Dorney Park Is Always The Right Choice!

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Dorney Park Is Always The Right Choice!

Theme parks are a BIG subject in this house. We love coasters and we just love being out for the day with a million ride choices, food and fun. When we think back on one of our best days of summer we automatically think of Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom in Allentown, Pa. It’s under a two hour ride from the NYC area so that makes it an easy day trip, although there have been a few times we have opted to stay over and make a weekend out of it.

Dorney Park is a summer staple in this family. Come to think of it, it is also a Halloween Haunt staple, too! But we will get to that in  another post. First of all, I just love Dorney Park because the water park is inside of the theme park. That makes my life so much easier! Our family could spend a full day enjoying Wildwater Kingdom itself, but we always try to stay there until about mid afternoon and then head to Dorney Park until closing. It is VERY easy to spend the entire day at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom so I would recommend arriving as early as possible. Our family generally arrives before the gates open so we can be in the first group let into Wildwater Kingdom because it does tend to get very crowded. If you want to find a place to sit it’s a good idea to get there as early as you can. There are also cabanas available for rental.

When it comes to Wildwater Kingdom my personal favorite is the Runaway River Lazy River. It’s a lazy river with a twist of fun. As for my daredevil kids, they run off and ride the Aqua Racer and the Constrictor! If you want to find me, I’ll be in the wave pool! There is so much to do, something for everyone.

If you are not the waterpark type then you can head directly into Dorney Park. If you love coasters you definitely have come to the right theme park. There are plenty of choices. Our family favorites when it comes to coasters are Hydra and Talon but I’m happy to say that Dorney Park is the home to seven adrenaline rushing roller coastersIn addition to coasters you can find so many fun things to do. Kids of all ages can enjoy Dorney Park. There are children’s ride throughout the park but our favorite place for the littles is Planet Snoopy where you can find Snoopy and friends themed rides and even meet Snoopy and his friends! There’s also a new show, Space Beagle! There is also a grand array of Snoopy souvenirs! So if you are a Snoopy fan, you need to stop by and grab a stuffed Snoopy, tee, or mug!

Our family enjoyed the refillable mug with free refills the day of purchase! It’s a total perk and good in both Dorney Park and Whitewater Kingdom. As for food choices, Dorney has you covered! They have a dine all day plan! For one price you can you dine every ninety minutes throughout the park. No one leaves Dorney Park hungry! They even include one bonus dessert! Our family chose Cinnabon!

There is something magical about staying at Dorney Park into the darkness. I just love all the lights of the rides and the sounds and music. It’s all so exciting and so much fun! So if you are looking for an awesome day trip to take with your family and friends look no farther than Dorney Park! You will not be disappointed. If you want to make your ride wait even faster there is a choice, it’s called Fast Lane! It’s a bracelet that you get and a special entrance to most high line rides. There are few Fast Lane choices. They even include some waterpark attractions! Having Fast Lane during our last visit was a dream come true! It allowed our family to bypass the lines on so many of the attractions. It allowed us to ride more than usual and we absolutely loved it! Dorney Park and Whitewater Kingdom is always the right choice!

In addition to all of the fun we had this year, there is more to come in 2020 with the brand new addition of Seaside Splashworks! 

Disclosure: Diane Sullivan is a Dorney Park Ambassador Blogger. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not reflect the views of the partner company represented. Special thanks to Dorney Park and Whitewater Kingdom for the amazing time! Family media passes, drink all day cups, all day dining vouchers, parking and Fast Lane passes provided by Dorney Park.

Run Brittany Run Advance NYC Free Screening Passes Here!

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Run Brittany Run

You Are Invited to the NYC Free Advance Screening

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

7pm

City Cinemas 123

1001 Third Ave, New York, NY 10065

RSVP by clicking the link below:

http://www.amazonscreenings.com/dAPpx60825

What’s the movie all about? Hilarious, outgoing and always up for a good time, New Yorker Brittany Forgler is everybody’s best friend ― except maybe her own. At 27, her hard-partying ways, chronic underemployment and toxic relationships are catching up with her, but when she stops by a new doctor’s office to try to score some Adderall, she gets slapped with a prescription she never wanted: Get healthy. Too broke for a gym and too proud to ask for help, Brit is at a loss, until her seemingly together neighbor Catherine pushes her to lace up her Converse sneakers and run one sweaty block. The next day, she runs two. And soon, after finishing her first mile, she sets an almost unthinkable goal: running in the New York City Marathon.

Starring: Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street, “Workaholics”), Michaela Watkins (“Casual,” “Trophy Wife”), Tony Award nominee Micah Stock (“Escape at Dannemora,” “Bonding”), Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect, “The Mindy Project”), Alice Lee (“Take Two,” Sierra Burgess Is a Loser) and Lil Rel Howery (Get Out, Bird Box).

