Four Parks, One Dope: A 2015 Dopey Challenge Trip Report!

[TruLovesKiss]

Oooh, are you doing Expedition Everest Challenge? I never got to do that one, unfortunately. Hope you guys have a blast!

We are! I can't wait! I'm hoping to write a mini TR about it too. It has been so much fun following along with yours and reading all about your experience. I actually got a little teary-eyed hearing about your finish!

I'm eyeing Princess Weekend for 2016, too!

Yay! You should definitely do it! Any idea when early registration will be for AP/DVC members?

As for my brother, I did a couple of things - first, I connected my running watch to the Bluetooth on my phone...this sends him (and my husband) and email with a link where they can see a map and me "running" (as a little blue dot on the map). Unfortunately both of them told me it cut out after about 4 miles...ugh!

Very cool! I just bought myself a Garmin Forerunner 610 running watch to try out. I wonder if I'd be able to do this.... guess I should look into that!

The other thing is that runDisney has a tracking system that is connected to the chips in the race bibs. They place timing mats throughout the course, and whenever you step over one an update is sent out. Ahead of time you can sign up to have those updates texted or emailed to people, or posted to Facebook or Twitter or whatever. So I had signed my husband and brother up to get those updates! It's pretty cool and I found it worked pretty well this weekend overall (just missed the 13.1-mile updated during the marathon for whatever reason).

Wow, you can learn so much by reading TRs. Love it!


Congratulations Dopey finisher! So, SO AWESOME!!!

Oooh your dinner at Yachtsman looks fantastic! That mac & cheese sounds delish!

Your photo with Mickey = perfection - Love all of the bling! What a perfect ending to your amazing day.

 

[mbwhitti]

I KNOW I'll do it again...family planning will put it off for awhile though.

GOOD LUCK next week!! Best piece of advice I can give you is to be on the computer and start refreshing the registration page BEFORE noon. I also did SgtTibb's tip of typing my credit card number out into Notepad and pasting it in. I know it sounds insane, but it worked! Confirmation emails by 12:01 and 12:02 or something like that!

Thanks for the tips! I'll def be using these. DH will be registering himself and I'll do mine. Hopefully both of us get in. If not, we will looks a travel agencies.

The next picture I have is this one, time stamped at 4:00PM...my new phone case could now make its debut!

So, I found out that they will be doing these for PHM weekend. Definitely going to beg them to do a Marathon one for me. Plus, I just got the iPhone 6 and need a case! Perfect excuse

 

[Ariel484]

We are! I can't wait! I'm hoping to write a mini TR about it too. It has been so much fun following along with yours and reading all about your experience. I actually got a little teary-eyed hearing about your finish!

Please do write a report!!

Yay! You should definitely do it! Any idea when early registration will be for AP/DVC members?

I'm definitely signing up for it!

I think AP/DVC registration is June 30
Regular registration is July 14

Very cool! I just bought myself a Garmin Forerunner 610 running watch to try out. I wonder if I'd be able to do this.... guess I should look into that!

Nice! On my Garmin it's called LiveTrack - really good feature to have. I use it when I run at home and send the link to my husband - good safety feature.

Wow, you can learn so much by reading TRs. Love it!

You got it!

Congratulations Dopey finisher! So, SO AWESOME!!!

Thank you!!!

Oooh your dinner at Yachtsman looks fantastic! That mac & cheese sounds delish!

Everything was soooo good! The mac and cheese was awesome!

Your photo with Mickey = perfection - Love all of the bling! What a perfect ending to your amazing day.

Thank you! I was so happy with that one!

That was all just one day, wasn't it?? Seems like longer!

Thanks for the tips! I'll def be using these. DH will be registering himself and I'll do mine. Hopefully both of us get in. If not, we will looks a travel agencies.

I really hope it works out for you!!

So, I found out that they will be doing these for PHM weekend. Definitely going to beg them to do a Marathon one for me. Plus, I just got the iPhone 6 and need a case! Perfect excuse

Really?? Can you send me a link about the Princess ones, please??

