Credit: DisneyDisney Springs has transformed into an experience-focused destination, where store changes significantly impact visitor flow and retailer dynamics. Currently, Fit2Run, the specialty running and athletic footwear retailer in Town Center, is operating at half capacity due to extensive refurbishment. This situation coincides with runDisney season, when traffic typically peaks as marathon participants seek gear and supplies. The partial closure affects both the shopping experience and foot traffic flow in that area.
What’s Actually Happening at Fit2Run
A significant portion of the Fit2Run store has been walled off, leaving only a smaller section accessible to guests. The larger half of the store is currently under construction or renovation, though the company hasn’t officially announced what kind of work is being done or how long it will take to complete.
For guests who aren’t familiar with the layout, Fit2Run is located in the Town Center area of Disney Springs, specifically in the enclosed walkway section between Planet Hollywood and the Disney Springs Welcome Center. It’s not the most heavily trafficked retail location at Disney Springs compared to stores like World of Disney or the LEGO Store, but it serves a specific niche clientele and benefits from decent foot traffic in that corridor.
The fact that the larger portion of the store is closed while the smaller section remains operational creates an awkward shopping experience. Customers walking in expecting the full range of products and services that Fit2Run typically offers are instead greeted with construction barriers and a significantly reduced floor space.
The RunDisney Timing Problem
Here’s where the timing becomes particularly unfortunate. We’re currently in the middle of runDisney season, the period when Walt Disney World hosts multiple marathon and race events throughout the year. These events bring thousands of runners to Central Florida, many of whom visit Disney Springs either before or after their races.
Fit2Run markets itself as “The Runner’s Superstore,” and that’s exactly the demographic that floods Disney Springs during runDisney weekends. Runners need shoes, performance apparel, accessories, and often last-minute gear they forgot to pack or realized they needed after arriving in Florida. Fit2Run is uniquely positioned to serve this audience with brands like Brooks, ASICS, HOKA, Nike, On, and others that serious runners specifically seek out.
Having half the store closed during this peak season means reduced inventory availability, less floor space for customers to browse, and potentially longer wait times for services like gait analysis or shoe fitting that Fit2Run typically offers. For a specialty retailer that depends on providing expert service and a comprehensive selection, operating at half capacity during your busiest season is far from ideal.
The Disney Guest Flow Issue
Beyond just affecting Fit2Run’s business, the partial closure is impacting the overall flow of guests through that section of Disney Springs. The enclosed walkway where Fit2Run is located serves as a connector between different areas of the shopping district. When a store in that pathway is partially blocked off with construction walls, it changes how people move through the space.
Some guests might assume the entire store is closed and skip it altogether, missing out on potential purchases. Others might enter, realize the selection is limited, and leave frustrated. The construction walls themselves create visual clutter and can make the walkway feel more cramped than it typically does.
This matters because Disney Springs is designed with intentional guest flow patterns. Stores are positioned to encourage browsing and discovery. When one location is disrupted, it can affect the surrounding retailers as well. If people are walking past Fit2Run more quickly because of the construction, they’re also spending less time near the other stores in that corridor.
A Brief History of This Location
Fit2Run hasn’t always been in this spot at Disney Springs. The store originally occupied a different location closer to where the NBA Experience building used to be. The current Town Center location opened in late 2020, right around when Disney Springs was recovering from pandemic closures and reconfiguring its retail mix.
The move made sense at the time. The Town Center area offers better visibility and foot traffic than the previous location. Being positioned in the enclosed walkway between Planet Hollywood and the Welcome Center means exposure to guests coming from multiple directions.
But now, less than six years into occupying this space, major refurbishment work is underway. The nature of the work hasn’t been officially announced, so it’s unclear whether this is routine maintenance, a full renovation, a rebranding effort, or something else entirely.
What This Means for Disney Shoppers
If you’re planning to visit Disney Springs during runDisney season or anytime in the near future and Fit2Run is on your list, it’s worth managing your expectations. The store is open, but you won’t have access to the full selection or the complete shopping experience you might be expecting.
For serious runners who need specific brands or services, it might be worth calling ahead to confirm that what you’re looking for is available in the operational section of the store. The staff is presumably doing their best to work around the construction, but there are only so many ways to compensate for having half your retail space unavailable.
For casual shoppers or people just browsing, you might want to skip it entirely until the refurbishment is complete and the store is back to full operation. There’s plenty else to see and do at Disney Springs without dealing with a construction zone.
When Will It Be Done?
That’s the big question, and unfortunately, there’s no official answer yet. Fit2Run hasn’t announced a timeline for when the work will be completed or when the store will return to full operation. Depending on the scope of the project, it could be weeks or it could be months.
For now, guests visiting Disney Springs will just have to work around the partial closure and hope the finished product, whatever it turns out to be, will be worth the temporary inconvenience.