Picture It with Priscila

How to Have a “Perfect” Day at Epic Universe

I just went on my first visit to Epic Universe, and wow, is it amazing!!! This is now my second favorite park in the world – Disneyland is still number one (a huge part due to nostalgia and personal history). Epic Universe is massive (can’t wait to see how they grow it), beautiful (you can tell they put money into it), rich in storytelling, boasts great food, and is just overall, one of the best places to simply exist in. Honestly, one of my favorite parts was sitting on the lawn, watching the fountain, listening to one of the most impressive background tracks, and chatting with my friend.

While this park is truly epic (pun intended), wait times can get pretty high. For example, the newest Harry Potter attraction averages a 2-3 hour wait with it having climbed up to 4 hours on 2 of 4 days and causing the attraction to have to close their queue 2 hours ahead of park closing. Therefore, it’s important to be flexible while also building a plan so I think the best way to prepare the “perfect” day is to prioritize the must do’s and then build the rest of the day around those. Another option would be to get the Express Pass, but I know that’s not feasible for every party. 

I wrote the different experiences in the order of “must do” to “nice to do” in the main categories of attractions and shows. For dining, I also went in order of favorites, but by restaurant locations with details of the dishes in the description. This will all be based on what I’ve personally experienced so you have a “buffet” menu to help start building YOUR perfect day while allowing space for your own exploration. I hope this helps you have your “most epic” day at Epic Universe! 

Attractions

  • Harry Potter And The Battle At The Ministry – WOW, this ride blew my mind! I could not believe how this whole thing was happening and how big everything was. Plus, the story was original, but still realistic in the Wizarding World. My jaw fell open and I was just completely mesmerized. If you are a fan of Harry Potter, this might be your new favorite ride in the world. It is for me. However, is it worth a 4 hour wait? No, I think it’s worth a 90-120 minute ride if it’s your first time experiencing it, but there’s too many other great things at Epic Universe for you to spend 4 hours in one queue if you only have a day. Also, it’s motion-sickness approved per my friend! 
  • Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment – This is the other headliner attraction, and it is truly a headliner. There’s multiple animatronics that bring to life the Universal Monsters in a brand new story. It’s just a little bit scary, a whole lot cooler, and surprisingly, it’s another motion sickness approved ride despite using the same ride vehicle as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.  
  • Hiccup’s Wing Gliders – This roller coaster was a dark horse for me. On the outside, it looks like a family roller coaster, and while it is, it definitely also has more thrill than what you see. Plus, Universal does the best job with storytelling on roller coasters, and this one is no exception. Paired with the music, it’s a can’t miss. Don’t miss this one – trust me. 

  • Stardust Racers – This is your adrenaline-racing thrill roller coaster although it also does have a backstory. Basically, the Celestians in Celestial Park are inviting us to race on comets which is why the coasters are the ones that are lit up at night instead of the track. How cute is that? I found the yellow side more thrilling, but it’s literally split 50-50 on the Internet so do both and try it both in the daytime and at night! 
  • Donkey Kong: Mine-Cart Madness – This is a shorter roller coaster so while it’s not worth the 3 hour wait it can get to, if you can rope drop this and ride it with a less than 45 minute wait, I think it’s worth doing at least once if you’ve got multiple days. It was less exciting for me as a story since I’m not as familiar with Nintendo World, but I still had a lot of fun.
  • Constellation Carousel – This is like the most epic form of a carousel you can imagine. There’s a double rotation (if you choose those animals), lights, enchanting music, and animals designed after constellations. Best ridden at night which is also signified by the longer lines at night!
  • Curse of the Werewolf – This is a spinning roller coaster, but besides some thrill, I didn’t get as much story so it was less exciting for me. 

  • Dragon Racer’s Rally – While the goal may be to get as many barrel rolls as you can, I found it quite hard! Also, since the load and unload process takes some time, the actual time you spend on the ride is quite short. Fine for a 20 minute wait, but I would not wait more than 30 minutes. However, the queue is cute, showcasing other trophies that dragon racers in Berk have won, and you get a nice aerial view of Berk.

  • Yoshi’s Adventure – Cute, but it’s the most simplistic ride at Epic Universe. You ride in a Yoshi, encounter character animatronics, and press buttons when you notice certain eggs. 
  • Fyre Drill – This is the water ride, and unfortunately, it was too cold the last 2 days I was there to ride it. However, I hear great things about it and am definitely excited to try it in the future! 
  • Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – We didn’t prioritize this as I heard this was the same ride in Hollywood. Great fun, but not a priority at Epic Universe if you’ve been to Universal Studios Hollywood.

