Dopey Shenanigans! A Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend TR (Completed-videos added)

rteetz

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Hey Howdy Hey!

I am back for another trip report! For those that don't know me I am Ryan, Rumors and News board moderator, DIS contributor and once in a while podcaster, and college student. I have a very busy life but I like it that way. I get bored when I have nothing to do. I come from the Cheese state of Wisconsin so of course Go Pack Go, Go Badgers, Brewers, and Bucks!


Pre-trip report here...
Let's try this again... Dopey 2.0 Updated 12/30



This trip was all about Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. I have done this weekend and corresponding events for 4 years now. In 2015 I started with the 10K as my first ever running event and I was hooked from there on out. In 2016 I ran my first half marathon as well as the WDW 5K. Then last year I ran the Dopey Challenge which is a four day event challenge that includes a 5K, 10K, Half, and Full marathon. Unfortunately the 2017 Half was cancelled due to poor weather. I knew right away I wanted to come bak and run the 2018 Dopey challenge not only to actually run the entire challenge but to run the 5th anniversary of the Dopey Challenge and the 25th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Marathon.

This trip wasn't just me though. I traveled with four friends of mine who also happen to own DVC. We would be staying in Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary. This would be my first time in the Magic Kingdom resort area so I was extremely excited for that. Only one other person would be running an event. My friend Wendy would be doing the 5K with me.

I also happened to purchase an Annual Pass for the first time which means I will be coming back soon...

I had the pleasure of meeting several Disers this weekend before the races, during the races, and in the parks. I had so much fun this week(end) I didn't really want it to end. We will get into everything that happened though in my trip coming up next!

Trip details

Dates: 1/3/18 - 1/9/18
Resort: Bay Lake Tower One Bedroom
5 guests
 
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Table of Contents

1. Let's begin the early wake ups!
2. Let's begin the early wake ups! Part 2
3. The Expo from (Insert Bad Language)
4. The Expo from (Insert Bad Language) Part 2
5. A Chilly End to the First Night

6. Mylar, Sweats, and Hand warmers...
7. Mylar, Sweats, and Hand warmers... Part 2
8. Mylar, Sweats, and Hand warmers... Part 3
9. Mylar, Sweats, and Hand warmers... Part 4
10. A Full Day in My Favorite Park!
11. A Full Day in My Favorite Park! Part 2
13. A Full Day in My Favorite Park! Part 3
14. A Full Day in My Favorite Park! Part 4
15. Welcome back!
16. Welcome back! Part 2
17. Welcome back! Part 3
18. Welcome back! Part 4
19. Pandora: The World of Avatar
20. Pandora: The World of Avatar Part 2
21. My first Uber and Taxi in one night!
22. My first Uber and Taxi in one night! Part 2
23. 10K Recap!
24. 10K Recap! Part 2
25. 10K Recap! Part 3
26. 10K Recap! Part 4
27. A Fun MK Morning!
28. A Fun MK Morning! Part 2
29. This is Literally Out of This World!

30. An Epcot Evening
31. An Epcot Evening Part 2
32. An Epcot Evening Part 3
33. Half Marathon Recap!

34. Half Marathon Recap! Part 2
35. Half Marathon Recap! Part 3
36. Half Marathon Recap! Part 4
37. I Did Something I Have Never Done Before at WDW
38. A Peaceful Dinner before the Full...
39. It's Marathon Time People!
40. It's Marathon Time People! Part 2
41. It's Marathon Time People! Part 3
42. It's Marathon Time People! Part 4
43. It's Marathon Time People! Part 5

44. It's Marathon Time People! Part 6
45. It's Marathon Time People! Part 7

46. You just completed a marathon... Lets go to the parks!
47. You just completed a marathon... Lets go to the parks! Part 2
48. We cap off the evening with a bang!
49. We cap off the evening with a bang! Part 2
50. We cap off the evening with a bang! Part 3
51. Bon Voyage!
52. Hey look! Characters!
53. Mom is that you?
54. We cap off our final night!
55. We cap off our final night! Part 2
56. We cap off our final night! Part 3
57. We cap off our final night! Part 4
58. We cap off our final night! Part 5
59. We cap off our final night! Part 6
60. We cap off our final night! Part 7
61. We cap off our final night! Part 8
62. We cap off our final night! Part 9
63. Medals Medals Medals!
64. Medals Medals Medals! Part 2
65. Medals Medals Medals! Part 3
66. Final Thoughts and Whats Next...
 
