Tiny Bubble? I'm Here, Big Bubble - A July 2025 TR *Updated 3/3 x2

[disneyAndi14]

It sounds like you had a couple awesome trips and a couple more to look forward too how fun is that!
I think we stayed in that same room at Portofino Bay, this is our favorite out of the three premier resorts. We haven’t stayed there the last few trips because of the AP rate. We stay were the price is the best with the AP discount.
We find Royal Pacific the most hectic, the lobby is always crazy busy where PB is always so calm and like another world from the parks.
Excited to hear where your next “living” adventure will be. I hope it is a warm place! We just had a blizzard this week and blessed with 15+ new inches of snow ugh It is a winter wonderland here once again! It does look pretty but only for like 2 minutes, haha

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Alicia, it’s wonderful to get an update from you! Universal looks like so much fun at Christmas - I’m glad you got to experience it! And wow, your porch at Portofino looked incredible! Unlimited Express Pass at Universal is such a great perk - it’s great you were able to enjoy such short waits.

Your trip to Disneyland looked fun! I’m impressed (but not surprised) that your kids joined you on the races. Have a great time on your April trip as well! I’m glad your friend is able to join you and that you’ll get to enjoy some solo time.

And wow, 14 people?! That will be a lot! It will be tons of fun, but it’s tougher to navigate anywhere with a group that large. Planning will be a big undertaking, but you’re such an experienced Disney vet that you’ll do a great job. Dining-wise, I’m pretty sure you have to call rather than book online when you’re booking big groups (perhaps it’s groups larger than 10?), but you can do multiple ADRs and then ask to combine them at the host stand. @Mollydolly334 planned for a similar-sized group back in 2024 and wrote a great report (and I think PTR?) that may help you. There were more adults in her group, but there was a similar number of moving parts and they had a bunch of ADRs.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Exciting times ahead for you and all the family Alicia. The family trip sounds absolutely fab! The kids are great ages and sure the wee ones will love having their older cousins to play with.
I hope you’re all happy with your new placement and I look forward to hearing where you’re going to be for the next chapter in your life.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

We don’t have official orders yet, so we are keeping it under wraps (obviously the grandparents and siblings and my two dear friends know) so I won’t say anything right now. I’ll just hint that it’s going to be another big change for my family!

Now I am dying to know!!!

 

[rdkeim]

Wow, so much fun to look back on and more fun ahead! Your balcony at Portofino looks fabulous. Perfect spot for some relaxation time. Nice the crowds weren't terrible. Disneyland - how fun you all participated in the runs. Your kids are really growing up. Looks like you had beautiful winter weather. Grown up time in April - perfect! How wonderful of your parents to host your big family group! It will be different with such a large group but lots of bonding opportunities. Can't wait to hear where your next move will be?? My first thought was international.....

 

[amazingact21]

So what I do is reserve a 6 when online opens up and then call an hour later and explain I actually need a reservation for 10. What they usually do is they are able to create a reservation for 4 and then they merge the two reservations. It will still show two different confirmation #'s but they will be the exact same time. You can't do that online as it will say you have a competing reservation. They usually can put tables together for the larger party but sometimes it's side by side tables. But always the same server.

This is extremely helpful information, thank you! I appreciate that even if we're at side by side tables, the server is the same so it won't matter who is sitting where.

I think we stayed in that same room at Portofino Bay, this is our favorite out of the three premier resorts.

The room was pretty far from the elevators, but you can't beat that view! I hope I can stay there again someday. (Maybe this will be Evie and I's HHN resort. )

Excited to hear where your next “living” adventure will be. I hope it is a warm place! We just had a blizzard this week and blessed with 15+ new inches of snow ugh It is a winter wonderland here once again! It does look pretty but only for like 2 minutes, haha

15 inches of snow sounds terrible. It's pretty to look at but terrible to deal with.

 

[amazingact21]

Unlimited Express Pass at Universal is such a great perk - it’s great you were able to enjoy such short waits.

Express Pass is amazing, and I'm so grateful we got to experience it once. We're not sure how long it'll be before we go back to Universal, so it was nice to end on a high note.

I’m impressed (but not surprised) that your kids joined you on the races. Have a great time on your April trip as well! I’m glad your friend is able to join you and that you’ll get to enjoy some solo time.

Landon is ready for more 10K races, but I don't think Evie loved it enough to do it again soon.

