Disney Princess Half Marathon

The first half marathon, run in February 2009, featured 11,000 runners.^[4]

The 2021 in-person edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of running the race virtually or obtaining a full refund (as long as they had a valid shipping address in the United States).

The medals change each year and are themed after different princesses.^[6][7] In 2024, the themes were: 5k - Ariel, 10k - Rapunzel, Half Marathon - Tiana, and Fairytale Challenge - Anna and Elsa.^[8]

The races in the Disney Princess Marathon Weekend usually sell out within a few minutes of registration opening.^[8]

Women generally make up about 91%-95% of the runners in the Princess Half Marathon, and for those women, on average, over 50% of them are running their first half marathon.^[9][10]

There have been three instances in which a woman has been the overall winner of the half-marathon, including at the 15th anniversary when Neely Gracey won against the first place male winner.^[11][12][13]

Matt James, the first Black man to be Bachelor, finished in the top ten in 2024.^[14] In 2025, that year's reigning Miss USA ran the half marathon.^[15]

Several participants run the race to raise money for various charities including Children's Miracle Network Hospitals,^[16] the American Cancer Society,^[17][18] and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.^[19]

Participants run through Disney theme parks before they open to the public. Additionally, Disney has music and other entertainment along the race course, including photo ops with Disney characters.^[20] The course runs through Walt Disney World Resort, from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom and back.^[21]

The Fairytale Challenge is a way for runners to earn an extra medal for doing the 10k on Saturday of the weekend and the half marathon on the Sunday.^[21] People can also add an optional 5k on Friday, and take part in optional yoga on Monday morning after the half marathon.^[22]