2025 Dopey Challenge Recap - Races and Parks

I've already written about my first Dopey Challenge here and here, as well as the many mistakes I made during my first WDW Marathon, so I figured it was time for a belated look back at the 2025 Dopey Challenge. Having completed the Dopey Challenge before (an Ultra Dopey with 3/4 full park days, no less), I went into the 2025 race weekend more confident in my ability to complete the races and plan a stellar family Disney World vacation. There were some extra challenges thrown in, such as helping to train my son to run the 5k with me as well as planning the Disney World vacation for my mom, brother's, and sister's families on top of my own. I will happily plan my own family's treks around a park at our speed, but coordinating with other families around their preferences and speeds is a whole other challenge. But hey - that's what Ultra Dopey is all about!

Going into the trip, I had everything already planned out and ready to go:

• Flying in on the Tuesday night before the Expo, and flying back out the following Tuesday night

• Staying in Pop Century for our first night before switching over to Art of Animation family suite for the rest of the trip

• Booked Mears Connect for our transportation to and from MCO, and a double Bob stroller from Kingdom Strollers

• Grabbed three Advanced Dining Reservations: Garden Grill breakfast after the 5k, Tusker House breakfast for my entire family (11 people total) after the Half Marathon, and Sci Fi Dine-in Theater for our Hollywood Studios day after the Dopey

• Successfully snagged Lightning Lane Multipass reservations for Epcot (Journey Into Imagination, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, and a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Cosmic Rewind), Magic Kingdom (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and Tiana's Bayou Adventure), and Hollywood Studios (Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror, and a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Rise of the Resistance)

• Reserved Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for my daughter as well as my niece

• A suitcase filled with (very valuable) throwaway layers for race days and groceries to include bagels, PB&J ingredients, and my kids' favorite snacks

Everything was lined up and organized to make the most out of our Disney World runcation. As we boarded our plane, it was time to execute!

Next Section: Arrival and Expo