Walt Disney World Marathon

Orlando, United States of America 11 Jan, 2026

The marathon is an annual 26.2-mile road race held each January in Orlando, Florida, encompassing all four major theme parks and several resort areas within the Walt Disney World Resort. The event traditionally begins before sunrise near Epcot, often with start times around 4:30 to 5:00 AM, in cool but highly humid conditions typical for central Florida during winter months.

The course starts and finishes in the Epcot parking lot, traveling through Epcot itself, the Magic Kingdom including Main Street U.S.A. and past Cinderella Castle Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as the Boardwalk area and various connecting roads. Most of the route is notably flat, except for minor elevation changes at overpasses and a single underpass, which present only gentle slopes. The vast majority of the distance is run on wide roads linking the different park areas, with some park segments offering slightly narrower or more crowded conditions.

While not considered technically difficult due to its flat profile, the event presents challenges such as navigating large, festive crowds, managing potential distractions from on-course entertainment and costumed characters, and coping with local weather variability, which can include rain or rising temperatures later in the morning. Multiple aid stations offer water, electrolyte beverages, and medical support at several points throughout the race, particularly at key transitions such as park entrances.

The marathon has been held annually since 1994 and is part of a broader weekend of races, including shorter distances and multi-event challenges. It is regarded as accessible for first-time marathoners, but participants are advised to be prepared for early start times, logistical considerations unique to the resort setting, and variable weather.

Generic Marathon Time This represents the time you would expect to run a "generic" marathon in. This is a marathon with around 250 m (800 ft) of elevation gain and a temperature around 10°C (50°F). For best results, use our Race Predictor.

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Walt Disney World Marathon Time


Statistics

Elevation
Elevation Gain 81 m 266 ft
Elevation Low 25 m 82 ft
Elevation High 34 m 112 ft
Weather
Expected Temperature (Low) 11°C 53°F
Expected Temperature (High) 21°C 70°F
Chance of Rain 8%

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The marathon is an annual 26.2-mile road race held each January in Orlando, Florida, encompassing all four major theme parks and several resort areas within the Walt Disney World Resort. The event traditionally begins before sunrise near Epcot, often with start times around 4:30 to 5:00 AM, in cool but highly humid conditions typical for central Florida during winter months.

The course starts and finishes in the Epcot parking lot, traveling through Epcot itself, the Magic Kingdom including Main Street U.S.A. and past Cinderella Castle Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as the Boardwalk area and various connecting roads. Most of the route is notably flat, except for minor elevation changes at overpasses and a single underpass, which present only gentle slopes. The vast majority of the distance is run on wide roads linking the different park areas, with some park segments offering slightly narrower or more crowded conditions.

While not considered technically difficult due to its flat profile, the event presents challenges such as navigating large, festive crowds, managing potential distractions from on-course entertainment and costumed characters, and coping with local weather variability, which can include rain or rising temperatures later in the morning. Multiple aid stations offer water, electrolyte beverages, and medical support at several points throughout the race, particularly at key transitions such as park entrances.

The marathon has been held annually since 1994 and is part of a broader weekend of races, including shorter distances and multi-event challenges. It is regarded as accessible for first-time marathoners, but participants are advised to be prepared for early start times, logistical considerations unique to the resort setting, and variable weather.

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