It will be tons of fun, but it’s tougher to navigate anywhere with a group that large. Planning will be a big undertaking,

I try to think a trip this big will be organized chaos. I did have to give my mom a little grief that she's asking me to help plan this thing when I'm trying to get ready for a move. Talk about juggling a lot of balls this spring. In reality, though, this is the only good time for a long while. By this winter my brother will deploy, by next summer Alex will most likely be deployed, and my other brother wants to start trying for a second kid next fall. So it was now or never.

Dining-wise, I’m pretty sure you have to call rather than book online when

This seems to be what I'm discovering. Fortunately, my mom only wants to do 2 TS restaurants with the entire group, so I'm hopeful I can get it sorted.

Exciting times ahead for you and all the family Alicia. The family too sounds absolutely fab! The kids are great ages and sure the wee ones will love having their older cousins to play with.

I know my kids are going to have a blast hanging out with their cousins. I just need my mom to hurry up and tell them, because I'm terrible at keeping secrets and have almost slipped and said something on numerous occasions.

I hope you’re all happy with your new placement

It took several days for me to process the news, but I'm looking at it with a positive outlook now. I mean, I don't have any other choice so might as well go into it excited.

 

[amazingact21]

Now I am dying to know!!!

I make Alex check his emails at the beginning and end of each day to see if the official assignment has dropped yet. I just want the confirmation already!

Your balcony at Portofino looks fabulous. Perfect spot for some relaxation time.

It was such a beautiful spot. A little oasis away from the chaos of the parks. Our flight ended up being delayed by 3 hours that afternoon, and I wish they'd pushed it before we made it to the airport. We had a late checkout, and I could've spent more time out in that space!

Your kids are really growing up.

And they have the attitudes to match now. This has definitely been an interesting age range to navigate.

It will be different with such a large group but lots of bonding opportunities.

I'm looking forward to spending time with my family. I've actually never met my brother's girlfriend so this will be a good opportunity to get to know her.

Can't wait to hear where your next move will be?? My first thought was international.....

Funny story: Two days before our Thanksgiving trip to Florida, the overseas list dropped. We were presented with the opportunity to go back to the base we were at in Germany. It was really tempting to go back and experience Europe with older kids. Plus, the familiarity was comforting. Already knowing which villages to live in, where to shop, what internet providers to use, etc.
Ultimately, though, we decided to pass for 2 reasons. The first was that I firmly believe what made our time in Germany so special was the community I surrounded myself with. Some of my best friends came out of my time there, and I worried I'd spend the whole time missing what was and who wasn't around anymore.
The second reason was because it was a 3 year commitment, and I'm really feeling like we'll be ready to retire in 2 years. Plus, trying to retire while overseas is a nightmare! So, sadly, we are staying in the continental United States.
But you want to talk about a stressful week! Trying to have these massively important conversations while traveling and being around the entirety of Alex's side of the family. While also not letting them know we were actually considering moving overseas again. I'm glad that's over with!

 

[Disney102015]

I have my April trip fast approaching. One of my friends was able to 100% confirm she’s coming so this is now an official girl’s trip.

So exciting! My sister and I are doing a girls trip for springtime surprise as well. (Well, girls plus one nursing baby who can’t realistically be left at home - but 1 tiny sweet baby versus the collective 7 feral kids we usually roll with basically FEELS like zero kids!!) It’s our first Run Disney experience, I’m a little nervous but also so excited.

Can you even book dining for 14 people?! Am I going to go crazy booking Lightning Lanes for over a dozen?!

We are headed down next week with fifteen people! 8 adults and 7 kids: 12, 8, 7, 6, 5, 3, and 3 months. Again: nervous but also so excited! For most dining reservations, we broke it up into 2 groups (sometimes 3), which was a little tricky because we were using 3 MDE accounts to book. I’ve learned that if you want your tables to be combined, or at least near each other, the best bet is to check in at the host stand, rather than on the app.

Lightning Lanes, on the other hand, were super easy once we made sure everyone was linked up as Friends and Family, and had their tickets linked to their accounts in MDE. Party size didn’t seem to matter much with 1 exception: if you’re booking multi pass for, say, 15 people, but only 10 of those people want single pass for that day, it’s 2 separate transactions. Kind of annoying but not a huge deal.

We have traveled with a group of 12 before and my best takeaway was to just get everyone on the same page about the (relatively few) things we absolutely want to do as a group, and then not worry if we split up for anything else. Example, my mom really wants to do Small World with all the kids and see the 4 little girls do Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. So we’ll make sure she’s there for those 2 things and otherwise, we’ll go with the flow. Much easier than trying to keep the whole crew together 24/7.

