Hello and welcome to my runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2025 trip report! I’m returning to the blow-by-blow diary format for this trip. Today I’m sneaking in one more day at Universal Studios before heading home. Read all the posts in this report here. Onward!
Alas and alack, but the final day of my Princess Half/Orlando trip did find me. I woke up just before 8am to knock out a small amount of work (and me not even home yet!), then sadly packed the remainder of my things.
The one bit of good news was that as Becky and Kristin weren’t checking out until the next day, I didn’t need to worry about checking my bags at bell services. Saves time! Which was good, as I wasn’t leaving yet. There was still a partial day of Universal Studios to enjoy!
FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
We left our room at Cabana Bay around 9:30am and made the pleasant trek along the walking path to the OG Universal park. I immediately halted the proceedings for a bathroom break, but it all worked out because I happened to find us a totally random and largely unhailed Hello Kitty photo op. I didn’t even know she appeared!
Anglo-Japanese cat girls notwithstanding, which ride was priority number one, you ask? None of them! We first stopped at the little Shiz University-themed food kiosk that had opened up by the Wicked display. They had a breakfast sandwich on the menu, and everyone knows I can’t resist a breakfast sandwich! (Review to come, Ozviously. 
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The chill vibes continued in the recently opened DreamWorks Land. This area is aimed pretty squarely at kids, but was still cute and fun to explore. The only real ride in the area is a kiddie coaster, but there are any number of lowkey interactive elements themed to movies like Shrek and Kung Fu Panda.
My personal favorites were the Mama Luna cat game (childless cat ladies unite!) and the Po gong. Many who rang the gong before me got silly, unexpected noises. Me? I got a regular gong sound. I guess I’m already silly enough?
THAT CHICKEN TRIED TO KILL ME!
Thus revved up by sound effects and early morning cocktails, we selected Men in Black Alien Attack as our first proper ride of the day. This may in fact be my favorite of all the shooter rides I’ve tried, as the gun is relatively easy to handle and I get a kick out of the goofy aliens and sets. I just cannot seem to get a handle on the precise timing for the red button at the end, though. I know it’s coming and I’m ready, but the window for the bonus is so narrow!
It being heading toward lunchtime, Becky and Kristin stopped at a Mardi Gras food booth to pick up, among other things, some spicy Chinese chicken. They graciously offered me a bite, which I accepted because trying things is fun, right?
Right! Unless, of course, you manage to toss a hot pepper straight into the back of your throat, in which case trying things may KILL YOU. I coughed and sputtered and lost my breath, and I’m not even someone with low spice tolerance. So that was an experience. Kristin, if you’re reading this, I apologize for the percentage of your boba drink I consumed but I was in desperate need of the soothing dairy. 
HARRY POTTER & THE MEDICALLY NECESSITATED ICE CREAM BREAK
Speaking of dairy, our next stop was Diagon Alley, where we elected to continue our snack break with some ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s. A couple scoops of clotted cream later and I was feeling much better.
We hung out and took in the scene a bit, but Diagon Alley was – unsurprisingly – very crowded and we soon headed out again, instead electing to grab drinks by the old San Francisco dock area.
While there I was bemused by the sudden eruption of a Marilyn Monroe USO-style show? I had no idea this was a thing. As far as I can tell Marilyn and her ’40s style sailor backup dancers bop around a bit and then Marilyn takes photos with the crowd. A curious bit of entertainment, reminiscent of old school Disney streetmosphere (bring that back!). I do love me some Marilyn Monroe, specifically Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I can be smart when it’s important, but most men don’t like it. Thanks ever so!
A UNIVERSAL ABSURDIST MASTERPIECE
Since we were in the area anyway, we decided a spin on Jimmy Fallon’s Race Through New York. Now, if you’ve never ridden this absolute gem of a puzzler of an attraction, it is… weird. It’s a motion simulator where you go kart race Jimmy Fallon through New York but also the laws of gravity and physics don’t apply and then you go to the moon?
I sort of adore it, but in a “Who greenlit this?????” kind of way. But it continues to operate, so I suppose more people share my particular sense of humor than I might have otherwise assumed. Perhaps it just looked good by comparison to the Fast & Furious ride? Which shut down recently, so watch out, Jimmy. I do get a kick out of the safety rap.
TAKE THAT, BEMBRIDGE SCHOLARS!
I couldn’t leave Universal Studios behind without one last go-round on my beloved Revenge of the Mummy. Happily Kristin is a similar devotee of the ride and movie, and we jumped into the single rider line to commune with Brendan Fraser once again.
By some strange coincidence – purging the line, maybe? – four of us single riders in a row were loaded into the back of a car, and Kristin and I wound up riding together just as we would have had we waited in the regular line. Good luck, old mum!
I commemorated this exciting affair with a photo with the Egyptian stiltwalkers that sporadically appear in front of the Museum of Antiquities. My stiltwalker noticed my The Mummy shirt and gave me an approving nod. I assume this makes me an honorary Medjai now?
We wound up meeting back up with Becky in the Mummy gift shop, where I found the world’s greatest shirt. Should I buy it next time? Would make a good pajama top I think.
SHOW ME THE WAY TO GO HOME…
Ah, but my hours in Orlando were dwindling. Kristin and Becky took pity on me and let me call the shots for a bit. I consulted with Bruce as to my next move. (Fun fact: Jaws is also an excellent book. Give it a shot!)
I decided my best course of action was to take the Hogwarts Express back to Hogsmeade to avail myself of the Hagrid’s Magical Motorbike Adventure single rider line. Part one of this plan went off without a hitch, which was nice as the universe had previously conspired to keep me from going the UO -> IoA route for a couple trips in a row. Unfortunately, upon arrival we discovered the Hagrid’s single rider line was once again closed. Curses!
I thought quickly. How about the Velocicoaster single rider instead? Except this was also closed! Can’t a girl catch a break? Although there was a clue as to the reasoning here; a film crew was set up at the entrance. What they were filming I couldn’t tell you. Promotional film?
Which is how I wound up spending the end of my time of Orlando in the horror gift shop on the Lost Continent. When in doubt, poke around, no?
As such one might argue my final hours were technically a bit of a bust, but that was okay. I had a great time overall and my trip was no less fulfilling
… I’M TIRED & I WANT TO GO TO BED
Now came the moment to say my final farewells to Kristin and Becky before meandering down the walking path back to Cabana Bay. I picked up my bags from the room, called an Uber, and began the long sad journey to Orlando International Airport. Farewell Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, Orlando, and Princess Weekend. Until we meet again in January for WDW Marathon Weekend 2026!
As always, thank you so much to each and every reader of this trip report! Writing these posts brings me great joy, and the more eyes on it the more justifiable trip reports become. Did you know you and I are in a symbiotic relationship? It’s true!
This concludes my Princess Weekend daily logs… but not my coverage in its entirety. Come back soon for Universal and Disney snack reviews, a Princess budget breakdown a la my Dopey expenditure post, and more. ‘Til then!
Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Threads @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!
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