RunDisney 2025 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Review
- marisacooksey
- Sep 20
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 20
By Marisa Cooksey
In late January 2025, I packed my bags, headed to DIA and hopped on a plane to LA. After an hour Uber ride basking in the sun’s rays, I arrived in Anaheim on Disneyland property, ready and incredibly excited to participate in the RunDisney Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend.
Now this trip all together was a bit different for me because this is the first time I’ve gone to Disney since having kids. And get this - I have 4 kiddos and have been momming for almost a decade, so leaving the diaper bag behind was an otherworldly experience for me. I met up with my good friend Melanie for this trip. It was a reunion of sorts, as we met at Disneyland 15 years ago when we were randomly matched to be roommates in the Disney College Program. I could go on about what a great experience that was, but I’ll reserve that for another day!
Although I’ve participated in a few RunDisney events in the past, I have never participated in one at Disneyland, only Disney World. On a personal note, after my last two pregnancies, I had a long physical recovery and a reintroduction to running postpartum. To put it plainly, I felt like a complete newbie. However, my memories of the magic, happiness, and supportive environment of the RunDisney events are what inspired me to train for my first 10K after many years.
Full of jitters, I checked into the Westin Anaheim, which is right across the street from the Disneyland property. From check-in to check-out, this resort was a 10/10 experience. The property is gorgeous, the staff incredibly helpful and professional, the rooms are clean, and excess noise is nonexistent. It also has a number of amenities like a fitness center, pool, multiple on-location restaurants and lounges, and more. And if you are looking for a more budget friendly Disneyland vacation, this property is significantly less than the on property hotels. Last but not least, you can walk to the theme parks and Downtown Disney as well as their resort hotels, so you don’t need to worry about the expense of a car rental if you are from far away.
Okay, let me get back on track from the Westin complimenting! After dropping my bags and meeting up with Melanie, we strolled across the street to the Disneyland Hotel to attend the race expo to pick up our bibs and race materials as well as browse the vendors. This event, which lasted four days total, was well thought out and incredibly easy to navigate. With ample signage and friendly staff, all of my questions were quickly answered and I received walking instructions to the race location as well as suggested arrival times for my race the following day. After getting everything we needed, we enjoyed browsing through the official race merchandise (where I got a RunDisney pin to add to my rapidly growing Disney pin collection - if you know, you know) and then decided to head on out.
We meandered over to The Grand Californian Resort for dinner at the GCH Craftsman Grill. This elevated quick service spot has become a fast favorite of mine for moderately priced (as far as Disney is concerned anyway haha) food that is good quality and provides great choices for children and adults alike. I grabbed the tuna poke bowl which was delicious! We ended the evening with a stroll through Downtown Disney, taking in the sights and sounds, and then headed back to our hotel for a low-key night before a very early next morning.
And by early, I’m not exaggerating. At 2:45 AM (yes, you read that right) our alarm sounded and we got ready to go. We were out the door a little while later and made it to the beginning of the route at 4:00AM. We did not check any bags, thought there is a bag check available to race participants, and did not bring bladders with us as they are not permitted - Disney provides several water and aid stops along the race route. We went to our corral and waited with the other runners for the 5:00AM start time. There was music and hosts for the event, complete with storm troopers and a few other special appearances from Star Wars characters, as this event in particular was Star Wars themed. After some stretches, yawns, and conversation, it was time for the race to begin!
Corrals were grouped by pacing times, and each corral was let out in 8-10 minute increments in an effort to prevent too much bottlenecking on the course. The start of the race was exciting and relaxed. For the most part, everyone’s race etiquette was on point. Though I raced a little slower than I trained, I wanted to enjoy everything I saw and really soak in the experience without feeling pressed for time. If a runner fails to keep up with the pacing requirements, they will be swept from the course and escorted to the end. The goal for me was to finish in my desired time (which I did - yay!) and enjoy the run.
What made me fall in love with RunDisney events years ago was how joyous the entire experience is. I’ve never been in one of the first 2 corrals which houses the most experienced runners, and have always enjoyed chatting with other participants along the way. In such polarizing times, I was so overjoyed to hear happy voices along the way. Strangers laughed together and cheered each other on. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much as I waved at and greeted other runners along the route. When I crossed the finish line, I felt so much joy. It’s that Disney magic feeling that so many people can’t put into words, but know exactly how wonderful it feels.
After we finished our run and grabbed our medals and post race snacks, we headed back to our hotel for a quick change and then headed to the theme parks for the rest of our vacation.
Though I have been to Disneyland a few times in recent years, there is always something new to experience each time I visit. This time, I got to experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for the first time (and let me tell you, I got completely SOAKED) as well as Rise of the Resistance which I’m still mentally processing as it was the most immersive Disney experience of my life! And just as quickly as my Disney adventure began, it drew to a close. I swear time speeds up when you’re in the Disney bubble!
All in all, registering for this event, training for it, and finally experiencing it was absolutely incredible. Though I’m not the runner I was when I ran my first Disney race a decade ago, I felt just as accepted and welcomed this time as I did then. If you are new to running and are a bit nervous to sign up for a RunDisney event, I encourage you to go for it! It’s a magical experience you will never forget.
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