travel reviews

swimming with dolphins at dolphin cay

Melissa 1 Comment

This happened. This really, really happened.

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Honestly, it was so surreal – almost like a dream. When in your life do you get to interact so intimately with such a beautiful wild animal? When do you get to learn about them from their trainers – who love and understand them so closely – with them right in front of you? When do you wade into waist-deep water and get to make friend with a dolphin,  touching and playing, giving them kisses and high fives?

dolphin cay

 

At Dolphin Cay in Atlantis, shallow water interactions are limited to just ten guests per dolphin, so you truly get one-on-one time with your dolphin. Your time begins with a quick orientation where you learn about dolphins and then leads to a 30-minute in water interaction. Your trainer leads you through an educational time, learning about dolphin behavior, training and even dolphin anatomy. Did you know that the first residents of Dolphin Cay were 16 rescued dolphins, who were swept to sea during Hurricane Katrina from their previous home at the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport, Mississippi?

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You’ll get to kiss, hug, dance, high five, pet, feed and give cues for the dolphin to do tricks. At

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TIPS FOR DOLPHIN CAY:

  • You will get wet. Dolphins are very playful and love to splash. (And the trainers love to make them splash you 🙂
  • JEWELRY IS NOT PERMITTED, for the dolphin’s safety. Lock your wedding rings in your room safe before you visit Dolphin Cay. They do have lockers, but you may be uncomfortable leaving your valuables there.
  • Come dressed in your swimsuit. Locker room space is open, so its easier to just pull your wetsuit on over your suit.
  • Wetsuits, personal lockers, beach towels, and non-alcoholic refreshments are provided, along with all-day access to Dolphin Cay’s luxurious private beach. You are welcome to stay and enjoy the gorgeous beach after your interaction.
  • Children under 10 MUST have an adult doing the interaction with them.
  • Bring your Atlantis room card or a credit card with ID – these are the only ways to pay.
  • The photo CD is the best value – for $99, you can get a photo CD with 30 pictures on it, so you can print your own pictures at home. Photo print packages start at around $40.

Disclosure: This trip was provided courtesy of the  Paradise Island Bureau of Tourism and Development. As always all thought and opinions are our own.

halloween spooktacular at sesame place

Melissa

Last weekend I was given the opportunity to join a group of bloggers at Sesame Place for the Count’s Halloween Spooktacular. What an amazing time we had!

From now until October 28th, Sesame Place has been transformed into a not-so-spooky Halloween attraction featuring 2 mazes, character hayrides, three Halloween shows and your favorite Sesame Street charactors dressed to impress in their Halloween costumes. It’s good old family fun for kids of all ages.

New this year is Ernie’s Rubber Duckie Costume Party – a non-stop dance party with disco lights and upbeat music.

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Families are encouraged to come dressed in costume. It’s too chilly for their water rides, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the dozen dry rides throughout the park! For those families looking for some Halloween fun, trick or treating stations are set up in various locations as well as special events such as the Count’s Halloween Party, Abby Cadabby’s Fairy Pumpkin Party and their annual Halloween Costume Party.

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October 6th and 7th—The Count’s Halloween Party ‐ Take a break from all of your Halloween fun at The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular and enjoy the new dinner menu at Dine With Me! Celebrate Halloween with a terrific all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet plus singing and dancing with all of your favorite Sesame Street friends at their very own Halloween Party! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free. Visit www.sesameplace.com for complete information.

October 13th and 14th—Grover’s Birthday Bash ‐ Celebrate the birthday of everybody’s favorite fuzzy, blue and lovable too…. Grover! Enjoy our brand new dinner menu at Dine With Me! plus singing and dancing with all of your favorite Sesame Street friends at Grover’s Birthday Bash! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

October 20th and 21st — Abby Cadabby’s Fairy Pumpkin Party ‐ Help everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends celebrate Abby Cadabby’s birthday with her very own Fairy Birthday Party! This hour long party includes an all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet, singing, and dancing with your Sesame Street friends. What birthday party would be complete without singing Happy Birthday to the Fairy‐in‐Training! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

October 29th and 30th—The Count’s Halloween Party‐ Take a break from all of your Halloween  fun at The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular and enjoy the new dinner menu at Dine With Me! Celebrate Halloween with a terrific all‐you‐care‐to eat dinner buffet plus singing and dancing with all of your favorite Sesame Street friends at their very own Halloween Party! Dinner is at 5:00pm and is by reservation only. Children under 2 are free.

