Theme Parks, Pool Days, and Questionable Financial Decisions ~ Orlando, FL
- Esha Shah
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
If you have ever wondered what happens when you mix June Florida heat, theme parks, and a group of cousins trying to "budget"... this is that story.
The Start: Flights and Plans
We kicked things off with flights that felt like a steal (some of us paid $167 and others $215...). Our spirits were high and we were all convinced we were about to have the most organized, efficient trip ever. That illusion lasted approximately 8 hours.
Groceries (which included snacks and breakfast for all 4 days)? A solid $21 each. Responsible. Mature. We love to see it.
We explored the Airbnb and realized there was a hot tub with the resort and immediately got in it after dinner.
Sunday: Universal Studios
We woke up bright and early (in theory), aiming to leave by 8:00 AM. Reality? a little slower. But eventually, we got our tickets ($212) and we made it to the Islands of Adventure.
Roller coasters, sweating, debating whether we were hungry or just dehydrated. The lines were crazy but the rides were amazing! We enjoyed seeing Harry Potter World and getting ourselves butter beer. My cousin and I decided to wait in the two hour long Incredible Hulk roller coaster line, but it was so much fun.
Later after we were done exploring the rides, we tried these fun milkshakes while getting tons of pictures at the Universal globe sign.
By 3:00 PM, we left the park absolutely exhausted but still somehow convinced we had more energy left in us.
We didn't.
By 9:00 PM, we were done. We all sat on the couch and fell asleep watching a Bollywood movie: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.
Monday: Pool Day at the Resort
This day was less "go go go" and more "relax and exist."
We slowly got up at 12:00 PM and made a nice breakfast and then headed out to enjoy our Airbnb's pool and resort. We claimed our pool chairs, which really just meant throwing all of our stuff onto a table. No lines, no walking miles, no decision-making. Just soaking up the sun, playing pool games, listening to music, and making silly jokes.
Dinner that night felt like a reward. We got dressed up, went out to Buca di Beppo, and had some of the best family sized Italian food ever. It was delicious and so budget friendly too!
We got back to our Airbnb ready for the next day's adventure.
Tuesday: Disney!
This was the day. The ambitious, slightly unhinged plan:
Hollywood Studios in the morning
EPCOT in the afternoon
Magic Kingdom at night
We really thought we ate with this itinerary.
Omg the roller coasters and 3D stimulations were incredible. If I could pick one ride to go on for an hour straight, it would be the Spider Man stimulation. We highly recommend getting the fast pass. It was a little pricey ($228) but it was so worth it to skip half of the lines in the intense Florida heat.
By the time we hit EPCOT, we were questioning our life choices, but it was so cute seeing all the countries and trying different foods!
By Magic Kingdom, we were fully delusional. But somehow, standing there watching the fireworks at 9:20 PM made it all worth it.
It was one of those moments where you are exhausted but also weirdly emotional because... wow, we actually did all that and now its time to go back home tomorrow. I kept reminiscing about how I came to Disney as a child and don't remember anything except for the Magic Kingdom castle, but this was nice because it felt like a whole new experience, especially when it was just you and your cousins.
Moral of the story: theme park magic is real... but so is the bill.
Would I do all of that in 3 days again?
Probably not.
Would I still recommend it for the plot?
...also yes.
Have you been to Disney World? When is the last time you went?
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