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Known as the “Happiest Place to Race,” the 2023 Walt Disney World Marathon will take place on Sunday, January 8. The marathon is put on by runDisney, which hosts various sporting events throughout the year at the many amusement parks around Orlando, Florida. This race is unique in that it is common for participants to dress up in fun and wacky costumes, and they will often be cheered on by various Disney characters along the route.
Start time
This marathon gets started bright and early at 5 a.m. ET time at the EPCOT amusement park’s parking lot.
How to watch
You can use the runDisney tracker to track the progress of specific participants. It also gives you an idea of where you can watch the race as a spectator with designated spectator viewing locations around the course.
Course map
You can find a course map at the participant tracker link above. There is also a more detailed map that includes mile markers, medical tents and water and food stops.
The course will begin and end in the EPCOT parking lot. The course will weave through a plethora of amusement parks, including Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom.
Weather
The forecast at AccuWeather looks pretty good for a race day. The weather description reads, “nice with plenty of sun.” The high is projected to be 74, with a low of 52. There is only a 6% chance of participation. Luckily, the wind shouldn’t be a factor at 6 mph, with gusts only increasing to 9 mph.
Prize money
There isn’t any prize money for this marathon. There are awards that can be earned from top finishes in a variety of categories.
Who won the last race?
The men’s winner from 2022 was Vanilson Neves from Brazil, who finished in 2:30:37. The race wasn’t held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020 race was won by Nicholas Hilton (2:22:19), with Fredison Costa winning the 2019 race in 2:18:45.
The fastest women’s finisher was Brittany Charboneau, who won last year in 2:45:15. Brazilian competitor Giovanna Martins won the race five times between 2015 and 2020. In 2019, she finished in 2:45:24 and then in 2:54:19 a year later.