Aquatica Orlando’s “Cool” Summer Party Returns Friday July 8th #Aquatica #IslandNights

July 7, 2016 By Marijean

Beat the Central Florida heat this summer at Aquatica®, SeaWorld’s Waterpark®. Beginning this Friday, Aquatica will offer another way to cool off with Island Nights presented by Coca-Cola®. Taking place every Friday and Saturday night through August 6, guests can enjoy an evening celebration of summer with a special Island Nights soundtrack, extended park hours, a daily happy hour from 5 p.m. to park close, an evening menu sizzlin’ with flavor at Waterstone Grill and an evening kick-off party with a DJ and dancers. Event included with park admission to Aquatica.

Summer Festivities Include:

Evening Party-As the temperature cools down, the fun kicks off. At 5 p.m., the DJ drops the first beat with a burst of water over the crowd marking the start of Island Nights. Park goers can enjoy the atmosphere all evening long with the Island Night’s dancers or enjoy the tunes broadcasted throughout the park while hitting the slides.

Extended Hours-As part of Island Nights, park guests can enjoy extended hours every Friday and Saturday night with the park closing at 8 p.m.

Happy Hour and Special Offers- After 5 p.m., select food locations in the park will offer $2 off beer and wine; and half-price Refillable Souvenir Cups.

Sizzlin’ Island Flavors- Waterstone Grill features an Island Nights exclusive menu featuring a mojo pork sandwich and pineapple burger. Banana Beach will offer Hawaiian pizza, curry meatballs and pigeon pea rice.

Ihu’s Breakaway Falls- Experience Orlando’s tallest, steepest, and only multi-drop tower slide of its kind as the sun sets across the Orlando skyline. After climbing 80 feet into the air, guests step into one of three breakaway boxes anxiously waiting to see who will drop next as part of this wild ride.

Best Way To Play:

Guests can enjoy Island Nights for just $38 when they buy their tickets in advance online, a $20 savings off of general admission. Guests can also visit both Aquatica and SeaWorld for only $99 with the Choose Your Adventure 2-parks ticket option.

New this year, guests can ride more slides and save time with Quick Queue at Aquatica. With Quick Queue, guests can skip the regular lines and enjoy front-of-the line access to six of the most popular water-slides including Ihu’s Breakaway Falls, Taumata Racer and Omaka Rocka. Quick Queue is available online for as low as $15.

From high-speed water slides and exhilarating wave pools, to tranquil beaches and remarkable animal habitats, Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark has it all. This one-of-a-kind waterpark is home to some of the world’s most thrilling water rides, featuring 42 slides, rivers and lagoons, and 84,000 square feet of sparkling white, sandy beaches and breathtaking animal exhibits.

For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets, visit AquaticaOrlando.com. Events and times are subject to change. Follow Aquatica on Facebook and Instagram for the latest Island Nights information. Join the conversation with #Aquatica and #IslandNights.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Our Visit to Clearwater Marine Aquarium @CMAquarium @Winterthedolphin

June 22, 2016 By Marijean

We recently had a family vacation, and one of our destinations was Clearwater Beach. We have never seen the gulf side of Florida so we were very excited to visit for a weekend. I researched some fun things to do with my children and came across Clearwater Marine Aquarium. My family LOVES aquariums so I knew this would be a great place to visit while in Clearwater. I was given complimentary tickets to come with my family and to check it out. Little did I know, we would be seeing the famous dolphin, Winter, from the movie Dolphin Tale!

Photo Source: Clearwater Aquarium

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a Florida non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to restoring and preserving our marine life and environment through leadership in education, research and the rescue, rehabilitation and release of marine life. This is a very unique Aquarium. If your children have seen Dolphin Tale 1 & 2, they will enjoy the Aquarium very much, since most of the scenes are shot there. My kids got a big kick out of that, and were excited to meet the star animals.

Houseboat set where Hazel lived

I recommend coming early to the Aquarium since the parking lot gets full quickly. You will have to park out on a side street and walk over if the lot becomes full. When we are walking up to the main entrance we saw the houseboat set from the movie. My kids were amazed by it and couldn’t wait for me to snap a picture.

Entrance to the Aquarium

When you enter the Aquarium you see a large gift shop area and then the area to the Animal Hospital. That area is very interesting, as you can discover what is behind the scenes necessary for the health of the animals. We were able to see the workers preparing food for the animals, and see some tanks that held turtles in various stages of recovery from being rescued. They also had fun facts about the animals on the walls.

Staff preparing food for the animals

Cool facts on the wall

We then walked up stairs to the dolphin area. We first saw Nicholas, who was rescued with his Mom in 2002. Nicholas suffered from 2nd a 3rd degree burns across 36% of his body. He is doing great and thriving at the Aquarium. We even got to see him play with a toy! Nicholas played Mandy in Dolphin Tale 2.

Nicholas

After we visited Nicholas, we went to another area to visit Rufus, the famous Pelican of the movies. He was so cool to see in person, my kids loved talking to him! For an additional fee, you can even feed Rufus!

Rufus

After we saw Rufus, we were able to go see Hope and Winter! The most famous permanent resident is Winter the Dolphin. Winter lost her tail and has been rehabilitated and given a prosthetic tail. We were able to view both dolphins swimming around.

