🍷🏃‍♀️ RunDisney: Wine & Dine 5K Weekend Recap- Part 1

Mai Smith-Trau
Nov 8, 2025
2 min read

📍 Walt Disney World Resort — October 2025

So here we are at Walt Disney World for the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend! Of course, we couldn’t help but compare it to our Disneyland Halloween Villains Run. I know, it’s not really fair to compare California to Florida—but it’s what runners do, right? We just had to see what the differences were between the two magical parks.

🏁 The Start: Our Family 5K

We kicked off the weekend with the 5K, and the whole family joined in. That’s 3.1 miles for my American friends. 😉

My husband and I have been running a 5K about 1–2 times a week, although I’ll admit—his training was way better than mine. The fun surprise? Neither park had the Balloon Ladies for this shorter run. That meant we could stop, take photos, and enjoy the magic without worrying about getting swept!

📸 Character Stops & On-Course Fun

The costumes were half the fun—people really bring their A-game to RunDisney events. Along the course, we saw:

Mulan & Shan Yu
Mushu at the finish line 🐉
Bear from the park (photo op!)
And plenty of others I can’t even remember because I was too busy grinning!

Both Disneyland and Disney World do an amazing job with character photo ops—definitely a highlight!

🌍 Running Around the World

The 5K route was incredible. We ran around the World Showcase at EPCOT, and even got to go behind the scenes—my favorite part! Between the two parks, Walt Disney World’s course felt roomier and smoother. There was more space to spread out, take photos, and actually enjoy the view.

It was a quick race, but 100% worth doing if you’re planning to race that weekend.

💡 For First-Time RunDisney Runners

If you’ve never done a RunDisney event before, start with the 5K. It’s the perfect intro:

No Balloon Ladies 🟣
No pressure about pace or timing ⏱️
You can walk, jog, or run—it’s all good!
Great chance to test your pace before signing up for a 10K or half marathon

If you’re only doing one race, I’d suggest going to the closest park to you—it’s a quick race and not worth a long travel just for 3 miles.

But… if you’re doing the full RunDisney Challenge, then absolutely add the 5K! On Medal Monday, you’ll be showing off four medals instead of one. 🏅

Villains Medal has new friends. These are the 4 I earned over the weekend!

🏃‍♀️ A Little Throwback

My first 5K was the Avengers Inaugural Race in 2015 with my son. Man, I wish they’d bring that one back—it had such an awesome vibe.

✨ Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned runner, the Wine & Dine 5K is the perfect blend of fun, family, and Disney magic. You can go as fast—or as slow—as you want. Take the pictures, enjoy the characters, and soak in the experience.

It’s not just a race. It’s an adventure with a side of pixie dust. ✨