Sharon and I have done some crazy Disney things. I once ran from park to park to park to park on Fourth of July to get a limited edition pin from each location, back when we still did the pin thing. We’ve waited outside the Animal Kingdom entry plaza in our car at 3AM to be there for the grand opening. If we had passes at the time, I would have tried to stay for the day when Magic Kingdom was open for 24 hours straight, Speaking of 24 hours, for my first trip to Disneyland, I flew from NYC to LA on a 6AM flight (waking up at 4AM) and went straight to the park for the day, staying until the the 1AM closing. That was 24 hours straight being awake with the time change. “What’s jet lag?” I asked at the time?
However, the task that Ed from Pizza in Motion and Summer (Mommy Points) from TPG Family are attempting to complete is simply insane. The only thing keeping me from saying they’re crazy is that they’re using the challenge to raise money for one of the most wonderful charities in Central Florida.
The Charity
Give Kids The World Village might not be a well known name outside of Central Florida but the service they provide is beyond amazing.
Give Kids The World Village is an 84-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort in Central Florida. Here, children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations.
The Village and its community partners provide children and their families accommodations in fully-furnished villas, transportation, tickets to theme parks, meals, daily entertainment and much more.
Each year 27,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with a critical illness. Half of all children eligible for a wish through a partnering wish-granting organization choose to visit Central Florida and its collection of theme parks and other attractions.
Give Kids The World Village is located off of HWY 192 in Kissimmee and unless you know it’s there, you’d never guess there’s a place plucked right from a fairy tale come to life just behind the Walmart. I’ve been fortunate enough to deal with GKTW on a professional basis and they’re some of the nicest people you’ll ever find. Many local businesses and individuals volunteer to work there, doing everything from serving meals, to running the carousel to repainting the houses.
When I heard that Ed and Summer were raising money for Give Kids The World, I was in immediately. How are they raising the money? By attempting one of the craziest challenges Walt Disney World can offer.
The Parkeology Challenge
Ed and Summer are going to try and complete the Parkeology Challenge. This is an attempt to ride every attraction at all four Disney World parks on the same day.
We created the Parkeology Challenge of riding every ride at Walt Disney World Resort or at Disneyland Resort in a single operating day. At Disney World, this means visiting all four parks in one day and riding 49 total rides, while at Disneyland, it’s two parks and 54 rides.
I never had heard of it until Ed mentioned it on his blog and once again when he did a dry run of the challenge about a week or so ago. The challenge has rules, like you need to take a picture of yourself on each attraction, and can contain certain obstacles (like the Central Florida weather and varying attraction openings/closings and wait times). On his first attempt Ed managed to ride 41 of the 49 attractions.
41 is where it ends. Speedway. @Parkeology @MKing7403 #ParkeologyChallenge #GiveKidsTheRides pic.twitter.com/DiqBn2cx2W
— Edward Pizzarello (@pizzainmotion) August 30, 2018
Now that he’s learned some important lessons (like remembering to take a picture on every ride and that Tom Sawyer Island closes at dusk), Ed and Summer are going to give it another try.
The Goal
Their goal is to raise $50,000 for Give Kids The World, which in my mind is just awesome. They’re asking readers to pledge $1 for each ride they complete. If they manage to finish all the rides, that would be a $49 pledge. 1020 volunteers would get them to the $50.000 goal. Lets all pitch in to help them get there!
I’ve been reading Ed’s and Summer’s respective websites for several years. I’ve met them in person at Frequent Traveler University events, where I found them both to be “good people,” even to someone they didn’t know from anywhere (me) asking questions they’ve answered hundreds of times before.
There are sign up links for pledges on both of their websites:
You don’t have to pay anything now and Give Kids The World will contact pledgers directly after the challenge is completed to make donations. Sharon and I are both pledging $1 per ride. Will you join us?
I’ll even pledge an extra dollar per ride if Ed finally goes to see the Hoop-De-Doo Review.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
