Marathon/ Expo question

[singjenn]

Hey y'all! I am beyond excited for the Marathon weekend coming up!!!
My husband and have never done anything like this before but we are very excited.

I have some questions about the weekend festivities. We are only doing the half marathon on Saturday.

Can we go to the Expo during any of these times? Or do we have to go a certain time? Is it kind of like a store and we can buy anything we want?
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. onThursday, January 9
9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 10

I just want to make sure I understand how the Expo works because I don't want to miss it. Any more info is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[thebwit]

You can go during any of the times. You can purchase almost anything and everything at the expo. A bit of advice is that the stuff at the expo is first come first serve. So if there is something you really want/need, you should go as soon as possible.

 

[goofeygirl]

I like to go when I first arrive...which will be Wednesday. The place is going to be crowded no matter when you go but as what was just mentioned, what you want or need may not be there anymore as the time goes on.

If you go with someone you should have some sort of a plan...the expo is really big and very crowded...and chances are, you will get lost. You should either agree to do your own thing and meet at the hotel again or meet upstairs...even with cell phones...you probably wouldn't hear it ringing.

So when you arrive with others, have a meeting up plan...because seriously, chances are you will end up losing each other.

 

[cewait]

Think of the expo as a trade show as well as a place to pick up bibs and souvenirs. There are plenty of non-Disney vendors in the Josten's Center as well as the mezzanine level of Champion Field who pay good money to be there. maybe a quarter of these booths are other races who may have deals to sign up while at the expo. There will be a couple running stores; Track Shack and Fit2Run. Since this is your first, plan on spending time to walk the aisles and take in the experience.

Also, there is a speaker series where you can listen to a presentation that may help you on race day or with future training. You can spend an entire day at the event or as little as about 15 minutes depending on what you want to see and experience.

Asfar as when to attend... If you are planning on the first hour of the day you attend, come early as the line can get long as folks line up to the opening. One will usually find the lines disappear a couple hours into the event.

Good Luck and enjoy

 

[miker1251]

This year I am thinking of changing my Expo strategy. The Official RunDisney Merchandise area always seems to be crowded. There have ben times the item(s) I wanted are gone. So I am thinking of hitting that area to get my Dopey merchandise, then picking up my bibs and race shirts.

 

[cewait]

This year I am thinking of changing my Expo strategy. The Official RunDisney Merchandise area always seems to be crowded. There have ben times the item(s) I wanted are gone. So I am thinking of hitting that area to get my Dopey merchandise, then picking up my bibs and race shirts.

Understand there are two official merchandise areas at the expo; for at least the last 2 years. One in the Bib area and one over at Josten's. Now that the multi-race folks get their shirts at the bib area, it makes perfect sense to avoid the Josten's area all together.

 

[singjenn]

Understand there are two official merchandise areas at the expo; for at least the last 2 years. One in the Bib area and one over at Josten's. Now that the multi-race folks get their shirts at the bib area, it makes perfect sense to avoid the Josten's area all together.

Thanks for the info everyone! The plan is to go as soon as we get there on Thursday. It will probably be around lunch time. I'm interested in seeing the latest New Balance Run Disney shoes and any Marathon t-shirts they might have. Where might I find those things?

 

[rachlovestv]

Understand there are two official merchandise areas at the expo; for at least the last 2 years. One in the Bib area and one over at Josten's. Now that the multi-race folks get their shirts at the bib area, it makes perfect sense to avoid the Josten's area all together.

I saw that in the program, and was curious about that. Is one of those merch areas generally busier than the other? Do they have the same stuff? And if I'm wanting to get Dopey merch, would I have better luck hitting the Josten's one, since maybe most of the Dopey people would want to go to the more convenient one, where our bib pickup is? I want to make it through bib pick up and merch as quickly as possible, obviously, but I also want my best shot at getting the shirt or jacket or whatever I want. I'm planning on hitting the expo as soon as it opens on Wednesday.

I saw how terrible the merch area at Dumbo was, and am trying to avoid any such madness much as possible. Thanks for any advice anyone can offer to this crazy planner!

 

[goofeygirl]

Madness and crowds is all I remember...well ... I remember the Disney merchandise for the races was somewhere in a back corner but it was a larger space than other vendors. If I recall, it was 'fenced in' for lack of a better word...and it was a bigger space than anything else in there. I guess looking at a map next time would help me. I always seem to just navigate around with no direction and end up walking into it.

I would prefer to pick up my bib's first and get it over with...since that's the actual reason I am there. I hope I remember to pack a backpack with me just for this reason...so I can stuff all the bib bags in my pack and then go check the place out.

On the other hand, with all the crowds ... walking around with your bibs could be dangerous if you lose it or drop it...yikes! Perhaps I need to rethink it..although that's what I have done in the past two years.

 

[cewait]

I saw that in the program, and was curious about that. Is one of those merch areas generally busier than the other? Do they have the same stuff? And if I'm wanting to get Dopey merch, would I have better luck hitting the Josten's one, since maybe most of the Dopey people would want to go to the more convenient one, where our bib pickup is? I want to make it through bib pick up and merch as quickly as possible, obviously, but I also want my best shot at getting the shirt or jacket or whatever I want. I'm planning on hitting the expo as soon as it opens on Wednesday.

I saw how terrible the merch area at Dumbo was, and am trying to avoid any such madness much as possible. Thanks for any advice anyone can offer to this crazy planner!

The Josten's area has been a mad house of the two. I would also say that until this year, the HP area was not fully stocked. With the multi race runners bibs and shirts in the HP, I am betting the HP side will be a little busier than historic.

The true madhouse section of the expo is the New Balance area. In all seriousness, if one is wanting a pair of shoes get to the Josten's center line first and wait for expo opening. The NB folks will usually come out and visit, size and take pre-orders of shoes while you are on line. They pass out a card guaranteeing you of a pair of shoes in your size. The card does no guarantee you a no line wait once in the expo.

 

[rachlovestv]

The Josten's area has been a mad house of the two. I would also say that until this year, the HP area was not fully stocked. With the multi race runners bibs and shirts in the HP, I am betting the HP side will be a little busier than historic. The true madhouse section of the expo is the New Balance area. In all seriousness, if one is wanting a pair of shoes get to the Josten's center line first and wait for expo opening. The NB folks will usually come out and visit, size and take pre-orders of shoes while you are on line. They pass out a card guaranteeing you of a pair of shoes in your size. The card does no guarantee you a no line wait once in the expo.

Thanks for the insight. I run in Sauconys, so I have no interest in the New Balance shoe. I'm thinking I'll want to get a Dopey jacket or sweatshirt, so that is my main concern. It sounds like the line to get in to Josten's first thing might be crazy itself that first morning, so maybe I'll take my chances on just hitting the HP.