Ultimate Guide to runDisney: Corrals

Most runDisney races feature anywhere from 12,000 to 22,000 runners, and like most large races they organize all those runners by Corrals. The Corrals are designated by letter, going from A all the way to G for the WDW Marathon, and they are intended to correspond with your anticipated finish time or running pace. Here's how they generally break down:

5k and 10k races are based on what you enter for your anticipated running pace

During registration you'll be asked to enter your anticipated running pace if you're signing up for a 5k, 10k, or Challenge. Please do not overestimate how fast you can run. Everyone is expected to be accurate to make the race safe for everyone around you. Slower runners or walkers in A or B Corral could obstruct faster runners or cause unnecessary collisions. I always hear complaints from people saying the runs are meant to be fun and there's little need for runners to try weaving around people. Well, "fun" for some people (including this Ultra Dopey) usually means running at a brisk pace. The war between walkers and runners is as old as the Capulets and Montagues, so let's not make it worse by trying to game the system.

Typically those planning to run at an 8:00 min/mile pace or faster will be in Corral A, while entering at pace between 8:00 min/mile and 10 min/mile will put you in Corral B or Corral C. However, you may get placed in a slower Corral depending on a variety of mysterious factors. It's important to note that runDisney Runner Relations will not change your Corral for 5k and 10k races, so don't bother trying.

Entering a valid Proof of Time (POT) for 10-mile, half marathon, or marathon races will likely place you in Corral A through C

If you're running a 10-miler, half marathon, or marathon race then you can either A) Select the "over 1:55 (10-miler)/2:30 (HM)/5:00 (Marathon)" as your anticipated finish time and be randomly assigned a Corral, or B) Enter a POT to secure an earlier Corral. I highly recommend entering a POT if you have one (after you've completed your registration, of course). If you don't yet have a qualifying POT but are able to qualify, I'd encourage you to get a USATF-certified race result so you can enter a POT by the deadline (usually about 5 months before the race).

While runDisney does not release the POT Corral assignment cutoffs, for the Marathon you will likely be in Corral A with a marathon POT under 4:00, Corral B with a marathon POT between 4:00 and 4:30, and Corral C with a marathon POT between 4:30 and 5:00. I believe a half marathon POT will give you the same reciprocal Corrals by just cutting the times in half, but that could always change from race to race.

If you do enter a POT, make sure your result verification matches your registration

Why is this important? During my 2025 Dopey Challenge I was hit with a Corral G (the last Corral), even though I used a POT from my 3:3x Philadelphia Marathon in November 2023. While part of me was intrigued by the idea of starting with the infamous Balloon Ladies (more on that under Courses) and seeing how far I could make it up by the end of the race, starting at the end means trying to get through very congested areas of slower runners and walkers. Not that there's anything wrong with slower runners and walkers! Completing a marathon or half marathon at any pace is an achievement.

However, part of my Ultra Dopey plan is to get enough open space to "run on vibes" (one of my favorite weirdest phrases I've heard in a race) and hit as many character stops as I feel like before finishing early enough to join my family for a park day. In this case, I realized by Dopey registration used my legal first name while my POT used my preferred name, so they didn't totally match. An hour of waiting through the Runner Relations line and showing my verification and I was back in Corral A.

One last note on Corrals - Club runDisney Platinum members (not Silver or Gold members) can automatically be bumped up one Corral. I'll discuss Club runDisney in the next section.

Next Section: Club runDisney