EPCOT Opens at 10 a.m. Friday and Sunday for Race Weekend
Published October 21, 2026
Live now: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind wait & status
EPCOT will open an hour later than usual on two days this week as Walt Disney World hosts Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, according to reports published Wednesday, October 21, 2026. On Friday, October 23, and Sunday, October 25, the park is set to open at 10 a.m. instead of 9 a.m., with Early Theme Park Entry beginning at 9:30 a.m. for guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort.
As of Wednesday, October 21, EPCOT is still listed to close at 9 p.m. on both delayed days. Reports attribute the later openings to giving runners time to finish their races before day guests enter the park.
All three runDisney races that weekend start in EPCOT. The 10K runs on the morning of Saturday, October 24 — a day for which no delayed opening is listed.
Road closures are the second half of the story. Saturday’s are described as relatively contained: five of the eight listed roads reopen by 7:30 a.m., Backstage Lane at 8:00 a.m., and Overpass Road West and Woodpecker Lane at 9:00 a.m. Sunday is the heavier morning, with the Half Marathon covering more ground, affecting World Drive, Buena Vista Drive, and Osceola Parkway ramps, and the last reopenings — again Overpass Road West and Woodpecker Lane — not coming until 10:30 a.m.
Disney is offering complimentary event transportation to each race and to the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports, from all Disney hotels plus Shades of Green, the Swan, the Dolphin, and the Swan Reserve.
What we know
- EPCOT (Walt Disney World) — opens 10 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. on Friday, October 23, and Sunday, October 25, 2026; closes 9 p.m.
- Early Theme Park Entry — 9:30 a.m. on those two days, for Disney resort guests.
- Saturday, October 24 — 10K race morning; no delayed park opening listed.
- Sunday road closures — World Drive, Buena Vista Drive, and Osceola Parkway ramps affected; last reopenings at 10:30 a.m.
- Race buses to EPCOT — last departure 5:00 a.m. for the 10K and Half Marathon.
Disney has not announced a delayed opening for Saturday, October 24, and the coverage available does not name the other two races or list the specific expo transportation times beyond noting that Thursday has the longest bib-pickup window and Saturday’s service ends mid-afternoon. These hours come from reports rather than an official Disney statement, and park hours can shift.
What our data shows
- SupaPark’s forecast model puts Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind’s typical predicted wait around 74 minutes across the day (checked 2026-10-21).
- Measured average wait over the last 7 tracked days: about 72 minutes.
What it means for your trip
- Visiting EPCOT on October 23 or 25? Treat 10 a.m. as the real rope drop and 9:30 a.m. as the resort-guest head start — don’t build a plan around a 9 a.m. tap-in.
- Driving in from Disney Springs or the Magic Kingdom area early on Sunday, October 25, is the riskiest window; budget extra time or ride Disney transportation instead.
- Racing the 10K or Half Marathon: the 5:00 a.m. bus to EPCOT is the last one, and missing it means navigating roads that are already shut.
- A late open compresses everyone into the same hour, so a SupaPark wait-drop alert on a headliner like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind beats refreshing a wait-time screen all morning.
- Weekend dinner reservations at EPCOT are unaffected by the morning delay, but a 10 a.m. open leaves less room before a midday table — push it later if you want ride time first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does EPCOT open on October 23 and 25, 2026?
EPCOT is reported to open at 10 a.m. on both days, with Early Theme Park Entry at 9:30 a.m. for guests staying at a Walt Disney World resort. The park closes at 9 p.m.
Is EPCOT opening late on Saturday, October 24?
No delayed opening is listed for Saturday, October 24, even though the 10K runs that morning. Road closures that day mostly lift by 7:30 a.m., with the last two roads reopening at 9:00 a.m.
What time is the last bus to EPCOT for the 10K and Half Marathon?
The final race bus to EPCOT leaves at 5:00 a.m. After that, runners are on their own for transportation, with many surrounding roads already closed.
Go deeper — the full guides: La Hacienda de San Angel: How to Get a Reservation · Where to Sit at Yorkshire County Fish Shop in EPCOT · Rose & Crown Dining Room: How to Get a Reservation
SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.