I’ll let you know if I come back with any other tips for big groups, if I survive next week!!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I make Alex check his emails at the beginning and end of each day to see if the official assignment has dropped yet. I just want the confirmation already!

That would drive me crazy! It's an important info!

 

[vamassey1]

What a great Christmas trip. I really want to try Universal someday at Christmas to experience what they have.

Loved your IG updates from Disneyland. What a great memory to all make together.

I'm also dying to know where you're headed next too.

What a big trip all together in June. When are you going? We'll be there with a group of 10 in June too. I love all the firsts you group will be having together. Landon and Evie will be the leaders of the kids since they're experts now.

Any chance your doing the Wine and Dine races? Michelle got her and Danielle signed up for the 5K. I'm so happy for them and so jealous. I'll need to stay her to help watch the boys, but maybe next year they'll be old enough to take and leave with a someone while we do the race all together.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I just need my mom to hurry up and tell them, because I'm terrible at keeping secrets and have almost slipped and said something on numerous occasions.

This made me laugh as I’d totally struggle to keep that secret

It took several days for me to process the news, but I'm looking at it with a positive outlook now. I mean, I don't have any other choice so might as well go into it excited.

You have a great attitude! I think sometimes things exceed our expectations and hopefully you will come to love your new place. Is it bad I’m checking your fb to see where you’re going on a daily basis . I feel like I have travelled a wee bit of the world with you so I’m wishing you the very best

And they have the attitudes to match now

 

[amazingact21]

So exciting! My sister and I are doing a girls trip for springtime surprise as well. (Well, girls plus one nursing baby who can’t realistically be left at home - but 1 tiny sweet baby versus the collective 7 feral kids we usually roll with basically FEELS like zero kids!!) It’s our first Run Disney experience, I’m a little nervous but also so excited.

Congrats on your first runDisney race! They are so much fun, and being surrounded by the community and positivity is like turning the Disney magic dial up high. I hope you and your sister have a wonderful time. Which race are you doing?
The logistics can seem overwhelming the first time, so if you have any questions please feel free to ask. I'd love to help! Perhaps we'll run into one another. The runDisney community is big, but it's also not as large as you'd expect.
Oh! In case you were interested, the DISboards group has a meetup on race mornings. I stop by most mornings and say hi and chat, get those pre-race nerves calmed a little. Let me know if you're interested!

We are headed down next week with fifteen people! 8 adults and 7 kids: 12, 8, 7, 6, 5, 3, and 3 months. Again: nervous but also so excited! For most dining reservations, we broke it up into 2 groups (sometimes 3), which was a little tricky because we were using 3 MDE accounts to book. I’ve learned that if you want your tables to be combined, or at least near each other, the best bet is to check in at the host stand, rather than on the app.

Sounds like you're about to experience the same thing my family is doing. I'm sure I'll have more questions for you as the trip nears! Good info to know about requesting nearby tables at the hostess stand. Thanks!

Party size didn’t seem to matter much with 1 exception: if you’re booking multi pass for, say, 15 people, but only 10 of those people want single pass for that day, it’s 2 separate transactions. Kind of annoying but not a huge deal.

Ahh, this is another good tip to remember. My parents and the 2 year old won't be riding things like Cosmic, so those will definitely have to be 2 transactions.

I’ll let you know if I come back with any other tips for big groups, if I survive next week!!

Please do! I can't wait to hear how it goes.

 

[amazingact21]

What a big trip all together in June. When are you going? We'll be there with a group of 10 in June too. I love all the firsts you group will be having together. Landon and Evie will be the leaders of the kids since they're experts now.

We'll be going around the second week in June since my mom's birthday is the 7th.

Any chance your doing the Wine and Dine races? Michelle got her and Danielle signed up for the 5K. I'm so happy for them and so jealous. I'll need to stay her to help watch the boys, but maybe next year they'll be old enough to take and leave with a someone while we do the race all together.

That's so exciting for them!!! Oh my gosh, they are going to have so much fun. And Wine and Dine was no small feat to register for. I heard the horror stories from registration day.
I wish the Disneyland Halloween races were still happening, because it would have been perfect to recreate your Sanderson sisters outfits!

Sadly, I am skipping runDisney for the '26-'27 season. Between moving and needing to address some health stuff, I needed to take a break for a year. But hopefully when we get out of the military and are living in Florida again I'll be able to make it to a lot more races.

