Brand New runDisney Medals Feature Favorite Disney Pixar Characters for the First Time

The cooler months in Orlando bring around the runDisney season. The Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend begins the Walt Disney World running season in early November, and the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend closes the season in early April. Two additional events occur during the season: the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January; and the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend in February. 

The medals runners will earn from completing the runDisney races are highly anticipated, especially after the character theme for each race is announced and registration opens. Just today, Disney Parks Blog confirmed the designs of the runDisney medals that runners of the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend will receive in April 2023. Let’s take a look.

runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend

The runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend will take place on April 13 to 16, 2023, in the Walt Disney World Resort for the second year. Each event in the 2023 runDisney weekend has a Pixar theme, paying homage to favorite Disney Pixar films. There are five events to take part in during the weekend:

• The runDisney Springtime Surprise Yoga – opens the weekend at 5 a.m. on April 13 in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There is still availability for this event, and Guests can register via the runDisney website for $109 per person.
• The Disney Pixar Cars 5K – this event takes place on April 14 in EPCOT and begins at 5 a.m.
• The Disney Pixar Monsters 10K begins at 5 a.m. in EPCOT theme park; this event takes place on April 15.
• The Disney Pixar Toy Story 10-Miler is the final race of the weekend and begins in EPCOT at 5 a.m. on April 16. There is still availability for this event, and Guests can book their place via the runDisney website for $207.87.
• The runDisney Springtime Surprise Challenge – runners complete all three races in this challenge and earn an additional Challenge medal.

The runDisney Health & Fitness Expo takes place as part of the run weekend, offering runners the chance to purchase limited-edition merchandise, socialize with other runners, chat with experts, and pick up their race bibs and participant shirts. The runDisney Health & Fitness Expo is held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports from Thursday to Saturday.

Medals

As the name suggests, the Disney Pixar Cars 5k is themed after Cars (2006). Following completing the 3.1-mile course around EPCOT, runners will receive a medal in the shape of a cog. Lightning McQueen features in the center of the design and is surrounded by lightning bolts. runDisney has also hinted that Lightning McQueen will feature on the course alongside Mater and friends. 

The Disney Pixar Monster 10k celebrates Monsters, Inc. (2001), and whether it’s your favorite Disney Pixar film or not, we think you will love the medal design for this race. It’s a recreation of the famous doors the monsters use to enter the rooms of unsuspecting little ones. The logo for the race is detailed on the front of the blue door. The door opens to reveal Mike and Sulley. Complete the 6.2-mile course to earn this excellent design. When participating in Walt Disney World, you may even see some monsters on the course.

The Disney Pixar Toy Story 10-Miler medal features some of favorite Toy Story (1995) characters, including Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and some of the aliens. runDisney has hinted that favorite characters from the movie franchise will feature on the course that leads runners around EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the EPCOT Resort hotels. Given the theme, the chance to run through Toy Story Land on this 10-mile race will feel pretty special.

The runDisney Springtime Surprise Challenge medal may be our favorite one of the series. Nemo, Dory, and Crush feature on this spinner medal surrounded by bubbles. We want to participate in the challenge to receive this medal.

Each of the characters that inspire the medal designs of the 2023 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend races features for the first time at a Walt Disney World running event. Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story have previously featured on runDisney medals for the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend that took place in 2017 in the Disneyland Resort. Previously, the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend medals were inspired by Walt Disney World attractions.

Virtual Races

Over the last few years, the runDisney races have become available for Guests who wish to participate virtually. Ask most runners, and they would tell you they prefer to participate in the runDisney events in Walt Disney World. After all, who wouldn’t love the opportunity to run through the Disney theme parks, meet favorite and possibly rare Disney friends, and experience the authentic atmosphere of a running event? That being said, it isn’t always possible to take part in person, so the virtual races offer runners the perfect opportunity to train for an event, complete it at a time that is suitable for them, and earn a fantastic medal for doing so.

The virtual races are available for a lower price than the Walt Disney World events but still include a medal and participant shirt for each race a runner takes part in. It’s not too late to participate in the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend, as there is availability for all virtual races in the event. Prices are as follows:

• Disney Pixar Cars 5k – $79.95
• Disney Pixar Monsters 10K – $94.87
• Disney Pixar Toy Story 10-Miler – $115.13
• runDisney Springtime Surprise Challenge – $325.13

Are you taking part in the 2023 runDisney Springtime Surprise race weekend? If so, we hope you’re feeling excited about earning your medals. If you’re not yet registered to participate but are feeling inspired by the medal designs runners will receive, head to the runDisney website to secure your place. You’d be silly to miss the fun of this runDisney event!