Changes to the 2016 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Expo

Beginning Thursday, Walt Disney World is going to see an influx of royalty as its annual Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend commences. The event spans four days and includes runDisney kids races, a 5K, a 10K and a half marathon. The weekend begins with the start of the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, which takes place at ESPN Wide World of Sports from Thursday through Saturday, and there are some exciting additions and changes since last month’s Expo during Marathon Weekend.

Women who have wished the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique were open to adults will be happy to know a similar experience is available at the Expo this year. The “Glitter & Go” transformation includes a hair twist, light makeup, shimmering lip gloss, a face gem, and a light-up Princess tiara for $19.95 plus tax. To sign up, go to the HP Field House at the ESPN complex, where reservations will be taken on a walk-up basis for guests ages 3 and older. The “Glitter & Go” experience will be offered from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Another change relates to the Disney Dooney & Bourke bags. Dooney & Bourke often releases new patterns on its high-end bags at various runDisney events. Although there wasn’t a new pattern at the 2015 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, there was for the 2016 Marathon Weekend and there is for the 2016 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. This time around, the bags are being released and sold at the Expo — no pre-orders were taken, according to Steven Miller, merchandise communications manager at Walt Disney World. There are three bags with a dark background and images of the Disney princesses: a pouchette for $178, a crossbody for $208 and a shopper for $268.

As usual, the Expo’s official runDisney store will feature race-specific merchandise, including the popular “I Did It!” T-shirts and car magnets for each race. There also are Tervis water bottles, which is a first, I believe. (Last month, 2016 runDisney Tervis tumblers were released for the first time.) In addition, shoppers will find wine glasses, other T-shirts and tech shirts, jackets, Sweaty Bands, Bondi Bands, mouse-ear hats for the kids races, collectible pins and more merchandise. Some of the general runDisney and Princess merchandise already is available on DisneyStore.com. This might be especially helpful for runners who won’t be able to go to the Expo on the first day, when some of the most popular merchandise sells out.

Other vendors will be selling the latest in fitness apparel, footwear, sunglasses, high-tech gadgets and nutritional products. New Balance will be back with its Limited Edition running shoes that are especially designed for runDisney. The 2016 designs were unveiled last month — Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Dumbo and Ariel — and they have been restocked for Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. Because of popularity, New Balance requires customers to sign up for appointments in its virtual queue, and the process is different from January. Runners can sign up for a spot in the virtual queue at 7 p.m. the day before they plan to be at the Expo. Although the official rules say there will be no stand-by queue at the Expo, New Balance did allow walk-ups when the booth was uncrowded in January. Of course, reserving a spot in the virtual queue means a pair of running shoes is being held for you as well. (You can get all the details in my previous blog.)

There is plenty to do on the expo floor, even if you are not a shopper. There are photo spots set up with aerial photos of each race course as a backdrop; guests can be among the first to see medals for all the upcoming runDisney races displayed; and runDisney coach and Olympian Jeff Galloway is available to take photos and sign autographs for runners. Many of the vendors offer giveaways and samples, as well, and there are unique products you might not find elsewhere. Both of my children enjoyed walking around the expo last year — and that was before either of them had completed a runDisney race.

Of course, each runner has to stop by the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for packet pickup at least a day before his or her race. Unlike Marathon Weekend, packet pickup for all races will be on the lower level of the HP Field House. Commemorative merchandise and pre-purchased merchandise must be picked up there, as well. Pickup for race shirts and gEAR bags is in the Jostens Center. That means at least two lines, and maybe three, for each runner, so plan accordingly.

A few reminders:

* You must pick up your own race packet in person and have photo identification and a signed waiver to do so. (If you forget to print your waiver at home, you can do it at the expo.)

** Legal guardians of minors must sign the waivers for minor participants, though the kids don’t have to be present to pick up their bibs.

** Race packets cannot be picked up on the day of the race.

Hours are as follows:

Thursday, January 7, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday, January 8, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, January 9, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Good luck to our AllEars.Net team members who will be running this weekend: Deb Wills (10K); Linda Eckwerth (10K); Laura Gilbreath (10K, Half Marathon); Lee Zimmerman 10K, Half Marathon); and my daughter, Lauren, who will be running with her dad (5K). Follow our AllEars.Net runners on social media for real-time updates.

Follow @Kristin_B_Ford

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