Written and Directed: Paul Downs Collazzio

Disclosure: Diane Sullivan is the author of this post. All opinions are that of Diane and do not represent the views of the parent company. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. Media and Screening passes provided by The Run Brittany Run movie. 

Nintendo Switch Back To School Event NYC!

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Nintendo Switch Back To School Event NYC

Everyone around the NYC area is gearing up for back to school. Every store you walk into has school supplies from ceiling to floor. But for us, back to school means we are hanging out with Mario at the Nintendo Store NYC and talking Nintendo Switch games and family fun.

Recently our family was invited to a private event at Nintendo Store NYC where we were treated to a morning of fun that would make any gamer smile from ear to ear! Super Mario Maker 2 for Nintendo Switch was the game of day and we were taught about the Nintendo Switch app where parents can set Parental Limits on their children’s game time. You can set it up to shut off  the Switch at a certain time, set it for game time of an hour or two or even use it as a reward system when school begins! Sounds good to me, Mario! We are definitely going to test it out around here.

As for the kids, they were more concerned with some awesome Nintendo DIY pencil box crafts and of course gaming! Emm and Adam were among the gamers who spent their morning watching demos on the big screen and sampling gameplay on monitors. What a great morning. I mean, what could be better than gaming with Mario in the house!?! In addition everyone left a little better prepared for the school year with a brand new Nintendo themed backpack filled with goodies! Thank you Nintendo. GAME ON!! To find out more and all things Nintendo Click Here!

Disclosure: Media Event and take home swag provided by Nintendo. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan. The presented views do not reflect those of the parent company represented in this blog post. Contact me at 3decades3kids@gmail.com or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. 

Hershey Park’s Top Ten Tips

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Hershey Park’s Top Ten Tips

Heading to Hershey Park anytime soon? You definitely will want to check out our Top Ten Tips before you visit. Our family has been long time fans of Hershey Park and Hershey, Pa. It’s a place that great to visit with family, friends or by yourself and the best news it that there is something for everyone to love about Hershey.

Recently, our family visited Hershey Park and we could not get enough of the fun, food, thrills and entertainment! So, here come our family’s Top Ten Tips.

Tip One: When you first realize you want to head to Hershey Park begin here with Hershey’s Trip Planner! You can choose exactly what is right for your getaway! I would strongly suggest staying at a Hershey Resort. There are two, The Hershey Lodge and Hotel Hershey. They are both amazing! A three day two night stay is really the best way to get enough time in Hershey, Pa- but recently we stayed two days and one night and that worked, too!- https://www.hersheypa.com/trip-planner/

Tip  Two: Download the Hershey Park APP! You will not regret it. You can get tons of information on the app before you even arrive at the park. You can track ride times, places to dine, and show times along with more info. https://www.hersheypark.com/info/app.php

Tip Three: This may be the best kept secret of all. When you purchase a Hershey Park ticket you can visit Hershey Park the night before as a preview. It’s like getting an extra day at the park. With a family of five we always take advantage of this feature. You can enter the park two and half hours before closing to check it out. If you are staying on property at the Hershey Lodge or Hotel Hershey you can enter the park preview three and half hours early! What an incredible perk!

Tip Four: Get to the park for the park opening. It may be tough to wake up the morning after the preview night but trust me, it will be well worth it. We always arrive early to be there for the gates opening. If you want a head start and no line at your favorite roller coaster this is one way to beat the crowds. As for our family, we always hit The Boardwalk first, so by arriving early we can secure a great section of chairs in the shade or close to our favorite water attraction. Either way, it definitely pays off to arrive early and beat the midday crowds!

Tip Five: Allow everyone in your family to choose one ride or attraction. This way no one leaves Hershey Park disappointed. I have found this to be a great solution for when everyone gets tired. Pre-choosing where you want to be during the day can discourage disagreements later on in the day when everyone is dragging. Of course our family generally begins and ends the trip with the One Hundred Old Incredible Carousel at the near entrance of Hershey Park, that’s a given.

Tip Six: Eat! Eat! and Eat! You can count your calories later. Hershey Park has a slue of amazing delicious choices when it comes to dining and desserts. Our family’s favorite is the King Sized Shakes! They are SO delish.  You definitely don’t want to miss out. We share everything so that everyone can have a taste!

Tip Seven: Purchase the Dining Plan and the Refillable Drink Cup! You will not regret either choice. With the one price dining plan you can dine throughout the park every ninety minutes if you choose. That’s enough to keep even the hungriest of hungry happy. There are so many choices that there will be no complaints! The refillable drink cup comes with a drink free all day wristband. After that you can grab refills for a deeply discounted price. Both the dining and drinks can be used throughout Hershey Park and The Boardwalk Water Park!

Tip Eight: Visit Zoo America! Zoo America has an entrance inside of Hershey Park or you can enter from outside the park. The ticket is included with your Hershey Park ticket and worth a look. It’s a great slow down area to just chill out and see what your favorite animals are up to! You can come and go as you please and resume roller coaster riding whenever you would like.

