runDisney is celebrating its 28th year in 2022 and has grown exponentially since it began in 1994. Each year, the race becomes more and more popular, bringing on more runners. runDisney brings huge crowds during the marathons in spring, fall and winter. Let’s look at the history behind this ultra-popular marathon from its humble beginnings to the huge event that it has become today.

How It Started…
Disney held the first Walt Disney World Marathon in 1994. There were only 5,588 runners in its debut 26.2-mile race. This was the race that launched the Disney Endurance Series that became runDisney. The marathon used to take participants through the parks- there were only three at that time! In 1995, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park was added to the course map. During the 1995 Walt Disney World Marathon, there were 75 spots awarded to participants to run in the Centennial Running of the Boston Marathon. In 1996, the race results were measured with electronic timing for the first time!
5th Anniversary
The Walt Disney Marathon celebrated its 5th anniversary in 1998/99. The theme was “Herculean Entertainment”. Around the same time, the first Donald Duck half marathon debuted. The first 10k Disney Classic race took place on October 3, 1999, and it kicked off Disney’s 15-month long Millennium Celebration. At this time, it cost only $50 to run the full marathon and $25 to run the half marathon. Also, this year, the course was changed to include Disney’s newest park Animal Kingdom.
Most Popular Races
Charities Supported
runDisney supports a multitude of charities and runners can help raise money for their favorite charities during the marathons! All these charities are amazing and deserving. Participants can go to the website of any of the following charities and pledge to raise money for the charity while they train. These are the participating charities:
- A-T Children’s Project
- American Cancer Society
- Autism Speaks
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida
- Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
- Dragon Master Foundation
- Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
- Girl Power 2 Cure
- Girls on the Run- Central Florida
- Girls on the Run- Greater Tampa Bay
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Kellsie’s Hope Foundation
- Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
- National Down Syndrome Society
- Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
- Scott Carter Foundation
- Share Our Strength
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- Teaching and Learning Collaborative
- The V Foundation
- Tourette Association of America
runDisney
runDisney has come a long way since the first race back in 1994. The debut race had 5,588 runners and consisted of only one race and now there are over 26 individual races and a whopping 163,000+ runners! runDisney brings huge crowds every time there is a marathon event, and more and more people are joining. There are marathons all around the US but there is only one marathon at the most magical place on Earth!
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