Updated! RootsTech is two days away is here and my only tips have to do with getting around. I’ve had knee surgery and a total hip replacement so I sympathize with anyone who gets sore from walking. Here goes.
- Remember where you parked. This should go without saying but I forgot to take a picture of where I parked and, uh, yeah, extra walking.
- Plan your schedule in advance and arrive early for classes if you want a seat. RootsTech tries to put popular classes in the largest rooms on the main level but
plan ahead if it’s in one of the smaller rooms. The provided map doesn’t do justice to the ingress and egress problems in the 155, 255, etc area. Red flag people. On the main level, if the Expo Hall is open, you have a short cut to the 155s. Otherwise, you walk some long, weird hall. Something strange happens at the 255s – a half-stairway that gets like Disney on a bad day, so get there early if you want a) a seat or b) personal space as you walk to class. - There are elevators, but the wait for them is long and they ask that you only use them if necessary. There are also ramps, stairs, and an escalator, so there are multiple ways to move around.
- Wear shoes with some tread. I actually fell today walking down a carpeted ramp. I was walking quickly and the carpeting is a low-pile convention center-type carpet and I slipped on the downhill ramp because there was no friction between the flooring and my treadless, but comfy shoes. It was kinda funny but I’m tempted to lace up the hiking boots tomorrow.
- Wear comfortable shoes (preferably with treads). Nothing will feel perfect after all the walking you’ll be doing but if you do damage on Day 1… Days 2, 3, and 4 are going to be miserable. Wear something
comfortable the first day. - The Expo Hall always has an enterprising vendor who provides just what you really need. One year there was an open soda bar hosted by a Cola company. Last year there were massage chairs and TENS units you could sample-not genealogy related, but definitely the vendor’s target audience. Check out the Expo Hall for comfort-related trials and freebies. I’m still waiting for prepackaged Ibuprofen swag.
- Too tired to walk to class? Visit vendor booths in the Expo Hall and sit down for their presentations. The bigger vendors provide class schedules for their booth classes and you can relax in comfort, have a more personalized class of 10-20 people, and get a great education without all the walking. Bonus, the vendors often have drawings for products & other prizes.
MyHeritage Booth Schedule
