2026 summer virtual release date

[pat fan]

I wanted to get my son the summer virtual series for Christmas, will it be released to register for Christmas?

 

[Herding_Cats]

The summer virtual series and the christmas virtual series are 2 different things.

The summer series registration was several months ago and was themed to 3 different rides (JC, HM, and POTC) with a "challenge" medal (plus ears and a pine) themed to Happily Ever After. These sold out within a few weeks of release and have already started shipping to those who registered. If this is what you wanted to get for your son, then you'd need to be looking at the resale market (rundisney-specific bst groups on facebook would be a good place.)

The "12k of Christmas" is a separate set or medals. Last year they doubled as ornaments, so it's a fairly safe guess to say that they will likely do the same this year. The "challenge set" last year included a hooded long-sleeved shirt, a fleece blanket, and a hot cocoa mug. Registration for that is on August 19th.

 

[fatmanatee]

I'll add that I'm not sure if anyone here did the Christmas series but I am seeing a couple of reports from people who did NOT get their medals by Christmas last year. RD is a bit weird about getting virtual medals out the door, it doesn't seem like they have a set date for sending them and some people have gotten the summer virtuals already and some are waiting. So if the intent is to have these delivered for Christmas opening, just be aware of this.

 

[The Expert]

I did it the first year (but not last year) and the medals definitely arrived after Christmas. I had already taken my tree down and put everything away and had to get a box back out to stash them in for the next holiday season.

 

[Jillfo]

The summer series registration was several months ago ...

2025 or 2026? The thread title says the OP is asking about the 2026 summer series.

 

[fatmanatee]

Yeah I missed the part about this being about 2026 (unless that was an edit?). Registration was April 1 this year, best guess is that it'll be somewhere around that time next year.

 

[mmm_texas]

Just to summarize plus add a little bit, it's probable that the virtual summer series registration will be much too late to gift by Christmas. You could gift the Virtual 12Ks of Christmas (but those should be completed by the end of December, so he'd normally need to start the runs before the 25th). Finally, last year there was a "Virtual Love on the Run 14-miler" with a registration in September, so if they do that again that might fit your date criteria.

Here's a link to the runDisney race calendar, which includes the virtual races: https://www.rundisney.com/race-season-calendar/

Good luck!

 

[pat fan]

Just to summarize plus add a little bit, it's probable that the virtual summer series registration will be much too late to gift by Christmas. You could gift the Virtual 12Ks of Christmas (but those should be completed by the end of December, so he'd normally need to start the runs before the 25th). Finally, last year there was a "Virtual Love on the Run 14-miler" with a registration in September, so if they do that again that might fit your date criteria.

Here's a link to the runDisney race calendar, which includes the virtual races: https://www.rundisney.com/race-season-calendar/

Good luck!

Thanks everyone! Yes, it's for the summer 2026, (not an edit it always said that). I guess I will give him a gc for it and he can register himself when it opens.