I hope you get a marathon weekend one! I really don't know why they wouldn't just keep them there...not like it takes up tons of space, you know?? Or maybe you can call the WDW merchandising line??

 

[mbwhitti]

Really?? Can you send me a link about the Princess ones, please??

I hope you get a marathon weekend one! I really don't know why they wouldn't just keep them there...not like it takes up tons of space, you know?? Or maybe you can call the WDW merchandising line??

It was posted in the igiftbag under Downtown Disney offers. Hopefully this link will work: http://igiftbag.com/disneysprincesshalfmarathon2015/carousel.aspx?email_addr=mbwhitti@gmail.com

If not, it says "Visit D-Tech on Demand for personalized phone cases featuring runDisney" So not an official announcement but I'm assuming it will be the same kind of thing as Marathon weekend.

 

[Ariel484]

It was posted in the igiftbag under Downtown Disney offers. Hopefully this link will work: http://igiftbag.com/disneysprincesshalfmarathon2015/carousel.aspx?email_addr=mbwhitti@gmail.com

If not, it says "Visit D-Tech on Demand for personalized phone cases featuring runDisney" So not an official announcement but I'm assuming it will be the same kind of thing as Marathon weekend.

Thanks!! Curious to see what those look like! Last time they tweeted a preview so maybe they'll do the same at some point over the next couple of weeks.

That is a really great idea, to have the phone cases for each race weekend. It would be even better if you could get them at the expo, but I digress. Maybe they'll have a Dumbo (or Coast-to-Coast) version in Disneyland??

 

[FFigawi]

runDisney historically will make the medals a little more awesome on anniversary years, so that's why Goofy was so awesome this year - in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Goofy challenge. I've seen some people say that the look of the Dopey medal "doesn't match the magnitude" of the challenge itself, which I would agree with...but I can also appreciate the sort of classic look it has. And let's face it, I pretty much didn't take that thing off at all over the next 48 hours so clearly I must like it!!

If they want to make the medal up to the level of the challenge, they need to add a pillow or some ZZZZs. The 345am alarms are much more difficult to deal with than the actual races themselves.

 

[Ariel484]

If they want to make the medal up to the level of the challenge, they need to add a pillow or some ZZZZs. The 345am alarms are much more difficult to deal with than the actual races themselves.

Completely, completely agree!!! A medal with Dopey chilling on a pillow would be pretty funny.

 

[Ariel484]

Duplicate post

 

[ursalita]

What a great choice to have your celebration dinner. I've not heard a bad thing about the Yachtsman and your meal looks delicious. I don't love steak so I think it might be lost on me but reading your review makes me want to make a reservation.

I love the picture with Mickey, those medals look good.

 

[Slogger]

Oh no, now the TR is over. What do we have to look forward to now? I have been enjoying your updates and progress the past two weeks. After early morning flights, late evenings in the parks, early wake up calls, the cold, lots of people, lots of miles, the cold!, and tons of Disney magic and smiles, my memory was a little fuzzy about all of the details I experienced during the Dopey Challenge that you so vividly recalled. Wish I had read your TR or previous ones before taking on the Dopey as I might have changed my strategy about photo ops and stops but my goal was to show up, run the races, have fun, finish, and get the bling, and I did.

I couldn't agree with you more about the mentality that the challenge runners seemed to have all weekend and the accolades we heaped on eachother and received when it was done.
People told me I was crazy to do something like this, and my family constantly questioned my sanity each morning that I laced up my Brooks or dragged each of them with me to take on one of the runs. Did you get that type of response when you told people what you were doing before or during the trip?

Now friends and family grab me and start telling their friends and coworkers things like "guess what this guy just did." It's crazy. They do all of the bragging for me.
I forgot to wear my medals and shirt to Downtown Disney on Sunday (after marathon) but my family still broadcast my feat and the mutual respect traded with the other runners and passerbys was so awesome. Everyone that ran a 5k to the marathon and all the spectators and volunteers deserve all of the praise! My experience was greatly enhanced by everybody. Wish I could bottle that up for a rainy day.

