My Favorites! August 2023 Exercise Challenge

[Elizabeth Smith]

Welcome to the August 2023 exercise thread! This month we'll be chatting about our favorite Disney stuff. (August is my birth month, so I felt like doing something celebratory and self-centered, lol).

If you’re returning, we’re excited to have you back! If you’re new, welcome to the team! Here’s how it works:

Each person chooses a time goal, and posts minutes towards that goal as they exercise. (You can post daily or just catch up when you can.) You decide what movement counts towards your goal - which can be a nice round total for the month, a specific number that means something to you, or a calculation based on a target number of minutes per day.

Since August has 31 days, here are some common conversions:

15 minutes/day = 465
20 minutes/day = 620
30 minutes/day = 930
45 minutes/day = 1395
1 hour/day = 1860

One of the special motivations of our Disney exercise challenge is color changing! Page one will be updated with individual and team color changes as we make more and more progress.

10% - Musical Blue
25% - Villainous Orange
50% - Parks Purple
75% - Princess Pink
90% - Restaurant Red
100% - Favorite Green

(I'm not feeling very alliterative this month...)

We’re officially starting this challenge on August 1, but if you don’t find this thread until later in the month, you’re still welcome to join!! Just post your goal and I’ll add you to the list. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, and to check out old threads to see what’s been going on.

Participants:

Elizabeth Smith 450/450
Raya 555/440
sophy1996 1245/1200
Oneanne 1510/1395
BleuB 803/935
TwilightSparkle 2545/2000
Pollyanna Mom 480/600

TEAM 7,588/7,020

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

This month, we're going to be sharing our favorite Disney stuff! I'll introduce the category and everyone can sound off in the replies with what their favorite is!

Today, the category is "favorite Disney resort."

I've not stayed in very many Disney resorts personally. I've stayed in French Quarter, Coronado Springs, and Caribbean Beach. Of the three, my favorite is definitely French Quarter! I like how small the resort is, and the food court is good. It's also really cool to ride the boat over to Disney Springs!
French Quarter Lobby by Elizabeth Smith, on Flickr
(Adding 15 minutes on the exercise bike for the evening).

 

[Raya]

Ohhh excellent topic! My favorite resort is Yacht club, mostly because of that sandy bottom pool. I adore Storm-along bay for the chance to squish my toes in soft sand without worrying about what wildlife might be hidden there. Here's a picture of my happy place:

And my goal for the month: 440 minutes. Which may seem odd, since I haven't made 400 minutes in months...but I think I've realized what I've been doing wrong. Shooting for the monthly total means I wait until the end of the month and then tell myself I can do 120 minutes a day, which obviously isn't working out. Instead I'm going to try for a weekly goal of 110 minutes each week.

What's that you say? August has 5 weeks? Yep, but I'll be in the parks that last week, where I regularly walk at least 7 miles a day. I'm not going to let myself be lazy and count those minutes. So with that in mind...I dragged myself out of bed for a run yesterday morning - 37 minutes in the books.

37/440 - 8%
week 1: 37/110

 

[sophy1996]

In for 1200. Starting with 30/1200 for dancing at a concert last night.

Is this Disney anywhere or WDW? At WDW, my favorite is probably AKL. Anywhere else, I really liked the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel!

 

[Raya]

In for 1200. Starting with 30/1200 for dancing at a concert last night.

Is this Disney anywhere or WDW? At WDW, my favorite is probably AKL. Anywhere else, I really liked the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel!View attachment 782325

Wait, that's Tokyo??? It looks like the Grand Floridian, just...grander! I dream about getting the Tokyo someday, so this hotel is definitely going on my bucket list.

 

[Oneanne]

I almost always stay at POP, but have also done French Quarter, The Swan, The Dolphin and CRB. But POP really does feel like home.

I'm in for 1395 again.

+70... it was a high stress day so lots of exercising to work it out.

70/1395... 5%

 

[sophy1996]

Wait, that's Tokyo??? It looks like the Grand Floridian, just...grander! I dream about getting the Tokyo someday, so this hotel is definitely going on my bucket list.

