10/23/2026
I’m gonna be real with you guys… 🫣
I think this might’ve been my last in-person runDisney race.
I parked at 5 AM, just like I was told to, and didn’t even cross the start line until 7:30 AM. With nothing to do while waiting, I got in line to meet Marie… which took 50 MINUTES for one picture. And the line to meet Berlioz and Toulouse on the course? Another 45 minutes. 🫠 (I didn’t even bother stopping for that one)
Between walking a mile to the corral, standing around for 2+ hours, and walking another mile back to your car after the race, it’s a LOT. And that doesn’t even include the chaos of picking up your bib and T-shirt before race day.
Of course, running (or walking!) through the parks is SO much fun. That’s the part I dreamed about for years! But the experience leading up to it, especially when you’re in one of the later corrals, is a completely different story.
I know runDisney tried to improve things with staggered corral times, but honestly, I don’t think it worked well enough. The ridiculously early mornings, long waits, and overall cost are hard to justify when so much of the experience is spent standing around.
I’ve now done three in-person runDisney races: a half marathon, a 10K, and a 5K. After dreaming about these races for YEARS, I’m disappointed to say that I’m not sure the experience is for me.
I’m glad I got to experience it, but I wish I’d known what the morning would actually look like before signing up.
If you’re considering your first runDisney race, I hope this gives you a more realistic picture of what to expect. 💛
Have you done a runDisney race?