Shows

  • The Untrainable Dragon – The thing I loved most about this show was the music. The acting, the props, and the special effects were all great, but the music tied everything together beautifully. Simple story but done really well and a great 20 minute break from the outdoors. 
  • Le Cirque Arcanus – Another simple story done well, but I didn’t love the logistics of how the audience was moved. However, the queue and theater decor are both amazing. Really brings the “small tent, big space” of the Wizarding World to life.

Foods

  • Pizza Moon – This was my favorite quick service restaurant in Epic, and I do think it’s a lot of people’s favorite as well! My recommendation (like many others) is Pizza Lunare – you get roasted garlic béchamel, fromage de lune, ricotta, pancetta, and garlic confit on a purple celestial ube crust. This was SOOOO good – they make the pizzas fresh so it’s hot, cheesy, and has a nice chew. Not sure if it’s the ube, the crust, the pizza oven, or maybe all of it, but the crust texture is really well done! Then, for dessert, I recommend the Lunar Phase Cake – it’s a Meyer lemon olive oil cake with limoncello sabayon, blackberries, raspberry crisps. You get a moist but light cake and it has a beautiful (not artificial) lemon flavor paired with berries – what’s not to love?
  • Atlantic – If you have time, I recommend this table service restaurant. Not only is it beautifully themed, you get an epic view of Epic, and the food is really good. Celestial Park swings it out of the park with the food options. We split the Grouper Sandwich and The Atlantic Burger “Au Poivre” and if you have another person who can split with you, I highly recommend this combo. Both were delicious, well made, and fairly priced. Dessert was less exciting for me. We got El Pulpo and Passion Fruit “Caviar” – I liked the “caviar” more due to the tropical notes (plus, it came with a tin you can take home), but both were fine and very Instagrammable. 
  • Spit Fyre Grill – This spot is great if you’re looking for something quick in Berk. We got Meatlug’s Chicken Bowl which is a great option if you want something light, but the PB and J – Pork, Bacon and Jam mac and cheese cone is indulgent and heartier. Both would pair well with Stoick’s Ale which is a honey white ale, but it’s also a great walking beer. 

  • Mead Hall – We got the Thawfest Platter so we got a nice selection of meat, veg, and fries to eat and all were pretty good with our favorite being the sausage. We also got to try Gronckle’s Bread Pudding which was delightful – you can definitely taste the cinnamon in the bread pudding so if you’re not a fan of that, this might not be for you. 
  • Café L’air De La Sirène – I had to try the Butterbeer crepe! It comes with two so it’s definitely shareable. I loved it as a Butterbeer and Harry Potter fan, but my friend was less of a fan so the fan whimsy might need to be present for this one to be a must have. 

  • Das Steakhaus – The caliber of food is so good at Epic that this quick service is my least favorite even though it is truly a solid food option. It might have had to do with my ordering as my chicken, Bird on a Stake, was drier than the chicken sandwich, “Blood” Orange Chicken Sandwich. The Darkmoor Black Wings were good wings, but not my favorite. The desserts, Labotocotta and Red Velvet Death, felt similar to the Atlantic desserts – fine and very Instagrammable, but not something I would write home about. 
  • How To Treat Your Dragon – This is a bakery case location, and we chose a cake pop. The chocolate cake pop looked so good in videos, but it was too sweet (too much frosting to cake ratio) and too dry. Not sure if it was just our luck or chocolate was less popular, but I was definitely disappointed with this one. 

A note on Universal dining! While a few quick service locations have a mobile order pickup area where you then go find your own table and/or seat, most locations require you to sit at a table and they bring your order out to you. It’s both a pro and a con. Pro: it’s nice to get a table service experience at a lower price point. Con: you may have to get into a queue to even get your order. 

Final Thoughts

I hope this post was helpful for planning your Epic Universe day. Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer!

“Everything” You Can Do on the Disney Fantasy

I just went on my first Disney cruise, which was also my first cruise ever! It was the Disney Fantasy (and yes, it was a “sweet, sweet fantasy” – thanks Mariah!). Side note, did you know that she’s actually the godmother of the ship? It’s only right I pay homage! 

While I loved all the tips and tricks and vlogging videos I saw on social media, I had a hard time finding a place where things were consolidated over multiple days so hopefully, this is helpful for someone like me! I wrote the different experiences in the order of “must do” to “nice to do” in the main categories of dining, activities, and shows. This will all be based on what I’ve personally experienced so you have a good preview of what to expect as you won’t have access to the schedule until you get on board. However, if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to know what activities relate to all the fun videos you see on social media as I like to think I did accomplish all the “must do’s” on the ship!