Yes, both the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel and the Paris Disneyland Hotel have the same Victorian vibe as the Grand Floridian. Tokyo also has a hotel that is inside DisneySea and another hotel that is supposed to be even nicer as part of an expansion of the parks.

 

[BleuB]

I'm fairly new to staying at WDW resorts. We recently bookended a cruise with stays at both FQ resorts and I have to say that POR was my favorite of the two. It was all in the details and just being there felt like a celebration.


My goals is 935.

I recently started the None to Run program which is motivating me to stay active. Yesterday I logged 37 minutes.

37/935 = 4%

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Thanks for hosting, @Elizabeth Smith !!! I love the celebratory and self-centeredness of the theme! Lol! Happy bday month to you!!!

I'm dropping down to 2000 because it's just too hot.

105 minutes so far - horses

105/2000

My favorite resort is Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House - especially during the holidays!

 

[sophy1996]

Thanks for hosting, @Elizabeth Smith !!! I love the celebratory and self-centeredness of the theme! Lol! Happy bday month to you!!!

+1! And I also agree it’s just too hot.

 

[sophy1996]

+80

110/1200

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

+20 minutes of a growwithjo gospel-themed workout and exercise bike.

Today's category will be "favorite park snack." This is a tough one, and while the first thing to come to mind is the Dole Whip, I think my actual favorite might be the Raspberry Rose Macaron from Jolly Holiday at Disneyland?

Honorable mentions: The All-American Sundae from Plaza Ice Cream Parlor, the Ronto Wrap, and Mickey Rice Krispie Treats (the ones with m&ms on top!)

 

[PollyannaMom]

Oooh, fun theme!!

I'm in for my usual 600 minutes.

Tues, 8/1 - 15 minutes
Wed, 8/2 - 50 minutes
--------------------------
65/600

Favorite resort is tough. - I've loved every one I've stayed at! But I'll narrow it down to POFQ and AKL (probably because those are freshest in my mind. )

Favorite park snack - A classic Mickey Ice Crem Bar

 

[Raya]

42 minutes. Y'all I have spent the last 24 hours obsessing about a trip to Disneyland Tokyo. It's all sophy1996's fault and I'm super grateful. We had Japan on our "someday" bucket list, and it's now on the calendar for Fall 2024.

79/440 - 17%
week 1: 79/110

 

[Oneanne]

+60 for yesterday

130/1395... 9%

Trying to think of my favorite snacks. I do like Dole Whips, but I don't think I get them every trip. When the Spicy Hotdog with Pineapple salsa is offered during festivals I get it a couple times. I'm currently mostly eating sugar, dairy and grain free, so my upcoming September trip is going to really be food challenged.

 

[sophy1996]

42 minutes. Y'all I have spent the last 24 hours obsessing about a trip to Disneyland Tokyo. It's all sophy1996's fault and I'm super grateful. We had Japan on our "someday" bucket list, and it's now on the calendar for Fall 2024.

I’m sure you’re going to love it. The Harmony in Color parade and Believe! Sea of Dreams show top anything in the US Parks! TDR keeps parades for 5 years, so Harmony at least should be there. And the new Fantasy Springs area should be open too!

 

[sophy1996]

+35

145/1200

My favorites are the Mickey-head beignets at Mint Julep Bar and the swirl Dole whip, both in DLR. Which is surprising, because usually I am all about the chocolate!

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I'm adding 30 minutes for tonight--exercise bike and a Growwithjo ab workout video.

With that Raya, sophy1996, PollyannaMom, and I have all reached Musical Blue!

With a musical theme, the next category is "favorite Disney Parks song."

My answer is the Finale theme from Fantasmic!
Fantasmic by Elizabeth Smith, on Flickr
Honorable mentions for Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow from Carousel of Progress and the theme for the Main Street Electrical Parade.

 

[sophy1996]

Spectromagic
The Tapestry of Nations parade
Boo to You

I guess I like parade music!

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I have no minutes to add today as I spent all my free time packing. For the next week, we'll be on the road visiting family. I'll do my best to tally minutes if I have the chance. I'll also do my best to introduce new categories to talk about, even if I cannot commit to a full update.

Today's category will be "favorite parade." For me, of the parades I've seen, it has to be the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade! Mostly because of how much I love the toy soldiers!