RunDisney events are back at Walt Disney World starting this fall, with the return of the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend this weekend, November 4 – 7. That event will be followed by the WDW Marathon Weekend on January 5 – 9, 2022 and the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend on February 24 – 27, 2022. But the runDisney fun is just getting started.
As part of WDW’s 50th Anniversary, runDisney is bringing back some beloved races that had been retired in recent years. The Expedition Everest 5K, Race for the Taste 10K, and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler will all make their triumphant return over one weekend. The inaugural Springtime Surprise Weekend will take place March 31 – April 3, 2022 and will allow runners to race throughout Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios.
It seems like this Springtime Surprise Weekend will be permanently replacing the Star Wars Half Marathon: The Dark Side weekend, which had taken place at WDW from 2016 to 2020. With the race weekend’s counterpart at Disneyland, Star Wars Half Marathon: The Light Side, having been suspended since 2018 due to construction, it’s probably safe to say if a Star Wars-themed race weekend does return, it will be in a different way.
Expedition Everest 5K
The Expedition Everest 5K will be the first race of the Springtime Surprise Weekend and will take place March 31, 2022. The Everest 5K will come roaring back to Animal Kingdom for the first time in seven years, although some changes will be made to the event. While the event will still take place at night, with a scheduled start time of 10:00pm, the scavenger hunt aspect of the race — which makes it unique from any other runDisney event — will be changed.
Originally, the Expedition Everest 5K event consisted of the run and a separate scavenger hunt that took place along the course after the race was finished. When the run returns, the scavenger hunt will still be featured, but it will now take place during the initial 5K, instead of afterwards. The clues for the scavenger hunt were initially needed to enter the after race party at Animal Kingdom, where the attractions were open for competitors. It is unclear as of this writing if this access will again be offered for Expedition Everest 5K runners.
Race for the Taste 10K
The Race for the Taste 10K originally ran from 2005 to 2009, before being replaced by the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. Now, the event is back, as part of the inaugural Springtime Surprise weekend, and is scheduled to take place April 2, 2022, beginning at 5:00am. The Race for the Taste 10K used to be held in conjunction with the EPCOT International Food and Wine festival and will reportedly be following the same route through EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, though that has yet to be confirmed.
And while the race is no longer being held in the fall, it will still have a food-related theme. The race will be held to celebrate the opening of WDW’s newest attraction, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. While the initial run of Race for the Taste had tasty treats from the EPCOT International Food and Wine festival at the finish line, we’re not yet sure if similar offerings will be available at the end of this new Race for the Taste 10K.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler
The third and final event that is being brought back for the inaugural Springtime Surprise weekend is The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler, which will be held on April 3, 2022 and will start at 5:00am. The original race only ran for three years, from 2012 to 2014, so it’s exciting to see it being brought back for those runDisney fans who never got the chance to experience the event. However, the race is returning with a few changes.
While the initial run of the 10-Miler also included a Happy Haunted 5K earlier in the day, it seems only the longer race will return, and the course will most likely be different from the original. The first course brought runners from the gates of Hollywood Studios through ESPN’s Wide World of Sports, and ended back through the Hollywood Studios park, running through such places as the Streets of New York and the Lights, Motors, Action attraction space. As those areas have now been replaced with Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, it’s unclear as of this writing if the course will keep its original map or if the route will be changed. If we were to guess, the path will probably be very different.
One final change: the original Tower of Terror 10-Miler was held in the Fall to coincide with Halloween and was run at night to increase the spooky atmosphere of the course. This new version of the race will now be held in the day, so we’re not sure how much the race is going to embrace the Tower of Terror theme. Racers were also able to enjoy the attractions at Hollywood Studios until 3:00am following the run, which is another part that will most likely change.
Cost and Registration
The registration dates will be opening in early December, and each race has an individual cost. RunDisney is also offering a Springtime Surprise Challenge, where runners can participate in all three races over the weekend and receive a special challenge medal.
Registration for Club runDisney Gold and Platinum members begins on December 7, 2021 at 10:00am Eastern. General registration will begin on December 9, 2021 at 10:00am Eastern.
The cost for the races are as follows:
- Expedition Everest 5K
- Cost if registered December 9, 2021 to February 28, 2022 — $100
- Cost if registered March 1 to March 23, 2022 — $110
- Race for the Taste 10K
- Cost if registered December 9, 2021 to February 28, 2022 — $135
- Cost if registered March 1 to March 23, 2022 — $145
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler
- Cost if registered December 9, 2021 to February 28, 2022 — $190
- Cost if registered March 1 to March 23, 2022 — $200
- Springtime Surprise Challenge
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- Cost if registered December 9, 2021 to February 28, 200 — $445
- Cost if registered March 1 to March 23, 2022 — $455
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Let’s Hear From You
Are you a runDisney fan? Excited to see some old favorite races return or are you sad the Star Wars Half Marathon: The Dark Side weekend isn’t returning? Will you be running some (or all) of these races? Let us know your thoughts about all things runDisney in the comments below!
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