On Saturday my family and I had the opportunity to attend “Snoopy’s Costume Party” in Camp Spooky at Knott’s Berry Farm.
I hadn’t been to Knott’s Berry Farm since probably my sophomore year in high school, which was, um, quite some time ago so I was excited to visit again and take my girls for the first time.
During the weekends in October, Camp Snoopy, the area in Knott’s dedicated to rides for little ones, is transformed into Camp Spooky, a knott so scary way to celebrate Halloween!
Geared towards little ones ages 3 – 11, your little ghosts and goblins (or in my case matching cheerleaders) can dress up in their costumes and enjoy Halloween festivities like trick-or-treating, a “Haunted Harvest” corn maze, Linus’ Foam-tastic Pumpkin Patch, a costume parade, Monster Mash Dance Party and more.
My family was recently invited to preview “A Clutch Powers 4-D Adventure” at Legoland a couple weeks ago and we HAD A BLAST! My mom took the day off work and my husband stayed home with our baby so we could do a girls’ only trip to the park and take Emma, just the 3 of us. Such a special day!
Clutch Powers is a brand new LEGO character and this 4-D movie brings LEGO to life with daily shows in LEGO Show Place. Seeing all the kids in those 4-D glasses and watching them all squeal and try to grab the air was hilarious. It was about 10 minutes long, perfect length for young attention spans, and included nonstop action and special effects like wind. When I asked my daughter at the end of our visit what her favorite part was, she said, “the movie!” She absolutely loved it!
It was our first time to Legoland and judging by how much fun we had, it definitely won’t be our last! The park was about a million times more fun than I even expected. I had NO IDEA.
It’s easy to get to right off the freeway, parking was a breeze, and there was SO much to do for a kid in her age group. She is now 3 years 9 months and it was a total wonderland for her. Lots of rides for her age and hands-on sort of things.
Many of the rides did have a height restriction though, and required an accompanying adult, so something to keep in mind as 1:1 adult to kid ratio would be pretty important if you go with little ones.
I am seriously considering getting our family a Membership. You could really go and just focus on one area and be entertained for hours. And, a brand new Legoland Water Park is opening this summer!
It was super clean, easy to get around, and for being seemingly pretty crowded we didn’t have to wait long for hardly any of the young kid rides.
On the way out we walked through and explored Sea Life, the family aquarium located next door. Boy oh boy, so much to see and do!
Here is a little slide show of our time at Legoland. If you do end up going, do yourself a favor and MAKE SURE to get some Granny’s Apple Fries in Castle Hill. I am still dreaming of those cinnamon-y whipped cream topped goodies!
Aracely, creator of the fabulous blog, Daytrippingmom.com and mother to two little ones ages 4 and 2, sent me some great tips on making the most out of your theme park visit! She writes…
“With summer upon us and kids out of school- one thing is certain – It’s theme park time. Our family usually pays a visit to one of our local theme parks at least once a week. Through trial and error , I have learned what it takes to have a fun and stress free day at any theme park. I wanted to share with you the two most popular questions that I’m asked about theme park visits.
I’m usually asked- What do I bring with me? followed by – How can I make my visit go as smooth as possible?
What do I bring with me??
1. You need a good backpack – I’m usually prepared with a great backpack- I never leave home without one . 2. Bring a stroller if you have small children. If you can, make sure to bring a light or umbrella stroller. They are easier to fold up and store- and this is always a plus if you have to take some sort of tram to the theme park entrance. Make sure to have some kind of labeling on your stroller to help yours stand out in the sea of strollers. 3. Make sure to pack a jacket /sweater/blanket. – I’ve left home without one thinking that there was no possible way that I would be cold on a summer day. Boy was I wrong!! The nights cool off and there is nothing worse than shelling out $50.00 for a cheesy sweatshirt because your three year old is cold. Trust me on this one!! 4. Pack a swimsuit. Many theme parks have water fountains or water play areas. Your kids will want to dive in and there is nothing worse than having to say no because you are not prepared. I always pack an extra set of clothes and a swimsuit. 5. Make sure to bring cash. While most theme park restaurants accept credit cards- some of their vending carts do not. I hate paying for ATM Fees – I always bring cash in hand. 6. If you have little ones make sure to pack a couple of snacks. I usually bring a baggie or two of goldfish and fruit snacks. Just keep it simple. 7. If you can bring a bottle or two of water. I usually freeze mine the night before and throw them in a Ziploc bag- I pack them in at the bottom of my bag and they have been a lifesaver!! 8. Bring baby wipes. I always carry them even if I don’t have my youngest with me. They are great for sticky hands and clean ups. I think they are a necessity !! 8. Last but not least – Bring your camera. You want to make sure to capture your fun filled day.
Now on to the other question- How can I make my visit stress free and as smooth as possible?
1. I think the most important thing to do is to be prepared and do a little research- Make sure to visit the theme park’s website or blog. They usually have useful tips and some blogs can tell you about the the crowds the day before your visit. This is usually a good indicator of the crowds on the day of your visit. 2. Get there as early as possible. You’ve heard the saying “the early bird catches the worm” and this holds quite true with theme parks. You will be able to make the most out of your day this way. In my opinion it’s the best time of day to ride your favorite attraction-you usually won’t have to wait in line and if you do- you won’t usually mind because it will be nice and cool. 3. Pick up a map/event guide at the front entrance- The first thing I do is try to plan out my day as soon as I have the map in my hands. Head to the most popular attractions first and plan out your day with the help of your map/event guide. 4. Avoid the lunch time rush. I would try to stay away from eating between 11am to 2pm. Usually the lines to attractions are shorter at this time because everyone is heading out to lunch. If you can , try to eat before 11 am and after 2pm. 5. Avoid attractions between 2 to 4 pm. This is usually peak time at a theme park. We usually use this time to grab a bite to eat and catch a couple of shows. Most restaurants and shows are air conditioned and it’s a great time to take a break. If you have little ones- it’s the perfect time to catch a snooze in the stroller. 6. If you can, splurge on a VIP or front of the line pass – They are usually more expensive but well worth every penny. If you are at any of the Disney Theme Parks take advantage of their Fastpass system. 7. Keep hydrated. Most theme parks have a souvenir cup deal- where you can buy a souvenir cup and either get free refills or very inexpensive refills throughout the day. 8. Make sure your family is well rested the night before and also well fed before you arrive at the your park of choice. There is nothing worse than dealing with cranky and hungry kids. 9. Last but not least- Enjoy yourself- Don’t feel rushed. If you’re visiting on a super busy day- odds are you probably won’t be able to take everything in one day and that’s fine. It will give you the perfect reason to come back- or even better- upgrade your pass to an annual pass and come back as often as you like.”
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