Totally understand about the entirety of the moment hitting you at the end and getting emotional. Hey, I'm a guy and it's been rumored that I have stifled a sob or two at the end of a marathon.
Like I said....rumored. But perfectly natural response after all that we went through to train and get there.

Those wet towels at the finish were nice. Not mylar blanket thoughtful nice, but still nice. I think I threw mine in my running bag and it's probably still soggy and wet there right now. Yuck! Hope to reuse it this Spring at some other runs. Sorry you lost yours, now you have a good reason to come back next year.

Like your phone case. Some of your pictures show you carrying your phone, did you carry your phone in your hand during all 4 runs? I did as it was great to check GPS or snap a quick photo.

Hope that you slept in on Monday. It was nice not having the early morning alarm!!

You are from Ohio and you went to Hilton head? What color is your van? (inside Hilton Head joke there!)

Congrats on the PR. Without all of those photo stops, you obviously would have finished faster, but where's the fun in that?

Thank you again for taking the time to post such an awesome TR. You have gained a fan! Best of luck in your future events.

 

[Chiomaca]

I went with a signature restaurant post-marathon, too. Artist Point was great, though next time I will choose a different entree (Pho at a non-Vietnamese place was a bad idea).

I enjoyed your TR and congrats on the run! I'm really considering Dopey next year but taking all that time off right after the New Year is hard.

 

[disneyhorselover]

Congrats officially on finishing dopey!!!! The mickey medal is also my favorite from the weekend, though like yours, it didn't get much wear since I mostly stuck to Goofy so my neck wouldn't get too tired, haha. Plus, the Goofy medal was so fun to play with-I am probably lucky I didn't break it since I was spinning it pretty much any time I was standing still.

That looks like a super tasty post marathon meal! I know the feeling of not being as hungry as you should be-I had the same problem, I think my body was still in shock that I forced it to run so far, haha.

Is talking Mickey creepy? I've never met him and never been sure I want to because I'm afraid it will be weird, lol.

ALSO, I don't know how to post pics because I am lame, but someone sent me a picture the other day of Minnie and Daisy in pink outfits that said "On Wednesdays we wear pink!" and I immediately thought of this TR!

 

[Keels]

Rock star!! Congrats on your awesome finish! And now, you've inspired me to plan for the Marathon in 2016.

You should be sure to try to get photos in ALL of your medals with Oswald on Buena Vista Street at DCA!

 

[garneska]

First congratulations. Second, I agree I really needed a Mylar blanket was freezing both days. I even asked on Sunday and was told they are not handing them out. That is just cheap to me. If I get a survey will definitely mention it. Third, I finished just a little bit ahead of you. Earlier in the race I was looking for you but by trend I just wanted to finish. Fourth, yachtsman is a great celebration dinner. I have learned from previous races that Sunday while I have big eyes my stomach usually does not follow until Monday. We did V&A's on monday to celebrate my bday. Fifth, I agree about talking Mickey. I met him for the first time the Saturday after the marathon. It was my birthday. He sang happy birthday to me. It was cool and creepy all at one time.

 

[Biggie Smalls]

I got a little teary when you finished the race I was so excited for you! It's been great following along on your TR and I can't wait to read about future races too. I love that Will was towards the end and you really embraced taking a moment before you finished to soak it all up. If I could do anything differently it would have been to slow down for those last .2 and the finishers chute!

Your steak looked amazeballs and I'm jealous you got talking Mickey! We only met non talking Mickey when we went. I was so used to non talking characters all week that when I met Mary popping I was weirded out a little.

I would rock those medals everywhere when you finish DD and please share photos! I'm almost to the 10K in my TR and I shamelessly rocked my medals for days after as everyone will see

 

[FFigawi]

Completely, completely agree!!! A medal with Dopey chilling on a pillow would be pretty funny.

Best.Medal.Ever.

 

[Ariel484]

What a great choice to have your celebration dinner. I've not heard a bad thing about the Yachtsman and your meal looks delicious. I don't love steak so I think it might be lost on me but reading your review makes me want to make a reservation.

