Roger Williams Park Zoo Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular Fun

This past weekend we went to the Roger Williams Park Zoo Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular with the theme of traveling through time.  I absolutely love this event, the intricately carved pumpkins are fantastic.

I love their new process of timed entry with tickets.  In the past you would wait in a long line to enter the trail.  Now you purchase tickets in hourly blocks.  This is a great way to control the crowds.  Here is just a sampling of some of the Jack-O-Lanterns.

This was one of my favorites!  Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!

It is amazing how intricate they are!

More details:  
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, presented by Citizens Bank runs through November 5th, delighting audiences of all ages. This year the theme is traveling through time and visit with dinosaurs, explore the ice age, and peek into the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Rome.  

Wander the Feinstein Junior Scholar Wetlands Trail and delight in the history of the Middle Ages, discover the New World, and be fascinated by major inventions like cars, planes, space travel, and the computer.

 Infused throughout will be the art and music associated with each era. Imagine our planet's history reflected on more than 5,000 intricately carved pumpkins.

I love the Jack-O-Lanterns floating on the water. 

The Laughing Tree at the end is my absolute favorite!

The shear volume of carved pumpkins is amazing as they snake all the way up the trees!

Beautiful!

It is a must see this Halloween Season!

Here are some more details:

The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is open 6pm - 10:30 pm, with the last admission ticket being sold at 10:00 pm.
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday admission with last admission ticket sold at 10:30 pm, and the trail closing at 11 pm.
Pricing: 
Monday - Thursday are $15 adults, and $12 for children ages 2 – 12, with children under two admitted for free.
Admission prices on Friday - Sunday are $18 adults, $15 children ages 2 – 12; children two and under are admitted for free.

New this year is the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride to see the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular from 115 feet above the earth.  Riders will see out over Providence and into Narragansett Bay in comfortable side-by-side seats.  The Soaring Eagle Zip Ride is open every night during the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular weather permitting. Tickets for the Soaring Eagle are only available at the admissions gate. $15 per rider on a first-come, first-served basis.

Here is some video of the Laughing Tree:

 
This is an absolute must see!
It continues till November 5th!

 Check them out on Facebook: 

http://www.facebook.com/RWPZoo
Twitter:  @RWPZoo

Disclosure: I was provided tickets to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular for my family and I in exchange for promotional review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Super League Gaming City Champs in Boston

Minecraft is all the rage in my house with my son.  He loves it.  Not only does he play it but he watches others play it.  Taking this game to the next level is Super League Gaming with the ability to play Minecraft in a movie theater at the Showcase Cinema de Lux in Revere, MA.

This event is an awesome way to be part of a team of other Minecraft players and play in the Minecraft City Championship!  Go here to buy tickets.

October 14th from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Team Formation and Practice

October 21st and three following Saturdays 10:30 am - 12:00 pm there will be Divisional Play
November 11th from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm The Grand Finals for the Top 4 Cities

The Grand Prize is for one skilled player to win a trip for four to go to Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards in LA including round trip airfare, 2 nights hotel and a $500 spending allowance.  There will also be other giveaways for all players, including an official Boston Revolt team jersey! 
The event is at the Showcase Cinema de Lux, Revere 56 Squire Road, Revere, MA

More about the event:
Starting this Saturday morning, instead of just playing Minecraft at home, kids can enjoy the game while meeting new friends as part of a local team representing Boston, thanks to Super League Gaming and their Minecraft City Champs tournament, run in partnership with Nickelodeon.  It’s like little league for Minecraft players!  Fun, positive and a great opportunity to get out and play with other kids their age. Past players clearly have had a GREAT time! 

 While you may find it challenging to pull your little ones away from their iPad or Xbox, the truth is that playing Minecraft (and video games in general) can be beneficial for your kids on many levels, including problem solving, building self-confidence, enhancing creativity, understanding teamwork and improving academic performance.

Super League’s Minecraft City Champs tournament is in its 3rd season, so the company knows how to provide a well-organized experience for your Minecrafter.  It’s ideal for kids 6-14, who will play alongside their peers and have the chance to compete against teams in cities across the country.  The tournament takes place in a movie theater, which means they also get to see their favorite game on the big screen! Day One is this Saturday, Oct 14th, when players will meet their teammates and get a chance to practice the custom game modes designed by Super League.  The tournament then begins on Sat. the 21st and continues on the following three Saturdays.  To learn more and get tickets visit Super League’s Minecraft City Champs Boston Event Details Page. Parents attend for free, although Super League provides full coverage if you need to drop off.  Of course if you’re there, you can cheer on your Minecrafter to victory! 

Here is some more information on what is Minecraft City Champs?

  
And here is more on what to expect on Day 1 of the competition. 
I am sure your kids will have a blast!

Disclosure: I was provided with compensation for this post for promotional purposes. All opinions are always my own. 

10/9/17: Screeemfest at Canobie Lake Park

I love taking the family to Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH.  There is so much to see and do.  This visit we got to experience Screeemfest for the first time and had a blast.

It was a beautiful fall day and the perfect day to go to Canobie Lake Park.  It is great to go there at this time of year as the weather is great, lines were low and there was an option for scares.  If you don't want to go in the haunted houses or be scared that is ok too even if you are there are Screeemfest starts.  You can buy a necklace to keep spooks away and you can avoid the haunted attractions.  But if you like to be scared it is the perfect place!

We went to the park near opening time at 1 pm to get a jump on all the rides.

My daughter Lauren loves Untamed.  It is an awesome roller coaster that has you heading straight up then dropping right in to a loop.

We also tried out the newest ride that had just opened the day we were there called Ice Jet.  It was so much fun.  We were lucky enough to ride just as they turned the lights on.  It goes forward and backward.

We also rode the Caterpillar which is one of my childhood favorites.

The Wipeout ride was lots of fun.

 What gorgeous views from the Sky Ride.  You can see all the rides here.

 It may look very quaint and pretty but just wait.

There were haunts at every turn.  But don't worry they were all stationary.

 The haunts that don't move are fine with me.

So cool looking.

 I like this guy.

 If haunts aren't your thing not to worry, there is also a petting zoo for the kids.  It is tucked in the back corner of the park behind Untamed.  It is open on Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 pm.

 I love this guy!  He is so adorable and soft!

 Lauren petting the super cute cow.

 You could also buy food to feed the animals.  They would give you a cup full of food.

But then night fell...da da da!  There were spooks that came out too scaring people.  We mostly saw them at the front of the park and near the haunted attractions.  One guy had a chain saw and it was funny to hear people running as he came near them.  You can buy a glow necklace at the front of the park for $5 so that the spooks won't come up  to you.

There are 5 haunts at night.  You can see the details here of all of them.  We stood outside the Canobie Lake Hotel haunted house for a bit and got a good chuckle out of people running out of it.

Carnivus is also in that same building but you enter on the right and the hotel on the left.  If you weren't already afraid of clowns you would be now.

 We took a walk around the park at night but the kids were too scared for the haunted houses, and if I am honest so was I!  It may be a water park during the summer but Castaway Island turns in to Black Hollow Cove for Screeemfest.

Watch out for this guy!

 The Village looked like another spooky area that would bring the scare.

So many scares.

 There was also a pass you could buy to go to the front of the line of the 5 scares.  It was $29 per person or $99 for 4 people.  This is in addition to admission prices.

You can have a spooky good time.  If kids are too afraid make sure to buy the necklace and just don't go in the scares.

  Give Canobie Lake Park some love:

Follow them on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canobie-Lake-Park/18373183826

Twitter: @CanobieLakePark

Disclosure:  I was provided four tickets to Canobie Lake Park for this review.  No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.