The runDisney Expo Is Open and Disney World Crowds Are Growing
Thousands of runners descended on Walt Disney World today, and the resort is already operating differently because of it. The 2026 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend officially began this morning with the opening of the Health and Fitness Expo. For anyone visiting the parks between now and Sunday who did not know this was happening, please take this as your warning. This weekend is going to feel different from a normal spring weekend at Disney World in ways that are hard to miss once you are on property.
The Expo and What Is Inside
The runDisney Health and Fitness Expo opened today at Walt Disney World and runs through Saturday, April 18. Thursday hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday is noon to 7 p.m., and Saturday closes things out from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Every race participant is required to stop by the Expo before their first event to collect their race bib, participant shirt, and any merchandise ordered in advance. The Expo is also where all the weekend merchandise lives, and this year’s collection is built around the theme of iconic Disney duos.
Each race has its own character pairing. The 5K features Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde from Zootopia. The 10K is Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. The 10-Miler goes with Joy and Sadness from Inside Out. The full 19.3-mile challenge is themed to Genie and Aladdin, and new Genie-inspired Brooks running shoes are available as part of that lineup. General runDisney merchandise rounds out the collection with vests, jackets, jewelry, and more. Most items are capped at two per guest. Gold and Platinum Club runDisney members had early shopping access this morning, and everyone else is working through a virtual queue that can be joined from anywhere within 45 miles of the resort.
What the runDisney Races Look Like This Weekend
The Springtime Surprise Weekend covers a 5K, a 10K, a 10-Miler, and a combined challenge totaling 19.3 miles. Each event earns its own finisher medal, and challenge runners take home a fourth medal for completing all three races. Registration sold out well ahead of the weekend, and the crowd impact extends beyond just the runners. The families, friends, and supporters traveling with participants elevate attendance across the entire resort, well beyond what the race courses themselves suggest.
Sunday Is the Day to Watch
Of all the days this weekend, Sunday, April 19, is the one that requires the most preparation from anyone visiting Walt Disney World. The 10-Miler starts at 5 a.m., and the race operations required to run that course through Disney property directly affect EPCOT’s operating hours. The park opens at 10 a.m. on Sunday instead of the normal 9 a.m. Guests with Early Entry through a Disney resort hotel can get in at 9:30 a.m. rather than 8:30 a.m.
That hour-long delay matters more than it sounds. Every guest without Early Entry arrives at the same time instead of spreading out over an hour, which means popular attractions hit significant wait times almost immediately after the gates open. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Frozen Ever After, Test Track, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will be crowded fast.
Road closures for the race will also significantly slow travel to EPCOT on Sunday morning. What normally takes ten or fifteen minutes from a resort hotel could take close to an hour. Disney transportation is also set to run behind.
The Simple runDisney Advice
If you have any flexibility on Sunday, go to Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom instead. All three parks are running normal hours with no race-related disruptions. If EPCOT on Sunday is not good enough, you can just arrive early, use Lightning Lane, and lean into the Flower and Garden Festival rather than building your day around hitting major attractions at rope drop. The festival booths and outdoor kitchens give the park real appeal even on a crowded day.
The expo is open. Runners are here. The weekend is just getting started.
