Hi Brittany!
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. Congratulations on registering for the
Disney Princess 5K! I think you are going to have a wondEARful time!
My best advice on where to stay is really at any of the
Walt Disney World Resort hotels. The great thing about staying on property is that all race transportation is provided for you. I really don't think you can go wrong with any resort and there is a large variety to meet every budget. If you are looking for the proximity to the start I'd look at the
Epcot Resort area hotels for a slightly shorter bus ride, but all resorts require you to take a bus to the start (none are within walking distance) so I don't think you'll notice a huge difference! For a 6 AM start, you'll want to board the bus no later than 4:30 AM, but I'd recommend going a little early and being ready to board around 3:45-4 AM. It's certainly an early morning!
For the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, it really depends on what you want to get out of it! If there is a commemorative item that you have your heart set on, that you cannot pre-order I'd recommend trying to get there as early as possible. A sneak peek of some of the merchandise is usually previewed on the
Disney Parks Blog a couple weeks in advance. People will line up in the mornings to get in right as the doors open. If this isn't the case and you'd like to just browse and take it all in, I'd go late morning to early afternoon. By this point the crowds should have diminished slightly and you can take your time! I have limited space to respond so please come back if you have more questions and I'd love to help.
-Lindsey ºOº