This particular Disney vacation’s going to stand out in my memory for a number of reasons…all of them great! Our first Dopey Challenge, nearly perfect park-touring weather, new experiences, old favorites – lots to love! I’ll provide tons of details on specific experiences in later posts. Today I want to share the highlights.

WDW Trip Recap – January 2020

First, let me remind you of the reason for this trip – The Dopey Challenge. After The Fam completed the Natchez Trace Ride early last May, Joseph and I started training for Dopey. Having completed several other runDisney challenges, we knew we’d have to plan early dinners and skip evening activities in favor of sleep. I booked dining reservations and FastPasses accordingly.

The Planning Paid Off!

In a nutshell, the Dopey Challenge was a fantastic experience! Worth every bit of effort; we could not have been happier with every magical mile. Unfortunately, the weather for Sunday’s marathon was incredibly warm (especially for January) and made that one event extra difficult. We felt mostly well-rested each morning and still managed to have a great time in the parks.

Dining Pros and Cons

Boy, did we put our Tables in Wonderland card to good use! We may have eaten dinner unusually early every day, but we went all out! Morimoto Asia (Disney Springs), The Wave (Disney’s Contemporary Resort), Il Mulino (Disney’s Swan), Citricos (Disney’s Grand Floridian), California Grill (Contemporary Resort), and Shula’s Steakhouse (Disney’s Dolphin) – all delicious with wonderful service. More details later, but I have to admit…even at 5:30 or 6:00 in the evening, we were often too tired by then (having had to wake up between 2:30 and 3:15 am each morning) to do justice to our excellent meals. Our lunch ADRs at Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom), Kona Cafe (Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort), and Yak & Yeti (Disney’s Animal Kingdom) were all outstanding – probably because we were not as tired at lunchtime and extra hungry after all the running.

When We Weren’t Running or Eating…

We used the “keep moving” school of thought. Some runners chose to stay off their feet between races, we opted for park-touring in moderation so our muscles would have less time to stiffen up. We enjoyed plenty of attractions, snacks and beverages. We hung out at Jock Lindsey’s (Disney Springs), the lounge in The Wave (Contemporary) and Enchanted Rose (Grand Floridian) between park touring and dinner reservations. We may have had to turn in early and, in spite of Joseph and I having to cover those 48.6 Dopey miles, we still felt like we were truly enjoying a Disney vacation.

Sure, the weather on Sunday during the marathon felt like we were 7-inches from the sun, but the rest of the time that warm weather was amazing! The sky was unbelievably blue and it made for some beautiful pictures.

Finally, let me mention that we had one day where riding Rise of the Resistance would be possible and we were able to make it happen. Come back tomorrow for the entire (spoiler-free) story, but let me just say…HOLY MOLY! Even if you’re only passingly familiar with Star Wars, this experience is not to be missed! Try it at least one time and tell me it’s not one of Disney’s most unique and special experiences.

If you have any questions about the Dopey Challenge, our touring or dining plans, or anything else, ask away. I still have so much to share about this amazing trip! Please stop by again soon…Lisa