Hoppers first took on the unofficial Disney Parks 12 Park Challenge in 2023, but fell short of riding every ride in the world in 12 days. So they did it again.
Brent Hopper and his kids can make a point that most Disney fans can’t.
“We did every ride, every park within 12 days,” he said.
Not just at Walt Disney World, but at Disney parks around the world.
The Florida father actually tried it twice with his two older children, Tanner and Peyton, while his then-toddler children stayed home with his wife. The Hoppers were not able to participate in all the rides in their first attempt in 2023.
“The competitor in me was like, ‘Okay, I have to redeem,'” Brent said. “We have to do this again.”
Fueled by Mickey’s ice cream bars and external motivation, they achieved success in 2024.
why did they do it
Brent said he considered the idea years ago on a family trip to Asia, but after Nathan Firesheet rode all the rides at all 12 Disney parks in 12 days in 2023, he was inspired to give it a try.
“I’ve been to Disney a lot, and I could do this just fine, but I could do a little bit,” Brent recalled thinking about the unofficial challenge.
After all, he grew up attending Disney World and worked there as a cast member before becoming a commercial airline pilot. He still visited the park often.
His children were also seasoned park goers and travelers.
”I was excited, but I didn’t know how it would work,” said Tanner, 17.
“It was crazy and I thought it was so impossible,” said her 15-year-old sister Peyton.
For extra motivation, Brent tried to raise money for Give Kids the World Village, a Central Florida nonprofit that partners with theme parks to grant wishes to families with seriously ill children.
After visiting the village, Tanner said, “I definitely felt a little bit more eye-opened when I saw what we were raising money for.”
how did they do it
Americans can visit China without a visa for up to 10 days if they transit through a third country on the same trip, but the Hoppers had already obtained a 10-year visa for their previous trip.
They were able to use Brent Airlines benefits to fly between resorts, which helped them save money but added stress and didn’t always work out.
On my first return trip in 2023, I couldn’t get a seat on a flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong, so I flew to Shenzhen instead and ended up taking a taxi to Hong Kong for about $75. Brent said that on his second attempt in 2024, he was able to secure the last three seats on a flight from Paris to Shanghai.
“There were times when I could barely sleep because my flight arrived so late and I had to go to another park the next day or morning,” Peyton recalled.
In most cases, you will take a taxi or rideshare to your hotel. However, on one occasion, they went directly from the airport to Hong Kong Disneyland and left their luggage at the resort’s baggage storage..
Inside the park, we used tools like Lightning Lane and Premier Access to reduce wait times at attractions where possible and save time wherever possible. We also focused on quick service meals and snacks.
Still, I couldn’t go to all the rides on the first try without risking upsetting my tight travel schedule.
“We have to keep going,” says Brent, the logistics manager. “It felt like I was running a marathon or an ultramarathon or something.”
In both attempts, they took photos at each attraction and posted them to X as @hopinarndthwrld.
park order
Their trips followed roughly the same schedule. But on our first trip, we took a rest day at home in Orlando, Florida before tackling Disney World.
On our second trip, we skipped a rest day and spent an extra day in Tokyo to make sure we got to the rides we missed the first time.
In both cases, I lost time on the flight to China due to the time difference, but I would make up time on the flight back to the United States.
2023 itinerary:
- Days 1-2: Visit both Disneyland Paris parks and then move on to Shanghai.
- Day 3: Transfer to Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong.
- Day 4: Hong Kong Disneyland, transfer to Tokyo.
- Days 5-6: Visit both Tokyo Disney Parks and then move on to Los Angeles.
- Days 7-8: Visit both Disneyland parks and then move on to Orlando.
- Day 9: Rest day at home.
- Days 10-12: All four Disney World parks.
2024 itinerary:
- Days 1-2: Visit both Disneyland Paris parks and then move on to Shanghai.
- Day 3: Transfer to Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong.
- Day 4: Hong Kong Disneyland, transfer to Tokyo.
- Days 5-7: Visit both Tokyo Disney Parks and then move on to Los Angeles.
- Days 8-9: Visit both Disneyland parks and then travel to Orlando.
- Days 10-12: All four Disney World parks.
Brent did the math and counted nearly 31 hours of flying on that second trip. 100 hours and 47 hours A few minutes in the park.
difficult part
Tanner said the hard part was “just trying to keep going when I was tired and everything was falling apart.”
“I had no idea how difficult this would be, mentally and physically,” echoed Brent, who said the first trip hit him in the face. “The lack of sleep, the total number of steps, and the subsequent rides can cause your body to fall apart quickly.–Stop. ”
Brent got more supportive shoes for his second attempt in 2024, and he and Tanner brought extra insoles and socks.
Peyton said when she is exhausted, she will remember their cause. Ice cream also helped.
“Honestly, the Mickey ice cream bar cheered me up. It was so delicious,” she said. “I survived those few days.”
in return
Hoppers visited all 12 parks within 12 days on both trips, but was nine rides short at Disneyland Paris in 2023 and seven rides short at Tokyo Disneyland.
“It was definitely a little bit of a nuisance,” Payton said. “I felt a little defeated because I didn’t achieve that goal.”
They rode all 217 rides around the world in 2024.
“The second time around, I felt a lot better knowing I actually did everything in every park,” Tanner said.
They raised over $5,000 for “Give Kids the World Village” on both trips. Brent also hopes they raise awareness.
“Obviously, people are like, ‘You guys are crazy, but what you guys are doing is great,'” he said.
As new Disney attractions open, he’s open to trying a third time. He thinks Tanner will join, but Payton will have to be convinced.
Where are the 12 Disney parks located?
How much does it cost to visit all 12 Disney parks?
Brent estimates he spent about $10,000 on both trips, including airline perks. This includes park tickets, lodging, meals, ground transportation, and incidentals for all three people.
Disney ticket prices vary by date. Even at Disney World, it varies by park. Please check each resort’s website for the latest rates and promotions.
In some cases, it may be cheaper to purchase multiple per-park tickets per day than a multi-day pass. Multi-day passes have longer expiry dates and may include more expensive dates.
A standard one-day, one-park ticket at Disney World typically starts at $119 for adults at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and more at the other three parks. But this summer, the resort is offering 4-Park Magic tickets for $399. This includes one day at each park without park hopping.
A standard one-day, one-park ticket for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure starts at $104 per adult per day. Two of them cost $208. These starting prices are available for multiple dates this summer.
As of May 14, the lowest price for a one-day, one-park passport to Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea this summer is 7,900 yen, which is just over $50 for adults. Two will cost about $100.
Disneyland Paris offers both dated and non-dated tickets, with dated tickets being cheaper. As of May 14, the lowest price for a one-day, one-park ticket with dates for Disneyland Park or Disney Adventure World this summer is $87 for adults. Two of them will cost $174. Cheaper dates are available later this year through early 2027.
Single-day tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland currently start at HK$669 for adults, with multiple dates available at that price this summer. This equates to just over $85.
Shanghai Disneyland releases tickets about a month in advance. The cheapest standard one-day pass currently on sale costs 499 yuan for adults, or about $73.
Tickets to all 12 parks this summer will cost at least $1,039 per adult.
Airfare, accommodation, meals, and other expenses will be charged separately.
This article has been updated to update the headline.
