January 9th - 75 Hard Challenge

Shoot for the moon and you will land among the stars.

I never set out to fail, but technically I did. I raised $11,507 of the total $17,891.

Everything planned was not achieved, but within that failure there was also a form of success.

I set out to give my family their first taste of the good life, something so far beyond their normal that it would inspire them to want more. In that sense, it was a success.

They were picked up in a stretch limo.

We stayed in a 10 bedroom Disney themed house with a pool, hot tub, movie theater, and game room. They experienced a life they had never seen before.

Another goal was to take my family on our first family vacation ever. That was a success.

My brother and sister flew on an airplane for the first time in their lives.

We made it to Disney World. We went to Magic Kingdom for a Christmas party, Hollywood Studios for another Christmas party, and Animal Kingdom for a full day.

We went on rides, watched shows, took in the lights.

They got souvenirs, we ate good food, watched movies, played games, and hung out in the hot tub. We rode ferries, trains, and skyliners.

We all went on the Little Mermaid ride, the one that inspired it all. That was the moment everything came full circle.

In that way, it was a success.

What didn’t happen:

We didn’t stay in Disney resorts. The original center of the trip was the Polynesian Bungalow, but with time running short we had to pivot. Where we ended up turned out to be better for everyone anyway.

They wanted to go to the beach, but we ran out of time.

We planned four parks but only made it to three. Epcot was missed.

We planned character dinners, one Beauty and the Beast and one Lilo breakfast, but both were missed. Outside of quick meals, we didn’t do any major Disney dining experiences.

We were supposed to have a fancy dinner, but instead everyone just ordered whatever they wanted through DoorDash. Taco Bell, Wingstop, Chinese food, Chipotle, Subway. They picked, and they were happy.

Overall, even with the shortcomings, it still worked.

People asked me what would happen if I didn’t make it. I always believed I would.

I never knew how, but it felt real the moment I committed.

I got a lot of love and a little bit of hate. I asked for money one time at a Dierks Bentley concert when a sign was working, and I just started pitching the Dream. That attempt didn’t work.

I came up with other ways to earn money, but even without asking, I was sent thousands of dollars in total from friends, followers, and strangers.

For that, I am extremely grateful.

I hope this inspires you to chase your own dreams. The things on your bucket list. The things you keep saying “someday” or “one day” about.

Toward the end of this journey, I took massive action and did things I never would have imagined.

I documented it all on Instagram, but I’m going to make one final list below.

Thanks for following the Disney Dream and being a part of it. Remember, adventure is out there.

It may seem like there are gaps in this timeline, but a lot happened throughout the year that all connected back to the Dream.

Before anything, I flirted with the Dream.

I put it on my vision wall. I researched and calculated costs. I called Disney and learned the bungalow was exclusive and part of DVC. I kept calling until I found one available date, November 28th, and booked it on the spot with $200 down.

Then I told my family.

From there, I built everything around it.

I created a landing page on my website and announced it on Instagram. The Disney Dream was live. I bought Linktree Premium and built a dedicated Disney page. I made a sign with a QR code to promote the Dream, which failed at first, then eventually generated about $1,500.

I got two professional printed signs. I created a Zelle and GiveSendGo page. I talked to people in Charlotte about their dreams and did this three to four times a week for months.

I made content across YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, Instagram, and TikTok. I went to public events and spoke to strangers about dreaming bigger. I went to a Trump rally, a LGBTQ pride parade, and a Dierks Bentley concert. I made custom shirts, a YouTube super edit pitching the Dream, and a donation leaderboard on my wall.

I started a blog. I created a three-hour course with 57 plus lessons, first paid then free. I made motivational Disney videos and entered hundreds of sweepstakes, sometimes daily. I wrote at least 150 handwritten entries for Disney giveaways.

I tried live streams on TikTok and Instagram. I walked into breweries with a GoPro and a sign. That one hit. I created wristbands, autographed book packages, coaching offers, and Zoom calls. I even started selling sponsorship space on my sign.

I reached out to brands like Kona Big Wave Beer and Disney executives with marketing ideas. I designed custom ad concepts for Chipotle and Kona Big Wave. I did a photoshoot with Kona Big Wave Beer.

I signed up for multiple Disney credit cards for points and bonuses. I built inspiration into my environment with Disney prints, postcards, and vision pieces on my desk.

I created MainCharacterMerch.com with 14 designs for dreamers. Hoodies, shirts, mugs, and crewnecks. I became the character of Carl Fredricksen from Disney’s Up, complete with outfit, cane, glasses, bow tie, and balloons. I recreated scenes from the movie and turned it into content.

I built an Adventure Book and had my family fill it with their Disney dreams. I created 94 Instagram posts and hundreds of Facebook posts with over 450 photos and videos.

I bought 100 balloons at Panthers games. I spoke outside WWE events, Beyoncé and Luke Combs concerts, and Hornets games. I sold balloons, took photos for contributions, and gave live speeches asking people “What’s your dream?”

I launched Dream Ambassadors where people wore bracelets and helped promote the Dream. I drove to Orlando four days before the end of the Dream. I filmed outside the Walt Disney World sign. I walked through Disney, rode trains, and shared the message everywhere I went.

I put 100 balloons through my sunroof, drove around Florida, and painted my car windows. I was eventually kicked out of Disney property for having a Venmo sign. I walked along highways promoting the Dream and was even stopped by sheriff’s deputies after Disney reported activity on the highway.

I did a live YouTube interview with Disney vloggers. I filled tanks of helium, wrote messages on balloons, and kept going.

I drove seven hours from Orlando to Charlotte with 100 balloons out the sunroof. I was posted online, got honks, and was pulled over multiple times.

On the final stretch I stayed up for 48 hours straight to make it to the airport for day one. The final day of posting had the highest viewership of the entire journey.

During the Dream, I took part in Charlie Rocket’s 1,000 Acts of Kindness initiative. This wasn’t about raising money, but about impact, and I committed fully to it.

I also bought five cases of Once Upon a Coconut for a shoutout.

During this time, I was diagnosed with LPR silent reflux. I lost 25 pounds, fasted, ate mostly fruit, and experimented with recovery while continuing forward.

I also experienced deep personal loss. My grandpa Larry Krupp passed away, followed a month later by my grandma Connie Krupp. Two of the people who inspired me to dream in the first place.

Big breakthroughs still happened along the way. A pilot I met on Halloween offered me buddy passes for flights for the entire family. I also received large contributions of $275, $300, $800, and $2,500 from supporters.

On the final day, I met David from Nice Guy Enterprises, who has 1.7 million followers on TikTok. He recorded a six minute video of me and posted it.