See, I must have been reading some old reviews because they were really hit-or-miss. That was what was making me second-guess the ADR. I'm so glad we kept it!!

I'm sure they have non-steak dishes there, but I can appreciate not wanting to go to a steakhouse if you don't eat steak...that's what made us skip over Flying Fish. Just not as many choices.

I love the picture with Mickey, those medals look good.

Thanks!!

Oh no, now the TR is over. What do we have to look forward to now? I have been enjoying your updates and progress the past two weeks. After early morning flights, late evenings in the parks, early wake up calls, the cold, lots of people, lots of miles, the cold!, and tons of Disney magic and smiles, my memory was a little fuzzy about all of the details I experienced during the Dopey Challenge that you so vividly recalled. Wish I had read your TR or previous ones before taking on the Dopey as I might have changed my strategy about photo ops and stops but my goal was to show up, run the races, have fun, finish, and get the bling, and I did.

Well, I still have a FEW more updates.

Thanks for reading, and congrats on finishing if I didn't say so already!

I couldn't agree with you more about the mentality that the challenge runners seemed to have all weekend and the accolades we heaped on eachother and received when it was done.
People told me I was crazy to do something like this, and my family constantly questioned my sanity each morning that I laced up my Brooks or dragged each of them with me to take on one of the runs. Did you get that type of response when you told people what you were doing before or during the trip?

A little bit, but I mostly kept the fact that I was signed up and training for Dopey to myself. In the past I've gotten the "OH MY GOD THAT'S CRAZY!"-type responses and they sort of freaked me out, so I just didn't tell many people this time. My husband knew, obviously, and once it sort of sank in he was totally on-board and supportive. My parents knew too - I think they were a little wary but didn't really say so. I have a co-worker that runs and he sort of guessed that I was doing it, so I think he told other people as well.

About 2 weeks before the trip my FIL flat out asked me why I would do such a thing (my husband told his parents, which I wasn't thrilled about) and I think my response was just, "Why not?"

It's probably not obvious here, since I overshare so much about running but in my "real life" I don't talk to people very much about it. It's a weird thing I have...I guess I just feel like it's something that is for ME, and I don't want people to dissect it or think I'm looking for extra head pats or whatever...if that makes sense.

Now friends and family grab me and start telling their friends and coworkers things like "guess what this guy just did." It's crazy. They do all of the bragging for me.
I forgot to wear my medals and shirt to Downtown Disney on Sunday (after marathon) but my family still broadcast my feat and the mutual respect traded with the other runners and passerbys was so awesome. Everyone that ran a 5k to the marathon and all the spectators and volunteers deserve all of the praise! My experience was greatly enhanced by everybody. Wish I could bottle that up for a rainy day.

I had that experience too! Like I mentioned above, I pretty much tried to keep Dopey quiet - even all weekend while I was doing the other races, unless someone asked me - but my friends were quick to brag to everyone else about it for me, which was kind of cool. My husband has been bragging to people, too.

Totally understand about the entirety of the moment hitting you at the end and getting emotional. Hey, I'm a guy and it's been rumored that I have stifled a sob or two at the end of a marathon.
Like I said....rumored. But perfectly natural response after all that we went through to train and get there.

Just a rumor, eh?

I think it surprised me because I'd been pretty casual about it all day...but now I've gotten choked up at all 3 marathons I've done. Is this just a thing I do now?!

Those wet towels at the finish were nice. Not mylar blanket thoughtful nice, but still nice. I think I threw mine in my running bag and it's probably still soggy and wet there right now. Yuck! Hope to reuse it this Spring at some other runs. Sorry you lost yours, now you have a good reason to come back next year.

Yeah, I regret it. Next time I'll hang onto it!!

Like your phone case. Some of your pictures show you carrying your phone, did you carry your phone in your hand during all 4 runs? I did as it was great to check GPS or snap a quick photo.

