runDisney announces cancellation of 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

Sep 22, 2020 in "Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend"

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Posted: Tuesday September 22, 2020 2:27pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

runDisney has announced the cancellation of in-person races for both the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Walt Disney World Marathon weekend will not take place in person during 2021

As with the 2020 Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, both events will be converted to virtual events. The Marathon Weekend was scheduled for January 2021 and the Princess Half was scheduled for February 2021.

Participants who registered through runDisney.com will have the option of receiving a full refund for the race. Those who are registered with a U.S. mailing address may convert their existing registration to the new virtual event that can be completed from home, a local running track or favorite running trail.

Eligible runners who participate in the virtual race will receive a medal for each distance they complete and the option of a race shirt. Registered participants will receive an email beginning September 23 with instructions on how to make their registration selection before October 7, 2020.

Learn more about the refund details at runDisney.

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Spoonful of Sugar2 days ago

Thank you so much for this reply and information. I will def look into Whispering Canyon - have heard good things about this one...and what a good idea to try this for breakfast while "working around" the road issues! Appreciate your insights! :)

the.dreamfinder3 days ago

It would depend on where you are staying, as the road closures make things hard. If you aren’t staying at a MK resort, you should be fine on Saturday with HS as the major road closures are on World Drive and into Epcot. If you’re at a Skyliner or Crescent Lake resort, you will have no problems getting to DHS. For Sunday, that’s going to be tough. rD has a 7 hour course limit for the full marathon, so MK will be difficult to reach unless you’re on the monorail loop or WL/FW launches. However, the marathon isn’t an out and back on world drive, so world drive reopening around 8:30-9am will ease traffic. If you can get to WL or FW and take their launches, Whispering Canyon Cafe could be a breakfast option that gets you in with a Uber/Lyft at WL. The big takeaway is that Sunday will be worse than Saturday and you will need to find means of transportation that take you around the road closures and ideally on a mode of transportation to MK that isn’t a car or bus.

Spoonful of Sugar4 days ago

Hello! Congratulations to all who are taking on the January 2025 WDW races! I am (ashamedly) not one of you, but my DSister is - 10K!! Newbie here...so I am posting this question here, but please direct me to the "non-runner" forum if needed. Not meaning to hijack this forum with non-runner questions, but not finding where I should ask this question. Here goes. I have been given the happy task of touring the parks with my dear nieces during the mornings of the half and full - they want to do early entry both on Sat and Sun - how do the parks work for HS on Saturday during ETPE and on Sunday at MK for ETPE? Thank you for all your help.

pdude8113 days ago

Ah ok. The races themselves mentioned USATF. Thanks, that helps me avoid wasting my time on a few contenders!

Rteetz13 days ago

This was listed on the half and full marathon pages. I also saw it under FAQ on the question, Can runDisney races serve as POT for other runDisney races?

pdude8113 days ago

It wasn't in the race policies tab for marathon weekend, so I went to the FAQ for the whole rD site and didn't see it there either. I always remembered seeing USATF somewhere though. Which page is that from? Posting my screenshots below. I just didn't look hard enough I guess __

Rteetz13 days ago

You had me go check. Where are you seeing that it doesn’t need to be USATF?

pdude8113 days ago

I'm noticing the POT section of race policies no longer specifies a race needs to be USATF certified. That might be helpful given I thought I'd have through late Sept to find something and now it's got to be before the end of June. Event when I go to the FAQ it no longer mentions USATF. Not sure when that vanished but it makes it easier. I've had to hunt down race directors before to double check.

surfsupdon14 days ago

Thank you @pdude81 and @Demarke for helping. I’ve never run the race when the parks were officially opened. They let guests in but rides weren’t running yet. I want to do it. I’ll check out the fbook group. I figure if I run the race, PLUS add rides, entertainment, and food that the value of my registration will increase!! I will still train, but I will celebrate while running. Who knows, tmrw I may change my mind. But I’ve got plenty of time to finalize.

Disney Dawg8814 days ago

Thanks very much!!!

Rteetz14 days ago

https://teamrundisney.com/rundisalerts

Disney Dawg8814 days ago

Thanks again. One last question, can you provide info on the tracker? I have no idea where to find that.

Rteetz14 days ago

Official charities are listed on the runDisney website: https://www.rundisney.com/plan-your-trip/disneyworld/travel-providers/disneyworld-marathon-weekend/ As for the spots that pop up that are non-Charity. Those just appear on the runDisney website. There are trackers and such to help with this but again you have to be quick. It is usually just one or two spots at a time and they will go in a couple minutes.

Disney Dawg8814 days ago

Thanks for the response! I assume Team in Training is one, do you know where I can find any others? Also, when you say spots pop up periodically, where does that happen?