Why No Love For runDisney’s Springtime Surprise?

Okay, “no love” is a bit of an exaggeration – but there’s no denying that Springtime Surprise Weekend is by far the least popular of all the runDisney race weekend offerings. And I want to figure out why!

IN THEORY, SPRINGTIME SURPRISE SHOULD BE A SLAM DUNK

Springtime Surprise Weekend is runDisney’s only race weekend offering the ten miler distance. While a mere 5K’s distance less than the more common half marathon flagship race, many people consider ten miles much more accessible. There are even distance runners who call the ten miler their favorite race distance.

This is anecdotal, but I’m sure we can all agree that runDisney attracts a larger percentage of newbie runners than your average race organization. Even during the most competitive registration days, the 10K is usually the first bib to sell out, followed by the 5K. That considered, you would think that a Springtime Surprise ten miler bib would be THE distance race to sign up for in the runDisney community.

As a bonus, runDisney recently added a Typhoon Lagoon water park after party to the proceedings. That’s gotta count for something, right?

Yet while the remainder of the bib categories – 5K, 10K, and challenge consisting of all three races – have sold out, the ten miler STILL lingers. As of this writing, you could go grab a bib right now. Why?

REPORTING FROM THE runDISNEY TRENCHES

Let’s begin with a debrief on last month’s Springtime Surprise general bib drop, which occurred on July 29. Per my recent report, runDisney race registration is more competitive than ever. Bibs have been selling out in record time. (I highly recommend checking out that link if you’re not familiar with how quickly runDisney bibs tend to metaphorically fly off the shelves. Context is key.)

Historically, Springtime Surprise does not sell out, and by consequence I predicted that its sellout would remain much slower. There was a part of me, however, that wondered if Springtime would buck its own trends and clear its inventory within hours after all. That’s the direction all the other weekends are going, after all.

When registration day rolled around, I joined the queue. I had no intention of signing up; I only wanted to see how it went.

HOW SPRINGTIME SURPRISE REGISTRATION WENT

And whaddya know, Springtime registration followed its usual pattern. There was no weird holding screen, with the virtual waiting room kicking off at 10am as per usual. I think the 10K went first, followed by the 5K, both of which if I recall correctly were gone before I made it out of the queue around 10:50am. The ten miler, challenge, and yoga remained free for the taking.

Now, the challenge did ultimately sell out around 36 hours later, which is faster than usual. Last year challenge bibs remained available for a couple weeks I believe. I wonder if anyone bought a challenge bib as a way into the 5K and/or 10K? Anyway, as I mention above, ten miler bibs remain available even as we speak.

(As does morning yoga, but I would argue that’s an outlier and I’m choosing to ignore it. Along with everybody else, apparently. Schwing! No, no, I’m sure it’s fun, I just can’t justify the additional cost/wakeup call. I’ll go if you pay, swear.)

SO WHY AREN’T PEOPLE SIGNING UP FOR THE SPRINGTIME SURPRISE TEN MILER?

All right, so we know Springtime Surprise consistently underperforms by runDisney race weekend standards. The question is: why? By rights and logic, this race weekend should be one of the most popular. Accessible distance, water park after party – what’s not to love?

I asked my Instagram followers this very question, and I received ANSWERS. Why not Springtime Surprise Weekend? Well…

ISSUES WITH THE THEMES

Lackluster themes. The first Springtime Surprise theme was a good one – re-staging runDisney races that had since been discontinued, such as the Race for the Taste and Tower of Terror Ten Miler. Next up was a cohesive Pixar theme. Then 2024 and 2025 presented more of a hodgepodge, with themes of “heroes” and “friendship” assembling otherwise incongruous character groupings for the weekend as a whole. Believe it or not, the runDisney community is discerning enough to notice.

…or themes that just aren’t Star Wars. Springtime Surprise also has the dishonor of replacing Walt Disney World’s Star Wars-themed race weekend, and people are still salty about it. Salty enough not to register, even – or at least to make the decision not to register easier.

ISSUES WITH PRICING

Too expensive for runDisney. The Springtime Surprise Challenge combines the prices of the 5K, 10K, and ten miler. This is par for the course with runDisney challenges; you get a bundle price, not a discount. Still, you’re paying MORE money for the same mileage as a normal 10K + half. Some argue the value proposition isn’t there.

Too expensive generally. Many people pointed out that ALL runDisney races are too expensive, a claim I don’t disagree with. Of course, this subsection isn’t signing up for runDisney races anyway, so again, they probably don’t represent a meaningful number.

Alternate runDisney priorities. Others noted that they do love and register for runDisney but are currently saving up for other race weekends (especially Dopey) or upcoming perfect seasons.

ISSUES WITH LOGISTICS

Weather. Weather in Orlando in November, January, and February is a crapshoot. You could be chilly to freezing OR burning up. But April? April’s gonna be hot and humid. That’s just the way it is. And quite a few people noted they weren’t interested in racing in conditions that were guaranteed to be at best warm and at worst sweltering.

Conflicts with other races. Evidently the Boston Marathon is the same weekend this year. I’m not sure how much this moves the needle as a whole as Springtime Surprise is the most movable of runDisney’s feasts, and no one large race is consistently scheduled at the same time. Still, I’m sure it affected this weekend in particular.

Personal reasons. Some people cited health (injuries, fertility journeys), politics, and other individual dealbreakers.

WHY DIDN’T I SIGN UP FOR SPRINGTIME SURPRISE?

Why didn’t I sign up myself, you ask? Some combination of the above. As much as I would love to say otherwise, I am made of money in neither the literal nor figurative sense. I have other Disney trips, race and otherwise, on my schedule, and I’m saving my money for those.

If the theme had been really compelling, or if a friend had asked me to attend the weekend with them, I might’ve been persuaded to make a quasi-financially irresponsible choice. But it wasn’t, no one did, and I wasn’t, so I didn’t. Don’t get me wrong – that bibs are still available does tug at my id – but for now I’m staying strong.

WILL THIS TREND CONTINUE?

Perhaps it is silly to pursue the question of Springtime Surprise Weekend’s comparative popularity. I mean, isn’t it a good thing that at least one runDisney race registration day doesn’t require a Taylor-Swift-concert-tickets level of luck and lightning reflexes?

And yet I cannot help but notice Springtime Surprise in its odd-man-out ignominy. I’d imagine the after party was a direct bid to boost its cache, but it’s not exactly working. Is Springtime Surprise the bellweather for all runDisney races as prices rise? Are we nearing the backend of the runDisney popularity parabola? Will the easy registration days of times past make their welcome return?

Or will runDisney just give up and theme the April race weekend to Star Wars again? I bet that would work.

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