 Hey everybody and welcome to my long in-process blog from the Dopey Challenge 2025 at Walt Disney World. I know I've been sharing Vlogs about my Dopey Challenge Journey and I'll be linking them into this update as well. But I'm old school. I like being able to write down my thoughts about something so monumental that I was able to do in my life. Not only for myself personally, but also the ability to give something back through donations to the American Cancer Society. Something that is very meaningful to me. And while I'm still clinging to the Dopey being "one and done" for me, I will be back with Team Determination most likely in 2026 for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon. So stay tuned. Let's get on with it and move back to January 7, 2025. Over 2 months ago (and maybe close to 3 by the time I actually get this posted). As I made my way from Southern California to Orlando to begin my challenge. Day Zero - Travel Day  Seeing these signs made it more real  If you didn't take a picture of the MCO carpet, did you even go to Orlando?  Oddly enough, my first stop on my Dopey Challenge journey would not be at Disney World, but at Universal Orlando. I booked Aventura on my arrival night in hopes that I could head over to Islands of Adventure and get a nighttime ride on my favorite coaster.  I made it!  My first ever nighttime ride on my favorite coaster. It did not disappoint. And my first coaster of 2025. The year I also turn 50. So it was a good one to start with.    A few pics of the room at Aventura. I'll be honest, this was the 4th hotel we've stayed at on Universal Property, and it's 3rd out of the 4 for me. I much prefer Cabana Bay for a similarly priced hotel.  Only Dockside comes in below Aventura for me TBH. Day One - Expo Day Expo Day is here, but I've got some time to kill before my room at All Star Movies is ready, so after a quick boat ride I found myself back at Islands of Adventure.  Early entry is the best. 2 rides on Hagrid's and 3 on Velocicoaster before the park even opened!  And of course a quick trip to the Studios for a visit with my buddy E.T..  On my way to Disney World, had to make a stop for supplies. I think this makes me an honorary Floridian or something.  We'll get back to a tour of All Star Movies soon, but I absolutely love the decorations people had in their windows.  This was when it got REALLY real   I was wholly unprepared for how large the expo was, or what a party it is.   Merch Haul!
 After the expo I decided to head over to Disney's Animal Kingdom for a last (could have also been my first) ride on TriceraTop Spin.   And of course a ride on Everest. Below you'll see my training wrap-up and my day at the Marathon Weekend/Dopey Challenge Expo! Day Two - Walt Disney World 5kI have to be honest, on the mornings before my wife arrived my biggest concern was actually waking up. 5k Day, good start! Although it was so early, my phone still thought I was on CA time (11:33pm)
 The first of 4 VERY early mornings at Epcot  Customary morning picture in front of Spaceship Earth  Absolutely loved that they put a display of what characters would be out before the race.
 A full hour after the race started I finally began my Dopey Journey!   Since the 5k wasn't timed, I was in no rush at all.     It was then off to Disney's Hollywood Studios for some after race fun and pics.  It's one of the tips in our "10 Dopey Tips" video, but seriously, spring for the PhotoPass package. It's so worth it.  After a quiet morning at the park experiencing some of my favorite attractions and some gross pizza, I called it a day at about 1:00pm and headed back to the hotel.  Seriously, people are going to miss this?  This is what's going to be missed  After nap time and since I didn't think we'd ever be staying at the All Stars again, I decided to take a little tour around the hotel.  Nothing against the hotel, it's great for families. But our kids are grown. Maybe someday if/when we have grandkids we'll be back. Although we really do love the Moderates.  It was great for me for my first 2 nights of the Dopey as I was literally just in the room to sleep. Which did prove hard due to the thin walls.  If you'd like to see more of the All Star Movies resort, you can view the slideshow below.  After a quiet dinner in the room it was "put on a movie you've seen a lot and fall asleep early" time. 10k morning would be here before we know it! Day Three - 10k Day 10k Day is here! It's another cold one, but some running would actually be taking place today!   Customary morning picture in front of Spaceship Earth  Since I had to wait so long to start the 5k I made a point to get near the front of my corral so I could start a bit earlier for the 10k  Cold morning but ready to go!  I see you balloon ladies ...      Loved seeing the World Showcase Cast Members out for pictures!  On the boardwalk. I see you hotel we'll be checking into in just a few hours!   
 10k day was eventful, but also not photo worthy. Had a fantastic brunch with our American Cancer Society team, got to talk about my sister a bit. Checked into the Beach Club and then had to pick up my wife at MCO. We ended our night with a nice quiet dinner at Epcot before turning in early. Day Four - Walt Disney World Half Marathon Now at the Beach Club, I actually had somebody to take my picture before heading to the bus!  Customary morning picture in front of Spaceship Earth
 It was Poncho day/back-up running shoes day (another one of our upcoming tips)  For the first day we ventured outside of the Epcot area  Blurry selfie with our amazing American Cancer Society Development Manager Ashley!  Running down Main Street is so awesome 
 OMG, Derkwerng Derck! =)
 After a nice shower it was off to the Magic Kingdom for a day of fun!   I of course had to visit my buddy Donald and show off my medal. He was quite impressed.   Best time for Castle pics is when there is a cavalcade passing by.  Also went on the Liberty Belle for the first (and likely last) time  After a nice and chill few hours at Magic Kingdom, it was time for a monorail hop over to Epcot and a late lunch/early dinner at Le Cellier. Our first (definitely not last) time here.
