Rudolph's Runderland Experience

Hello fellow dreamers, Rudolph here! I really, really need your help! Everyone in the North Pole thinks I’m a little dreamer! You see, every night since last Christmas, my dream is always exactly the same. When I tell friends what I dreamt about the night before, they always laugh! But you know what? I don’t care if they laugh. I know I know more than anyone would ever know, my dream is real! Do you know why? Because my nose starts glowing so bright when I wake up every morning and this only happens when my dreams are about to come true!

When it gets dark on December 22nd, I’m going, and I mean I’m really, really going. I'm going to find my dreamland. I’m going to find Runderland!! So far, it’s just me and my best friend Blitzen going. He's the only one who believes in my dream. And I know for sure he believes because he tries to dream my dream every time he dreams. Hang-on a second, I’ve got an idea! Dream a snowy dream and come with us! Here goes my dream…

My dream starts with me skipping into this old place in Las Vegas called Gilcrease Orchard. It’s great for reindeer games. It has almost 70 acres of wide paved paths with lots of room to walk, run or push a wagon or stroller. Plus, the Orchard has tons of sleigh parking by the entrance! Every night when I find myself under this huge, colorfully lit start/finish arch to start walking or running a magical 1-mile decorated loop course in search of Runderland, it starts to snow! For real, snow starts falling all around me!

As the snow falls, I grab my light-up Runderland Finder Wand and make my nose glow bright as I head towards “’Twas the Night Before Christmas Lane.” Lined with red lights, the “Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem appears line by line on 12 different large signs. Here’s the really cool part: since Blitzen can’t see very well, I dreamt of fancy talking signs so we could hear the experience together!! I’m so excited for Blitzen to hear the talking signs; so excited that I dreamt that the whole magical loop talks! Even though Blitzen can’t see, he’s still the fastest reindeer, and we dream of leading Santa’s sleigh together one day.

With St. Nicholas wishing “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night,” Blitzen and I see an oasis of blue and white lights! It’s Snowman Land, where we see, hear and feel the excitement of people at play. We’re told there’s a snow storm this evening! Not only do we see lots of snow families playing, we hear Frosty the Snowman playing loud as we feel snow falling down on us. We both take a second to bury our hands in a bowl of fresh snow to feel the excitement.

Enroute to the North Pole, we hear a group of people singing Christmas carols. After getting our picture professionally taken while hugging polar bears and penguins, we hear more carolers as we approach the Avenue of Big Surprises. You’re probably wondering what the Avenue of Big Surprises is… but it’s called that for a reason! Oh alright, just one hint! There’s all these really big, bright blow-up thingamajigs and a couple of them even talk! After we pass all the blow-up things, we’ll see the colorful start/finish area again where it continues to snow! Just follow me and we’ll all be in Runderland!

Blitzen calls this next part “event logistics,” and says it contains important information everyone needs to read!

Event Logistics

Date & Start Times: The inaugural Rudolph’s Runderland Experience will take place Friday, December 22nd at Gilcrease Orchard in Las Vegas. To ensure the Experience is magical for all, the Experience will have firm capacity limits. The 1-Mile Reindeer Stroll is available at 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM, while the 5K RFID-chip timed race is only available at 8:00 PM. Please note, the 1-Mile Reindeer Strolls are not timed.

You must register for either the 1-Mile Reindeer Stroll or 5K to enter the Orchard. There are no exceptions.

YoPacket Pick-Up & Arrival Times: Packet pick-up will begin at 4:00 PM in the Orchard parking lot and run continuously until 7:30 PM. For 1-Mile Reindeer Stroll participants, we recommend arriving 30 minutes before your registered start time. For 5K runners, we recommend arriving 45 minutes before the 8:00 PM 5K start.