Winter

We were also able to see Sea Turtles and an Otter, the Otter was all snuggled in her box. So cute!!

Otter

One of the Sea Turtles

There were 2 Sting Ray tanks, one outside where you can touch some large ones, and one inside that had smaller ones. My kids really enjoyed touching and feeling them.

Sting Ray swimming up to my son

Smile 🙂

Kids with a large turtle that the dolphins painted

You can also pay extra for many animal encounters such as feeding a stingray, dolphin encounters and feeding puffer fish! They also have many tours and combo packages available. You can even grab a bite to eat at the Aquarium.

Chairs from the movie set

The next part was to visit the 2nd facility which is called Winter’s Dolphin Adventure. This 2nd facility is included in admission, and you take either a boat or trolley to the downtown area. This facility takes you inside the movie. You’ll find re-built scenes, movie images and a variety of the props used in the filming of Dolphin Tale. These props have all been graciously donated by Alcon Entertainment. This was very cool because we got to see some of the actual sets and props used. Our favorite area was the Hurricane Experience. You can actually experience a category 1 hurricane. It was really neat!

I highly recommend taking your family to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium if you are in the area. My family really loved it and we learned a lot about the animals and how rescue and rehabilitation works.

Experience Clearwater Marine Aquarium

• Learn about the life-saving work we do on a behind-the-scenes tour
• Get up-close with our dolphins and sea turtles
• Feed our sting rays and sharks
• Explore the waterways on a boat tour
• Take a boat or trolley shuttle to nearby Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure, featuring a museum of rebuilt movie sets and props, Hurricane Experience exhibit, touch tanks and more.

It’s Real-life Movie Star Madness all summer long at Clearwater Marine Aquarium! Receive a free collectible Hope movie poster between June 6-June 26 with general admission for visitors 15 years and under.

General Admission Pricing:
Adult – $21.95
Child – $16.95
Senior – $19.95
2 & Under – Free

Connect with Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram

*I was given complimentary tickets to the Aquarium to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Check out Monkey Mat: A Multipurpose Mat in a Tiny Attached Pouch for Park, Beach, Concerts & More! #Monkeymatlifestyle

June 22, 2016 By Marijean

Monkey Mat, AS SEEN ON SHARK TANK, allows you to make your space, any place! Originally inspired by an unexpected six-hour layover at the airport (constant cringing while two babies crawled all over dirty floors!), and also by overall active lifestyles, this go-everywhere large mat in attached ultra-compact pouch gives you a clean space on the go – no more bulky blankets! Perfect for all ages, all places – park, beach, concerts, dirty airport/hotel floors, camping, hiking, sports events & more!

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Connect with Monkey Mat: Website Twitter Facebook Pinterest

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Why Detroit Could Be A Great Choice For Your Next Family Vacation

May 31, 2016 By Anne

If you’re a lover of city breaks and you’re eager to show your kids the sights, why not make Detroit your next port of call? Cities may not seem like an ideal family vacation choice. But short breaks provide an incredibly opportunity to try new things and soak up some culture.

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/knightfoundation/12120378224

Why Detroit?

Michigan’s largest city has plenty to offer visitors of all ages. If you’re worried about keeping the kids entertained, don’t be. There’s so much going on that you’ll struggle to pack it all in. If you’re traveling with friends, grandparents or siblings, there’s something to keep everyone busy.

When you’re planning your trip, look out for family-friendly events and festivals. Highlights include the Stars and Stripes Festival and the Ford Fireworks. If you’re a sports fan, why not book your trip to coincide with the Belle Isle Grand Prix? You could also catch the Detroit Tigers in action or watch a game of American football at Ford Field. Once you’ve watched the pros in action, get involved in your own sporting challenge. Get your eye in at Garden Bowl and see who comes out on top. This is one of America’s oldest and best-loved interactive bowling venues.

Detroit Zoo is well worth a visit. The complex is comprised of three venues, including Belle Isle Aquarium. A cruise on the Detroit River is a perfect way to spend a sunny day and see the sights. If you’re visiting on a Sunday, head to Comerica Park for a lively family day out. There’s a range of activities and games on offer.

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/cabeel/2197902511

Getting around

If you’re traveling to Detroit, there are various options available. You can fly or drive. Alternatively, if you’re traveling in a group, take a look at companies like GOGOCharters.com in Detroit. Booking transport in advance for a group will save time and money.

When to visit

Detroit is a fascinating, fun-packed place to visit at any time of the year. During the summer months, the temperatures are warmer, and you’re more likely to get sunny days for river cruises and trips to the zoo. If you’re looking for a treat for the holidays, Detroit goes all-out during the festive season. Visit Greenfield Village for the annual Holiday Nights Festival and look out for incredible lights all over the city. Greenfield Village is also a beautiful place to visit during the spring and fall. Take a horse and carriage ride for the ultimate sightseeing experience.

When you’re thinking about family holidays, city breaks may not be the obvious option. But if you’re looking for something other than sun, sea, and sand, they can be an excellent choice. There’s plenty going on in Detroit, and it’s an excellent base for traveling with kids or enjoying a break with your extended family. Before you go, have a think about what you want to do and plan a rough itinerary. Read some guidebooks and look out for visitor tips online. Have a look at festivals and events that are taking place during your visit. If you need tickets, try and book in advance to avoid disappointment.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!