Springtime Surprise Weekend 2025 (April 3-6)

[The Expert]

If you missed your size in the Brooks drop this morning, they posted that they're doing a restock on "select designs" at 8pm PACIFIC tonight!

edit to add time zone

 

[rick1zoo2]

Well, checking out and going home tomorrow, needed to make some tough decisions about packing.



The leave behind pile:



I think we are still going to need another suitcase for all of the runDisney clothes and these:

 

[rick1zoo2]

Not that I’m blaming someone else for our packing dilemma, but, besides my shirts, medals, and one T-shirt that I got at the expo this is the only memento I need to somehow squeeze into my suitcase:

 

[fatmanatee]

Well, checking out and going home tomorrow, needed to make some tough decisions about packing.

View attachment 955225

The leave behind pile:

View attachment 955226

I think we are still going to need another suitcase for all of the runDisney clothes and these:

View attachment 955228

All that cheese!

 

[radiodome21]

when I saw the Rundisney shoes online I said I wouldn’t buy them. Not my thing.

Then I tried on the Mickey Mouse Ghost Max 2. And wow.

Wore them all weekend and loved every minute.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Made it home OK, after several rounds of severe rain north of the Ga-Fla line.
Great to see everyone at the Sun morning meetup; saw some familiar faces, plus some faces to go with familiar names. It's always great to put faces with non de plumes. After you guys, I said "hi" to Bob from Rise and Run, and then jumped in the line for a pre-race photo with Elastigirl. There were numerous reminders that I may or may not get a photo before she had to go at 4:30, but managed to squeak one in. Then it was off to the corral, sitting on a couple of el cheapo towels from Walmart. I managed to forget my own advice of bringing ear plugs to the corral to block some of the volume.
As we neared the start line, Carrisa said she had never seen all of Footloose. I booed and made a Family Feud "X" with my arms and oh-my-gosh John saw me and is walking right at me! I was asked to explain what Footloose meant to me, and replied great music with bad dancing on my part.
The race itself was great; I loved the Epcot routing (so cool all lit up at night) and really loved the routing through HS. That was the first time I've ever seen the Mandalorian in person, so I did wait for a photo. I became rather hot and was questioning going with the tights and wondering where I could duck into to pull them off, but was in a rhythm and kept going. We hit the open road and I came close to getting chilled being soaking wet when those cool breezes hit, but that passed pretty quickly.
My sons used to love Phineas and Ferb, so a photo with Perry would have been great, but too long of a line, too close to the end, so I kept going. (Sorry if any of this is a repeat from the other night).
Really nice looking medal for the 10-miler and great magnet. After seeing how much and how quickly an earlier race magnet deteriorated on my truck, my recent ones have been kept indoors.
After the race, I showered and the DS and I scooted over to HS for his first ever times on Smugglers Run, RotR, and Rock n Roller Coaster, plus a final visit to the Muppet Theater. We swing back by the car so I could crash for a short bit, and then off to Epcot for DS's first ever time on GoTG.
The final step tally was over 45K steps and over 4,100 calories burned, according to Garmin. This was after 30K steps on Thur and 15K step days on Fri and Sat. All of which is to say that I slept soundly last night, and I'm feeling it today. Note to self: don't over-do it in the parks and elsewhere before and after races.
OK, enough rambling here. Thanks for reading.

 

[PrincessV]

I once again did not make it to a meet-up, but was there in spirit! HOWEVER… I’m 99% sure @Mr_Incr3dible and I met without knowing it in our corral walk-out?! I was the petite woman wearing a Star Wars cape, carrying a copy of Imperial VOGUE.

I’d like to thank rD for renewing my enjoyment of these race weekends. I had a really hard time with both the most recent W&D and MW and haven’t registered for the next ones: I really thought I was burned out on all things rD and that maybe I should stop running altogether, other than for general fitness. My body hasn’t handled long distance training well at all for the last few years, and the vibes and crowds of W&D and MW weren't fun for me.

But darned if that 10-Miler wasn’t an absolute joy from start to finish! I fully committed to costume, which is always so fun. I love that course. Photo stops and entertainment were great. (MAD props to the piano-bell player knocking out an incredible rendition of Duel of the Fates just before EP! ) Weather was perfect for this Floridian (during the race, anyway - I have other, more expletive-ridden feelings about the late afternoon heat). The low-key-ness of the whole weekend was exactly what I wanted. I experienced very little course congestion: only a couple times was I really blocked in and that only lasted a minute or two. And I actually ran really, really well. My only regret is not waiting for Mando… I was in line about 5 minutes of the estimated 25, but can’t do time math that early and wasn’t sure I could pick up my pace later in the race if it put me too close to the sweep. In retrospect, I would’ve been fine.

