start asking some variation of "do I really have to there (at the bus, heading to the corrals, etc.) that early?" And the answer from experienced people is always yes, just for these reasons. I believe that the S1 and S2 corrals always close quite a bit before the race starts and I think that - plus the usual mile walk out to the corrals - can catch some people unaware.

I almost missed my S2 start for the 5k because they closed it to walk up to the start line behind S1 before I anticipated. The moral of the RunDisney story is that corrals will generally close before you expect them to, so plan accordingly.

 

[GreatLakes]

For what it's worth, this is probably my favorite of the Disney marathon courses I've run

View attachment 665298

That was the last full I ran before this year. Unfortunately to move back to that course with so little time in DHS would just mean more out and back on Osceola and, given that option, I actually prefer the 2022 course. If they could make up the distance with more AK time, however, give me the 2011 course.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I hadn't heard about this, sounds a bit concerning. I'm anticipating being in S1 or S2 and I'd hate to be in a situation where they unexpectedly closed the corral early. Starting in a later corral wouldn't be good for anyone - me being forced to weave, or the people who are supposed to be there having to deal with people weaving through them. That's the whole point of time based corrals!

Can't say I'd blame someone forced into S6 because their corral closed trying to hop up as far as they can.

Yep. There were lots of people sprinting past me the first few miles (not really sprinting, I'm just slow haha). But I got knocked down in a very crowded spot somewhere in mile 2, and hurt my knee. Sadly wasn't able to finish (and I was doing Dopey) because of it. There were several spots on the course those first few miles where I truly felt unsafe. Especially one area that was pitch black dark with zero lighting at all, a couple runners had their flashlights on their phones out, which helped a little. But I've done lots of races at WDW, including 2 previous fulls, and this was the first time I've had that bad of an experience. So I hope it was just a one time thing.

But again, I was in S6, which is probably the worst for crowding. Starting earlier should help a ton.

 

[pluto377]

Oh no that sounds really stressful! It also puts more pressure on people that could potential be swept I imagine that are not in the last coral as there is less of a buffer. I would be totally thrown off by my coral being closed

This was part of what led to me being swept. I started in S4 and thought I'd have plenty of buffer time, but alas I didn't. For the half I started at 5:26 and for the full 5:10, both times at the very front of S4.

My favorite courses are ones that include World Showcase in the dark. It's just so pretty!