OPINION: Planning for perfection

I’m easily excitable when it comes to Disney, as those who consistently read my columns know. This enthusiasm came back out quite a bit in November. As my family all came together for my grandfather’s funeral, my sister and I were spending more time together, sharing a hotel room at night. This eventually led to us discussing and planning her birthday trip to Disney World.

A trip we’ve been planning for a while, my sister and I will be going to Orlando, Florida, for her 21st birthday. Yes, we might be a bit ahead of the game - she turns 21 in April 2026. However, as a Disney adult and someone who wants to have the perfect trip, I know this involves a lot of planning and booking ahead of time.

Though not everything can be planned to perfection ahead of time (i.e. constantly changing lightning lanes, ride refurbishments, changing prices), there’s plenty that can still be done. One important thing is where we’ll stay. As young people paying for their own trip, we’re trying to keep the trip on the cheaper side when we can. The hotel is one part we can definitely control.

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, there are numerous categories of hotels to stay. We’ll be sticking with a value resort, the cheapest of the Disney-owned hotels. Staying on Disney property is certainly not required for those going to Disney, but is something my sister and I want to make sure to do. After some research, she decided on the Art of Animation resort, which runs around $270 a night in April.

While the decision has been made, we can’t actually make the reservation until a year in advance, so we have a few months to go. We’ll also purchase our tickets at the same time, as it can be made a package deal with the resort reservation.

Even with the value resort, this is sure to be an expensive trip. We’ve already started saving up, buying the occasional Disney gift card. These gift cards can be used on anything, from food, resorts, merchandise and more. Plus, they never expire.

However, Disney World isn’t the only place we’ll be visiting on the trip. We’ll also be heading to Universal Studios, the home of the world of Harry Potter, “Jurassic Park” and many more exciting IPs Universal owns. By the time we’re there, Universal’s newest park, Epic Universe, will have opened.

Epic Universe, set to open this May, is the highly anticipated third park for Universal Orlando. This park will be home to five sections: Celestial Park, Dark Universe, the Isle of Berk, Super Nintendo World and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic.

Celestial Park is the first section guests will see, a space-themed world that holds portals to other worlds. The first portal goes to Dark Universe, an area where the classic monsters of the world are brought to life. Meet Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man and more through a number of rides, shows and restaurants.

The next portal leads to the Isle of Berk from the “How to Train Your Dragon” movies. Here, Vikings and dragons live in peace together, which means you’ll get the chance to ride a dragon or two and watch a live show featuring Hiccup, Gobber and Astrid.

The third portal is to Super Nintendo World. While this area already exists in California’s Universal park, this is the first time the east coast will have the chance to meet Mario and Luigi. Experiences include a Mario Kart ride and exploring Donkey Kong Country.

The final portal is the third installation of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. While the main park has Diagon Alley and Islands of Adventure has Hogsmeade, Epic Universe will show off the Parisian wizarding world, with the main ride bringing the guests back to England for Dolores Umbridge’s trial at the Ministry of Magic.

By the time my sister and I get to explore these new areas, they’ll have been open for about a year, so hopefully lines and crowds won’t be too dramatic. Either way, between Disney and Universal, we’re sure to have a wonderful time. We just need to make sure we save up and keep on planning.