Sentosa Staycation

When the Dean family travel planner couldn't find inspiration for the three days off from school for Fall Break, Sentosa Island looked appealing. We booked one night at the Festive Hotel at Resorts World on the island and while the weather didn't entirely agree with us, it still felt like a getaway.

View from Our Balcony

The girls and I checked into the hotel Thursday after lunch and they immediately wanted to swim. We spent most of the afternoon with them splashing in the pool while I lounged with a beer in hand. It definitely felt like vacation! Never mind that we had intermittent rain sprinkles. Gotta love monsoon season in Singapore...

Feels Like Vacation!

Brian joined us after work and we strolled around Resorts World checking out restaurants we had never visited before. We ultimately chose an Italian place called Palio's that offered good pasta and pizzas with outdoor seating where the girls could run around after dinner. I would definitely return there with the kids the next time we're in the neighborhood.

Friday morning we enjoyed a nice breakfast buffet at the hotel and then headed over to Universal Studios for the day. The last time we visited the amusement park was June 2010 so we had several new attractions to visit and what a nice bonus to realize our children had grown enough in the past year to try new rides.

Elizabeth Riding Marty the Zebra

After touring the Madagascar and Shrek areas of the park, I escorted Megan on the "Revenge of the Mummy" ride. While it would qualify as a roller coaster, the scariness of the ride caused more screaming than anything else. I questioned whether it was a good decision as a mother to bring my child on that ride!

After lunch, the weather began to go downhill and by mid-afternoon, we were wearing rain ponchos. Brian wanted to ride the Battlestar Galactica ride that had been mysteriously closed for over a year. The pouring rain probably made the line a bit shorter than usual and when Brian met us afterwards, his eyes were bloodshot from the rain hitting him in the face so hard on the ride. His ear filled with water during one of the cork screws. Rain added a new dimension to his ride.

Watching Daddy on the Roller Coaster

Hearing him describe the ride as a "real roller coaster," I decided to ride it as well and I thankfully had good timing that day because I managed to do the ride during the short time the rain ceased. I happily rode in the first row, screaming like a teenage girl. :)

Brian talked Megan into riding it as well so they ended up doing the ride together. I was excited for Megan that she's now big enough for real roller coasters and even more excited that she enjoys them.
Emily was tall enough to ride the small Shrek roller coaster and her reaction gives us hope that our entire family will be able to enjoy thrilling rides together in the future.

We arrived back home Friday night, tired and happy from our time away. I enjoyed hearing about friends' trips when they returned but I didn't regret our decision to stay closer to home. We made the right choice for our Fall Break this year.