EPCOT will open an hour later than usual on three mornings during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January. Two of those mornings match the race days from past years, and the third falls earlier in the week than guests might expect. Disney has already posted all three, so guests with EPCOT plans that weekend can adjust now.
EPCOT 10:00am Opening Days for 2027 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- The three January mornings when EPCOT opens at 10:00am.
- How race mornings at EPCOT affect plans for the other parks.
- A quick recap of EPCOT’s hours for the full weekend.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend takes place January 6th through 10th. The 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon fill four straight mornings. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, and Disney says Donald Duck stars in every race. The later EPCOT openings fall on the 5K, half marathon and marathon mornings, while the 10K morning keeps the regular 9am start.
EPCOT’s 10:00am Openings During Marathon Weekend
Disney’s park hours show EPCOT opening at 10:00am on Thursday, January 7th, Saturday, January 9th, and Sunday, January 10th. Early Theme Park Entry for Disney Resort hotel guests moves to 9:30am on those days, and the park closes at 9:00pm as usual. Friday, January 8th keeps the regular schedule, with a 9:00am opening and Early Theme Park Entry at 8:30am.
Thursday is the new one. In 2025, EPCOT opened at 10:00am on both the half marathon and marathon mornings. EPCOT did the same in January 2026. Disney hasn’t said why that morning joins the list, and it’s always worth rechecking the hours closer to your trip.
Planning Around Race Mornings at EPCOT
Last January, both races started and finished at EPCOT, as we covered in our road closures guide. The half marathon started at 5:00am and took runners north along World Drive through Magic Kingdom before they returned to EPCOT. Marathon runners set off at 4:30am and passed through all four Walt Disney World theme parks before finishing back at EPCOT. Disney’s schedule put the final finishers at about 9:45am for the half marathon and 12:30pm for the full marathon.
If the 2027 courses follow a similar pattern, most of the half marathon field will clear EPCOT before the 10:00am opening. Marathon Sunday keeps runners in the park longer, and in 2025 we reported that runners would be in EPCOT through at least noon. Guests who arrive right at opening should expect heavy foot traffic near the finish area. Road closures can also slow buses and rideshare around Walt Disney World on race mornings, so extra travel time helps.
That makes the early morning a good time to start at another park. The other three parks keep their regular openings on all three days. Animal Kingdom opens at 8:00am, and Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios open at 9:00am. EPCOT then works well as a later stop, once the morning rush of finishers and spectators has thinned.
EPCOT Marathon Weekend Hours at a Glance
Here are EPCOT’s hours for the weekend, with the three later openings marked.
- Wednesday, January 6: Early Theme Park Entry 8:30am, open 9:00am to 9:00pm
- Thursday, January 7: Early Theme Park Entry 9:30am, open 10:00am to 9:00pm (delayed opening)
- Friday, January 8: Early Theme Park Entry 8:30am, open 9:00am to 9:00pm
- Saturday, January 9: Early Theme Park Entry 9:30am, open 10:00am to 9:00pm (delayed opening)
- Sunday, January 10: Early Theme Park Entry 9:30am, open 10:00am to 9:00pm (delayed opening)
Keep Reading
- See the full medal lineup and race schedule for the 30th anniversary Marathon Weekend, where Donald Duck stars in every race.
- Get a look at last January’s half marathon and marathon start times and road closures to picture how a race morning works.
- Compare the January schedule with the 10:00am EPCOT openings for October’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!