Theme Park Scope

Confession time. I am not a runner. I can barely jog to the car when it’s raining.

But I will happily stop everything I’m doing for a runDisney medal reveal, because these things are basically tiny works of art. And the 2027 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend medals are officially here.

The weekend runs Jan. 6 to 10, 2027, and Donald Duck is the featured character across all of the races. That’s a lot of Donald, and I’m into it. Let’s go race by race.

The 5K, on Jan. 7, features Pluto. The theme for this race has Donald trying to coax Pluto across the finish line with bones and treats, which is the most relatable motivation I’ve ever heard for running 3.1 miles.

The 10K, on Jan. 8, features Chip ‘n’ Dale. The theme has Donald trying to shake Chip (and Dale) off his shoulder, which, let’s be honest, sounds like a typical Tuesday for him.

The half marathon, on Jan. 9, is the one that has everyone talking. It’s celebrating the event’s 30th anniversary, so the medal is shaped like the number 30. Donald is on the front, and when you open the medal, Daisy is inside. A medal that opens up is my favorite kind of surprise, because it feels like there’s a little secret waiting for you at the finish line.

The marathon, on Jan. 10, features Mickey and Minnie. The theme for the day has Donald trying to outshine Mickey and Minnie, and if you know Donald, you know that’s going to go about as well as it always does.

Then we get to the challenge medals. Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, which is for finishers of both the half marathon and the marathon, features Goofy. That’s a total of 39.3 miles over two days, and runners who finish both races on pace earn three medals in all: the half, the full, and the challenge medal.

And the Dopey Challenge. This one is for finishers of all four races, which adds up to 48.6 miles over the weekend. The medal features Dopey, and when you open it, Dopey is covered in medals. I love that so much. It’s a medal about medals, and it’s perfectly on brand. Complete all four races on pace, and you walk away with six medals total: the four individual race medals, the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge medal, and the Dopey medal. That is a serious pile of bling.

I’ll be upfront about a couple of things I couldn’t find. I didn’t see details on the colors, ribbons, or finer design touches on each medal, and I didn’t see anything about medals for the kids’ races. If those matter to you, it’s worth checking runDisney’s official channels as more images and details roll out.

Here’s a fun bit of context too. Medals are a huge part of the runDisney experience, and in my opinion they’re a big reason people sign up. Plenty of runners treat race weekends like a collection, and the design reveal is a big moment. A milestone year like a 30th anniversary only raises the stakes, so it makes sense that Disney went big with the half marathon medal.

Okay, I’m going to say it. I think the half marathon medal is the winner, and it’s not close. The number 30 shape is clever, the Donald and Daisy pairing is adorable, and the fact that it opens makes it feel like a keepsake instead of just a prize. I also think the Dopey medal is a close second, because the joke is great and it makes the hardest challenge feel a little more fun.

And while I’m not about to lace up my sneakers for a 26.2-mile run (my knees filed a formal complaint just thinking about it), I completely understand the appeal. Training for months, crossing a finish line in Disney, and getting something this fun at the end? That sounds like a pretty great reward.

So tell me, which medal is your favorite? Are you running in January, or are you cheering from the sidelines like me? Let me know, and keep checking back with Theme Park Scope, because I’ll share more runDisney news as it comes in.