 

[amazingact21]

Is it bad I’m checking your fb to see where you’re going on a daily basis . I feel like I have travelled a wee bit of the world with you so I’m wishing you the very best

I feel like everyone around us is getting their assignments but us. Every time my phone goes off I check it immediately to see if it's Alex. And then when it is, I get disappointed if it's something mundane. I don't care if you stopped by the store and grabbed new lightbulbs, stop teasing me! (An actual response I sent to him when he picked up some replacement bulbs for the garage.)

 

[rdkeim]

I make Alex check his emails at the beginning and end of each day to see if the official assignment has dropped yet. I just want the confirmation already!





It was such a beautiful spot. A little oasis away from the chaos of the parks. Our flight ended up being delayed by 3 hours that afternoon, and I wish they'd pushed it before we made it to the airport. We had a late checkout, and I could've spent more time out in that space!





And they have the attitudes to match now. This has definitely been an interesting age range to navigate.




I'm looking forward to spending time with my family. I've actually never met my brother's girlfriend so this will be a good opportunity to get to know her.




Funny story: Two days before our Thanksgiving trip to Florida, the overseas list dropped. We were presented with the opportunity to go back to the base we were at in Germany. It was really tempting to go back and experience Europe with older kids. Plus, the familiarity was comforting. Already knowing which villages to live in, where to shop, what internet providers to use, etc.
Ultimately, though, we decided to pass for 2 reasons. The first was that I firmly believe what made our time in Germany so special was the community I surrounded myself with. Some of my best friends came out of my time there, and I worried I'd spend the whole time missing what was and who wasn't around anymore.
The second reason was because it was a 3 year commitment, and I'm really feeling like we'll be ready to retire in 2 years. Plus, trying to retire while overseas is a nightmare! So, sadly, we are staying in the continental United States.
But you want to talk about a stressful week! Trying to have these massively important conversations while traveling and being around the entirety of Alex's side of the family. While also not letting them know we were actually considering moving overseas again. I'm glad that's over with!

Solid reasons for your BIG decision! Never having lived the military life, I can only imagine how exciting it must be - yet hard. Looking forward to the rest of the story.....

 

[vamassey1]

We'll be going around the second week in June since my mom's birthday is the 7th.

I think we'll miss you. We're there June 21 - 27.

Sadly, I am skipping runDisney for the '26-'27 season. Between moving and needing to address some health stuff, I needed to take a break for a year. But hopefully when we get out of the military and are living in Florida again I'll be able to make it to a lot more races.

You do need to take care of you.

Maybe by the time you make it back I'll finally do a 5K.

 

[amazingact21]

July 14th Part 5:


Yikes, it’s been a long time since I’ve updated this report. I refused to have another DNF on my trip report record. So let’s finish up with our first Epic day!


Leaving the Mario portal, Alex and I led the group to where we wanted to have dinner. The reviews for Pizza Moon had been extremely positive, so it was a Must Try for us.

The inside of the restaurant is like The Greatest Showman and a 1930s film about space came together.



I loved it.


Nobody was incredibly hungry at this time, so the group agreed to split 2 pizzas. We ordered the Pizza Lunare, which was the internet famous ube pizza. It had garlic and ricotta on an ube crust.




The dish was good. But it was something I felt like I could easily recreate at home. In fact, I do make a ricotta pizza that was similar in taste. So while well-done and a solid pizza, I’m not sure I’d order it again.


The Giant Mushroom pizza, however.

Delicious! The mushrooms with the truffle aioli made for an earthy, garlic-y combination that was a clear favorite with everyone. (Except for Alex. He hates mushrooms.)



With more Epic goodies in our bellies, it was time to venture into our final portal in the park.

And perfect timing, too, because the sun was starting to go down and the sky was darkening.


What better ambience to experience all things monsters?



Man oh man, Dark Universe took my breath away.




It was like stepping into one of Universal’s classic horror films. Bella Lugosi would have been at home strolling towards Darkmoor. Evie, Leslie, and I walked by the buildings in awe, impressed by how well done the area was.



My group came upon the Monsters Unchained attraction, and we began discussing who wanted to ride. I don’t do well with coasters at the end of the day, and the vehicle looked eerily similar to Forbidden Journey at Universal, so I was trying to opt out.

Alex went up to a Team Member and asked how close the two rides were, because, he, too, did not want a repeat of Forbidden Journey. The team member said Monsters was a much smoother version and was not causing the motion sickness issues the other ride was.