I still miss the Star Wars races SO much, but was able to make this as SW-themed as I could and had a wonderful time. I’ll almost certainly register again for next year!

 

[DisneyParrothead]

I once again did not make it to a meet-up, but was there in spirit! HOWEVER… I’m 99% sure @Mr_Incr3dible and I met without knowing it in our corral walk-out?! I was the petite woman wearing a Star Wars cape, carrying a copy of Imperial VOGUE.

I’d like to thank rD for renewing my enjoyment of these race weekends. I had a really hard time with both the most recent W&D and MW and haven’t registered for the next ones: I really thought I was burned out on all things rD and that maybe I should stop running altogether, other than for general fitness. My body hasn’t handled long distance training well at all for the last few years, and the vibes and crowds of W&D and MW weren't fun for me.

But darned if that 10-Miler wasn’t an absolute joy from start to finish! I fully committed to costume, which is always so fun. I love that course. Photo stops and entertainment were great. (MAD props to the piano-bell player knocking out an incredible rendition of Duel of the Fates just before EP! ) Weather was perfect for this Floridian (during the race, anyway - I have other, more expletive-ridden feelings about the late afternoon heat). The low-key-ness of the whole weekend was exactly what I wanted. I experienced very little course congestion: only a couple times was I really blocked in and that only lasted a minute or two. And I actually ran really, really well. My only regret is not waiting for Mando… I was in line about 5 minutes of the estimated 25, but can’t do time math that early and wasn’t sure I could pick up my pace later in the race if it put me too close to the sweep. In retrospect, I would’ve been fine.

I still miss the Star Wars races SO much, but was able to make this as SW-themed as I could and had a wonderful time. I’ll almost certainly register again for next year!

It definitely felt more low key as someone who wasn’t there but tracking runners who were. Even though I wasn’t there, I could still feel that MW was chaotic and STS was very calm. I wasn’t planning on doing rD races next year but I am now watching for the springtime themes.

 

[sandam1]

The low-key-ness of the whole weekend was exactly what I wanted.

It definitely felt more low key as someone who wasn’t there but tracking runners who were. Even though I wasn’t there, I could still feel that MW was chaotic and STS was very calm. I wasn’t planning on doing rD races next year but I am now watching for the springtime themes.

You both hit the nail on the head perfectly in describing why I love the Springtime Surprise weekends. I did my first SS the same race season that I finished my first Dopey and it was like a complete 180 from MW as far as vibe. I love MW, but SS is a breath of fresh air and so low stress. I didn't do SS this year as I got roped into both W&D and Princess and the wallet only stretches so far, but I'm so excited to register for next year. Frankly, I don't even care what the themes are (but if runDisney wanted to make them Star Wars, I'd be 110% okay with that )

 

[Baloo in MI]

Room is packed up and off to HS for a few hours before Mears comes to get me. I really liked SS this year, Brooks was a great addition. My favorite will always be MW, I love the size and feels during that weekend. But I have to agree with others that SS has a welcoming, low key atmosphere that makes for a great race weekend!

I am planning to come back next year, it will make my 5th in a row for the weekend. And just because every time I have asked I have been told there will be no perfect status for SS does not mean I will not believe it is going to happen anyway!

I am sure I am not the only stubborn/delusional runner! And I foresee good costumes for the Official Unofficial Perfect Status Springtime Surprise Club - ha!

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

I once again did not make it to a meet-up, but was there in spirit! HOWEVER… I’m 99% sure @Mr_Incr3dible and I met without knowing it in our corral walk-out?! I was the petite woman wearing a Star Wars cape, carrying a copy of Imperial VOGUE.

I’d like to thank rD for renewing my enjoyment of these race weekends. I had a really hard time with both the most recent W&D and MW and haven’t registered for the next ones: I really thought I was burned out on all things rD and that maybe I should stop running altogether, other than for general fitness. My body hasn’t handled long distance training well at all for the last few years, and the vibes and crowds of W&D and MW weren't fun for me.