Entering the Experience (Orchard Area): Entrance to the Experience will begin 15 minutes before each of the start times. You cannot enter earlier. Folks can wait in their cars before gathering at the parking lot exit where they will be escorted across the road and into the entrance of Rudolph’s Runderland Experience. If you are registered for the 6:30 PM or 8:00 PM time slots, you will NOT be allowed to enter the earlier races (zero exceptions). Each registrant will receive one of 3 different holiday wrists bands at packet pick-up, with each wrist band representing one of the 3 start times. You show the band when entering the Experience. Please Note: If you are registered for one of the 2 later start times, you are allowed to pick-up your Experience Packet early (starting at 4:00 PM), leave and comeback. Also, you can pick-up for other registered people.

Walking/Running Etiquette & Course Manners: The Experience was specifically designed to be family friendly and welcoming to all. Whether you’re walking, running, being pushed in a wheelchair, or pulled in a wagon, the Experience is created for everyone to enjoy. With that said, since the loop course is only 1.035 miles long and to avoid crowding, the 1-Mile Reindeer Stroll is offered twice to allow families, walkers, etc. time to stroll through the Experience without runners zooming by. Similarly, the 5K is geared more towards runners who will run the loop course 3 times before exiting into the finishing area without fear of running into walkers. Walkers are still welcome to walk the 5K. However, walkers must stay to the right side of the path and walk solo, or side-by-side as a pair. For example, a family of 3 would not be allowed to walk side-by-side in the 5K race. This rule only applies to the 5K race. Regardless of your start time, you will have one full hour to enjoy the magical loop before having to exit the course. You will still have another 30 minutes to have finishing pictures taken and enjoy some treats for sale at the finish area.

Course Conditions at Night: The entire 1-mile course is run on wide paths, with 70% of the coures specifically located on permitter edges of the Orchard to benefit from adjacent street lighting. The 30% of the course in darker areas are illuminated by holiday set-ups (ie, Snowman Land, North Pole & Avenue of Big Surprises), or white lighting. PowerMoon portable event lights will be located by the parking lot and Orchard entrances. Participants are encouraged to bring a small flashlight. All participants must wear proper walking shoes, or running shoes. Artificial snow will be blown at 4 different locations throughout the Experience, creating moisture on roughly 30 yards of paved asphalt at each location. The Experience takes place rain or shine, so the entire course could be wet in the event of rain. Additionally, various animated features will be displayed throughout the course, along with colored lights and rapidly blinking lights.

What's Included in the Registration Fee

You must register on-line for the Experience. Registration is required for everyone age 4 and over. Besides admission to the Experience, your registration includes professionally taken digital photos with 3 separate themes. There will be separate Santa and Rudolph photo-ops located by the start/finish area, along with a mid-course photo-op at the North Pole. Photos will be available the morning after the Experience. Excluding children 3 and under, who will be admitted free with a paid registrant, everyone receives one Rudolph’s Runderland Experience Bag. The bag includes: one heavily-themed Rudolph’s Runderland Experience medal with lanyard, one light-up LED Rudolph nose, one light-up LED foam Rudolph Finder Wand, one reindeer ornament craft, one instant snow powder packet, one Rudolph’s scratch-off giveaway card and one holiday sticker sheet. Please note: 5K participants will receive medals as they finish the 5K.

Rudolph's Store & Other Fun Stuff

Rudolph’s Store: Rudolph’s Store will be located next to packet pick-up in the Orchard parking lot. A variety of affordably priced holiday items will be available for sale, including: toys, light-up hats and necklaces, trinket bags, Rudolph’s Secret Reindeer Food, and other fun stuff to check-out while waiting to enter the Experience.

Rudolph S’mores Sacks: There will be a limited number of Rudolph S’mores Sacks sold during on-line registration while supplies last. There are two versions, both of which include two wooden handle stainless steel extendable roasting rods, along with a commemorative burlap Rudolph’s Runderland S’mores Sack stuffed with enough graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows to satisfy a family of 4. There is a to-go version meant to be enjoyed at home, or someplace off-site only. The on-site version, is to be enjoyed in S’mores Land after you finish the Experience, includes picnic table seating for 30 minutes for up to 4 people with tabletop fire pits (safely designed for indoor use) to roast on site.

Hot Cocoa Land: Enjoy snowman themed hot cocoa kits and Rudolph chocolate bars with family and friends after the race. Both available for purchase.

Event's current local time: 7:34 PM PT