Summary
Highlights
The challenge starts at Magic Kingdom. The goal is to ride a ride at all six Disney parks in America. The first person to complete the four Florida parks gets 10 minutes off their final time. McKenzie heads to the Little Mermaid ride, expecting a short wait, while Michael plans for a carousel. Both encounter some initial navigation issues and minor ride delays. McKenzie realizes her chosen ride is longer than expected and faces a monorail shutdown, forcing her to take a ferry.
McKenzie considers different transportation methods to Epcot, deciding on the ferry after discovering the monorail is not operating. She uses Google for optimal park order, confirming her initial plan to go Magic Kingdom -> Epcot -> Hollywood Studios -> Animal Kingdom. She successfully rides the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico, noting Epcot's vibes and food as her favorite. Michael is also forced to take the ferry due to the monorail closure, affecting his travel time. He struggles with the park layout and the unexpectedly long ride times, making him question his strategy.
McKenzie arrives at Hollywood Studios and tries to find a ride with a short wait. She considers the Alien Swirling Saucers but finds a 45-minute wait. She ultimately chooses the Star Tours ride, which has a 20-minute wait, a surprising duration for her expectations. Michael also heads to Hollywood Studios, grappling with the long wait times. He and McKenzie providentially end up on the same Star Tours ride, revealing to each other their close proximity in the race.
Both competitors head to Animal Kingdom. McKenzie chooses Kali River Rapids as her final ride in Florida. Michael attempts to follow her but struggles with navigation. They end up on the same raft for the Kali River Rapids ride. After a discussion, they agree that whoever gets off the raft first wins the Florida portion, with McKenzie ultimately claiming the 10-minute advantage due to her position on the raft.
McKenzie and Michael discover they are on the same flight to Los Angeles. The flight is delayed, adding to the pressure. Upon arrival at LAX, both face significant confusion and delays navigating the airport to get an Uber and drop off their luggage at the hotel before heading to Disneyland. The chaos at the airport costs them valuable time and raises concerns about making it to the California parks before closing.
McKenzie arrives at California Adventure with only 17 minutes until closing. She initially plans to ride Jessie's Critter Carousel, but it's closed. She also notes the Ferris wheel is closed. She finds the Inside Out ride is open and successfully completes it. Michael is also attempting to ride a ride and chooses the Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, finding it a shorter wait. The closing time for California Adventure adds a dramatic element to their desperate race.
McKenzie sprints to Disneyland, aiming for Astro Orbiter. Michael is close behind, also heading to Astro Orbiter. They realize they are both on the same track. Michael makes the strategic decision to leave the line for Astro Orbiter to maintain his 10-minute lead, choosing Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters instead. McKenzie stays on Astro Orbiter, and they both complete their rides at exactly the same time, 9:10 p.m. It's revealed that Michael's politeness in thanking a park employee at California Adventure tipped McKenzie off to his location, allowing her to catch up and create a photo finish.