Disney Springs guests walking through the Town Center area are getting hit with an unexpected surprise right now. Fit2Run, the specialty running store tucked in the enclosed walkway between Planet Hollywood and the Welcome Center, has half of its retail space completely walled off for construction. And the timing of this partial shutdown could not be worse.
Half the Store Is Just Gone
Fit2Run's Disney Springs location is mostly closed off due to construction, leaving only a small section open for business. Guests expecting the full experience are met with barriers and a significantly reduced shopping area. The company hasn’t provided updates on the nature of the work or when it will be completed, resulting in frustration for visitors.
For a specialty retailer that markets itself as “The Runner's Superstore,” having only a fraction of your inventory and floor space available is a massive operational challenge. Fit2Run typically carries an extensive selection of running shoes from brands like Brooks, ASICS, HOKA, Nike, and On, plus performance apparel and accessories. With half the store closed, that selection is obviously severely limited.
RunDisney Season Makes This Ten Times Worse
The current situation is particularly painful as it's runDisney season at Walt Disney World, when multiple marathon events attract thousands of serious runners. These athletes care deeply about their gear and know exactly what they need. Fit2Run caters to this demographic, providing last-minute supplies, replacement shoes, compression gear, and nutrition products. During runDisney weekends, the store should be bustling with knowledgeable customers ready to spend money.
Instead, the store is operating with half its space unavailable during what should be peak season. That means reduced inventory, less room for customers to browse and try on shoes, and potentially limited access to services like gait analysis that runners specifically seek out at specialty stores like Fit2Run.
The irony is almost painful. The one time of year when this store should be firing on all cylinders and maximizing revenue, it's literally half closed.
The Disney Springs Location Backstory
Fit2Run hasn't always been in this spot at Disney Springs. The chain originally had a different location closer to where the NBA Experience building used to sit. The current Town Center space opened in late 2020, right when Disney Springs was recovering from pandemic closures and reshuffling its retail lineup.
The move made strategic sense. The Town Center area offers better foot traffic and visibility than the previous location. Being positioned in that enclosed walkway means exposure to guests moving between different sections of Disney Springs. It's not prime real estate like World of Disney or the LEGO Store, but it's solid placement for a specialty retailer.
Now, less than six years after moving to this location, major construction work is underway. The nature of the project remains a mystery since Fit2Run hasn't bothered to communicate what's happening or why now seemed like the right time to do it.
Guest Flow Is Taking a Hit at Disney Spings
Beyond just affecting Fit2Run's business, this partial closure is messing with the overall flow of Disney Springs. That enclosed walkway isn't just a store location. It's a connector that moves people between different areas of the shopping district.
When you throw up construction walls in a corridor like that, it changes how guests navigate the space. Some people probably assume the entire store is closed and don't even bother going in. Others walk in, realize half the merchandise is inaccessible, and bounce immediately. The construction barriers themselves make the walkway feel more cramped and less inviting.
This matters because Disney Springs is carefully designed to encourage browsing and discovery. When one store is disrupted, it can affect the retailers around it. If people are rushing past Fit2Run because of construction, they're spending less time in that entire section of Town Center.
What Runners Need to Know About Disney Springs
If you're coming to Disney Springs for a runDisney event and Fit2Run is on your shopping list, manage your expectations hard. The store is technically open, but you're not getting the full experience. The selection is limited, the space is cramped, and whatever specific item you're looking for might not be accessible.
Your best bet is probably calling ahead to confirm they have what you need in the operational section of the store. The staff is presumably doing everything they can to work around the construction, but there's only so much you can do when half your retail space is behind a wall.
No End Date in Sight
The big question is when this will actually be finished. And unfortunately, nobody seems to know. Fit2Run hasn't provided any timeline or completion date. Depending on what they're actually doing, this could wrap up in a few weeks or drag on for months.
For now, Disney Springs guests are stuck dealing with a half-operational running store during the exact season when it should be most useful. It's a mess, and the lack of communication from Fit2Run about what's happening or when it'll be done isn't helping matters.
