EPCOT will open an hour late on three mornings during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January 2027. Disney’s EPCOT park hours now show a 10 a.m. opening on Thursday, January 7, Saturday, January 9, and Sunday, January 10, instead of the usual 9 a.m. start.
Those are three of the four race mornings. The 5K runs January 7, the half marathon January 9 and the full marathon January 10. The odd one out is Friday, January 8, the morning of the 10K, when EPCOT keeps its normal schedule.
The EPCOT Hours For Marathon Weekend
- Wednesday, January 6: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Early Theme Park Entry at 8:30 a.m.
- Thursday, January 7: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Early Theme Park Entry at 9:30 a.m.
- Friday, January 8: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Early Theme Park Entry at 8:30 a.m.
- Saturday, January 9: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Early Theme Park Entry at 9:30 a.m.
- Sunday, January 10: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Early Theme Park Entry at 9:30 a.m.
Closing time doesn’t move. EPCOT still closes at 9 p.m. on every one of those nights, so a late start only costs you the first hour of the day.
Early Theme Park Entry slides back with the opening, so guests staying at Disney Resort hotels get in at 9:30 a.m. on the three late days. That still gives them a half hour head start, just later than usual.
How To Plan Around It
Disney hasn’t said why the 5K morning joins the list. Last January, the half marathon and the marathon both started and finished at EPCOT, and Blog Mickey points out the park opened late on both of those mornings. If EPCOT is on your list for that week and you like to be at the gate at opening, Friday is the easy pick. On the other three days, think about starting at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom and hopping over to EPCOT later in the morning.
Sunday is the day to watch. Last year’s marathon course ran through all four Walt Disney World theme parks before finishing back at EPCOT, with the final finishers due around 12:30 p.m. If the 2027 course is similar, runners will still be coming in after the park opens.
Marathon Weekend 2027 runs January 6 through 10 and stars Donald Duck at every race. It also marks the 30th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, and the 2027 race medals lean into both.
Park hours this far out can still change, so check the My Disney Experience app or Disney’s hours calendar again closer to your trip.
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