‘UK’s Biggest Disney Fan’ crowned in epic 10-day competition
What if you were a contestant on “The Amazing Race,” but everything was Disney-themed? That’s what 10 Disney super fans got to experience in a globe-trotting competition to win the title of the UK’s biggest Disney fan and a night in the Cinderella Castle suite.
Across 10 days in April 2023, ten contestants completed challenges spanning Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World, and the Disney Wish cruise ship. (More on the challenges later. Spoiler: they’re wild.)
Charting a Course for a Magical Adventure
Disney selected the ten finalists from over 1,500 hopefuls who submitted videos sharing why they believe themselves to be the UK’s biggest Disney fan.
Janette Manrara, star of the “Strictly Come Dancing” reality competition show (and a Disney fan herself) guided contestants along their journey and hosted the challenges.
“It was a dream come true to be a part of this competition from the early stages, right up until we announced our winner in front of Cinderella Castle,” Manrara said. “The top 10 fans were a true pleasure to meet and soak up Disney magic alongside — we’re all already planning our next Disney reunion together! Experiencing the Disney parks and Disney Cruise Line was truly magical — I can’t wait to come back as a mummy soon!”
The Challenges: Disneyland Paris
The 10 challenges put contestants’ Disney fandom to the test in different ways. To start things off, the players and their loved ones gathered at Disneyland Paris.
Inside Avengers Campus at Walt Disney Studios Park, contestants participated in a Spider-Bot fight using the electronic toys inspired by “Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure.” (You can get a Spider-Bot of your own stateside at California Adventure’s Avengers Campus).
In the next challenge, after spending a full day across both Disneyland Paris theme parks, the fans had 30 seconds to list everything they experienced from attractions to food to character greetings.
The Challenges: Walt Disney World
From there, the caravan flew across the Atlantic to Walt Disney World for the next leg of the competition. Atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort, players solved riddles about Magic Kingdom using an oversized map of the park to guide a ball to the corresponding spot of each riddle’s answer. Whoever made it through the map fastest won the challenge.
At Pandora – The World of Avatar, they played a Pictionary-like game. Instead of using a pencil and paper, they drew imagery themed to Disney’s Animal Kingdom with a wand light. (Think the old-school “You’re watching Disney Channel” bumpers.)
Goofy joined contestants for a trivia game themed to stories found in Epcot. How would you do with some of these questions?
- What fish language can Dory speak? (Whale)
- What’s the name of the monster-like snowman in “Frozen”? (Marshmallow)
- Where did Remy first meet Linguini in “Ratatouille”? (Gusteau’s restaurant)
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Manrara gave the fans a list of details to look out for while riding Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog Dash, and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Afterward, players had to answer questions recalling what they saw. Do you think you could spot details like these?
- What’s the name of the secret base in Rise of the Resistance? (Pacara)
- According to Andy’s toy packaging in the Slinky Dog Dash queue, how much money does Rex cost? ($19.95)
- What room is located to your right as you exit Tower of Terror? (Sunset Room)
The Challenges: The Disney Wish
For the final series of challenges, contestants set sail on the Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Wish.
During one onboard challenge, the fans had to match the ship’s creatively themed food dishes and drinks with the Disney movie that inspired the menu items — plus name the year each film was released.
At Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, players recreated famous images from classic Disney movies, like Rafiki holding up Simba or the cast of “High School Musical” jumping in the air.
Throughout their entire Disney Wish voyage, they also competed to complete the most onboard activities. Eligible tasks on a huge list included everything from riding the AquaMouse slide and seeing a movie to meeting Captain Minnie and locating the ship’s hidden Porg.
For their final challenge, contestants played a memory game about the details of their previous challenges across their whole trip.
Crowning the U.K.’s Biggest Disney Fan
After their cruise, players returned to Walt Disney World, where Manrara and Mickey Mouse crowned Kathryn Chung from Hackney, London as the UK’s biggest Disney fan.
“I am still lost for words to have been crowned the winner of the UK’s Biggest Disney Fan,” Chung said. She called her night in the castle “a pure dream and a memory that I will cherish forever — along with this entire experience.”
Chung’s history as a Disney fan runs deep. “I first stepped foot in a Disney park when I was five years old,” she said. “Since then, I have been fully captivated by the magic and enchantment that Disney brings to people all over the world. The experience has only enhanced this even more, and it shows that dreams really do come true.”
How to Watch Highlights from the UK’s Biggest Disney Fan Competition
Head over to the @disneyparksuk Instagram account for videos of all 10 challenges in the UK’s Biggest Disney Fan competition. (Scroll for a bit and then work backward to view the Reels in order. You can watch the first one here.
