Day 1

The Travel crew set off to Orlando, Florida for Epic Universe. The crew is ready for sun, heat, motion, and whatever strange magic the Airbnb decides to offer.

Before the main event, a few campers met us at camp for check-in. Then it was off to Cedar Rapids where the rest of the crew and families joined us. Hugs, luggage, a touch of chaos. The kind that means something good is about to happen.

We boarded a one-way flight south. Landed in Orlando. Warm air, thick with humidity and promise. We grabbed our bags and found the bus that would carry us to our home for the week.

The ride in was quiet. That calm before the noise. We arrived, unpacked, settled in. A few laughs, and campers in awe of the space.

Tomorrow we take on Epic Universe. Adults with the hearts of kids, chasing rides, food, and moments that stick.

Adventure begins now.

Day 2

The morning started with McDonald’s. Syrup on the tongue. A sausage, egg, and cheese McGriddle; hot, sweet, and perfect in its own cheap glory. Campers drifted in, drawn by the smell. Transformers blared from the TV, explosions echoing through the room as people ate in silence and came back to life.

By ten, the bus arrived. Epic Universe waited for us. Music hit the moment we stepped off, loud and triumphant, a promise that today would deliver. We stopped at guest services, grabbed our tickets, and split into two groups.

One group headed straight for Super Nintendo World. They rode Yoshi’s Adventure, colors flashing past. Lunch was at Toadstool Café, where Chef Toad himself served Mario burgers, Luigi burgers, and spaghetti so spicy it could only exist in this world.

The other group walked through the Ministry of Magic, eyes wide, pockets filling with wands and souvenirs. When they finished, they joined the others for lunch at Toadstool Café.

After lunch came the Ministry of Magic ride. Chaos and spells, motion and laughter. Everyone loved it. Some went back to Super Nintendo World, chasing more thrills on Mario Kart and Donkey Kong’s mine cart ride.

The day wound down with dinner. One group ate Panda Express, orange chicken glowing under bright lights. The other found the Oak and Star Tavern, where guitars clashed.

By night’s end, everyone was tired, full, and happy. It had been a good day. Real fun, loud and alive. Two more days still ahead, and we were ready for all of it.

Day 3

Breakfast was IHOP at home. Food arriving at the door instead of being hunted down. Coffee doing what coffee should. Syrup sticking to fingers, plates, everything.

Then we moved. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure were the day’s destinations. Both groups started at Islands of Adventure. One went straight to Jurassic Park, braving the River Adventure and staring down the T-Rex. The other wandered into Dr. Seuss Land, where colors spin and rules don’t matter. They rode the train and met the characters that live in that strange corner of imagination.

Lunch split the travelers. One group stopped at Captain America Café, where burgers and fries met superhero posters. The others stayed in Seuss Land, eating in the circus tent.

Afternoon rolled on with more rides and shopping. Both groups boarded the Hogwarts Express, crossing to the Universal Studios side. Fast and Furious. Transformers. Men in Black. Motion, sound, light. All of it crashing together.

The day closed at CityWalk. Dinner, stories, the slow burn of tired legs. Then the bus back home. Another day well spent. Tomorrow, Epic Universe. The last stretch of adventure before the curtain falls.

Day 4

Morning hits. Last day at Epic Universe. The air’s got that mix of excitement and fatigue. This comes after a week of motion, laughter, and too much sun. The group drifts toward How to Train Your Dragon Land. Island of Berk, bright colors, roaring rides, the smell of popcorn and adventure.

They take on Fire Drill first water flying, a little chaos, the good kind. Then Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, an interactive rush that makes you feel like you’re flying, even if you’re just strapped in and screaming.

Lunch at Meteor Astropub. Plates of fish and chips, sloppy joes, burgers that hit just right.

Afterward, the group splits. Some head for the Ministry of Magic, drawn by mystery, smoke, and illusion. Others go to meet Toothless, the dragon everyone secretly wants to befriend.

The day winds down with the kind of energy only a theme park can drain out of you. One crew rides the Ministry of Magic ride, a surreal trip through spells and shadows. The others hit the Stardust Coaster a fast, shining blur that leaves everyone laughing and breathless.

By five, it’s over. Back to the Airbnb. Pizza boxes, pool water, and stories traded under fading light. Everyone talks about the week. The highlights, the surprises, the small moments that stuck. They watch the live action How to Train Your Dragon, pack up, and prepare for reality.

Tomorrow it’s the airport. The trip’s done. A good one, loud, epic, and unforgettable in all the right ways.

Final Day

The morning began. Bags packed, hearts a little heavy, we boarded the bus, another leg of the long return. The airport, that in-between place where time bends, became our waiting room.

Eventually, the engines roared, and we lifted off toward Cedar Rapids. Home. Or something close to it. Family and staff waited at the carousel, smiles mixing with that bittersweet air that comes when a journey ends. Hugs. Handshakes. Goodbyes that linger just a second too long.

A few peeled away, heading back to Camp Courageous. The circle closing, the story finishing where it began.

That’s the thing about travel: it always ends too soon. But for a few days, we lived wide and deep. We laughed, we saw, we were.

Till next time.
An epic trip, in all the quiet ways that matter.

Link to Epic Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCAonY