Princess Expo Friday

runDisney Official Merchandise at the Princess expo

So it has been said by many that you should plan to be at any runDisney expo when it opens on the first day!  That was my plan...then I got into the Princess Social Media Meetup at EPCOT.  When the expo opened at 9 am I was still at EPCOT.  I did not want to cut that experience short for shopping at the expo.  When we arrived at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex they were already parking people in the far parking lot.  I was surprised by the addition of a white tent down the hill from the Jostens Center.  They were directing everyone to the tent.  That is where packet pickup would begin...it would end in the center some time later. 

They put up Princess runDisney signs all over the ESPN Wide World of Sports grounds .
The signage was such an improvement over last year!

Down the hill we went toward the big white tent with Cinderella's carriage as a draw!

They did have Cinderella's carriage and two footmen out front to make it special and draw your attention.  We did not stop on Friday, but did on Saturday once my sister was with me.

These guys were quite warm in their outfits.

Into the tent we went with forms in hand ready to pickup 10 race packets.  The kids mile packets were easy.  It was all at one booth just inside the tent.  The Tangled 5K was a little more complicated.  We got the packets, but the shirts came later.  The 1/2 marathon packets were on the other side of the tent.  There was an Official Merchandise booth between then.  Yes, I stopped and bought a shirt.  We picked up our 1/2 packets and tested all 3 of the bibs to make sure the timing strips were working. 

Packet pickup in the tent.  Lots of people going every which way.

Then it was time to head up the hill into the center and get the shirts to go along with 4 5K packets and 3 half marathon packets.  Of course the shirts were on the other side of the expo room from the entrance. 

The shirts are on the far wall through the sea of vendors!  How is you will power?

We checked out the Official Merchandise booth before moving up and down the aisles.  I picked up just a couple of items along the way since shopping without kids on Friday was the way to go.  After we grabbed the shirts we grabbed lunch at the ESPN Zone.  It was around 1 pm went we headed out to meet up with the rest of the family that had been at Hollywood Studios since rope drop.

More on the expo in my Expo Saturday post coming after my 5K post!  When you enjoy race expos as much as I do why go just once!