Expo Day!!! It’s here! It’s here!
So, at my last runDisney half marathon, the expo was, well, kind of a disaster – for me at least! So I was prepared for the worst when I headed up to the Wide World of Sports center. In a car, not the bus! Missed a turn and was headed toward Tampa! Okay, actually we were headed towards the Animal Kingdom. An interesting note: Heading towards the park, there are really no places to make a U-Turn. Different story going away from the parks! I guess they don’t want to give you a chance to change your mind when you’re going TO the park but hope that you do change your mind when you’re leaving!!
Eventually made it to the expo, parked and – as is now my habit – hit the runDisney merchandise booth first. Grabbed the goodies I wanted (Magnet, wine glass and lanyards for my nephews’ runDisney vinylmations!).
The loot!
No problem at all! No line and the shelves still fully stocked!
What? Where’d all the people go??!
I was picking up 2 5K bibs and 3 Half Marathon bibs and 1 after party ticket/gift card so my first stop was the line-less 5K booths! Piece of cake – got the bibs and then headed towards the lines to pick up the half marathon bibs. And, I have to say that I have never waited in a line to pick up a bib. Luckily 2 numbers were right next to each other and the great kid handing out bibs let me pick them both up!!
A-ha! Here’s where all the people are. Buying stuff!!
And waiting in line for bibs!
Next up – the big line to pick up the after party gift card. It was a long line but it moved pretty quick! By the time we had picked up everything my friend Jennifer had arrived and we all walked back to the car. The plan was to drop Christine and the bags at the resort and then J and I would go to the Animal Kingdom and meet everyone else for lunch.
Tusker House Lunch with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy
We had a great lunch at Tusker House. It’s a buffet with loads of great food! And, well Mickey, Daisy, Donald and Goofy – four of my faves. (My absolute favorite Disney character is, of course, Winnie the Pooh!)
Daisy stopped by to say Hello!
Then Goofy came to hang out for a bit.
Finally, Mickey came by
Anyway, midway through lunch our waiter brought out a cupcake with a birthday candle and a card signed by all of the characters!
CAKE!!!!
Jennifer and I decided to hit some more rides while everyone else was heading…wherever they were heading!! I think they were going to Downtown Disney for a little shopping and partying!
After Animal Kingdom we hopped in the car and headed to Hollywood Studios (brilliant idea by the way – no bus to resort to bus to park). Hit a couple of the rides and went to see the Osborne Dancing Lights – my most favorite thing in this park at this time of year.
By now I was starting to wind down so we headed back to the hotel to wait for the last two arrivals! Plus, tomorrow was an early day to get out to the Jingle Jungle 5K at Animal Kingdom. Christine, Jenn and I headed to the bar to grab something to eat and wait for Kathy. When she arrived we headed to back to the room to sort out where people were sleeping and wait for Cate, who showed up almost just as we got back!
After chatting a while and then making introductions when my sister-in-law and the other girls got back it was definitely time for bed – my alarm was going off at 3:45 so it was already going to be a short sleep! And tomorrow was a big, long day!!
outrunningthefork 