I was holding off on posting this because I’ve had some many close contacts to COVID positive folks, I wasn’t sure I was actually going on this trip. But we leave tomorrow and I’m feeling great.
Three years ago, I made an impulsive decision on a JetBlue day of sale to leave work, pack a bag, grab my niece and go to Disney to try the Every Ride Challenge. In short, you attempt to ride every single ride in Disney on a single day. But I was miserably overweight and out of shape and pretty much had to quit after 27 rides. We had a good time, but I was disappointed in the result.
Over the next several years, I wallowed in my disability (I have Charcot Marie Tooth Disease - similar to Muscular Dystrophy, but it attaches nerves instead of muscles, but the result is much the same). Quarantine hit, I became sedentary, eating cookies for breakfast and sitting in my office chair at home. We hit Disney in October 2020 and it was worse. My legs, hips and feet bothered me so much, I was in a wheelchair my last day. And that’s when I decided I had enough.
I joined a weight loss program in November 2020 and got on an exercise routine. I told myself once I lost the weight, I would take on the challenge again.
I am now down 45 pounds, walk every day and my last few trips, I had energy to spare. I hit my goal weight in September and booked the trip. We leave tomorrow. My goal is 40 rides. I think we can do it.
We start the trip off with an early flight and dinner at California Grill. Challenge day will be Wednesday! I’ll check in here from time to time, but if anyone wants to follow along on Wednesday, it will be posted on Twitter under the handle @parkhoppingwego.
Below is my 2019 picture and my latest October 2021. Weight is gone, I’m so ready for this!
Still stuck waiting until 2pm for the park hop. I had originally planned to start at MK since most of the rides are there, but they have evening extra magic hours at MK until 11pm, so we’re starting at HS and hoping to knock out a ton between 9-11 during the extra hours. We booked one night at BLT to make sure we had access to them!
Tomorrow we fly out early and we’re using Mears Connect- will let everyone know how it goes. Check in at POFQ and take the boat to Disney Springs for shopping. Early dinner at California Grill and early bed.
Wednesday we drop our bags at bell services for transfer, get some beignets, then we start at HS. We will use as many lightning lanes as we can get, grabs snacks on the run for lunch and head to AK via Lyft. I’m giving is until 5 to do as many as we can ride there. Then to EP until 7:30ish. Then to MK until 11pm. That night we stay at BLT.
Thursday we get our bags to bell services for transfer, Lyft to Coronado to hang by the pool/hot tub and recover. We’re staying club level, so plan to use those amenities as much as we can.
Friday we are at HS, I have a reservation for a drink at Oga’s and late lunch at HBD before going back to the resort, getting our luggage, Mears Connect and late flight home.
Once home, get greeted by ridiculously happy dogs.