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Lets begin the early wake ups!

Our fight out of Milwaukee would be at 5:25AM. The earliest flight I have ever taken but not by much. Personally I like to take the earliest flight I can to have as much time in Disney as I can. We would be leaving the frigid cold of Wisconsin (it had been about -10 when we left) and head to the cold Florida (in the 30s). While disappointed by the weather it still was better than being home. I was up around 2:15AM and my friends picked me up about 3AM to head to the airport. We happened to by one of the first people in the Southwest terminal at our airport and with pre-check we breezed through security in seconds basically. Some light snow was falling as we were leaving.

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The sunrise was nice...

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The flight was filled with runners heading down mostly for the Dopey Challenge including my neighbors!

First ride of the trip is the MCO Fake-O-Rail of course!

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We got down to Magical Express and saw the longest line to get to buses that I have ever seen when taking DME. After about 30-40 minutes we were finally on a bus.

Hello there!

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Soon enough we were at our home for the week!

Here is some of the road construction in the MK area.

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Only downside is I didn't take a photo of BLT when arriving... Lol

Anyways, we dropped off our carry ons and went to get something to eat at The Poly. I also would stop at the TTC to pick up this bad boy!

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I also got drenched from the rain walking from the TTC to the Poly.

I got the pulled pork sandwich at Captain Cooks which was really good.

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Continued in the next post...
 
Lets begin the early wake ups! Part 2

While eating we got the text that out room at Bay Lake was ready! We were in a first floor standard view One Bedroom.

We left the Poly and headed on the monorail to the Contemporary. I am a big fan of the Poly and hope to stay there some day.

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We arrived with the Contemporary tree in our view.

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We found our room and I took some pictures before we made a mess of it...

I would never get tired of this view.

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This TV was huge... I think it was a 65" TV. Biggest TV I have ever had in a hotel room.

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And our view...

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Our room was really great. I loved the layout and the overall feel. The location being next to MK doesn't get any better either. After unloading a bit we would get ready to eat to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Expo and that will be saved for another update...

Next Update: The Expo from (bad language)
 
Holy early mornings! You poor thing! Cold and snow for rain....Ick, but at least it’s Disney!

I love the poly! It’s my favorite. BLT was our first dvc resort stay as owners and I’m excited to be heading back to a 2 bdrm in April. Just signed up for DS HM!
 
Joining in - thanks for the Bat signal in the news thread

That is an early flight! - seemed like a smooth trip though other than the really long ME line (I haven't taken it often but normally I see like no line)

Nice start with some resort hoping and while I am mixed on the style of the Contemporary/BLT you *really* can't beat the location
 
Congrats on getting that pretty yellow card! Oh and finishing Dopey, too :-)

Thanks!!

Holy early mornings! You poor thing! Cold and snow for rain....Ick, but at least it’s Disney!

I love the poly! It’s my favorite. BLT was our first dvc resort stay as owners and I’m excited to be heading back to a 2 bdrm in April. Just signed up for DS HM!

I am still catching up on sleep! Some day I will stay at the Poly. BLT is really nice, good luck on the HM!

Joining in - thanks for the Bat signal in the news thread

That is an early flight! - seemed like a smooth trip though other than the really long ME line (I haven't taken it often but normally I see like no line)

Nice start with some resort hoping and while I am mixed on the style of the Contemporary/BLT you *really* can't beat the location

Thanks for joining in Phil!

I have always gotten down to the check in desk with no line but this was crazy busy!

The location of the resort is a huge plus. I love Beach Club for the same reason as well.
 
BLT is the only MK DVC area resort I haven't stayed at. I'm interested to stay there, but if I had a choice, I would stay at the Poly. Being walking distance from the MK must have been awesome though!

I do like the contemporary look of the villa you stayed in. Were there any Disney "touches" in the room?
 
BLT is the only MK DVC area resort I haven't stayed at. I'm interested to stay there, but if I had a choice, I would stay at the Poly. Being walking distance from the MK must have been awesome though!

I do like the contemporary look of the villa you stayed in. Were there any Disney "touches" in the room?
The Disney touches seemed to be the wall art. The canvas of Space Mountain or the other of the Contemporary. I don't recall anything else.
 

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