Skip to main content

2016-2017 runDisney Race Season Takes Off Labor Day Weekend at Disneyland Resort

The 2016-2017 runDisney race season gets up and running in September with a string of nine race weekends and events geared for runners of all ages and levels. In the U.S., each race weekend offers runDisney Kids’ Races, 5K, 10K, half marathon and a massive health & fitness expo, while Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend also features the full 26.2-mile marathon.

The runDisney series kicks off Labor Day weekend with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna and concludes with the Tinker Bell Half Marathon presented by PANDORA jewelry in May. In all, more than 200,000 runners from around the world are expected to participate in runDisney events at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and, for the first time this season, Disneyland Paris.

Here’s a breakdown of all runDisney race weekends coming up this season:


Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna (Sept. 1-4): More than 32,200 runners are expected to participate in the various events during this 11th annual event. Many runners will participate in more than one event, including more the than 6,000 runners doubling their running fun during the 10K and the half marathon in the Dumbo Double Dare challenge.

Disneyland Paris – Val D’Europe Half Marathon Weekend (Sept. 23-25,): The much-anticipated debut of the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend comes this fall. Kick-off parties, uniquely designed medals and a course that takes runners through the Disneyland Paris Resort area and the Parisian countryside sets this inaugural international event apart from other runDisney races. This race weekend features the Disneyland Paris 5K and Disneyland Paris Half Marathon, as well as the Castle to Chateau Challenge for runners who complete the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon and a runDisney race in the U.S.


Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend presented by MISFIT (Nov. 3-5): This culinary-themed race coincides with the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. For the first time, what used to be a nighttime race will now take place in the early morning hours. Participants will run through multiple theme parks and finish at Epcot, site of an exclusive after-hours post-race party. New this year are the Disney Wine & Dine 10K and Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge, for runners who do both the 10K and the half marathon.


Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend (Nov. 10-13): This 3rd annual race weekend includes a 5K that pays tribute to the 75th anniversary of Captain America, while the 10K gets its theme from the upcoming film, “Doctor Strange”, the latest installment in the Marvel film franchise. The Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon caps the weekend’s events. Runners can put their super powers to the test by participating in the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge – running the 10K and the half marathon. There’s also a pasta party during the weekend’s events, where guests can indulge in a buffet dinner and interact with their favorite Marvel super heroes.


Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna (Jan. 4-8, 2017): This is runDisney’s signature event, which began in 1994 and features a marathon that takes runners along a magical 26.2-mile journey through Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Known as one of the top family-destination races, this race weekend attracts more than 55,000 runners and their guests. Participants who didn’t get enough action during the race weekend can run from the parks to paradise by participating in the Disney Castaway Cay Challenge. The Monday after the marathon takes place, guests can sail on the Disney Dream and run a 5K on Disney’s private island in the Bahamas.

Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – The Light Side (Jan. 12-15, 2017): One of two Star Wars-themed races in the runDisney series, this race weekend at Disneyland Resort is one of the most popular runDisney events of the season. Runners can meet and pose for pictures with their favorite Star Wars heroes as well a variety of races including the Rebel Challenge – tackling the 10K and the half marathon.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (Feb. 23-26, 2017): With more than 26,000 runners participating throughout the weekend, this is 8th annual event one of the largest women-specific endurance events in the country. The fiercest princesses of them all can sign up for the Disney Glass Slipper Challenge, which involves running the 10K and the half marathon.


Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side (April 20-23, 2017): This race weekend is the newest at Walt Disney World, taking place for the first time last April. Before the race, runners have the opportunity to interact with their favorite Star Wars characters from the dark side of the force. The toughest runners can participate in the Dark Side Challenge by doing the 10K and half marathon on back-to-back days.

Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend presented by PANDORA jewelry (May 11-14, 2017): This 6th annual race coincides with Mother’s Day weekend and is Disneyland Resort’s women-specific endurance event. Runners can earn their “wings” across the weekend’s events, and those with a little more faith and trust can do the Pixie Dust Challenge – “flying” through the 10K and half marathon.

Some of the most special features of a runDisney event are the highly coveted medals for each race. In addition to the event-specific medals, runners also have the opportunity to earn a special Coast to Coast Challenge medal, given to those who complete a half marathon at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World resort in the same calendar year. Runners who specifically do the Disney Princess Half Marathon and Tinker Bell Half Marathon will receive a special pink edition of the Coast to Coast Challenge medal. And if the force is with them, runners who participate in both Star Wars-themed half marathons will earn the Kessel Run Challenge medal.

For more information on runDisney events, visit runDisney.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PIXAR Place Expansion Coming Soon??

I'm going against everything I believe in when it comes to rumors, specifically DISNEY rumors, but I find this one way too juicy (and likely accurate) to pass up. According to a few reputable WDW fan websites, it seems that the Studio Backlot Tour is poised to close down at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We know that since Oaken's Trading Post and Frozen Funland are moving out of the Soundstage 1 area, work should soon begin on the rumored (and much needed) third track for Toy Story Mania.  Why close the Backlot Tour? It appears that area is destined to be home to a rather extensive PIXAR Place expansion. According to WDW News Today, we will likely see smaller, flat-rides developed for Toy Story Playland at Disneyland Resort in Paris and Toy Story Land at Hong Kong Disneyland including RC Racer, Slinky Dog Zigzag Spin, and the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop. Attractions in this area don't take us much real estate as these rides would require, so WDW News Today specula...

The Art of Topiary Gardening from Walt Disney World Resort

Topiary gardening, the art of fashioning living plan into ornamental shapes, has been practiced for centuries. Found throughout the gardens of the Walt Disney World Resort are hundreds of topiary figures, ranging from traditional hedges and sheared trees to fanciful shapes and a whole menagerie of "chlorophyll" Disney characters. Types of Topiary Four different types of topiary at the Walt Disney World resort have developed out of our desire to put on an award-winning horticultural show. Free-form topiary and standard form topiary require your imagination and some sharp shears - the other two utilize a frame specially suited to their needs. A lightweight frame is used for shrub topiary, while sphagnum topiary require a much stronger frame specially designed to support the weight of the figure. Standard Form Topiary The world standard is used to describe a plant that is grown to a designated height and then encouraged to bush or form a "head" at t...

Disney's Animal Kingdom Entertainment Changes

T here have been several entertainment changes taking place at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park in preparation for spring break. Those changes include DiVine meeting Guests in the Oasis area and Viva Gaia returning to the park. - Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe March 25-27: Earlier show-times in the day: 8:45 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. - Burudika March 25-27: Later show-times in the day: 4:20 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. - Viva Gaia Street Band! March 24 - April 6: Returning to Discovery Island. Set times are: 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. - DJ Anaan Beginning March 31: Schedule ending at 7 p.m. - DiVine (DON'T MISS!!) March 11-13 and March 24 - April 6: Meet-and-greet location change to Oasis.