Epic Universe Archives - Laughing Lindsay

A Look Back at 2025

December 31, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

Since it’s the last day of the year, I thought I’d post a look back at 2025!

A Look Back at 2025

Well, back in 2024, I said that I wasn’t sure where 2025 would take me. However, I hinted at a bucket list trip to kick off the new year. That trip was to New York City with my husband! From there on, the year was filled with several last minute trips. I don’t particularly care for last minute trips and prefer to be more intentional with my trips. However, that’s just how some years go! In 2025, I managed to take 9 trips! Granted, several of those were quick 24-48 hour weekend trips. Nonetheless, I felt like I traveled too much in the first half of the year (6 trips) and slowed way down in the second half (3 trips). I also got sick in October and that lasted until late November (Covid that turned into bronchitis). So, that also slowed me down. I’m currently looking to plan some trips in 2026, just trying to narrow down my options. Here’s a look at where I’ve been in 2025 though.

New York at Christmas

My 2025 started with a bang! My husband and I visited NYC in early January to experience it at Christmas! I finally got to see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in person! I also go to see the Rockettes perform! It was a quick 48 hours trip, but it’s one I think about often. I hope I get to return to NYC at Christmastime again someday.

Dollywood by Myself

In March, I made a real last minute trip to Dollywood… by myself! You see, I’m not much of a driver. It tends to cause me a lot of stress. So, this was the first trip I’ve taken where I drove myself! I knew if I made a plan too far in advance, then I might chicken out. I booked my room a week or so out and then didn’t tell anyone except for my husband just in case I didn’t do it. Ha! I surprised my mom by sending her pictures of my room and she was absolutely shocked that I drove myself. It sounds crazy, but I am proud of the progress I’ve made to overcome my driving anxiety.

The Beach

The first trip my mom and I ever took after my dad died was to Myrtle Beach. That was in 2013. However, we hadn’t returned to the beach since then. When we were attempting to nail down a spring trip, I suggested returning to MB and my mom liked the idea. We ended up spending a few days in Myrtle and then a night in Charleston. It was a nice trip that I’m glad we took together.

Epic Universe

Yet another last minute trip happened at the beginning of May. I got to visit Epic Universe for park previews before its official opening! I can’t believe I got to experience a park before it officially opened to the public. It’s a real pinch me moment. It was so surreal and I’m glad I had the time and funds to make it happen.

Return to Tweetsie

The first theme park I ever visited was Tweetsie Railroad! I visited with my aunt and cousins as a child, but hadn’t returned. I kept talking about returning as an adult, but it wasn’t until May of this year that I finally did it. My husband and I took a real last minute weekend trip down to Boone, NC and visited this park. It was neat to re-create photos from my childhood and to see how things are going now. I hope I can return someday to experience its Halloween and Christmas events.

I Met Bob Gurr

In September, I took a whirlwind trip to California. While there, I got to meet former Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend, Bob Gurr! Talk about another pinch me moment. I still can’t believe that happened either. However, I am so thankful I was able to meet him and see his home. During that trip, I also got to eat at Tam O’Shanter, a Walt Disney favorite. Then, I went down to Anaheim to visit Disneyland for Halloween again. It was a tiring trip made worse by a flight diversion to Charlotte at the end. Anyways, I’m not sure I have it in me for another West Coast trip anytime soon.

Looking Ahead to 2026

I always like to give a little preview of what’s to come in the new year in these posts. However, as of this writing, I don’t have it figured out yet. Traveling has gotten much harder for my mom. She now requires lots of breaks and we will probably stick to driving distance trips. It’s all pretty new, so we are still figuring it out.

Although, I did renew my Dollywood pass for 2026 and upgraded to a Diamond pass for the first time! So, there should be at least 1 or 2 trips there next year.

Where do you plan on visiting in 2026? Where do you think I should go?

Universal Epic Universe Tips

May 22, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe but Universal Epic Universe is officially opening today! Having recently attended a preview, I thought I would share some tips to help make your trip better!

Universal Epic Universe

As I stated in my preview review, I spent two days at Epic while it was in technical rehearsal. So, while I assume some operational changes will occur, I think I can still provide some general tips to help your trip go smoothly. For readability purposes, I am dividing my tips out by category.

What to Bring

Water bottle – This park has lots of water bottle refill stations around the park! I love that, personally. So, I highly recommend bringing your own water bottle and refilling it whenever you see a station.
Hat and Sunscreen – Celestial Park has virtually no shade and you have to walk through it to get to the other lands. So, I highly suggest packing a hat and sunscreen. I even saw some folks carrying a UV umbrella. I wear a UV jacket whenever I’m outside.
Phone charger – You will be on your phone a lot here. The park map, mobile ordering, and virtual queues are all in the UO app. Between using the app and taking pictures, you will drain your phone’s battery pretty quickly. Bring a phone charger.
Comfortable shoes – This one is pretty standard for theme park visits. Just wanted to remind everyone. Also, please wear deodorant. I smelled several people during my last visit.