Still.

I declined.



Alex and Leslie took one for the team and agreed to take my darling Evie on the attraction. This girl was practically vibrating with excitement.

While talking with us, the Team Member did warn that the attraction was on the scary side and we might want to take that into consideration.

He stared down my little 9 year old daughter.

But there was absolutely no way Evie wasn’t going on Monsters. She was coming alive being around all the macabre and evil creatures lurking in shop photos.


There was zero doubt for Landon. He didn’t even entertain the thought.
So Eddie, Landon, and I bid farewell to the rest of the group and took a stroll around Dark Universe.

Landon hated every minute of it.

This boy despises scary stuff.


This portal is set up in a circle. So from the entrance we had walked straight(ish) to Monsters Unchained. From there we kept walking to the left and passed the Burning Blade Tavern and then the Curse of the Werewolf attraction. (No one in my group wanted to do that one.)

At an outside shop stand, I spotted the cutest bag:


Leslie actually surprised me with this bag for my birthday later in the year.



Pressing on, the two boys and I reached the main store for the land. It is also where they do the monster makeover experiences, and there we perused for a few minutes.

The three of us decided to walk over to the exit of Monsters and wait for the others. When they came out, Evie came running up to me, screaming, “BEST RIDE EVER!!!”

Oh wow.

“IT’S MY NEW FAVORITE!”



Alex caught up to her and I by this point and pulled me aside and said, “The Team Member wasn’t wrong. It was scarier than I thought. I worried Evie would be freaked out, but I looked over at her and she was loving it.”

Evie began tugging on my sleeve. “Mom, you have to do it! You have to! You have to!”


Alex and Leslie began reassuring me that the ride really wasn’t that intense and that I would be able to do it, no problem.

“Mooommmmm, please?!?!”



Landon was horrified, but I agreed to give it a try with Evie and Leslie.

“But you shouldn’t go, Landon,” Alex threw out. He leaned into me and muttered, “Kid would have nightmares for a month.”



I will say, even if you have no desire to ride Monsters, the queue is worth checking out.






The detailing and the little homages to the classic films were amazing. I felt a similar sense of wonder when I walked through the Hogwarts castle for the first time. You could really tell the designers of Darkmoor had a passion for the old time horror movies and really wanted to give guests a place to embrace that spooky side. I’ve since learned Steven Speilberg played a hand in Dark Universe.


Evie wasn’t wrong. I really did need to ride Monsters Unchained. It had a detailed and rich storyline, it had thrills, and it really did not shy away from the scare factor. I think it might be the best ride in Epic Universe.

Us three girls got off so happy to celebrating all things dark and twisted.




I was so grateful I got that experience with those two. Leslie and I can’t wait for the day we get to take Evie to HHN for more scary fun.



While we were off listening to Victora Frankenstein, the boys were over at the Burning Blade Tavern. They ordered a garlic stake snack for us all to try.




This dish was good. And boy did it deliver on the garlic. That was the predominant flavor, which was fine by me. I love garlic. We joked that it would’ve made the perfect appetizer to the pizzas.

Is it something I’d order every visit? No, probably not. But it was worth trying.


Snack completed and my vertigo gone (Monsters did get me a little but it was worth it) all of us headed outside. It was time to catch one of the coolest features of Dark Universe.

The tavern’s blades catching fire!



Such a fantastic feature and something you have to see at night.

(If you go inside the tavern, too, underneath the floorboards is a flashing orange light, meant to look like it’s on fire!)



Continued in Next Post:

 

[amazingact21]

Continued from Previous Post:

Time was running out in Epic, and the boys really wanted to try the butterbeer crepe before the park closed. Leslie and Evie had not had the opportunity to see the rest of Dark Universe since they were riding Monsters, so the group split up boys and girls.




Alex went back into the Ministry of Magic to see if he could get the crepe to-go, but that wasn’t something they did at the restaurant. So Leslie, Evie, and I ended up rushing to catch back up to the group while they waited on the dessert.


Poor Alex had to ask if he could get the strawberries on the side since I’m allergic to them, and it caused a bit of a hullabaloo. Protocol dictated the chef come out and speak with him, and I guess he was trying to insist he not include the strawberries at all. However, everyone else in the group really wanted to try the food with the fruit, so Alex kept having to beg the chef to put them in a bowl.

It was a whole thing.



