When you go to theme parks a lot, you start to look for new ways to enjoy them. For some, this might mean seeking out experiences you haven’t had. I love attending Disney After Hours events to get unique experiences that aren’t available during normal operations. Some people, who love theme parks and are also wild athletes, have decided that going to Disney World and running marathons are things that go together. Now, as runners prepare for a big Winnie the Pooh race, the park has a funny and dark warning.
If you’re a runner and a Disney fan, then you’re likely at least familiar with RunDisney. The organization sets up running events, from 5Ks to marathons, that allow people to run in and around Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Each race has a theme, and many fans like to dress up according to the theme. If you’re considering doing so for Disney World’s Winnie the Pooh-themed Springtime Surprise 10K next year, Disney World has one request. Please wear pants.
I wanna know who’s behind Rundisney having to make a statement that you must wear pants for this race 😂 pic.twitter.com/3S9vqgzTQwJuly 9, 2025
I almost died laughing when I saw this post from an online friend, Theme Park Twitter’s Pinapple Princess, Victoria Wade. One has to simply assume that if RunDisney has to tell you that you need to wear pants, it’s because previously there was a problem with somebody not wearing pants. Adults can often get up to shenanigans at Disney Parks that aren’t exactly family friendly, but hopefully we can all agree to keep our pants on, yeah?
Winnie the Pooh is one of a surprising number of animated characters that don’t wear pants. In the case of Pooh, it actually makes more sense as he is canonically a stuffed bear, not a real one. But one can certainly imagine that if somebody tried to Disneybound as Winnie the Pooh, they may have difficulty figuring out how to dress their lower half.
Disneybounding is the practice of dressing up in clothes that, while not technically a costume, evoke a particular character through colors and styles. It's especially popular on Dapper Day, an unofficial event at Disney Parks that sees guests dress in their best as they walk the parks.
Kids wearing costumes in Disney Parks is generally allowed, but rules can be a bit more strict for adults as Disney doesn’t want people confusing a guest for a Cast Member. Disneybounding was born as a way to give Disney Adults a way to dress up.
Disneybounding has become quite popular at the RunDisney races, as most of the people who participate in them, at least based on my limited exposure, are more often Disney fans who don’t mind running than they are runners who just decided to do a Disney event.
If you’re all concerned about a lack of pants in the 10K run, the 5K version of Springtime Surprise is themed to Zootopia, which is getting a sequel later this year. Those animals tend to wear pants, except for the nudists, of course.