Dining

  • Remy – This is an adults-only, extra charge dining on the Dream and Fantasy. It’s French inspired, and the brunch menu is a collaboration between Chefs Arnaud Lallement and Scott Hunnel who have both worked in Michelin starred restaurants. For dinner, they have each curated a menu and they do change so you should see a new menu each time you sail (unless you sail the Dream/Fantasy more than once a year).

  • Enchanted Garden – This is one of the rotational dining locations, and this one had my favorite menu. For apps, the tuna tartare is solid. For entrees, you are spoiled – the prime rib is great, the scallops are delicious (but skip the couscous), and the fish is wonderful. If you had to choose, I would go with the fish, but if you’re feeling more hungry, a surf and turf of the prime rib and scallops is a great way to go! For dessert, get the sticky date pudding and the lemon mousse bomb. Spoiler alert: the no sugar-added options on a Disney cruise turned out to be pretty good! 
  • Royal Court – This is the second of the rotational dining locations, and my second favorite menu. For apps, the deep fried brie is the way to go. While the lobster/shrimp app sounds exciting and is ok, it might not be what you were expecting. For entrees, the lamb chops and the salmon were the highlights. The duck was a bit too overcooked for me. However, for dessert, both the souffle and the creme brulee were great! 
  • Animator’s Palate – This is the last of the rotational dining locations, and while the ambiance is my favorite, the menu was the least exciting for me. For apps, the black truffle purseittes are unrivaled on DCL. For entrees, we went with the beef tenderloin and were happy with our choices although it was probably not the most unique. For dessert, the cheesecake is really good, but also really rich and the lemon icebox pie is a great balance of tart and sweet. 
  • Cove Bar – This is another adults-only, extra charge coffee bar. I actually didn’t mind the free coffee that was included so I was able to fight the temptation of a latte, but I did indulge on an espresso martini and realized I was missing out! Do not make the same mistake I did and in case you didn’t know, there’s a creamy option so it’s like a mocha martini! 

  • Cars-inspired eateries – These are your pool deck eateries that are open for lunch and remain open even after Cabanas (aka the buffet) closes. This is where you can slide up and get a slice of pizza, a burger, chicken tenders, burrito bowl, tacos, wraps, and salads. It’s also a great place to get a pre-dinner snack especially if you’re in the second seating! 
  • Cabanas – This is the buffet of the ship and most importantly… where you get the churro waffles on that one special morning during each trip! Other than that, it’s a great place to grab a variety of things for breakfast or lunch as it’s not open for dinner. 

  • Eye Scream – It’s crazy how one of my favorite places (the ice cream place!) is actually close to the bottom of the list – I think that notes how wonderful the food on the cruise is. It’s actually lovely soft serve that has rotating flavors although I am quite loyal to the chocolate/vanilla swirl.
  • Europa – This is the area of the cruise that is a collection of lounges that serves as family spaces in the daytime and adults-only after 9 PM. I only had one drink of the day during some entertainment, and it wasn’t my favorite, but I think that’s due to my ordering.  

I will say that while I wrote about how wonderful the food is, I should note that in general, it’s not food that you dream about (churro waffle and Remy excluded), but it is food that you really enjoy at the moment. And most importantly, consistently enjoying. I don’t think I had one meal that I was sad about because you could literally get or ask for something else that you did enjoy. Having a myriad of choices is definitely a privilege, and I do dream about that. 

Activities

  • Sailing Away Party – Classic show, and I’ve heard it’s a slightly different version on each of the ship classes. I loved this show – it was exciting, energetic, and the best way to start the cruise!  
  • Mickey’s Pirate of the Caribbean – A Disney classic that ends in fireworks! Bring some pirate clothing or accessories and join the fun! 
  • Art of the Theme Tour – If you love details and history, this is the ship activity to prioritize! You learn so much about the design of the ship and it’s a great way to explore spaces you might not have paid as much attention to earlier. 

  • Detective Midship Agency – This is an activity exclusively for the Dream and the Fantasy so take advantage! If you don’t know what it is, it’s an interactive game where you go around to the active paintings to get clues to solve 1 of 3 mysteries. It’s a great way to get steps, see different parts of the ship, and have fun. 
  • Aquaduck – This is the water roller coaster onboard, and it is more fun than it looks! Plus, it’s oddly serene floating above everyone on the pool deck. 
  • Match Your Mate – Apparently, this is the classic couples’ game on cruises so while not novel or unique to Disney cruises, it is still great adult entertainment. 
  • Trivia – I’m guessing this is also on other cruises but classic fun. Plus, you can win a medal if you do win! 
  • Character Dance Party – We stumbled on this after our Remy brunch, but it was super cute! Fantastic music and you can learn some cool moves from Mickey and Friends. 
  • Learn to Draw – I love the animation classes at Disney California Adventure Park, but unfortunately, the classes on the cruises aren’t quite like those. You don’t have a live artist showing you the steps. Rather, it’s a video of an animator guiding you through the steps. For me personally, I found it harder to follow along, but you do get more chances to draw unique characters such as Nick from Zootopia or BB-8 from Star Wars. 

