On Sunday, November 9th, the holiday spirit was in full swing as 350 Bert’s Big Adventure family members gathered for our Holiday Family Reunion Adventure, generously sponsored by our friends at Gas South!
That’s nearly 70 families including 10 out-of-town families from Florida, Indiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Michigan, all ready for the jolly festivities to begin!
There’s nothing quite like seeing our families laugh, hug, and pick up right where they left off. The history of Bert’s Big Adventure was celebrated in a special moment:
Bert was reunited with Summer and Charlie, who were among the original kids (now adults!) on our inaugural 2003 Disney trip!!
From Florida to Georgia, Summer and Charlie’s reunion is living proof that our magic brings people together.
That’s what our reunions are all about—making sure families can reconnect, no matter the miles.
The evening began at the beautiful Hotel at Avalon, who so generously donated the luxurious space for our celebration. Picture this! Our families descended upon a grand ballroom decked out in festive holiday decor and a delicious feast of comfort food dreams: carved-to-order golden brown turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, gooey mac & cheese, and crispy brussels sprouts. And for dessert? Cookies and petit fours so delicious, everyone went back for seconds and thirds.
The incredible staff at the Hotel at Avalon went above and beyond to make our families feel loved and perfectly at home.
After their bellies were full, families jumped right into the holiday crafting fun! Kids got creative designing their own personalized holiday cups and decorating delicious gingerbread cookies to take home! Thank you to our rockstar volunteers for manning the crazy craft corner filled with paint pens, frosting, and loads of sprinkles!
Families lined up with excitement for their photos with Santa! While they waited, guests kept cozy with cups of hot chocolate topped with fluffy marshmallows and whipped cream.
As always, the dance floor was packed, thanks to DJ Jobe, who kept the energy high with a fun-filled dance party. A few kiddos even joined DJ Jobe on the decks (watch out world, we may have some future DJs in our midst)!
Then came one of the night’s most magical moments: Atlanta’s Stayin’ Alive Crew surprised Bert with a high-energy performance of “Celebration” to honor his recent retirement! The look on Bert’s face was priceless, and soon the entire room turned into one giant dance party.
We were thrilled to welcome our families from their homes across the country, and we’re so grateful to the JW Marriott in Buckhead for accommodating our out-of-town families. The JW Marriott’s hospitality ensured a stress-free and enjoyable weekend for everyone.
A special shoutout to the incredible character volunteers from The 501st Legion and Southern Belle Princess Parties for bringing movie-worthy magic to life – from Tiana to Tinkerbell, Anna & Elsa, Captain America to the Jawas, our kiddos couldn’t get enough!
And of course, none of this would be possible without Gas South, whose generosity powered all of our family reunions in 2024 and 2025. Their generosity continues to make VIP moments possible for our families – what an incredible blessing!
We want to thank Adam Davila with Davila Photography, Cassie Young from Pionaire Podcasting, Amanda Coker Photography, Seth Ferreira of Salt Run Creative, and Aslyn Baringer of Aslyn Baringer Productions for capturing all the magical moments of the day!
Finally, to our amazing Bert’s Big Adventure and The Bert Show communities — your generosity, in every form, keeps the magic shining bright. Each and every dollar helps create extraordinary moments of joy and lasting memories for our kids and their families.
From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!