Tip Nine: The BEST view of Hershey Park is at the TOP of the hill by the Hershey Gardens and Butterfly Atrium. I have to warn you though, it’s a hard place to leave. Before you know it you will be roaming around the gorgeous Hershey Gardens and watching incredible butterflies flutter past you.

Tip Ten: Summer is not the only or the best time to visit Hershey Park. You an visit Hershey Park throughout the year during the different seasons. Please don’t ask me my favorite. Summer is amazing because you can enjoy The Boardwalk and every part of the park is open. Hershey Park in the Dark is filled with Trick or Treating, Halloween ride name changes and specialty foods. Christmas in Candy Lane is a dream come true with lights everywhere giving you that holiday feeling for sure. There is also Spring time in the Park. No matter when you visit Hershey Park you will have a sweet time for sure.

Find out everything you need to know about Hershey Park and Hershey Pa by clicking here.

Disclosure: Special thanks to Hershey Park and Hershey Lodge for hosting our family. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not reflect the views of the partner company represented in this post. Contact me at 3decades3kids@gmail.com or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. 

Traveling With Teens To Hershey Park- My Family Story

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Traveling With Teens To Hershey Park- Hershey PA

 

If your family is like mine, we travel. Hubby and I have traveled since before the children were born so we never let it stop us once our family began to grow. As you know, my kids are tween, teen and adult now so the road of travel has been long and forever changing for this family. We have been through traveling with tons of things including bottles, diapers and strollers and everything you can imagine. As for now I am happy to report that we can enter a theme park in the “NO Bag Lane” for the most part! Pure Joy!

But, kids growing up and travel does come with its challenges. All of a sudden it’s not about the baby rides and the mid rides and your day is centered around the biggest thrill rides you can find. Teens in their own right are a little off, but when you take them traveling you really never know what to expect. I do feel kind of lucky in the respect that my three kids LOVE to travel with us as a family. The one thing I really would never condone along the whole let’s split up and meet at the end of the day. To me, there is no point traveling together if we are just going to split and not even see each other. The entire trip is about making family memories.

So, here is generally how it goes with my family. We always start the day off with breakfast before we enter the park. This way we can chat about everyone’s ride goals for the day. As with any theme park, Hershey Park is huge and there are only so many hours in the day. On our last trip we entered the park at 10 am and left at 9 pm, full day! Our family always kicks off Hershey Park with a ride on the carousel. Yes, teens and adults do ride the carousel, especially the one in Hershey Park. That one hundred year old gem can you really give you a spin! We also ride The Scrambler because it’s right next to the carousel. Well, okay we do ride one more together before anything else happens- Reese’s Cup Fusion. The joy of Hershey Park is that there are plenty of family rides!

Then we head up the hill. Sometimes this is where we split off for a little bit. When I say little bit, we usually met up in about three hours at a lunch area. During that time I generally hang around with Emm going on her favorites while the guys take on the biggest coasters in the area. Since Emm and Mom are not exactly Fahrenheit material we enjoy the Pirate Ship and monorail ride around the park. We ride anything she wants and that list changes every year!

Before you know it it’s time to meet up! By the way, if you are traveling with teens it is SO worth it to purchase the All Day Dining and the Refillable Drink cup!

Most of the rest of the time we travel as a family. Hershey Park is set up very family friendly. There are different types of ride levels in each section of the park so no one gets bored while waiting for the coaster riders. We also love to play carnival games although we never have any luck winning on those darn skee ball machines! If you are traveling with someone that wants to win (because teens love prizes, too) our favorite winner every time stand is the PLYNKO! They have Hershey themed prizes including a plush Hershey’s Kiss, Hershey’s Chocolate Bar and others, you can even win headphones!

Five Tips For Traveling With Teens

Tip One: Be patient and try to make a plan before entering the theme park. Get everyone’s favorite ride choices!

Tip Two: Separate for a designated block of time (2-3 hours). Don’t spend the entire time apart but it is okay to split for a little while.

Tip Three: Purchase the Drink all day cup and the dining plan. Meet up for lunch to chat about how the day is going and to be a part of all the fun that has been taking place. Lunch is a great time to catch up and share stories and laughs.

Tip Four: Be sure to ride at least three rides as a complete family. You are there to make memories together.

Tip Five: Be flexible. The best days are the ones that we all just go with the flow. Enjoy your time traveling with teens!

Well, there you have it. Kids are growing older every day and the time crunch to spend time with them may be on but you can rest assured that when it comes to Hershey Park the kids ( and teens) will always want to come along! Here’s to creating sweet memories that last a lifetime!

Disclosure: All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not reflect the views of the parent company represented. Contact me at 3decades3kids@gmail.com or @3decades3kids aross all social media networks. Post is a result of invited media event by Hershey Park. Thank you Hershey Park.