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Whether you are chasing your first 5K medal, preparing to tackle 26.2 miles through Walt Disney World, or planning an entire Disney vacation around race weekend, runDisney has built one of the most distinctive race series in the country. Disney races combine traditional road racing with theme park courses, Disney characters, entertainment, elaborate finisher medals, and thousands of runners who frequently turn race morning into what looks like a very fast-moving Disney costume party.
The runDisney calendar includes four major race weekends at Walt Disney World Resort, with distances ranging from 5Ks to a full marathon and multi-race challenges such as the Dopey Challenge. Disney also offers virtual races that can be completed from home, while Disneyland Resort hosted its final race weekend before its current hiatus in January 2026.
Race weekends are more than just the races themselves. Walt Disney World events generally include a runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where runners pick up their bibs and participant shirts and can shop for event merchandise. Character appearances, entertainment, themed medals, race-specific merchandise, and Disney-inspired costumes are also major parts of the runDisney experience.
Demand is extremely high. Many runDisney events sell out quickly after registration begins, sometimes including individual distances and challenges within minutes or hours. For that reason, runners planning for a future race should pay almost as much attention to registration dates as race dates.
Last updated: August 21, 2026. Race dates, registration availability, pricing, themes, and event details can change. Always confirm current information directly with runDisney before making non-refundable travel plans.
runDisney Race Schedule 2026 & 2027
Upcoming runDisney Races
2026 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
Dates: October 22–25, 2026
Location: Walt Disney World Resort
Registration status: Sold out for all races
The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend is the final in-person runDisney race weekend of 2026 and kicks off the 2026–2027 runDisney season. The 2026 event celebrates the countries, food, and stories of EPCOT’s World Showcase.
- Disney Wine & Dine 5K: October 23, 2026
- Disney Wine & Dine 10K: October 24, 2026
- Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon: October 25, 2026
- Disney Wine & Dine Challenge: October 24–25, 2026
- Post-Race Party: October 25, 2026
The Challenge combines the 10K and half marathon for 19.3 miles over two mornings. The weekend concludes with the separately ticketed Post-Race Party at EPCOT, giving runners another reason Wine & Dine remains one of runDisney’s most popular weekends.
2027 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Dates: January 6–10, 2027
Location: Walt Disney World Resort
Registration status: Sold out
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is runDisney’s flagship event and the only Walt Disney World race weekend to include a full 26.2-mile marathon. The 2027 event also marks the 30th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, with Donald Duck appearing throughout the weekend’s celebration.
- Walt Disney World 5K: January 7, 2027 — Pluto
- Walt Disney World 10K: January 8, 2027 — Chip ‘n’ Dale
- Walt Disney World Half Marathon: January 9, 2027 — Donald and Daisy Duck
- Walt Disney World Marathon: January 10, 2027 — Mickey and Minnie Mouse
- Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge: January 9–10, 2027
- Dopey Challenge: January 7–10, 2027
Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge combines the half marathon and marathon for 39.3 miles in two days. The considerably more demanding Dopey Challenge requires runners to complete the 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon on four consecutive mornings—a total of 48.6 miles.
2027 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
Dates: February 25–March 1, 2027
Location: Walt Disney World Resort
Registration status: Sold out
The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend returns with four race events themed around Disney heroines, plus Disney Princess Yoga. The 2027 lineup celebrates several generations of Disney animation:
- Disney Princess 5K: February 26, 2027 — Tiana
- Disney Princess 10K: February 27, 2027 — Snow White
- Disney Princess Half Marathon: February 28, 2027 — Jasmine
- Disney Princess Fairy Tale Challenge: February 27–28, 2027 — Ariel
- Disney Princess Yoga: March 1, 2027 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Fairy Tale Challenge combines the 10K and half marathon for a total of 19.3 miles.
2027 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend
Dates: April 8–11, 2027
Location: Walt Disney World Resort
Registration status: Sold out
Important: Disney originally announced Springtime Surprise for April 15–18, 2027, but subsequently moved the weekend forward one week to April 8–11, 2027.
The 2027 theme is Running Through the Years, with each race representing a different era of Disney animation:
- Springtime Surprise 5K: April 9, 2027 — Wreck-It Ralph, representing the 2000s
- Springtime Surprise 10K: April 10, 2027 — Robin Hood, representing the 1970s
- Springtime Surprise 10-Miler: April 11, 2027 — Alice in Wonderland, representing the 1950s
- Springtime Surprise Challenge: April 9–11, 2027 — Steamboat Willie
The Challenge requires runners to complete the 5K, 10K, and 10-Miler for a total of 19.3 miles.
