What I Wish I Knew Before Doing My First runDisney 5K

If you are thinking about signing up for a runDisney race, these are things we wish we knew beforehand!

runDisney events happen throughout the year at Disney World. These are races that you can participate in where you get to run inside the parks. If you are thinking about signing up, you’ll want to listen up as we share some advice.

You’ll Wait in LONG Lines

Even before the races begin, you might head over to ESPN Wide World of Sports to check out the expo for merchandise. But, be prepared, these merchandise lines are long. You will need the virtual queue.

Stay at a Disney Resort

It is worth it to stay at a Disney resort for the night before your run because the Disney shuttle transportation is SO much easier to use than driving yourself. This will also allow you not to worry about one more thing, like parking before the race.

Go to The Bathroom EARLY

You will want to go to the bathroom BEFORE you even leave your hotel room the morning of the race. This is because there are only porta-potties available while you wait to run. It’s nice that there is an option out there, but I think we can all agree we would rather not have to use one.

You Will WAIT to Run

Be prepared to wait before you run. You will be waiting on the pavement of a parking lot in queues with other racers in your start time category. It can get pretty crowded in there as you lead up to running. Mentally prepare to be in that crowd for up to a few hours before you run.

You Have to Check Bags

You won’t be allowed to run with any bags or backpacks during your race. You will have to check them or leave them with someone. For this reason, make sure your leggings/shorts have pockets for any items you will need along the way.

They are EXPENSIVE

These races are not cheap. While you could do 4 or 5 5ks locally for the price of one Disney 5K, isn’t running at Disney worth it? Our team thinks so. The effort that Disney puts into these events makes it feel very special, and it’s more than just your average race.

People Dress Up

People go ALL OUT in terms of costumes that they will wear in the race. You will see lots of runners with elaborate costumes with themes, but also know that you don’t HAVE to. If you want to, you won’t be the only one!

Meeting Characters During the Race is HARD

During the 5K, which is the shortest race, it might be hard to stop to meet characters along the route. But, don’t worry, you can meet them at the end of the race, so don’t feel pressured to stop.

If you are interested in running, below are the 2026 dates:

• 2026 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: January 7th-11th, 2026 (registration is full for this event)
• 2026 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend: February 26th-March 2nd, 2026 (registration begins on June 17th, 2025 for club runDisney members and June 24th, 2025 for general registration)
• 2026 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend: April 16th-19th, 2026 (registration begins on July 22nd, 2025 for club runDisney members and July 29th, 2025 for general registration

For more on Disney events, follow AllEars.net.

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