But darned if that 10-Miler wasn’t an absolute joy from start to finish! I fully committed to costume, which is always so fun. I love that course. Photo stops and entertainment were great. (MAD props to the piano-bell player knocking out an incredible rendition of Duel of the Fates just before EP! ) Weather was perfect for this Floridian (during the race, anyway - I have other, more expletive-ridden feelings about the late afternoon heat). The low-key-ness of the whole weekend was exactly what I wanted. I experienced very little course congestion: only a couple times was I really blocked in and that only lasted a minute or two. And I actually ran really, really well. My only regret is not waiting for Mando… I was in line about 5 minutes of the estimated 25, but can’t do time math that early and wasn’t sure I could pick up my pace later in the race if it put me too close to the sweep. In retrospect, I would’ve been fine.

I still miss the Star Wars races SO much, but was able to make this as SW-themed as I could and had a wonderful time. I’ll almost certainly register again for next year!

OMG! That was you?!! So cool to talk to you.
And dittos for wanting a return of SW races, since I missed all of them. Side note: trying to explain to my DS just how cool the Star Wars part of HS is, for someone who was 11 years old when the first movie came out and still thinks it’s way cool to see so much of it come to life with Smugglers Run and RotR.

Meanwhile, I don’t care for dark roast, and consider the Joffrey coffee pods in the rooms as barely drinkable, so I am so glad to be home, enjoying my brewed coffee, and it tastes even better in my newest coffee mug…

 

[PrincessV]

OMG! That was you?!! So cool to talk to you.

It sure was, and ditto! IDK what the odds are of two DISers in the same running threads winding up literally next to one another in a corral without knowing it, but we should maaaaybeee both play the lottery this week?!

 

[rick1zoo2]

At MCO awaiting our now delayed flight home. The finisher certificates are available to download. I like to save them as photos, along with the course maps and some of the race graphics, in my phone so they become part of the slide show.

And now the weather that I would have preferred shows up!

We did manage to get to all of the parks for short visits. Did the Hoop-Dee-Do Revue Sunday evening as our post race celebration which was a lot of food and fun. And yesterday spent the morning at Magic Kingdom, lunch at Skippers Canteen, nap, then late afternoon at Animal Kingdom for Safari and the Avatar rides.

Overall a great trip. We had a great time, successful races, was wonderful to meet people Sunday morning.

 

[Dopey 2020]

Safe travels everyone, another race weekend is over. We’re here one more day, hit guardians this AM, now relaxing by the Jambo House pool before our celebration dinner at Jiko. We'll head to MCO early in the AM, hope to see y’all in October.

 

[DIS-OH]

Checked my wall of magnets, so here is my RunDisney race tally from 2010-2025:

16 runDisney weekends/events
28 runDisney races
8 runDisney Challenges
269.2 runDisney miles

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

It sure was, and ditto! IDK what the odds are of two DISers in the same running threads winding up literally next to one another in a corral without knowing it, but we should maaaaybeee both play the lottery this week?!

1. I've never seen so many Incredibles running before, but given the theme, it tracked.
2. Some of the other runners had some really good Incredibles costumes, and they remembered to bring their masks [looks over at mask still next to the computer....]
3. But of all the other Incredibles out there, I was the only one I saw wearing an Incredibles hat, plus I was in Corral D. So if you were in D and I was in a hat, then we have 100% confirmation!
4. I have a photo similar to my avatar, but IMHO a little better that is my new fav running photo of myself (Thank you again to you know who you are!)
5. Yup, buying a lottery ticket this evening....

Oh, and rD events and miles:
6 events:

• 1 Dopey
• 1 Goofy Race and a Half
• 1 Goofy Race and a Quarter (2024)
• 2 Half Marathons
• 1 10-Miler

157.42 miles if I did my math correctly (and using my watch's 7.12 miles for the 2024 half)

 

[Stitch&Co.]

This was a one and done for me on SS. I'm glad I had a chance to do it and the 10 miler is a good distance. Overall, I really enjoyed the weekend. It was great to meet everyone in the mornings. I did tie my PR for character stops. I am slowly learning to enjoy the experience and not worry about time so much. I know that if I end up by the balloon ladies I can hang with them so why not enjoy myself.

 

[Livelovedance]

I am planning to come back next year, it will make my 5th in a row for the weekend. And just because every time I have asked I have been told there will be no perfect status for SS does not mean I will not believe it is going to happen anyway!

I am sure I am not the only stubborn/delusional runner! And I foresee good costumes for the Official Unofficial Perfect Status Springtime Surprise Club - ha!

You're not the only one! Since the distances haven't changed, I'm hoping the real surprise will be the recognition of a Springtime Surprise perfect status!

 

[Livelovedance]

I've done 36 in-person runDisney races. I'm actually amazed by everything I've accomplished thanks to runDisney!

 

[Erika10021]

It was such a good race weekend!

I'm unexpectedly sad that the race season is over.