Sort of. I wanted a LifeProof case for it but they weren't out yet for iPhone 6+ (in fact they STILL aren't available...ARRRRG) so I got an Otterbox and had the phone inside an armband (which I bought at the Wine & Dine expo). I hate wearing those things on my arm, though, so I just set it in my hand. It was actually decently comfortable to carry.

You can kind of see it in this picture...the strap is on the back of my hand.

My skirts have pockets but when I put the phone in them it makes my skirt fall down I was also carrying a point-and-shoot in my other hand for the first 3 races - I have used that P&S for every other Disney race but the camera on my phone is so good that I found myself just using that, and finally I figured out I could ditch the P&S for the marathon. So I'll be relying on the phone 100% from now on, I think.

Hope that you slept in on Monday. It was nice not having the early morning alarm!!

Nope!! Early breakfast ADR - NOT my decision

You are from Ohio and you went to Hilton head? What color is your van? (inside Hilton Head joke there!)

Yep, we got that a lot when we were there. We didn't realize it was a *thing* so it was kind of jarring!

Congrats on the PR. Without all of those photo stops, you obviously would have finished faster, but where's the fun in that?

Thanks! Yep, exactly - I don't run Disney races to PR (even though I did for the marathon). I'm signed up for a marathon here at home in September so I'm curious to see how I do there.

Thank you again for taking the time to post such an awesome TR. You have gained a fan! Best of luck in your future events.

And thank you for reading!! Best of luck to you too!

I went with a signature restaurant post-marathon, too. Artist Point was great, though next time I will choose a different entree (Pho at a non-Vietnamese place was a bad idea).

Gotta go with the Signature! Artist Point isn't really my cup of tea but I'm glad you liked it!

I enjoyed your TR and congrats on the run! I'm really considering Dopey next year but taking all that time off right after the New Year is hard.

Thank you so much for reading!

Yeah, I took pretty much zero time off around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's to save up for the Dopey trip. It was hard at the time but worth it to be able to be there Wednesday - Monday.

Congrats officially on finishing dopey!!!! The mickey medal is also my favorite from the weekend, though like yours, it didn't get much wear since I mostly stuck to Goofy so my neck wouldn't get too tired, haha. Plus, the Goofy medal was so fun to play with-I am probably lucky I didn't break it since I was spinning it pretty much any time I was standing still.

Thank you!! Yeah, I'm glad the Goofy spinners didn't break like the Wine & Dine ones did!!

That looks like a super tasty post marathon meal! I know the feeling of not being as hungry as you should be-I had the same problem, I think my body was still in shock that I forced it to run so far, haha.

It was! I'm just so sad that my stomach wasn't up to the task that evening!

Is talking Mickey creepy? I've never met him and never been sure I want to because I'm afraid it will be weird, lol.

I think he's a little creepy...cool, but a little creepy.

ALSO, I don't know how to post pics because I am lame, but someone sent me a picture the other day of Minnie and Daisy in pink outfits that said "On Wednesdays we wear pink!" and I immediately thought of this TR!

GENIUS!!! I need to watch that movie sometime soon!!

Rock star!! Congrats on your awesome finish! And now, you've inspired me to plan for the Marathon in 2016.

Thanks, and YAY!!!!! that is awesome!

You should be sure to try to get photos in ALL of your medals with Oswald on Buena Vista Street at DCA!

I'm sure there will be multiple pictures with alllll the medals I saw a cool one where someone looped the ribbons around the fence in front of the train station so they were all just hanging there with the train in the background...pretty sure I need to copy that (among others!).

First congratulations. Second, I agree I really needed a Mylar blanket was freezing both days. I even asked on Sunday and was told they are not handing them out. That is just cheap to me. If I get a survey will definitely mention it. Third, I finished just a little bit ahead of you. Earlier in the race I was looking for you but by trend I just wanted to finish. Fourth, yachtsman is a great celebration dinner. I have learned from previous races that Sunday while I have big eyes my stomach usually does not follow until Monday. We did V&A's on monday to celebrate my bday. Fifth, I agree about talking Mickey. I met him for the first time the Saturday after the marathon. It was my birthday. He sang happy birthday to me. It was cool and creepy all at one time.

