Disney World Marathon 2025 route changing due to construction
The upcoming closure and refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain at Magic Kingdom will mean the route for The Walt Disney World Marathon 2025 will be altered, according to the digital event guide.
The Walt Disney World Marathon weekend is from Jan. 8 through Jan. 12, 2024, with a 5K, 10K half-marathon and the signature marathon event.
Normally during the marathon runners enter Magic Kingdom go down Main Street and turn right toward Tomorrowland, then head to Fantasyland where runners pass through Cinderella Castle and then go toward Frontierland and exit backstage just south of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Do to the major refurbishment kicking off on Jan. 6 that will close down Big Thunder Mountain for a year, runners will now go down Main Street and turn left through Adventure Land, toward Big Thunder Mountain and run on the boardwalk through Frontierland, then through Fantasyland and pass through Cinderella Castle, back up through the New Fantasyland area to Tomorrowland and out behind Space Mountain.
Let’s take a closer look at all the races.
Walt Disney World Marathon
The marathon starts at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan.12, outside of EPCOT, and after a brief in the parking lot runners enter near the Mexico pavilion run around the World Showcase, toward The Land pavilion and out behind The Seas with Nemo & Friends before exiting the park and winds its way up World Drive and Floridian Way before veering off to Magic Kingdom on the walkway between the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa and Magic Kingdom.
The course goes then goes through Magic Kingdom as described above.
Once exiting Magic Kingdom, the course goes past the Contemporary Resort to the Transportation and Ticket Center and through the parking lot toward Animal Kingdom.
Runners then enter Animal Kingdom at the rear of the theme park in the Africa section before heading toward Expedition Everest and through Dinoland before exiting the park. After then passing the Disney Coronado Springs Resort and Blizzard Beach, runners will go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The course has runners briefly passing the Hollywood Tower Hotel down Sunset Boulevard and out the entrance. At mile 24 you are on your want to the Boardwalk at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort and then re-enter EPCOT and run toward the front of the park the Creations Shop and then exit through the area between Mission Space and Test Track into the parking area and the finish.
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
The half-marathon course will take the runners through Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. In this race, runners start in the parking lot of EPCOT, and run the same path as the marathon to and inside Magic Kingdom. The course then returns to EPCOT, runners get to go near Spaceship Earth. The half marathon takes place on Saturday Jan. 11 and starts at 5 a.m..
Walt Disney World 10K
The 10K race takes place on Friday, Jan. 10 at 5 a.m. The race starts at EPCOT, goes inside the park, then past Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club, past Disney’s BoardWalk, and goes back into EPCOT, finishing the run around the World Showcase.
Walt Disney World 5K
The 5K is the first race to kick off the weekend on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 5 a.m. The race goes through EPCOT.
