If you are looking to participate in outdoor fun, start planning for the upcoming Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in Florida.
The location enjoys a good climate, amazing sights and delicious dishes that you will love. There is also lots of fun, games and exploration to be done as you witness people taking part in endurance campaigns.
If you are also a good jogger, you could also sign up for one of the courses that fit your fitness level. There are several amazing sights and activities to engage in throughout the entire weekend.
Let’s take a look at some of the places you can stay over the weekend.
When : 8 – 12 January 2025
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Best Hotels near Walt Disney World Marathon
1. Walt Disney World Dolphin ★★★★
Location: in the Walt Disney World Resort (Epcot area)
Complimentary transportation to and from Disney Parks
2. Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs™ Area, an IHG Hotel ★★★★
Location: inside the Walt Disney World® Resort
Free Shuttle Service, Popular Hotel
3. Caribe Royale Orlando ★★★★
Location: Lake Buena Vista
Popular Hotel/Resort, Good Value
4. Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek ★★★★
Location: Lake Buena Vista
Daily Disney Theme Park shuttle service, Good Value
Where to Stay for Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend?
There are several good hotels near the location of the Disney World Marathon Weekend. You can go to the Walt Disney hotels around Epcot. Epcot is the starting and finishing point of the race. Besides, the hotels close to the park give you several transport choices to the marathon location. There are also lots of cuisine choices to entice your taste buds during the weekend.
Another option is to stay within Disney World. All Disney World hotel hotels provide transport to the expo and all races. Therefore, you will not have to worry about it. They also offer 4 to 5-star service, enabling you to enjoy the best of the amazing park. However, the accommodation prices are high during the event and you may lack a room if you book late. Therefore, if you wish to stay on site, consider booking accommodation well in advance.
If you are working on a low budget, you may consider staying off property at one of the hotels. While less convenient than staying in Disney World, you get a good bargain. Some hotels offer a shuttle service to the race. A great area to stay off property is Disney Springs and Lake Buena Vista. These two places are near the park, have good views of the area, many hotels have shuttle services, and you will get good accommodation at pocket-friendly prices.
One of the main benefits of staying on site is that you get to the start of the marathon each morning. Each resort charters a bus to the venue for guests to witness the start of different marathons. Monorail resorts will also have buses to the marathon start point for the convenience of their guests.
What are the Best Hotels for the Marathon?
1. Walt Disney World Dolphin ★★★★
The Walt Disney World Dolphin is a resort located close to Epcot. It is also close to nearby attractions such as Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Boardwalk. It is a vintage point to explore the entire complex. Guests here get a complimentary shuttle service to all the parks. You will also enjoy a five-star accommodation package and dine in an array of restaurants offering cuisine from around the world. There is also a spa and a grotto-style pool to cool off after a day of running.
2. Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs™ Area, an IHG Hotel ★★★★
Located in the Disney Springs area, this IHG hotel offers the best of amazing sights and quality service. All guests staying at the hotel have access to the Early Theme Park Entry, a 30-minute early entry. The property is located inside the Walt Disney World® Resort, this means that you will get to the start of the marathon easy. Some of the amenities that you enjoy at the hotel include secure parking, a fitness centre to prepare for your race, a pool and an array of hotels that serve quality meals from around the globe.
3. Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs® Resort Area ★★★★
This Disney Springs resort offers a relaxing, green landscape against the backdrop of Walt Disney World. It has extensive leisure facilities, spacious outdoor spaces and several restaurants where you can enjoy dishes from different parts of the world. Guests at the hotel enjoy various amenities such as free Wi-Fi, a relaxing outdoor pool, a bar, a wide choice of restaurants and a free shuttle to all the nearby Disney parks. It also has well-furnished rooms for a relaxing stay at the location.
4. Caribe Royale Orlando ★★★★
The Caribe Royale Orlando, located on World Center Drive Lake Buena Vista, is a perfect escape resort while you enjoy the marathon weekend. It offers an excellent mix of outdoor activities and high-quality accommodation. The location of the resort enables you to explore much of the Walt Disney theme parks with ease and retreat to a private suite after a hard day’s work. It has a wide variety of accommodation services, several restaurants, an expansive outdoor pool and landscape, all which provide lots of activities for the whole family. The resort also offers a free shuttle service.
5. Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek ★★★★
Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort is an award-winning hotel that offers a mix of spectacular amenities and luxurious accommodation. It is also a few minutes away from Walt Disney World. It is surrounded by greenery and has an amazing outdoor space and pool for the guests to enjoy their time. Some of the amenities available at the resort include pet-friendly accommodation, onsite parking, free Wi-Fi and mobile check-in service. Guests also get a free shuttle to the Disney theme parks.
Where is the Start and Finish?
The marathon and the half marathon races start at the Epcot Centre Drive, which is located near Spaceship Earth. Epcot is one of the famous theme parks within the Disney World complex and an amazing location for sights and fantasies. The finish line is set at the Epcot parking area. This area is expansive enough to accommodate the thousands that come to watch the race.
The Walt Disney World® Marathon 2025 course will go through all four theme parks in the complex, including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Marathoners and spectators will get a chance to experience the fantasy world throughout the competition.
About The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend 08-12 January 2025
The Walt Disney World Marathon is an annual event held each January at Orlando, Florida. It is organised by runDisney, a division of Walt Disney that runs the sports enterprise. This race has been held each year since 1994.
There are several races that are held at the location, including a full marathon, half marathon, 5k and 10k races. There are also several challenges involving one or several of these races. The running course has been redesigned several times since the race was incorporated. The marathoners pass through the famous Disney Blizzard Beach Water Park.
One of the major endurance events of the marathon weekend is the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge. Marathoners complete a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday, which makes a combined 39.3 miles in just two days. There is also the Dopey Challenge and the Disney World 10K, where marathoners complete all four races.
For those who love some fun, there is a Castaway Cay Challenge where participants take part in any marathon at the weekend and board the Disney Dream Cruise on the following Monday for some fun at Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas.