Thank you!!

Yes, SERIOUSLY - WHAT'S WITH THE LACK OF MYLAR BLANKETS, RUNDISNEY?! I agree, for what we pay for registration, it's cheap not to hand them out. Especially with temperatures in the 30s!!

ah man! Too bad we didn't run into each other!

GREAT pick going to Victoria & Albert's on Monday!! And happy belated birthday!

Yes, exactly - cool and creepy that he sang to you!!

I got a little teary when you finished the race I was so excited for you! It's been great following along on your TR and I can't wait to read about future races too. I love that Will was towards the end and you really embraced taking a moment before you finished to soak it all up. If I could do anything differently it would have been to slow down for those last .2 and the finishers chute!

Thank you!! Yeah he asked me where I wanted him and I said toward the end - definitely the beauty of staying at an Epcot resort. It was super easy for him to spectate!

You'll just have to slow down for that last little bit next time!

Your steak looked amazeballs and I'm jealous you got talking Mickey! We only met non talking Mickey when we went. I was so used to non talking characters all week that when I met Mary popping I was weirded out a little.

That steak WAS amazing!! I want another one right now!

I would rock those medals everywhere when you finish DD and please share photos! I'm almost to the 10K in my TR and I shamelessly rocked my medals for days after as everyone will see

I'm sure I'll do a Dumbo trip report. Can't wait to read about your 10K!

Best.Medal.Ever.

Right?? We need to contact runDisney and make this happen!!

 

[Ariel484]

Day 6: Monday, January 12, 2015 - Part 1 ('Ohana)

Last day! Waahhh!!

This morning we were up early to finish packing and were checked out before 8AM. We had a breakfast date to get to!

I woke up feeling really, really good this morning. After Goofy in 2013 I was exhausted (so much so that I was babbling nonsense on the way home from the airport at one point. Direct quote: "Ain't nobody be named Jonassss I'm soooooo tired!' I don’t remember what context this was in AT ALL ). Thankfully I'd taken the rest of that week off from work, and after days of sleeping in I started to feel normal by that Thursday - finally not tired and just a little sore. Today, already I didn't feel that tired and the soreness was minimal. I didn't even feel like I'd run a marathon the day before. It was weird.

We headed out to the bus stop, but it was closed. I think they were cleaning it? By the time we figured out that we needed to catch a bus at the convention center, a Magic Kingdom bus had come and gone. Boo! We waited about 10 minutes before hopping into a taxi that was sitting outside of the Boardwalk and taking that to the Polynesian.

After a slightly jarring cab ride (it was quick - good that we got there early but at the same time, dude was driving FAST! ) we arrived at the Polynesian. Will was not impressed with the lobby renovations.

You can see a CM down there adding some plants. Today they turned the water on, too!

We were the first ones out of our group of 8 to arrive...I think Holly and and her kiddo were next. There was some weird snafu with Courtney and Austin's Magical Express, so after taking care of that they arrived by cab. Jess and Bill took the bus/monorail route.

Starting the day off with POG juice. Oh yes.

My appetite had finally caught up to me this morning - I think this was the first time I ever felt like I ate my money's worth at 'Ohana!

Stitch waffles!! We were way too excited about these!

The characters were a little weird this morning. Holly's kiddo was with us, and the characters would just go right to him, take a picture and leave. At one point I remember Holly and I exchanging a *look* - they barely interacted with the rest of us, which we found pretty odd. I mean...the kiddo is cute, but come on!!

I guess I can't blame them...look at what an insane person does when Pluto finally agrees to a photo (with an apparently nuclear event going on outside! ):

We did talk Mickey into staying for a picture with the marathon finishers. I've had fun interactions with characters after races and not-so-fun ones...this would qualify as a not-so-fun one. Mickey was a teeny bit obnoxious about waiting for us to get into position to take this picture. Stamping his foot like we were taking too long...um, sorry? I was not impressed.

Come to think of it, when I went to 'Ohana after Goofy in 2013 the characters weren't fun to interact with at all. Hmm...

