Orlando Marathon

The Orlando Marathon, otherwise referred to as the Disney World Marathon, is part of this city’s continuous commercial offerings. Orlando, Orange County, Florida is, unabashedly, the Theme Park Capital of the United States of America. It is estimated some 52 million tourists arrive in the city every year. Among this city’s theme parks favored by tourists are Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. In this setting, the marathon becomes another representative of the multi-armed Walt Disney giant corporation entity. Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, where the spring training of the Atlanta Braves takes place, markets the Orlando Marathon. This event appears on the same page as other sports offerings including the Danskin Triathlon, the Iron Man, the Disney world Triathlon Weekend, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Walt Disney World Inline Marathon Weekend.

The complex hosting the events is a 220-acre structure. The course itself winds around Disney World, starting at the Epcot Center. It winds along such delightful Disney offerings as Bear Island road, World Drive, Floridian Way and Topiary Lane. A map of the Orlando Marathon marks the different half Marathon and Marathon routes using Mickey Mouse Ears. In fact, the child-like map appeals to everyone’s inner child like the names of the various races for children and adults.

The Orlando Marathon lasts a weekend. It features the obligatory Health and Fitness Expo as well as the traditional Marathon and Half Marathon. There is also a Family fun Run of 5K and Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge. There are special categories such as charitable organizations and training teams who run for charity. There is also, because this is Disney World after all, the category of tour operators/agencies.

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The fee for the marathon includes a small gift package. Disney does offer you the chance to purchase Walt Disney World Marathon merchandise. You can buy a special commemorative T-shirt as well as an anniversary pin. All runners who finish the race, however, do receive a finishing medal. The Boston Marathon includes a marathon T-shirt with their package. The Tri-City Marathon has a sliding scale according to the date of registration and a T-shirt. The organizers of the Arizona Marathon also apply a sliding scale.

In 2007, Adriano Bastos of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Kristen Messer of Austin, Texas won the Orlando/Walt Disney World Marathon. He ran it in two hours, 24 minutes and 34 seconds. Her time was 4:23:31.