Eating

Have a card saved to the app – During previews, they were forcing guests to mobile order food. Having a credit/debit/Visa gift card saved to the app ahead of time saves you time and effort in the park.
Use the restroom and wash your hands before entering restaurants – I wish this wasn’t a tip I was giving. However, for whatever reason, the decision was made to not put restrooms inside most of the restaurants. So, if you need to go, you have to leave the restaurant. It’s best to go before entering the restaurant.
You might have to eat outdoors – If the indoor restaurants are busy, they might not let you sit inside without ordering food from that restaurant.

Tips for Scheduling

Arrive early – It’s not as hot earlier in the day. Plus, you might able to ride stuff before it goes down in the middle of the day.
Take your time – This is a very highly themed park. Slow down to appreciate all of the little details.
Take a mid-day break – I feel so much better when I get out of the heat during the hottest part of the day (sometime between 1-4 PM) by taking a break in my hotel room. I love to grab a snack from the park or hotel, head up to the room for a quick shower and nap. It’s very refreshing.

Epic Universe Tips

So, those are my tips for visiting Universal Epic Universe specifically. Did I miss anything? Also, feel free to check out my general theme park bag post for other suggestions of what to bring.

Epic Universe Preview Review

May 7, 2025 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

On May 1st and 2nd, I was lucky enough to attend the Epic Universe Preview at Universal Orlando Resort! This new park officially opens on May 22nd. However, there are still two week left of previews. So, I thought I would do a little review for anyone considering going.

Epic Universe Preview

I don’t currently have an annual pass to UO. So, when they opened previews to hotel guests, I booked a two night stay at Stella Nova Resort (review to come later) a week in advance and headed down south! However, before I could get there, they opened the event up to the general public. So, the remainder of the days are available for anyone to visit. I paid $144 and $149 for each day. I think that’s pretty typical for the prices they are charging for this.

The Park is Gorgeous

Let’s start with the obvious: this park is simply beautiful. I love the attention to details and impeccable theming around every corner. I encourage everyone to slow down and really appreciate how great everything looks. As a theme park fan, it’s a one of a kind park with every land being so highly themed. It’s even better if you are a fan of the different IPs represented, but you don’t have to be to enjoy a visit.

Unreliable Experiences

Universal warns when you purchase a ticket and when you enter the park that it’s in technical rehearsal. As such, not everything will be running at all times. However, I don’t think that necessarily prepares you for the amount of downtime and long waits you might face in the park. At one point, every ride (minus the carousel) was a 55+ minute wait! Minecraft Madness experiences lots of downtime and delayed openings (as happened on my day). Monsters Unchained also experiences lots of downtime.

The Ministry of Magic ride is almost impossible to ride. I tried several times over the course of two days to enter the virtual queue, but never was successful. I was able to select a time once but then it failed. So, no tips for that one. Maybe just don’t count on being able to ride it.

I got lucky with the two shows. I’ve read that the Fantastic Beasts will sometimes go down in the pre-show. I’ve also heard about technical issues with Toothless in the How to Train Your Dragon show. Thankfully, I was able to watch both shows without incident on the first try! I enjoyed both shows and found them to be fun.

The Food Ordering Situation

For whatever reason, they are forcing everyone to mobile order their food. Then, you wait to have it brought to your table. Personally, I dislike mobile order because I like to use resort gift cards and/or cash to pay for things. I ended up using a Visa gift card and had only one issue.

At Toadstool Cafe I ordered spaghetti and waited 40 minutes before flagging a Team Member down to inquire about my order. They left to check on it and never came back. I waited another 20 minutes before flagging someone else down. He went to check and came back. Apparently, they were out of pasta. They offered me a burger, but I wasn’t interested. So, they offered a refund, which I was happy to take. Unfortunately, they can’t refund a gift card. I had to offer up my debit card to receive payment and that took a few days.

Another glaring issue with mobile order is the lack of indoor/shaded dining. I had to stand out in the sun to order in Isle of Berk. Then, they would prefer you ordered food to eat inside Mead Hall. I had ordered Yaknog and had to get approval to sit inside with my outside food to drink my drink.

Hopefully, they allow guests to order at a register when they officially open. Also, the indoor restaurants don’t currently have any napkins or silverware out. So, you will have to flag someone down if you don’t have any.

Sidenote: Similar to the other UOR parks, there’s only two sit down restaurants in this park (akin to Lombard’s Seafood Grille). Unfortunately, Blue Dragon isn’t open yet and I didn’t want to pay big bucks to eat at Atlantic by myself. However, I look forward to trying them in the future.

Tips for Attending Epic Universe Previews

Arrive early – Take advantage of Early Park Admission if you are a hotel guest. The wait times only build during the day.
Bring a hat and sunscreen – There’s very little shade in this park. I even saw some folks carrying umbrellas for shade and that may not be a bad idea.
Bring a water bottle – This park has a water bottle filler at every bathroom and beside most water fountains. It’s great for staying hydrated!
Pack your patience – Rides have delayed openings and go down frequently. I don’t know when things will start to work more consistently. I doubt the grand opening will fix these issues either. Just be patient.
Have a card attached to your account – You will be required to mobile order food. Having a card (debit, credit, or gift) attached makes it quicker and easier to order.

