It’s Springtime Surprise 10k time! The 10k is such a great distance, long enough to make all the hoopla that goes into getting to and from a runDisney race worth it but not so long that you are totally dead and can’t enjoy the day.
As always, make sure to bookmark the event guide so you have it at your fingertips: https://www.rundisney-expo.run/
Springtime Surprise Weekend Expo
First, if you are running the Springtime Surprise 10k you will need to go to the expo on Thursday or Friday to get your bib. You can not have a family member pick up your bib for you.
The expo is open 10a-7p on Thursday April 13th and from 12p-6p on Friday April 14th. Make sure to sign the digital waiver ahead of time by logging into your runDisney account (the one you created when you registered): https://manage.rundisney.com/login
Virtual Queue – If you want to get runDisney official merchandise on Thursday April 13th, you MUST register for the virtual queue. You (and up to 5 additional people) can signup to join at 8:30 ET via the My Disney Experience app (the Walt Disney World app where you manage all your other Disney vacation fun). Check out my 5k post for more of my thoughts/feelings about the virtual queue if you plan on going Thursday: https://www.magicofrunning.com/2023-springtime-surprise-5k-course-review/#sts23-expo
More details here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/virtual-queue/#drawer-card-runDisney
The expo is spread out over the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex (WWoS) with
- AdventHealth Arena (A) hosting the official runDinsey merchandise, character meet and greets, and the Club runDisney Platinum HQ (2nd Level)
- Athletic Center (B) hosting the gEAR Bag Pick up, shirt exchange, and vendor expo
- State Farm® Field House (C) hosting the bib pickup and runner relations
At a minimum all runners need to go to the State Farm® Field House (C on the map) to get their bib and the Athletic Center (B on the map) to get their gEAR bag and shirts. Give yourself at least an hour to get everything you need.
2023 Springtime Surprise Monsters 10k
We are back to the traditional 10k course in Epcot, this is the same course as the 2023 WDW Marathon Weekend 10k so enjoy!
You want to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to drive or catch the bus from your hotel to the Epcot parking lot. The event information says to arrive to the Epcot parking lot no later than 4am. For those staying in a Disney hotel, please make sure to read the information they will have in the lobby or near the race weekend transportation pickup. Pro-tip: snap a picture of this information so you can review it later!
Once you arrive at Epcot, you will go to the front of the theme park to go through the standard park security. You then walk to the back corner of the parking lot to the race staging area. It will likely take 15-20 min to do the slow morning shuffle to the start areas from the buses.
For those in corral A and B, remember that they may close your corral before the official start time at 5am. For corral A, they will close the corral 20 min before the 5am start and for corral B they will close the corral 10 min before the race start. I recommend being in the corral no later than 30 min and 20 min ahead of time respectively.
runDisney stages the corrals and then moves the corrals to the start line ahead of the official start time. Corral A will move to the start line ahead of time and that is why they close corral early. They will also move up corral B ahead of the start.
Also, this is a timed race, so be sure to sign up for or tell friends and family to sign up for runner tracking. This is available through the live results link that will be active a day or two before the race.
The high-level overview of the course (which is the same as the 2023 WDW Marathon Weekend 10k) is that runners start in the Epcot parking lot before heading on the Epcot Center Dr and through the Epcot tollbooth. You will then take a ramp as you double-back towards Epcot and run through the Epcot parking lot. Runners go behind The Seas and The Land before entering Epcot near Imagination and taking a few right turns to head towards World Showcase. You will run past Canada and then exit backstage around the UK pavilion towards Crescent Lake. You run past Beach Club, Yacht Club, over the bridge, and then BoardWalk. Entering World Showcase through the International Gateway/back entrance, you then run around France and Morocco and then continuing around World Showcase. The graphic map created for the WDW 10k misrepresented this portion but looking at my Garmin map runners did enter World Showcase between Morocco and Japan. Runners then go through Future World, exit backstage, and then finish in the parking lot.
Now let’s get into the details:
Start: The start is in the EPCOT parking lot and then goes directly out onto the roads that guests normally take to get to EPCOT.
1. You will run through the Epcot toll booths (Runners caution ahead!) before taking a hard right back towards EPCOT. There is a slight hill after the turn as you take the overpass. I would guess that there might be a character at the turn around and/or on the overpass before the medical tent.
2. Runners then make a very sharp right turn before heading up another overpass ramp. There may be a character in the Epcot parking lot before getting to the bus dropoff area.
3. You run through the resort bus dropoff area before heading backstage behind The Seas and The Land. There will likely be a character somewhere along this backstage route.
4. Runners then enter EPCOT between the Land and Imagination and then head right to World Showcase. You run by Canada before heading backstage behind the UK pavilion. You then run behind the Skyliner station before entering the Crescent Lake area. I would guess there will be a character in front of Canada.
5. You will run by the Beach Club, the Yacht club, over the bridge, and past the BoardWalk, watch your step on any slick wood boards. There may be characters by the Atlantic Dance Hall, this might even be wear Mike and Sulley will meet. There is always something really beautiful about the Crescent Lake area in the morning!
6. Entering back into World Showcase via the International Gateway/back entrance, you then make a right to run over the bridges that connect the UK to France. Runners make a loop backstage around France to see the Remy ride area and come back to World Showcase between Morocco and Japan.
7. Runners then enter World Showcase again between Morocco and Japan and then run around the rest of the world. You then turn into Future World (I don’t know if the neighborhood names will ever stick with me) over the middle bridge, run around the Creations Shop, and then head towards Mission Space. I will guess there will be 2 characters in World Showcase and maybe one more in Future World near Mission Space.
8. Everyone will exit behind Test Track, run on the roads backstage, and finish in the parking lot. Hooray!
You’ll then grab YOUR medal, grab water and your choice of Powerade (yellow, red, or blue), and grab a snack box before meeting up with friends and family.
You can unwind in the finish area or make your way back on the bus and grab some celebratory mickey waffles, you deserve it!
What are you most excited for?