4 Parks in ONE Day?! Are You CRAZY?

Not crazy - just determined, right? Well before we get into the logistics let's unpack what this challenge is and what makes it more complicated to complete in "these times."

The 4 Park Challenge

If you were to Google this unofficial/official challenge you'll get varying results when it comes to requirements . One thing that is a constant: you must visit each of the 4 parks and have a purpose being there (meaning you can't just scan in and then turn right back around and leave). Others that have completed this challenge made suggestions on what "counts" with some adding things as they see fit. The gist is:

• Successfully scan in to each of the 4 Walt Disney World parks.

• Ride a ride

• Eat a snack

• Take a photo

Again, there are so many variations of this challenge but the above is what we decided to do! We also did not use Genie+ for this challenge.

Why So Challenging?

In the days of old, this challenge was complicated due to how quickly you would need to move through each park and rely on transportation (either your own or Disney provided) which could take time! If you weren't attempting this challenge during a peak time, park hours could severely impact how much time you had.

Now, in the post-closure times we have restrictions on park hopping that are still in effect as I am writing this (December 2022). The restriction states that you are not allowed to hop into another park until 2:00PM and you must tap into the park you have a park pass reservation before attempting to park hop.

Our Challenge: The Details

PARK ONE: HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

We started our day at Hollywood Studios. The main reason for this was to spend the bulk of our time in Galaxy's Edge. We had an absolute blast and had some awesome reservations lined up.

• By 6:30AM we were waiting for the Skyliner which opened up right at 7AM. The transfer to Hollywood Studios surprisingly was not crowded and we immediately hopped on the next one.

• We checked in to Hollywood Studios by 7:15 in anticipation of the 8:00AM Early Entry Period. We were let into the park at 7:47, headed directly to Rise of the Resistance which we waited a total of 4 1/2 MINUTES! If you know anything about this ride, it's usual wait times, and the constant risk of it not opening on time...this was an amazing feat. We loaded the ride at 7:57 and was off at 8:11AM.

• Since we were already at the edge of the galaxy, we decided to pilot the Falcon which was another walk on! Earned the rank Master Pirate, not to brag or anything.

• From there we decided to use the remaining "low crowd" time to jump on Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway which had a wait under 20 minutes. It was certainly nowhere near 20 minutes, I think it was about 9 minutes total to get to the pre-show.

• After getting 3 very popular rides done we decided to reward ourselves with a snack back on Batuu, and from there we checked into our 9:25 Oga's Cantina reservation. Had to celebrate such an epic win, right?

• After a little jaunt with DJ R3X, it was about time for our party to split up as my brother-in-law had a Lightsaber appointment, and I had some bounty to hunt! While we were separated I got to participate in the NEW game that you can play on the Play Disney Parks app using the MagicBand+ You will report to a panel and scan your band. This will activate the game. (Keep your eyes peeled for an entire blog and Instagram Reel of me playing this game)

• When we got back together it was time for our 50's Prime Time Café reservation. We needed to fuel up for the task ahead of us. This was the perfect spot for our party and many, many shenanigans were had. (Stay tuned for a blog all about this dining experience)

• For the last item on our challenge list, we took couple photos in front of the Falcon to commemorate park one being officially done!

• After a little shopping, and saying goodbye to Gertie the dinosaur, it was time to HOP!

PARK TWO: ANIMAL KINGDOM

After a quick pit-stop back at the resort to drop off the merchandise, we boarded a bus heading to Animal Kingdom. We arrived about 30 minutes before official park hopping could begin so we grabbed a Joffrey's and admired the beautiful Christmas tree! At 1:55 we officially entered the park.

• Knocking out our ride first, which wait times were definitely climbing at this point, we knew we had to move quickly to get done with this park as quickly as possible.

• We hopped in line for Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. This had a posted 40 minute wait, and I believe it was closer to 25ish, which was great.

• Survived Disco Betty, then headed to grab our snack! We of course went straight for the Harambe Market Corn on the Cob. Man if you haven't tried this iconic DAK snack, you gotta!

• We took this and ran for the Tree of Life to take our photo (after we had de-buttered our hands and faces of course) did a quick little bit of shopping for the kiddos and we sprinted (of course we didn't - we walked as fast as is allowed on Disney property) for the exit!

• TIME TO HOP!

PARK THREE: MAGIC KINGDOM

Unfortunately, getting to AND from Animal Kingdom you only have bus transportation available so we hopped a bus heading directly to Magic Kingdom. My original theory was to board whichever was the first resort bus then transfer to a Magic Kingdom bus there, but when we got to the bus station there wasn't a long line for the MK bus so we decided it would be faster to wait only once for a bus. It was a good call.

• Resting our legs on the ride from DAK to MK (it's about a 15 minute ride) we had an amazing bus driver who told dad jokes for most of the way! It was hilarious.

• Upon arriving at the gates of MK we booked it through security and this was where we started to falter on the plan.

• When it comes to this challenge, you really are at the mercy of wait times. To movie quickly through each park, it is best to choose the lowest wait times available but we also had top choices for what rides we wanted so it made it a little difficult.

• We ultimately decided the 20 minute wait on the PeopleMover would be better than the 50 minute wait for Splash Mountain (which had only recently been added to the list due to the announcement of it's closure in January).

