One of those infamous questions that is inevitably asked during Disney World trip planning is, “When is the best time to visit Disney World?”. There used to be a set of acceptable answers to that question but, in recent years, that has changed. Now, there is always something going on at Disney World… even in the periods formerly known as “off-peak”. This makes it a little harder to figure out the optimal time to visit the magic.
If you are like me, you very much dislike huge crowds. While some people think it is exciting to be in the “middle of it all”, I think it is hassle. If you are like me, there are a few date ranges you’ll want to keep on your radar so you can stay far away from Disney World.
runDisney is the sports racing division of The Walt Disney Company. The organization hosts a number of running events at Walt Disney World. The events include 5K races, 10K races, 10-milers, half-marathons, and a full marathon! These runners have the opportunity to run through theme parks and, depending on the race length, on the outskirts of some resort hotels early in the morning prior to park opening. A lot of runners dress up as Disney characters and there are opportunities for them to meet rare characters. As you can imagine, these races are hugely popular and sell out, with general registration selling out within minutes. The MouseHouseNews.net team covered the runDisney Springtime Surprise 5K earlier this year after participating in the race.
Race weekends draw thousands of runners, their families, and supporters to Walt Disney World, so attendance swells not only at the parks, but also at the resorts. You can expect larger crowds in many areas including the theme parks, Disney Transportation, food service locations, and even roads around Walt Disney World.
If you are looking for the dates to avoid the runDisney crowds, here are the dates to plan around:
- January 7 – 11, 2026: Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
- February 26 – March 2, 2026: Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend
- April 16 – 20, 2026: runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend
If you cannot avoid these dates during your Walt Disney World visit, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll still have a great time and, if you don’t mind crowds, you’ll be just fine. Also, if you’re attending one of these events, it’s obviously worth it to be there and necessary to cross the finish line. Just understand that you’ll have to pack a little bit more patience than usual, and be ready to possibly change some of your plans to counter higher wait times.
runDisney races are a lot of fun and, if you have not experienced one, we invite you to try it out. It’s not just for serious runners, and there is a community of people that are just like you… simply there to have a good time and see Disney World in a different way. If you want to stay up to date on events that are happening and can impact your trip to Disney World, keep coming back to MouseHouseNews.net. We’ll keep you up to date and help you plan your next trip!
