When Plans Change :: A Misstep That Led to an EPIC Vacation
A little over a year ago, my son asked if we could go to Super Nintendo World. I immediately said, “Sure!” — thinking it was at Universal Studios Florida. To my surprise (and a bit of embarrassment), the only Super Nintendo World at the time was actually located at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. Talk about a mom fail!
After doing a bit of research, I discovered that Super Nintendo World would be coming to the Florida location. I explained the mix-up to my son and promised that once the one in Florida opened, we’d go. Thankfully, my son is a happy-go-lucky kid. While he was a little upset at first, he was excited to know that we’d still be going — just not quite yet.
Fast forward to this summer — June 2025 — and all his Mario World dreams came true when we took a family vacation to EPIC Universe.
Let’s just say, I went from epic fail to EPIC redemption with this one!
Although my kids, especially my son, knew we were going to EPIC, they weren’t fully prepared for how immersive and exciting the experience would be. Walking into Super Nintendo World felt like stepping straight into a Mario game. Whether you grew up playing Mario, like my husband and I did (shout out to the ’80s babies), or you currently play like our kids do, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into another world.
The details are incredible. The music is perfectly placed — going up the “tunnel,” you’ll hear the tunnel sound from the game. Hit a question mark block and you’ll hear the coin sound as you collect coins. Universal truly nailed the experience; it feels like you’re living inside the game. And this was just one part of the park! We also visited How to Train Your Dragon Land, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park — all of which were amazing.
I’ll be honest — I had zero desire to plan this Universal trip after just one look at the website. It reminded me too much of planning our Disney trip, which was… exhausting. This time, I just wanted to enjoy the vacation, so I decided to use a travel agent — Amy Bourque — and let me tell you, she was a lifesaver.
I simply told her what I wanted, and she took care of the rest — from start to finish. She listened to my needs and went above and beyond! She even helped in getting the information for the accommodation request for my son, which was a huge relief. The best part? Amy’s services were completely FREE to us. Yes, you read that right — 100% free! She has absolutely spoiled me — I don’t think I ever want to plan a trip on my own again.
This trip to Universal was such a meaningful experience for our family.
While it started off rocky with that initial mix-up, it became a powerful teaching moment. I can’t tell you how bad I felt after promising a trip and having to put it on hold. But in that moment, my son got to see that adults make mistakes too — and more importantly, that we take responsibility for them. I made sure to apologize sincerely, because I believe kids don’t hear adults say “I’m sorry” often enough. This trip meant a lot to him, so I wanted him to truly see that even when mom messes up, I’ll always do my best to make it right — and keep my word.
