Credit: runDisneyI do not usually write articles about myself. Today I am making an exception because I love runDisney.
runDisney has released the first look at the 2026 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend medals, and I am running two of these races. The 5K and the 10K. I have had those two dates circled since registration. I have been quietly wondering what the medals would look like since the themes dropped back in January, and now I know.
They are, in my completely unbiased opinion, the cutest ones.
If you have never run a Disney race, that reaction probably reads as a little much. Here is the thing about runDisney weekends though. Nobody is out there at 4:30 in the morning chasing a personal record. Most people are not chasing a time at all. You are out there for the course, the characters, the people around you in matching costumes, and the piece of metal they hang around your neck at the finish line.
The medal is the whole point. It is the thing that ends up on your wall, in your photos, and in the picture you send to everyone who asked why you were awake before dawn on vacation.
So when the first look lands, it matters. And there is a very practical reason it matters too, which I will get to, because now I can finally start planning what I am wearing.
The runDisney 5K Medal: The Aristocats
Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz sit inside a golden border on the 5K medal, with the Eiffel Tower at the top representing the France pavilion.
This is the one I am most excited about, and I will not pretend otherwise. The three kittens together are such a smart choice for a 5K, and the golden frame gives it a slightly fancier look than you usually get on the shortest race of the weekend.
The 5K runs on Friday, October 23, with the first group starting at 4:30 a.m. That is 30 minutes earlier than in past years, with start times staggered from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., depending on your assigned group.
runDisney is also promoting the Crème de la Crème à la Edgar beverage and Pastry Crackers in France to go with the theme.
The runDisney 10K Medal: The Three Caballeros
The 10K medal is flower-shaped, with Donald, Panchito, and José in front of the temple from the Mexico pavilion.
The flower shape is what sells it for me. Most runDisney medals are circular; then there is the one that is different, and stepping outside that makes this one stand out on a rack of finisher medals. Putting the Three Caballeros on it also means you are not stuck with just a Donald medal, which is a real distinction if you already have several of those.
The 10K runs Saturday, October 24, at 5:00 a.m. Tamales in Mexico are part of the pitch.
The runDisney Half Marathon Medal: Mary Poppins
This one spins.
The Mary Poppins penguins are on one side, and the reverse shows a silhouette of Mary flying over London. The frame is based on her umbrella.
A spinner is always a fan favorite, and the umbrella-shaped frame is the detail that makes it. The Half-Marathon runs on Sunday, October 25, at 5:00 a.m., with the course themed around the United Kingdom pavilion.
The runDisney Two-Course Challenge Medal: Grumpy
The Challenge medal has Grumpy on the front, set inside a German-style clock with a pretzel and a bratwurst.
It also opens. Inside is artwork of Snow White on one side and Grumpy with “Finisher 19.3 Miles” on the other.
An opening medal is not something runDisney does all the time, and pairing Grumpy with the Germany pavilion is exactly the kind of joke that works on a piece of hardware you earn at mile 19.3.
The Challenge covers both the 10K and the Half-Marathon on October 24 and 25. Finish both on pace, and you walk away with three medals: the 10K finisher, the Half-Marathon finisher, and the Challenge medal.
Why the First Look Actually Matters
Here is the part non-runners tend to miss.
You cannot really plan a race outfit until you have seen the medal. At least that’s how it works for me. Unless the theme is to plan around.
That sounds ridiculous written out. It is also completely true, and anyone who has done one of these weekends knows it. The medal sets the color palette. If your 5K medal is Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz in a gold frame, that tells you what your finish line photo is going to look like, and you build the outfit to match rather than clash.
I now have that information for both of my races, and I fully intend to use it.
Weekend Details
The 2026 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend runs October 22 through 25 at Walt Disney World.
The whole weekend is built around the tastes and tales of the World Showcase countries, which is why every medal ties back to a pavilion. France for the 5K, Mexico for the 10K, the United Kingdom for the half, and Germany for the Challenge.
Every race is currently sold out. The 5K, the 10K, the Half-Marathon, and the Two-Course Challenge are all closed.
The Post-Race Party at EPCOT on October 25 is still available at $125.00. Entry is already included for anyone registered for the half marathon or the Challenge, and friends and family can buy tickets separately.
Two Months Out
The medals are revealed, the races are full, and the countdown is officially on.
If you are running this year, you already know the feeling. If you are not, the Post-Race Party is still open, and EPCOT during Food & Wine after hours is not a bad consolation prize.
I will be at the 5K and the 10K, planning outfits between now and October, and will probably be cheering and crying a little at both finish lines.