Shows

  • Believe – This was my favorite show since it was completely new. It’s a collection of Disney songs that weave together a sweet father-daughter story and magic. Definitely don’t miss it! 
  • Aladdin – This was a retelling of the classic Aladdin story. I was worried it was going to be like the old Disney California Adventure Park show or the Broadway show, but it was its own thing, and it was really good. Great special effects as well! 

  • Frozen – This was a retelling of Frozen but like the Aladdin show, it was also different (and may I say better?) than the old Disney California Adventure Park show and the Broadway show.
  • Victrophonics – This was a concert-like event on Pirates Night where villains’ songs got a 1920s twist. Great live music entertainment, but not a must if there’s another activity you may want to do instead. 

Final Thoughts

I hope this post was helpful for understanding what you can expect on the Disney Fantasy! Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer!

How to Spend a Day at Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

I just went on my first Disney cruise, and part of the trip was a day to visit Disney’s newest private island, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. Apparently, there’s actually a lighthouse, but we didn’t venture to see that. Instead, we took advantage of the adults-only food and beach! NOTE: In case that wasn’t clear, the focus on the blog will be adults related activity on the private island. 

We didn’t head out the minute we docked – instead, we took some time to eat breakfast and get ready (don’t forget sunscreen) before heading out. If you didn’t know, there’s a bridge that connects the ship to the land. It looks daunting, but honestly, it’s a 10 minute walk. It can get warm as you walk (depending on your weather), but otherwise, it’s a paved and flat surface. And while exercise is good, know that this walk is extra good as it was built so that the sea bed would be protected and that no tender boats would be needed. Yay for protecting the ocean!

After arriving at the Lookout Cay sign, you’ll board a tram that will take you to the main section of the island. I would plan 15-20 minutes for this section – this includes waiting for a tram and riding the tram itself. There is a walking path, but the tram ride was long enough that I would recommend taking the tram to save yourself time and energy. 

Once you arrive at the main section, you’ll see stores (I think most, if not all, merch is island-exclusive) so I would take some time to peruse. You’ll also see some photo ops of artwork that alludes to the Fab 5. Then, you’ll likely see the Goombay Cultural Center that houses craft activities and is also the site for RUSH: A Junkanoo Celebration. I would definitely watch a bit of that as it celebrates Bahamian culture. 

After that, I would head over to Serenity Bay for some adults-only luxuriation. NOTE: I found it a bit difficult to find a map of Lookout Cay, but all the Cast Members I talked to were very helpful and guided us in the right direction. It was definitely faster and easier to ask than find a map. At Serenity Bay, there are towels (no need to grab those early), bathrooms, Serenity Bay BBQ, and the adults-only beach with loungers and chairs. We heard Serenity Bay BBQ had pretty much the same options as Tru Tru BBQ (family eatery) with the addition of steaks. NOTE: Get the steak – it was one of the best steaks we ate on our trip. The meat was well marbled, well seasoned, and smoky from the fire cooking. Amazing! 

After indulging on steak, ribs, sandwiches, salads, fruits, and ice cream, it was time to head over to the beach! While it would be amazing in itself to just relax on a lounger, sunbathe, read, or nap, I can say it’s more fun to go in the water. NOTE: Bring goggles as you don’t even need snorkel gear to see tropical fish near the rock formations. Thank you to the random stranger who kindly offered the goggles he didn’t need anymore and my friend for saying yes because I thought “why do we need goggles?”! 

I hope you enjoyed learning how we spent our day at Lookout Cay. We spent a total of about 4-5 hours and didn’t feel rushed at all from beginning to end. You can definitely start or end later if you want more beach or ship time, depending how you feel. Overall, I just don’t know how I can go back to going to regular beaches because this was the absolute form of luxuriation I didn’t know was missing in my life. Food, drinks, towels, clean bathrooms, and a pretty empty beach where I didn’t have to worry about my stuff getting taken, how do I go back?! I hope everyone gets a chance to experience this once! Please share if you’ve been or if you have any questions!