So I’m really excited that you all get to run this 10k course. It was super fun at the WDW Marathon Weekend and it will be fun for you all too. The first few miles are great for cruising and then the end is just super fun and naturally builds momentum as you go, it’s a really great race course!
First, let’s take a look at the start area. For this race and all the races this weekend, the resort buses are dropping off at the regular Epcot bus drop off and then all runners will walk through the front entrance security (Event Entry on the map) before heading to the regular start area.
In the past, the route for the 10k has taken runners along the same course as the 5k with a loop around World Showcase and Future World with an added “spur” around Crescent Lake and in front of Epcot to get the additional mileage. This year though is completely different and makes for a very fun course with a lot of momentum. If you are looking to really race, this is a great course to go for a PR!
You will start in the Epcot parking lot like usual and then head out on the roads out front of Epcot but then you continue on the roads to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, before running through the Studios, around Crescent Lake, and then finishing in Epcot. It’s just super fun!
Runners will start in the Epcot parking lot and run on the roads that are normally how cars enter the Epcot parking lot. This is the same road runners took at the beginning of the 2020 10k course.
Runners then continue out and on to World Drive, if you are used to driving to Epcot, you will be running against how traffic normally drives from the exit ramp onto World Dr. You’ll run on World Dr for about a mile.
Runners then take the exit ramp from World Drive to Buena Vista Dr (looks like an honest incline so hoping some Green Army Men are there to cheer you on).
Runners then run along Buena Vista Dr and enter Hollywood Studios behind Tower of Terror but then take a slightly different route that will take you to Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster’s entrance area before running down Sunset Blvd (instead of running through the Exit area of Tower of Terror).Runners then hang a left on Hollywood Blvd and exit the park. What a fun route through the park!
Princesses will then hang a left, run past the Hollywood Studio’s Skyliner station, and take the path along Crescent Lake from Hollywood Studios to Epcot. You’ll run on the Yacht/Beach Club side of the lake (so prepare for the bridge which will bring a slightly uphill).
Princesses enter Epcot but stay backstage until you enter World Showcase around the World Showplace pavilion between UK and Canada.
Runners then go to the center pathway connecting World Showcase and Future World before running through the Future World East side of Epcot, run underneath Spaceship Earth, and exit through the cast member area behind Spaceship Earth.
You then run out to the Epcot parking lot and finish in the normal area.
I’m really excited that you all get to run this course, I’m hoping some version of this stays around for a while. it’s just a nice refresh and breaks up the old version where runners basically ran the same course for the 5k and 10k during the same race weekend. Have fun out there, Princesses!