After the Mickey picture, Courtney had to leave to catch her Magical Express. SADNESS!!

And soon after...unfortunately...it was time for the rest of us to split up, too.

Jess and Bill were embarking on the Dream that day, and they actually got to do the Castaway Cay Challenge!!

I'm not sure where Austin, Holly and Lucas were off to. As for me and Will...we were ending our trip at Hollywood Studios!

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Day 6: Monday, January 12, Part 2 (Hollywood Studios)

We grabbed a bus from the Polynesian to Hollywood Studios. I'd made some Fastpasses for us today, but Will wasn't feeling so hot after breakfast, so we decided to take it easy before deciding whether we wanted to ride some rides.

First stop was another picture with Mickey! These ones were nowhere near as good as the ones we got last night.

After Mickey, we headed back to watch some Jedi Training! So fun.

The Dark Side did not win.

I got a latte from the Writer's Stop and we decided to skip our Muppets FP+. Instead we walked around a bit and I ran into @dlbwright again! Small world!

Looky here:

It was overcast all day, but I don't remember getting rained on.

Will was feeling better just in time to use our Toy Story FP+ - yay! He beat me as usual - boo!

Before the ride a custodial CM stopped me and had some very kind words about my being a Dopey Challenge finisher, so that was cool. I needed the ego boost after losing so badly at Toy Story!

For lunch today, we headed to Starring Rolls. I got that same turkey sandwich with chips I'd had earlier in the trip and I think Will got the ham one. The CM working the register told me congrats on finishing Dopey, asked me a few questions about it, and gave me a free cookie!

As far as FP+...we saved the best for last.

Looks extra creepy with the dark clouds.

It wasn't the best drop sequence I've ever had, but it was still awesome. Raise the roof!

And that was that. We had a Magical Express bus to catch at 3PM, so we headed back to the Boardwalk around 2:30.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Day 6: Monday, January 12, Part 3 (Now It's Time To Say Good-bye...)

We headed back to the resort through the pool area...never did get to enjoy a drink here.

After picking our bags up from Bell Services, we settled into some chairs in the lobby and I gazed at my medals a little more.

Entertaining myself with a few mirror shots...

Man...between my phone case, the I Did It shirt, the Sweaty Band and the medal...I'm like poster child for runDisney!

Our bus came and we were whisked to the airport. We got dinner (I know I had Chic-Fil-A, I feel like Will had Quiznos?) and we headed to our gate to wait...and wait...and wait...

When I originally booked this flight it was supposed to leave at about 5PM. Before the trip began it got pushed back to 6:47.

As we sat at the airport, it got delayed again, and again...

This was frustrating. Will had to work the next day, so that stunk for him. Also, the national championship college football game was due to start at 8:30PM, or something - Ohio State vs. Oregon. Will and I don't care about OSU football at all, but the majority of the people on our flight did. In the end they were pretty calm about missing most of the game, but at one point, when the delays first started, I thought a mutiny was going to break out!

Eventually the flight left and we got home - I wasn't exhausted enough to babble incoherently this year, which I think was disappointing to both of us ("AIN'T NOBODY BE NAMED JONAS!" is a fun little inside joke of ours now ).

This may be blasphemous to say, but I found that I wasn't all that sad to leave WDW this time - surprising since I am almost 100% sure I won't be back this year. I was VERY sad to leave my friends, as I always am (seriously, having your BFFs live in different states is sort of the pits ), but as far as leaving Disney World itself, I just felt really...at peace with the way the trip went. It was, truthfully, everything I could have hoped for and more.

Continued in Next Post

 

[Ariel484]

Final Thoughts

Because I just like hearing myself talk (seeing myself type? ) that much more...

The Boardwalk Inn: This trip made me fall in love with this resort again. Everything was fantastic, and it's a special place for me and Will (we stayed here for our honeymoon in 2009 ). Definitely my favorite resort at Walt Disney World.

Food: Let's see...new-to-me places on this trip were The Plaza and Yachtsman Steakhouse. The Plaza was good but Yachtsman was an awesome, awesome surprise. We will be going there again!!

