This is the seventh season of Survivor to feature two 'Celebrity' castaways, Brad Culpepper, who played in the NFL, and Hayden Moss who won Episode #12.30 (2010).
This is one of only three seasons of Survivor to go beyond the 39 day format. The first was Survivor: The Australian Outback, which ran for 42 days. This season started with a Day Zero, making the total number of days Forty, and Season 29, Survivor: San Juan del Sur which was the second time that it was returning Castaways and their loved ones, also beginning with a Day Zero.
This was the first time in Survivor history that featured returning Castaways and their respective family members.
Redemption Island returns this season after a three season hiatus. The twist that was new for this season that if someone got voted out of the game, their loved one could switch places with them and if that option was chosen, they would return to the team that the loved one was on.
Among the returning players, there are two former winners. Tina Wesson won Survivor: The Australian Outback and Aras Baskauskas won Survivor: Panama.