Should you attend a Epic Universe preview?

Personally, the ability to see a theme park before it officially opens was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don’t regret my decision to go at all. It was hot and more crowded than I expected. I rode way fewer rides than I anticipated. However, I still had a good time and have good memories from the trip.

So, have you attended this soft opening? What was your experience like?

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

April 24, 2024 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I know that it can be difficult to narrow down where to go on vacation. So, I thought I would make an Orlando Theme Parks Guide to help people figure out which park is right for their trip.

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

When planning a family vacation to Florida, it can be difficult to know which destinations are worth your hard earned money and limited time. Having visited most of the area’s parks, I thought I would do a quick overview of each park and who it’s ideal for.

Magic Kingdom

First up, I’ll start with the busiest one – Magic Kingdom. It’s the OG, the first theme park in Orlando. It’s the one with the big castle. Ha! It’s located at the Walt Disney World resort and typically costs the most to visit on a single day. I think it has a reputation for being for children (given it has Fantasyland) but I think it’s great for everyone. It seemingly has the most to do for laid back types. The food in the park is a little lacking, but I can recommend Crystal Palace Character Breakfast. This park is great for those who are young at heart.

Epcot

Epcot, also at WDW, is seen as an adults park. It’s a food mecca with a plethora of options! There’s also lots of drinks to be had, if you are of age and into that. I love visiting when there’s a festival going on for even more food and drink options! This park also has some cool stuff for kids including the Frozen and Remy rides. It is great for history buffs to learn about different countries. Kids would probably enjoy Akershus Princess Breakfast or Garden Grill Character Dinner. Adults can just pick any restaurant in the World Showcase!

Hollywood Studios

This was originally similar to visiting the big studios in Hollywood. When it opened in 1989, it was supposed to give you a behind the scenes look at movies. It doesn’t do that anymore, but it’s still fun. It’s obviously great for Star Wars and Toy Story fans. Plus, the Fantasmic Dining Package is lots of fun for all ages. It has similar vibes to Disney’s California Adventure Park, if you are familiar with it.

Animal Kingdom

Opened in the 90’s, it’s WDW newest theme park. As its name implies, it’s perfect for animal lovers! You have to ride the Kilimanjaro Safari ride! The Caring for Giants Tour is also great for elephant fans. This park has several good food options: Yak and Yeti for adults or Tusker House Character Meal are just two good places.

Universal Studios Florida

Moving over to Universal Orlando Resort, there’s Universal Studios Florida. Opened in 1990, it’s an edgier park. I love the seasonal events held at this park. I highly recommend visiting during Mardi Gras. If you are into horror/Halloween, then Halloween Horror Nights is amazing as well! The rides here are more intense than the ones at Disney. However, they just added Minion Land in 2023 and DreamWorks Land is coming in 2024! My preferred meals here are at Minions Cafe and Today Cafe (unless the seasonal booths are an option).

Islands of Adventure

Almost a decade after opening USF, Universal opened Islands of Adventure. Personally, I spend way more time at USF than IoA. However, I make time to check out Grinchmas here during the Holidays. Lots of people like Jurassic Park here as well. I don’t have a go to food place here. I guess this one is best if you like the specific IPs represented here.

Epic Universe

The newest theme park in Orlando is Epic Universe! Opened in May 2025, it features another Harry Potter land, a Universal Monsters land, Super Nintendo World, Isle of Berk, and Celestial Park. I wrote a whole separate Universal Epic Universe Tips post with tips for visiting this park. As of August 2025, you still have to purchase a one day ticket to this park to visit it. However, it’s a great addition to the Orlando theme park space!

SeaWorld Orlando

If you have a big marine animal lover or a roller coaster enthusiast, then SeaWorld Orlando may be worth a day or two. My mom and I have done several animal add-on experiences here and loved each one! The Sharks Underwater Grill makes for a fun meal. They have lots of fun shows to watch and have been adding a new coaster about once a year for the past several years. In a few years, they will even have their own resort! So, this one is growing and will have even more to enjoy in a few years time.

Legoland Florida

Technically, Legoland Florida is in Cypress Gardens. However, it looks neat for the Lego fans in your life. I wish they were closer to an airport or provided a shuttle. You would probably need to rent a car to visit this one, but it looks fun. I’ve never visited, but I’m open to it.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

This is also technically not in Orlando. However, I know some people will rent a car to drive over to Tampa or ride a shuttle over. Busch Gardens Tampa is owned by the same company that owns SeaWorld. It is also great for animal lovers and coaster enthusiasts. My mom and I enjoyed our short visit here last year. You can read my Busch Gardens Tampa Animal Tours review for insight into some of their add-on experiences.

Orlando Theme Parks Guide

I attempted to cover the main “big” Orlando theme parks in this post, along with a few bonus parks. Which ones have you visited? Which one is your favorite?