Going to Disney World Soon? You May Run Into This Potential PROBLEM.

If you’re planning to visit Disney World next weekend, be prepared for some potential crowd problems.

Main Street, U.S.A.

One of runDisney’s popular annual events will take place at the Walt Disney World Resort from April 18th through the 21st. The Springtime Surprise Weekend is chock full of great moments for those participating. However, like any runDisney event, it can lead to some headaches for those simply visiting the resort while it’s happening.

The 2024 runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend includes a few different races: the Peter Pan-inspired Neverland 5K, the Up-themed Adventure Is Out There 10K, and the Lion King-themed Hakuna Matata 10-Miler. You can also compete in Stitch’s ‘Ohana Challenge by completing all three races!

©Disney

The two potential issues regular guests may experience due to a runDisney event are somewhat higher than normal crowds – understandably, many runners chose to spend the day with family and friends at one of Disney World’s theme parks following their event – and potential traffic issues due to closed roads.

Beginning with the crowd issues, there are several ways to navigate Disney World’s theme parks during a heavily crowded period. For starters, there’s Genie+. While this system has its detractors, there’s no doubt that utilizing Genie+ the “right” way can definitely help organize moving through the parks on a crowded day. In general, even if you choose not to use Genie+, you should still prioritize your park day by making a list of your “must-do” attractions, with the highest priority ones on top. That way you’ll know what to go to first so that you don’t miss out on the stuff you’re most excited about!

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You can also mitigate heavier crowds by rope-dropping the park of your choice and hitting your top attractions as early as possible while most of the runDisney event crowds are either still involved with events or cooling down/changing clothes. Rope drop means getting to the park entrance well before it actually opens — at least a half hour early, if not more. Don’t forget that people staying at Disney World hotels also get access to Early Theme Park Entry!

Another option to dodge the crowds is to head to the parks later in the day. Crowds and wait times tend to decrease later in the day in general, and in particular on race weekends, given that runners have often had long, physically-exerting days and often don’t stay in the parks until closing.

2023 Springtime Surprise Weekend

Now, let’s tackle the traffic problem. In the case of Springtime Surprise Weekend, most of the events take place around EPCOT, so we would advise anyone planning to head to the park or resort area for a stay or dining reservations from the 18th to the 21st to give themselves a decent amount of extra travel time to mitigate the closures or heavier than normal traffic.

©Disney

Anyone visiting Disney World during a runDisney event weekend like Springtime Surprise may encounter a few additional headaches, but smart planning can minimize most of them. Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on upcoming runDisney events?

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