runDisney Races
Founded in 1994, a runDisney race is anything but ordinary. Here, you’ll move with magic through enchanted Disney parks the world over. Become part of adventures that could take you under the sea or off to a galaxy far, far away. And from Kids Races to a full marathon and distances between, Disney Characters, live entertainment, and a commemorative Disney finisher medal all await.
I have run 2 runDisney half marathons, one at Disneyland and one at Walt Disney World. These races give you an opportunity at running through the theme parks, back stage areas, and on highways in Anaheim and Orlando. RunDisney also has character greetings, music, light shows, and other unique experiences that make these races a must do for runners who love Disney!
These race weekends feature a kids fun run, 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon. Sometimes, they add a Marathon option as well! Prior to the runs, they have an Expo where all runners can go to stock up on gear before their run. At Disneyland, this was at the Disneyland Hotel, and at Walt Disney World this was at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.
2016 Tinkerbell Half Marathon – Disneyland
My first experience with a runDisney race came in 2016 when I decided to run a Half Marathon with my friend Danielle. I had never run 13.1 miles before signing up for this race. This challenge was something I decided to undertake mainly just to prove to myself that I could…and I did! Running down Main Street USA in Disneyland and through Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure were both awesome! These experiences were something that I never thought I would get to do.
This race was capped off with a finishers medal of Tinker Bell, and getting a breakfast buffet at Goofy’s Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel!
2017 Star Wars Dark Side Half Marathon – Walt Disney World
I did a 2nd half marathon at Walt Disney World in 2017 with my friends Aaron and Adam. Orlando presented a unique challenge of being quite a bit warmer than Kansas City, where I trained, or Anaheim with my last half marathon. This course did give me an opportunity to run through a lot of the theme parks, though and was a great experience. Overcoming an injury during the run, and managing to finish this run were a great accomplishment for me. From the Magic Kingdom, to Animal Kingdom, the Boardwalk, and through EPCOT, this race really took you through all of the parks and is something I would love to do again in the future!
Following this race, we decided to Drink Around the World at EPCOT, which was a unique way to celebrate running 13.1 miles. Of course, we did this after getting our awesome Star Wars medal!
As of 2019, races are only offered in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris, but hopefully they will be returning to Disneyland sometime soon!