Eventually, we made it to the boys and realized we practically had the restaurant to ourselves. It was closing in about ten minutes and all the Team Members were standing around, waiting out the clock.

The crepe arrived:



And then the Team Member who brought it basically pulled up a chair and joined us. He stood around, asking us question after question, wanting me to go into me detail about my allergy, etc.

It was awkward.

Here’s the thing. The gentleman was sweet as could be. He was trying to go above and beyond and cater to that higher class of customer service. His shift was almost finished, he didn’t have much else to do, and he was being friendly.

But it was the end of a long day. I was tired. I was trying to cut this single crepe into 6 servings. I was doing my best to listen to Landon and Evie talk at the same time. I was wanting to know what everyone thought of the dish. And I was trying to be as quick as possible because Leslie wanted to dash out and catch the end of the night fountain show near the Helios hotel.



It was not an easy experience made none the easier by an over-enthusiastic Team Member. The poor fellow. I’m sure had we been there at lunch time and weren’t trying to rush, he would have been the highlight of our meal. But sir, my kid has whip cream over their chin and is complaining their feet hurt and Leslie never sat down, ready as she was to bolt back outdoors.

Not the time, friend.



My sister in-law leading the charge, we dashed out of the Ministry of Magic area as fast as we entered, spotting this adorable niffler in the window as passed.




We made it to the fountains right as the show began.





It was a nice way to the close the park for the night, and I recommend anyone who is visiting for the first time watch it. I really liked how they lit up each portal as they said goodnight.


It was a shame we couldn’t stay in Epic later, because the beauty of the Celestial Park really comes alive in the dark.



This would be a great park to visit in the winter when it gets dark around 5 and you have hours to enjoy the lights.


My group headed towards the exit, with the kids begging to hit up the shops on the way out.





Shopping is low on my list of favorite things, but I’ve been given two kids who LOVE to browse. It’s a cherished part of their vacation.

I was exhausted by that point (hello, unknown sickness) but these tiny humans of mine seemed to have gained a second wind. They were energetic and buzzing from shelf to shelf, no sign that we’d been in a theme park for over 12 hours.

At one point Landon came up to me holding a stuffed dragon and said, “I am going to get this one.”

“Awesome, bud. We finished?”

“I think so. Yeah, I think I’m going to get this –“ Here, readers, insert a complex dragon name like Fire-Breathing Scorpion tail.

“Sounds great.”

“Should I get –“ Again, imagine a name like Three-Pronged Ice Breaker.

“If you really want it, then go ahead, son.”

Landon nodded. Then said, “Okay. Definitely getting ____ and it’s tail bends too.”

Me, half listening, growing more tired by the second, “All right, kid. Keep ____ and go grab It’s Tail Bends Too and let’s go pay so we can leave.”

“Tail Bends Too? What are you talking about, Mom?”



Alex and the others had found us at that exact moment.

“You said you want Snargle Tooth Crimson Wave and Tail Bends Too, so let’s get it and go.”

Landon and now Evie burst into uproarious laughter.

“That’s not a dragon, Mom! That’s what the dragon I’m holding does!”

Ahh.

And so birthed one of the most repeated phrases of the trip. The kids LOVED to randomly shout out, “Hey Mom, it’s tail bends too!”

A lesson was learned.

I shouldn’t stay in a theme park past my bedtime.

A fatigued Alicia is a comedy goldmine for the kids.



Souvenirs purchased (sans Tail Bends Too) we said farewell to Epic.





The walk back to Stella was long but manageable. We got the kids going with their nighttime routine, and Alex and I went down to the food court to fill waters. We stopped by the 3rd floor to check out the cool ceiling.



They couldn’t put any rooms in this stretch because of the height of the lobby so they added a little pizzazz to the area. A nice touch.



While we were on our own, Alex and I sat down in the lobby:



And commiserated a tiny bit about how the day didn’t go quite how we were hoping it would. I could tell Alex was really upset he didn’t get to do the Ministry ride or Stardust Racers. And how much time we spent in Mario World. He really wanted to go on a few more rides.

It was a bout of conflicting emotions. Grateful we had the chance to experience any of Epic. Disappointment that we catered to so much of what his siblings seemed to want. I know he didn’t regret going with his siblings, but I knew he also couldn’t stop thinking about how different it would have been had it just been us four.

Like I said, it was a complicated mood.


I tried to let him know that we were tired. We still had a lot of trip left to do. We needed to get some sleep and the disappointment would probably slough off in the morning.



Up Next: I’m Cooked