Welcome back to planDisney, Bianca! I'm so excited to hear that you have plans to visit Walt Disney World during the
Walt Disney World Marathon. I've spent many mornings cheering on my friend and fellow Panelist,
Eean, while she runs the Dopey Challenge, and I'll even be doing it again in 2026! I've got lots of great tips for spectating and making the most of that weekend in the parks, which can require just a little bit of extra planning, so let's jump right in and chat about it.
For your first park day on that Friday, you won't really need to worry much about road closures. The 10K race is that morning, and it starts and finishes pretty early. By the time you're ready to head out to your park day, bus service will be running normally, so feel free to go wherever you want without too much of a delay. Saturday's half marathon also wraps up most of its big road closures early, so even if you head to a park that requires a bus ride, you'll probably only see minimal impact. That said, you can't beat the convenience of sticking to
Magic Kingdom or
EPCOT on that half-marathon morning, since you can get there from the
Contemporary without relying on buses at all! Just a quick walk to Magic Kingdom or a
monorail ride to EPCOT.
Now, for Sunday's full marathon, this is where the real fun is! Runners will actually pass right by the Contemporary, so you can cheer from your resort without even leaving. But if you really want that goosebump-inducing moment, make your way into Magic Kingdom early and watch from Main Street, U.S.A. The sight of the runners coming down the street with Cinderella Castle in the background is pure Disney magic. Best of all, this happens before the park officially opens and even before sunrise, so no park ticket is required! Just bring your coffee, your cheering voice, and enjoy the incredible atmosphere.
I hope this answers your question, Bianca, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation!
Jessica