 We had a lot of good meals during our trip, but this was probably the best one. The rest of the day was pretty much spent chilling at the hotel and we were in bed by 8:00pm. A very long day is coming up! Day Five - Walt Disney World Marathon Day Here we go! The last early morning and the culmination of everything!  Customary morning picture in front of Spaceship Earth  It was COLD and also the day of many hats! You'll see ...  I had thought about ditching my beanie before the start, then figured I'd just wear it until it got too sweaty and toss it. That was the right call!
 Just got this picture this week. At the TTC I got a fist bump from Ashley our American Cancer Society rock star! This is the kind of support that is priceless!  So many people warned me about the stretch between Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, but TBH I didn't think it was bad. The loops around the MK parking lot were the worst IMO.
 Seriously, there is no better feeling of accomplishment. Look at all those smiles. We all know it's over!  And of course a celebratory ride on Guardians of the Galaxy to cap off the Dopey Challenge! Yes, we did this right after I ran a marathon!  Amazing dinner at 'Ohana. Lots of other fellow Dopey's there that night! Day Six to Ten - The Runcation! Shockingly enough, the next morning we found ourselves at Disney's Animal Kingdom to start our Runcation. We ended up spending 4 additional days in Florida and honestly, I was mostly okay for the duration.
 In fact, the only day I went back to take a nap at the hotel was the day after the Marathon. Of course, most of our days were VERY chill.
 Lots of fabulous meals, lots of medal pics in all of the parks and just a nice chill time.
 We even got to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Space Mountain and Carousel of Progress (at Magic Kingdom)  Customary morning picture in front of Spaceship Earth. Well, last night in Florida Spaceship Earth picture. Dopey Tips!I want to share our Dopey Tips video below, be sure you check it out if you are planning on taking on this challenge. I did a LOT of research for the Dopey, so I've incorporated some of that into this video. Surprisingly, I didn't find a lot of tips on spectating for the Dopey and most likely other WDW Race Weekends. So I've also included tips for spectators. I wanted to list them here in addition to sharing the video. Spectator Tips:
Runner Tips:
Thank you all for checking out our Dopey Challenge video series and reading all of this if you made it that far. I also want to give a shout out to my amazing wife and family for support through this entire thing. And most importantly, thank you to everybody who took the time out to donate to the American Cancer Society and all of the other charitable organizations. It's truly amazing to see the generosity of others, during a time when we can really use it. That last bit is kind of an extra bonus tip! If you want to do any runDisney race, and don't want to worry about registration issues, find one of the many charities that are offering bibs for any of the races (it's not just for Dopey). I promise you the satisfaction you will get from fundraising for an amazing charity will be just as amazing as the rewards at the finish line! Related Videos
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2024) – During Mardi Gras in New Orleans – home to Princess Tiana and her big dreams – they say “laissez les bons temps rouler!” And the good times will roll this summer when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Oui, cher! With Princess Tiana at the helm, this new attraction “digs a little deeper” into her story after the events of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog.” It is Mardi Gras season at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the bayou will light up for a journey full of music, Mama Odie’s magic, and a whole boatful – log-ful? – of new friends, in preparation for a celebration where everyone’s welcome.  They got music, it’s always playin’ Music is at the heart of New Orleans, and guests will be tapping their toes all throughout the attraction thanks in part to adorable critters, who sing and play instruments made of natural materials found in the bayou. Tiana’s new friends include an otter, a rabbit, a racoon, a beaver, a turtle and more. Their spirited stylings will turn the bayou into a party with zydeco and other types of music authentic to the region of New Orleans. There will be new, original music alongside favorite tunes from the film, created in collaboration with award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard. In addition to musical critters, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure welcomes talent voices from the film as they reprise their roles, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Jenifer Lewis as Mama Odie, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis and the one and only Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana.  Grab somebody, come on down As guests float through the cypress trees and Spanish moss of a beautiful Louisiana bayou, they may see some familiar faces as part of the dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics figures. Along with Princess Tiana, Louis and Mama Odie, keep an eye out for Eudora, Charlotte, Prince Ralphie, Prince Naveen, and others. As “The Princess and the Frog” makes its home in the Big Easy, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is more stuffed with authentic NOLA artistry than Charlotte is with Tiana’s “man-catching” beignets! Artwork from Louisiana artist Malaika Favorite will delight guests as part of the queue, and guests can see an original metalwork weathervane from third-generation master blacksmith, Darryl Reeves and his apprentice, Karina Roca. New Orleans artist Sharika Mahdi’s artwork has inspired the attraction from the beginning. And, for some lagniappe (a “little extra”) guests will have a nose full of the sweet scent of beignets frying – reminiscent of strolling through the French Quarter – as part of the attraction queue. Dreams do come true in New Orleans The heart of Tiana’s story reminds guests that everyone has the potential to make their dreams a reality. With teams of Imagineers, Disney Animation artists, Cast Members and Louisiana artisans working together, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is sure to pass a good time when it opens at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in summer 2024 and later in 2024 at Disneyland Park in California! Related Videos
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A new crest honoring the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort adorns Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The crest completes the castle’s royal, EARidescent makeover, joining gold bunting, sparkling embellishments and other new enhancements leading up to “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” beginning Oct. 1, 2021. (Kent Phillips, photographer)        Related Videos
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