Disneyland Half Health and Fitness Expo

There are 2 requirements before any runDisney race; Packet Pickup and the Health and Fitness Expo.  This was my first trip to a Disneyland race, and I found both good and bad about the Pickup and the Expo. 

The first thing you notice is a large number of people and a lot of confusion.  Both the packet pickup and expo were held at the Disneyland Hotel Exhibit Hall, and the crowds had spilled into the parking lot of the Disneyland Hotel.

Tip:  Staying at the Disneyland Hotel makes access to the Expo quick, easy and hassle free.  If you stay off site, you will have to take the ART bus, and then walk from the bus stop to the Hotel.  This trek can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes depending on the traffic.

There were arrows pointing this way and that way, but with little explanation.  Thankfully, Cast Members were there and pointed me in the right direction, and I was off to Packet Pickup!

Walkway into the Exhibit Hall

On My Way to Packet Pick UP

Picking up your bib number and commemorative items was uncomplicated and efficient.  The booths were clearly marked by the bib number listed on your waiver so you knew exactly where to go.

Tip:  Print out your waiver before you leave home and don't forget your ID, it makes the check in smoother.  runDinsey does have a kiosk in the middle of the hall where you can access and print your waiver and print your proof of time.

Race Bib Pick Up

Short Lines!

I needed to update my Corral number, and I had brought proof of time with me.  So next was over to the very long Runner's Relation line for the fix.  Lucky for me, they had someone working through the line just for Corral changes, and I was able to move me up into an earlier Corral without waiting.

Proof of Time from Rock 'n Roll New Orleans,

Corral Change to D

What was missing, however, was your race shirt and goody bag.  For that, you had to head to the Expo.  This leg of the journey went quickly; the Expo, however was another story.

Tip:  Review the map to the Expo in the Official Race Program before you go.  Look at the layout, the vendors, and figure out a strategy to visit all the vendors on your list. If you are an impulse buyer, investigate products online and come with a budget.

I’ve learned in the past that you need to get your Official merchandise early, because it does sell out quickly.  I think everyone had the same idea I did, and the shirts were in short supply.  I picked out what I wanted and got in the very long, slow checkout line.  My friend took my stuff so that I could roam around the Expo, find the exciting stuff like my New Balance shoes, take pictures, and report back.  The checkout line for Official Merchandise took us over 2.5 hours to get through, which was unbelievable, and definitely an area for improvement.  I do not remember ever having to stand in a line that long at Walt Disney World (WDW).   It seemed like runDisney planned for just the Half Marathon crowd and not the 10K and Dumbo Dare crowd.

Long Check Out Line Winds Through Expo

Official Merchandise Was Very Popular

Tip: Pre-purchase your commemorative items before the race weekend, only a limited number will be offered at the Expo.  Depending on your schedule, you may want to get in line for Official Merchandise first and then go to Packet Pickup.  

Despite the Official Merchandise being a bottleneck, the Expo altogether was wonderful!  It was packed with every vendor you could imagine!

Vendors Were Busy

Cute Accessories from Socks to Arm Sleeves 

Running Skirts

runDisney New Balance Shoes!

Really Neat Running Belts

Cute Shirts 

Coast to Coast Shirts

f

And Shirts for the Pirate!

I Bought A Complete Outfit from Headband to Shoes

The vendors made the Health and Fitness Expo as they always do.  I was used to the very large Expo at WDW, but was pleased with the Disneyland version; and I think it shows in everything I bought!

Tip:  Be careful when wearing new clothes, shoes or gear for race day since they could cause unknown problems on the course.  Save the new stuff for when you get home, or do a practice run before the big race.  

Despite the great gathering of gear to buy, there were a few things that I thought needed improvement; for one, the Goody Bags.

The goody bags were lacking, and maybe this is how runDisney does it now, but I’ve gotten much better bags in the past. 

Your gift bag was your check in bag for race day, which mine ended up with a broken handle and unusable.  All the different race shirts, 10K, Dumbo Dare and Half Marathon, had really cute designs; but, honestly, I hate orange and so I will probably never wear my Half Marathon shirt.  (This is of course, a personal preference.)  I’ve heard from other runners that they at least agree with me about the sizing of the shirts:  the small was way too big.  Moving to unisex sizes might have been a way to save money, but it was much nicer for me when I was able to have a woman’s size.

An odd thing that runDisney didn't think about, is they included a magnet in the goody bag.  You don't see the magnet in the picture above because it will deactivate the tracking in your bib.  The volunteers were pulling them out of the bags and handing these out separately with a warning not to put it near your bib.

Tracking Tag on the Back of Race Bib

Little Mermaid Magnet

Overall, I really enjoyed the Health and Fitness Expo, and it is one of the things that I look forward to at a runDisney race.

The overcrowding issue could have been handled better by having a larger venue, opening the Expo earlier or later in the day or by having the Expo an extra day.

Tip:  Have a meet up time and location before you walk into the Expo.  Cell phone towers can get saturated and having a plan keeps everyone on track without having to stay in touch.

Packed or not, seeing the latest in running fashions and newest running gadgets is a big bonus for me, and I can't wait to see what will be available at the Wine and Dine!