The Parks: So many walls! In Magic Kingdom (around the hub), the Studios (around the hat) and in Animal Kingdom (seemingly everywhere - big part of the reason we didn’t go there this trip). But I'm excited for the changes that are coming to WDW, especially at the Studios. Can't wait to see what’s moving in!

Final Thoughts - Dopey Challenge

Going Dopey: Zero regrets - overall I loved it and had a blast. The hardest part - and I knew this going into it - was waking up so early 4 days in a row. I might sound like a jerk for saying this, but the races were really not that bad. Part of that is luck, I think (see below) and part of that was by design - I worked hard to prepare for this weekend, and it totally paid off. Beyond that, though, I think experience really helped me a lot. I've been running regularly for about 7 years now and this was my 15th 5K race, 2nd 10K race, 14th half marathon and 3rd marathon. By now I know what kind of training works for me and my body is somewhat used to running this mileage (as used to it as possible, I guess ). Even more than that, though, just knowing that I'd done these distances before gave me such confidence this time - that was a huge, huge help to me. Running is just so very mental.

The Weather: Now...I can pat myself on the back all I want for the training that I did...but I really think that a HUGE reason why this weekend went so well for me is the weather. As much as I whined about being cold, this really was ideal race weather.

In 2013, when I did Goofy + the 5K, there were heat advisories all weekend (temperatures in the mid-60s at the start with almost 100% humidity). The last 14.2 miles of the marathon were tough for me - my feet were cramping and my quads were on fire. I was exhausted when the whole thing was done and it took a few days of sleeping 12+ hours to feel normal. I swore wouldn't do it (Goofy + the 5K) again.

This year everything was easier. I didn't cramp, my quads were sore, but not as bad, and exhaustion-wise, I felt almost completely normal the next day. I think both Will and I were really surprised by that - there were numerous times later on Sunday when Will said I wasn't acting like I'd run a marathon at all that morning. I have to think that the weather had a LOT to do with that - I just didn't sweat as much, so I was better hydrated and didn't lose as many electrolytes. So this is the luck that I was referring to above when I was talking about why I think Dopey went so well for me - the cooler-than-usual weather was, for me, just ideal.

Sometimes I wonder how different things would have been in warmer temperatures...but then I look at my pretty bling and get distracted by the shininess.

Dopey as a first marathon? It absolutely works for some people - it would not have worked for me. Before I could do a 10K, I had to know I could do a 5K. Before I could do a 10-miler, I had to know I could do a 10K...and so on. I'm so glad I did Goofy and the 5K in 2013 before taking on the Dopey Challenge - such a huge confidence booster.

Race weekends at Disney: So obviously I am somewhat addicted to these weekends This was my third time at Marathon Weekend and my 7th runDisney race weekend overall (including Princess twice and Wine & Dine twice), and I already have my next two planned out. But - and this happened after Goofy + 5K too - I am ready for a non-race trip. Especially when doing the challenges, there's just not a lot of time for anything that isn't running or sleeping. I handled it better this year because knew it was coming, but it stung a bit to see Instagram shots of things I missed when I was running, or taking a nap, or going to bed early. I know that's what I signed myself up for, and I don't regret it...but I'm ready for a non-running trip, for sure.

Going Dopey Again: Yep. It's gonna happen...probably not until 2018 (5th anniversary of the Dopey Challenge and 25th anniversary of the marathon! IMAGINE THE BLING!!!), but it'll happen.

Up Next: No Disney for awhile, unfortunately...but the second half of this year will be really fun for me. I've got 2 cruises on the Fantasy booked (and I'll be running the Castaway Cay 5K at least once, as long as it's free, even though I swore I'd never do it again...because they have new medallions...and I need one ) AND 2 trips to Disneyland planned (one for Disneyland Half Weekend and another later in the year - NOT runDisney-related). And then the Disney Princess 5K + the Glass Slipper Challenge in 2016. So the second half of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 should be pretty magical.

Thanks for reading along, friends! TTFN!