What About the 2027 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon?
Disney has not yet announced dates for the 2027 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. Wine & Dine traditionally begins the next runDisney season in the fall, so another event is expected, but no 2027 dates should be considered official until runDisney announces them.
2026 runDisney Virtual Races
You don’t have to travel to Walt Disney World to earn a runDisney medal. Disney’s virtual events allow registered participants to complete the required mileage wherever they choose, whether that means running through their neighborhood, visiting a local trail, or logging miles on a treadmill.
2026 runDisney Virtual Series
Completion window: June 1–August 31, 2026
The 2026 summer Virtual Series is built around classic Disney animated films:
- Go the Distance Virtual 5K: Hercules
- Kuzcotopia Virtual 5K: The Emperor’s New Groove
- Just Around the Riverbend Virtual 5K: Pocahontas
- An Extremely Goofy Virtual Challenge: Complete all three 5Ks
The summer Virtual Series runs through August 31, 2026. Registration availability has varied by individual event and Challenge, so check runDisney directly for current availability.
2026 runDisney Virtual Spooktacular
Completion window: October 1–31, 2026
Registration opened: August 11, 2026
Current status: Sold out
New for 2026, the runDisney Virtual Spooktacular is Disney’s first Halloween-themed virtual race series, with all three events inspired by some of Walt Disney World’s most recognizable spooky imagery.
- Dig & Dash Virtual 3-Miler: Haunted Mansion Grave Diggers
- Headless Horseman Pursuit Virtual 4-Miler: The Headless Horseman
- Eternal Waltz Virtual 6-Miler: The Haunted Mansion Bride
Participants registered for the complete challenge receive medals for all three races plus a Challenge medal. The individual medals incorporate unusual effects including lighting, glow-in-the-dark elements, audio, and an infinity-mirror effect.
The complete challenge totals 13 miles and also includes several themed participant items. General registration opened August 11 and quickly sold out.
2026 runDisney Virtual 12Ks of Christmas
Completion window: December 1–31, 2026
General registration opens: October 6, 2026
The Virtual 12Ks of Christmas returns for another holiday season. The format traditionally consists of three 4K virtual races—12 kilometers in total—with participants able to complete the mileage wherever and whenever they choose during December.
Disney has not yet released the complete 2026 theme, medal lineup, and participant package, so check back as the October registration date approaches.
runDisney at Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort hosted its most recent runDisney weekend from January 29 through February 1, 2026. The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Honda celebrated the Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary and included a 5K, 10K, half marathon, Dumbo Double Dare, kids races, and Disneyland Yoga.
That event was also the final scheduled Disneyland runDisney weekend before a new hiatus.
Disney says runDisney races at Disneyland Resort were placed on hiatus after the 2026 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend because major construction associated with the Disneyland Resort expansion is expected to affect Disney’s ability to stage the race experience.
No date has been announced for the return of runDisney races to Disneyland. Until Disney announces otherwise, the in-person runDisney calendar is centered on Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Completed 2026 runDisney Race Weekends
For reference, these race weekends have already taken place during 2026:
- Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: January 7–11, 2026
- Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend: January 29–February 1, 2026
- Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend: February 26–March 2, 2026
- runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend: April 16–20, 2026
What Is Included With a runDisney Race?
Exact inclusions vary by event, but registration for an in-person Walt Disney World race generally includes:
- An official race bib
- A themed participant shirt
- A commemorative finisher medal after completing the race
- On-course Disney character appearances and entertainment
- On-course and post-race refreshments
- A downloadable finisher certificate
- Access to the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo
Participants must generally visit the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo before their first race to pick up their bib and participant materials. Walt Disney World theme park admission is not included with race registration, so runners who want to visit the parks outside the race itself will need appropriate theme park admission.
How Quickly Do runDisney Races Sell Out?
Very quickly.
runDisney registration has become highly competitive, particularly for 5Ks, challenges, Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, and Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. By August 2026, general registration for the 2026 Wine & Dine races and all three announced 2027 Walt Disney World race weekends had sold out.
That does not always mean every possible path into a race is gone. Charity partners may receive race bib allocations that allow runners to participate after committing to a fundraising minimum, and canceled registrations occasionally create additional availability. Those options should never be assumed, however, so runners who have a specific race in mind should be prepared when general registration opens.
Where to Register for runDisney Races
Registration, race policies, event details, training information, and the latest runDisney calendar can be found on the official runDisney website.
This page will continue to be updated as Disney announces new race dates, themes, registration windows, and the next runDisney season.