Marathon Weekend 2025

[Herding_Cats]

Looks like England or Canada gets the drink sales now.

where your options are basically.....beer or beer? ugh. @The Expert I will definitely be taking your DH up on beverage-fetching if things don't go horribly during the race.

 

[col1]

When my dad discovered runDisney in 2003, the marathon and half marathons were run at the same time. The course started with a passthrough World Showcase, and then after the marathoners kept going after MK, they also finished with a lap around World Showcase. It's obvious runDisney could do something like that and get rid of Blizzard Beach.

I remember this I did the full in 2004 and the Half in 2005. I was happy in 2005 to not be continuing on not done it since but hoping too do so, so will be interested to see what everyone makes of the new course post marathon weekend.

 

[StarGirl11]

I kind of wonder if WS might have been taken out to try and minimize end sweeps?

Kind of curious they almost flipped the normal route through MK. We’re still going out through the castle onto Main Street. But we’re going left towards Frontierland now when we enter instead of right.

Which honestly is a course change I can get behind. That means we’re going down the Tron hill instead of up it. Which for anyone on wheels will be the easier route to do.

Also interesting possibly they are directing us left out of the castle instead of right. Small thing and it makes sense now that we’re heading for Tomorrowland.

Though I am not looking forward to going up the inclines between the castle and Fantasyland. That is NOT shallow.

Also that’s going to be a sharp turn

Things I'm not excited about:
-possible early crowding before going into MK. Are we not using the road to get in the "back door" or MK? Using the GF walkway sounds like a nightmare, and I can only assume there will be a poorly placed aid station in there somewhere.
-no WS victory lap
-not running under the MK toll gates
-"more park time" is a poor spin on this--just call it what is is!
-all those random out-and-backs and we are STILL going through BB? and last year they didn't even have a nice big bank of portas in the BB parking lot where it makes soooooo much sense to have them.

Things I'm OK with:
-We still run up Main St in MK
-the earlier start
-significantly less backstage time in Epcot
-it's something different I guess?




Re: will Tron be open? I seriously doubt it. It wasn't open this year, and we are going to be hitting it at about the same time. I honestly don't remember if they had the lights on for it since it was raining when I went through there. Could be a decent PP spot though running through there the opposite direction.

MK rides are only open once in a blue moon. And I’ve only ever heard of the teacups running. So I doubt Tron will be.

Also not entirely sure about the Toll Plaza thing. You got to remember these maps aren’t going to be a 100 percent accurate. I’ve seen people come to the conclusion we’re not running into the castle because the maps not 100 percent lined up.

 

[StarGirl11]

Follow up looked at last years map for a second. The part next to the toll is identical to 2024 @Herding_Cats I don’t see a reason at this point why they won’t send us through the tolls before turning us. Remember the course derivation starts once we get into the parking lot. Not before

 

[Herding_Cats]

Just read a comment on FaceBook that made sense. With construction set to start on draining Rivers of America in MK to bring in Not Cars Land, having us avoid the backstage area behind Tiana and Big Thunder as a result of construction staging may be the reason for the changes in MK.

This would mean that they would also be changing the HM course because we have exited there for the last 4 years. Where is that announcement?

 

[The Expert]

Also interesting possibly they are directing us left out of the castle instead of right.

This makes me wonder if we'll come down the same ramp we've always come down or not? I would assume we'll come down the other to leave the front of the castle clear for photopass in the hub as usual.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Follow up looked at last years map for a second. The part next to the toll is identical to 2024 @Herding_Cats I don’t see a reason at this point why they won’t send us through the tolls before turning us. Remember the course derivation starts once we get into the parking lot. Not before

I hope we still run through them, but I know there's another road that goes beside the toll plaza and I just feel like they're going to send us through there because why not chop that too?

 

[AaronB]

Just read a comment on FaceBook that made sense. With construction set to start on draining Rivers of America in MK to bring in Not Cars Land, having us avoid the backstage area behind Tiana and Big Thunder as a result of construction staging may be the reason for the changes in MK.

There was a thread here awhile back when the D23 announcements were made about the impact to the course, and I too speculated then that something would change with that Frontierland exit. People kept saying the new lands were not in that area, which is true, but that back road and area are certainly a prime area for construction staging. I definitely expect the MK portion to be like this for the next several years during that work (and who knows maybe beyond).

The Epcot changes are still a bummer, but not surprising as it will have less of an impact on the park I guess.

 

[StarGirl11]

On the bright side for me at least. On wheels making the turn to the castle for a photo is going to be a whole lot easier. And probably ironically that will be the easiest way for wheels to get into position to go up the incline to Fantasyland

This makes me wonder if we'll come down the same ramp we've always come down or not? I would assume we'll come down the other to leave the front of the castle clear for photopass in the hub as usual.

