Leanne Thome is a Concierge Travel Advisor with Favorite Grampy Travels, specializing in Universal Orlando, Epic Universe, and theme park travel for families and solo travelers, based in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
I’ve taught literature and writing to junior and senior high students for nearly thirty years. That career shaped how I experience Universal Orlando.
What I see isn’t just rides and food stalls. I see story worlds you can walk inside.
Das Stakehouse at Epic Universe is my favorite restaurant for exactly that reason. The ambience and immersion are extraordinary, especially for those of us who love darker stories.
The Death Eaters at Diagon Alley are my favorite character interaction in any park. The way they ignore everyone makes the moment feel real, not performed.
That’s the magic of Universal. The parks treat their stories with the kind of respect a literature teacher recognizes immediately.
I’ve visited Universal Orlando approximately fifteen times in the past year and a half. I’ve stayed at all but three of the resorts. I’ve experienced holiday events, special seasonal offerings, and everything in between.
Most families don’t realize that Universal’s four parks each work differently. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split between two parks. Park-to-Park access changes what you can do in a day.
Epic Universe added an entirely new layer in 2025. The differences between Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe matter when you only have three or four days.
A question I hear constantly: do you really need to rope drop? My answer: no, and there’s a better way. I’ll show you how to enjoy the parks without exhausting your family before lunch on day one.
Epic Universe opened on May 22, 2025, and I’ve been ten times since. I also attended Team Member previews before the park opened to the public, which gave me an early read on the operations, the lands, and the rides that have shaped how I plan trips for clients.
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders at How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk is my favorite ride at Epic. It’s playful and joyful, and I feel like a child every time I ride it.
The Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, and Celestial Park each have their own personality, and matching them to your family’s interests is where I add the most value.
What sets Epic Universe apart is the immersion. There’s a peace I feel inside the park, even amid the crowds, that I haven’t found anywhere else.
Two years ago, I took my grown sons to Universal Orlando. That summer was difficult. We were in the middle of moving my mom into care as her Alzheimer’s progressed.
The trip became something more than a vacation. It gave the three of us space to breathe, to be present together, and to see beyond the weight of what was happening at home.
Travel can do that. Sometimes it’s a celebration, sometimes it’s a lifeline.
That experience shaped how I approach planning for clients. The trip itself matters, but the moments inside it are what people carry forward.
I am unapologetically a spreadsheet person with color coding for whatever categories the trip requires. Dining, Lightning Lane priorities, transportation windows, resort logistics: each gets its own column and its own color.
Beyond classroom teaching, I’ve spent fifteen years coordinating school events. Prom, homecoming, three-day senior class trips, senior banquets, National Honor Society inductions, and multiple fundraisers each year. Coordinating logistics, budgets, and schedules for groups of teenagers is what I do every spring.
I’ve stacked my travel certifications quickly in my first year as an advisor. College of Disney Knowledge, Disney Cruise Line Specialist, Adventures by Disney, Aulani, Universal Orlando Specialist, Universal Studios Hollywood, United Parks & Resorts (SeaWorld and Discovery Cove), Orlando Certified Expert, Marriott Hotel Excellence, Hilton Sales Specialist, and ALGVPro Certified Travel Advisor Specialist.
One challenge I love solving is budgeting for solo travelers. People forget that going alone means paying for every meal, every ticket, every transfer without a partner to split costs. I help solo travelers structure trips that don’t blow their budget on day one.
I work with families across the country, but most of my clients are in the mid-Atlantic. Based in Indiana, Pennsylvania, about an hour east of Pittsburgh, I’m in the heart of a region where travel advisor support for Universal trips is genuinely scarce.
I’m a mother of two grown sons, one of whom is getting married this summer. I also have two cats I adore.
When I’m not at my desk planning, I’m usually back at Universal experiencing something new. I attended the Universal and United Parks FAM trips this summer to deepen my expertise further.
I’ve visited Universal Orlando fifteen times in the past year and a half and Epic Universe ten times since it opened in May 2025. I attended Team Member previews before Epic opened to the public. I’ve stayed at all but three Universal resorts, so I can recommend the right hotel for your family’s pace and budget.
No, and I’ll show you a better way. Most families burn out trying to be at the gates before opening, and many of the best Universal experiences actually happen later in the day. I plan trips around the natural rhythm of the parks, not around exhausting your family on day one.
Absolutely. Solo travel is one of my specialties. People often forget that traveling alone means paying for every ticket, meal, and transfer without splitting costs, so I help solo travelers build budgets that account for that reality and prioritize the experiences they care most about.
Favorite Park: Two-way tie. EPCOT at Disney for the variety of food and the educational depth, and Epic Universe at Universal for complete immersion.
Favorite Restaurant: Das Stakehouse at Epic Universe. The ambiance and immersion are unmatched, especially for those of us who love darker stories.
Favorite Attractions: Living with the Land at EPCOT for the educational depth, and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders at Epic Universe for pure joy.
Favorite Characters: The Death Eaters at Diagon Alley. The way they ignore everyone makes the immersion feel complete and real.
Favorite Insider Tip: Skip rope drop. There’s a better way to enjoy the parks without exhausting your family in the first three hours.
Favorite Travel Style: Solo travel paired with multigenerational family trips. Different rhythms, different magic.
Tell me what kind of trip you’re imagining. A family adventure with kids, a solo getaway, or a multigenerational gathering for a milestone. I’ll build a plan that fits your pace, your budget, and your story.
Email me at [email protected], call me at 724-340-8645, or fill out the form below.
Leanne Thome is part of Favorite Grampy Travels, a Universal U-Preferred Agency and Authorized Disney Travel Agency.
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*After an initial complimentary 15-minute consultation to get to know you, yout travel style, and the destination that excites you most, a non-refundable planning fee may be required to begin the planning process.