• After a PeopleMover photo shoot and content filming session, we headed for the side of the castle to take our photos! We utilized the bridge that crosses the moat of the castle and leads into the farthest side of Fantasyland and that little bit of Tomorrowland (by Cosmic Ray's). Got our photos and headed to find a snack!

• We opted for the Confectionary as we had eaten a lot of savory snacks so far. We grabbed a cake pop and some fudge then said goodbye to our beloved Main Street.

• I have never been so sad to leave Magic Kingdom! There is not a limit as to how much tie I can spend there. Anyway, TIME TO HOP!

PARK FOUR: EPCOT

To round out our transportation journey we rode the Monorail to the TTC, then connected to the next monorail heading for EPCOT. This is the perfect way to get between the two parks not only because it is faster than driving, but it is so beautiful. At its current state of construction, the monorail is the "eye in the sky" to see all the progress inside those dreaded walls.

• Right up front after tapping in at 5:00PM, we took our final photos in front of the Festival of the Holidays sign with Spaceship Earth peaking from behind the trees. I think I love these photos the most!

• Since we had made it to the last park, a lot of the rushing could end because we had at least 4 hours to spend here.

• We grabbed a quick Bev (for those that know, know.) and headed for World Showcase for the snack.

• Since Festival of the Holidays was running, we had so many options for snacks here. Everyone picked their own thing and we peacefully hopped from booth to booth. I got the Cheese Fondue in a bread bowl (located at the Bavaria booth) and that was the best decision of my life.

• We attempted the cookie stroll, but did not complete it.

• After our snacks all that was left was to ride something! We had a Guardians ILL (individual lightning lane) booked for 7:25 but it was only 6:00 so we decided to check out Living with the Land's Holiday overlay - Glimmering Greenhouses. This is my new favorite holiday overlay, by the way.

• As we left The Land, we officially could confirm and announce that we completed the challenge at 7:21PM.

• With 4 minutes to spare until our ILL, we headed back towards the front of the park to go save the Galaxy. How else do you celebrate such a day?!

• This Guardians of the Galaxy ride was also done up for the holidays as it had a special soundtrack (instead of the usual 6 random songs you can get). Everyone gets the same and this one was a welcome surprise (no spoilers).

• After saving the world, we headed back for World Showcase to grab our spot for Harmonious. This is my emotional support show for those that don't know, and she is leaving me very soon - so I had to give her one last "camp out." We made a little nest of Coquito Soft Serve from Refreshment Port, some Maple Popcorn from Canada, and hubby enjoyed the Snickersdoodle cookie from the Yukon Holiday Kitchen. What a perfect night.

Conclusion/Thoughts

1. This challenge is a huge undertaking and is more technical than you would think. Planning is strongly encouraged. We started planning this adventure in the summer and would tweak it here and there as we got closer.

2. Dining Reservations need to be made 60 days in advance! I know that is a common rule, but you definitely need to make sure that if you are going to spend ANY time sitting down, you plan accordingly - utilizing a walk-up waitlist could cost you more time.

3. LIMIT your amount of sit-down dining experiences. We only did table service during the morning when we couldn't hop before 2PM. Make sure if you want to eat at an actual restaurant, I wouldn't put it in your "middle parks." Choose the first once (that you have the most time in) or pick the latest possible for your 4th park. That is just my suggestion.

4. Have a plan for transportation. Know what your options are: bus, Skyliner, Monorail, FriendShip boat, Ferry Boat, etc. (I have another blog dedicated to Disney Transportation - feel free to check that out). Knowing what transportation you need to use, and how long it usually takes is a must for a challenge like this.

5. If you are driving your own car be aware of traffic around park hopping time, and dinner time (when some locals like to venture into the parks). Keep your parking receipt out each time to make the process smoother. If you can make it on your own feet, do that so you aren't stuck wasting time on the trams but that will add A LOT more walking to your day.

6. Know the layout of each park! It really helps. I don't suggest being a first-timer and attempting this challenge, you could get lost and cost you precious time.

7. Be flexible. Even with a solid plan, ang goals to meet, we had to be flexible when it came to wait times. You may have had a ride on your list only to see that it has one of the longest waits in the park. Using the wait time predictor in the My Disney Experience app can help when planning in advance, but also keep checking your app as you are headed to the park so you know exactly what direction you are heading. Remember, we also did not use Genie+ to complete the challenge so we in a way had more flexibility, but less guarantees!

8. Be ready to walk fast, eat fast, and make quick decisions! In order to get through everything you need to have a party that is good at agreeing to quick decisions, or changing the plan on the fly. Make sure your party meets to discuss this challenge in advance so expectations can be set. (NOTE: While older kids and teens might be up for this, I would not attempt this challenge with children unless you are absolutely sure they can handle the day).

9. Make sure everyone gets a vote! I may have been the expert of the group - but that doesn't mean I get to steamroll over the day. Everyone got to pick their "must-do" items and that is what directed our day. Let everyone be heard, and allow others to make decisions when it comes to snacks and what photos they want as well.

10. No fighting, running, rude behavior to other guests or Cast Members, or anything else that is not the Disney Way! You're there to have fun, take a breath and have fun!

If you stuck it out until the end, I thank you! This was the trip of a lifetime! I had so much fun, learned so much, and I really felt like a true Disney Adult in this moment. Thank you to all who read these things, and for those that also follow @catt_inthekingdom on Instagram (I can't believe you put up with my shenanigans).

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