We aren’t. Already noticed it on the map

I hope we still run through them, but I know there's another road that goes beside the toll plaza and I just feel like they're going to send us through there because of when we would be going through the toll plaza and wanting to get that road opened back up asap.

Again I wouldn’t worry at this point. Like I said in the other post these aren’t a 100 percent accurate. Or else we wouldn’t have gone through the castle.

 

[dobball23]

I am not running this year, but I feel like the 4:30 a.m. start time and 30 minutes less recovery for Dopey/Goofy runners is not great (assuming other races still begin at 5 a.m.). I'm sure 30 minutes doesn't make a big deal, but every minute of recovery heading into the marathon is important.

 

[fatmanatee]

Seeing some commentary on the BB run in 2020 and apparently the path wasn’t exactly conducive to running. Would make sense that they haven’t done it since.

 

[marty3d]

I wasn't really sure how I felt about the changes when I got the email (other than the shock at the 4:30 start!) Having time to think and reading through all the comments, I do share a lot of the same concerns so I don't have a lot to add.

I really HATE not finishing in WS. I really LOVE the extra park time in MK (and all will be forgiven if they open Tron for us!)

Drinks - there's always the boardwalk!

I am trying to take it in stride - we all knew the massive construction around the parks was going to impact the course - either in 2025 or later. Even the fact that they aren't adding time in DHS could be construction related. My guess is the marathon course will be in flux for the next few years.

What I think we can be sure of is that they knew this wouldn't be popular which is why they had an email response ready to go. I also shared my feedback and it took 3 minutes to get the response!

 

[The Expert]

I am not running this year, but I feel like the 4:30 a.m. start time and 30 minutes less recovery for Dopey/Goofy runners is not great (assuming other races still begin at 5 a.m.). I'm sure 30 minutes doesn't make a big deal, but every minute of recovery heading into the marathon is important.

True, but honestly I'm not getting a ton of sleep that night anyway. But it will likely mean changing up my usual Flying Fish pre-race dinner, which I book to get in right when they open at 5. Too bad they aren't open for a late lunch instead!

 

[nancipants]

FWIW, the 2022, 2023, and 2024 marathons did NOT run under the MK sign, but ran up the southbound side of World Drive.

 

[nancipants]

I really HATE not finishing in WS. I really LOVE the extra park time in MK (and all will be forgiven if they open Tron for us!)

For real. I can't do Everest because it makes me sick. Same with Cosmic Rewind. I can do Tron and be Ok!

 

[kps7795]

For real. I can't do Everest because it makes me sick. Same with Cosmic Rewind. I can do Tron and be Ok!

How about ToT? I imagine that it's a definitive no for RnR.

 

[nancipants]

How about ToT? I imagine that it's a definitive no for RnR.

I can do ToT but I'd be worried about getting swept (I am slooooow). RnR gives me a migraine.

 

[StarGirl11]

I am not running this year, but I feel like the 4:30 a.m. start time and 30 minutes less recovery for Dopey/Goofy runners is not great (assuming other races still begin at 5 a.m.). I'm sure 30 minutes doesn't make a big deal, but every minute of recovery heading into the marathon is important.

Yeah as a wheels that’s going first I am not looking forward to this because this means I am going to have to set my alarm for 1:30 vs 2 or risk getting their later

Like I understand why they’re doing it. I’m pretty sure it and the WS change are being made to minimize sweeping. And possibly overloading medical if we get a hot one.

Which would be preferred to them having to black flag it.

Though now I’m wondering if this being related to medical could have anything to do with what happened during Halloween weekend on the west coast.

FWIW, the 2022, 2023, and 2024 marathons did NOT run under the MK sign, but ran up the southbound side of World Drive.

Well whoops. In my defense I’m coming off dealing with an allergic reaction.

 

[SheHulk]

I guess I’m in the clear minority in that I don’t hate the course. I’ve done essentially the same course each year for several years, and I’m looking forward to mixing it up.

I'm looking forward to mixing it up too. I think this will be my 7th WDW Marathon (I could just read my signature ) and however many halfs that are generally the same path through MK and Epcot. Even going through MK in a different direction will be a different perspective! And I love Adventureland (that is going to be a *tight* path too though)!

 

[StarGirl11]

Honestly I’ll miss the WS loop at the end but I’m not going to miss the climb out of the England pavilion onto the bridge to go to France at the very end.

That’s a whole other issue on wheels compared to ambulatory.