October 30th — Halloween Costume Contest ‐ Come dressed in a Halloween costume to compete in the annual costume contest at Sesame Place! Registration will begin at 10 a.m. in front of Monster Rock Theater and there will be competitions for boys, girls, and families. All of the contests will take place at Monster Rock Theater and winners will be posted at the Welcome Center. All winners will be invited to be special guests in the Neighborhood Street Party Halloween parade.

Don’t miss out on the special Halloween shows featuring your favorite Sesame Street characters!

Countdown to Halloween – A live character Halloween musical show. Guests are treated to a stage performance starring Count von Count, Elmo, Zoe and Prairie Dawn. In this musical show, Count von Count goes on a journey on his favorite night of the year – Halloween!
Show times for September 29th through October 28th (open weekends only) 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 5:30

The Not-Too-Spooky Howl-o-ween Radio Show – The Count’s Not-Too-Spooky Howl-o-ween Radio Show is sure to entertain the whole family. In this Halloween show, The Count Von Count serves as the master of scare-emonies on an old-time radio show.
Show times for September 29th through October 28th (open weekends only) 11:45, 12:45, 2:15, 5:15

Elmo’s World Live – Halloween Show – Today Elmo is thinking about Halloween! Join Elmo, Mr. Noodle and Dorothy as they explore this fun, fantastic holiday.
Show times for September 29th through October 28th (open weekends only) 10:45, 11:45, 12:45, 2:15, 3:15, 5:00

The Neighborhood Street Party Spooktacular Parade – The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular, the “Neighborhood Street Party” parade will be enhanced with Halloween elements, including an all-new parade stop that will feature “spooktacular” music and new performances by the Sesame Street characters.
Show times for September 29th through October 28th (open weekends only)
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Thanks to the people at Sesame Place for letting us enjoy a fun filled family day at their park including a cup cake happy hour with some of Sesame Streets most beloved characters! (Unfortunately I was only able to capture a phot of my daughter with Abby Cadabby!)
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We had a blast and look forward to our next trip!
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Thanks to Paola for covering this for Girlymama! It looks like SO much fun and we can’t wait to go again soon!

Disclosure: Paola received complimentary admission for her family to provide coverage for girlymama. as always, all opinions are our own.

hilton baltimore

Melissa

Looking for a hotel in Baltimore? We’ve stayed at the Hilton Baltimore twice now and it is just lovely!

image via hilton baltimore

What makes this hotel truly stand out – besides the wonderful staff – is its location. You can get rooms that overlook the Camden Yards Ballpark…

 

image via hilton baltimore

Rooms that look onto the famous Inner Harbor and – as we had – rooms that overlook the Grand Prix of Baltimore!

All rooms offer the Hilton Serenity Collection featuring the exclusive Serenity Bed which includes the Suite Dreams mattress, Super Topper mattress pad, 250 thread-count European style linens and Touch of Down pillows, 37-inch flat-screen TV, Hilton Alarm Clock Radio with MP3 connection, flexible work area, in-room safe, Cuisinart dual-cup single-brew coffee maker, hairdryer, iron and ironing board. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the bathrooms are gorgeous.

Our room was clean, comfy and had plenty of room for our family. Our kids loved the pool and the fitness center was first class. As Hilton Diamond Members, we enjoyed the Executive Lounge, as well, with evening reception and complimentary breakfast. We were able to park our car when we arrived and walked to everything we wanted to see. Attractions like Camden Yards and M & T Bank Stadium, The National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Maryland Science Center, and tons of family friendly restaurants are all a quick walk away. There is tons to do!

We were unable to use the restaurants, as they were serving fixed menus for the Grand Prix, but they have wonderful reviews and are sure to be excellent.

We highly recommend the Hilton Baltimore!

 

 

Tucked in by ELMO

Melissa 1 Comment

My kids will never – EVER – forget the night that Elmo came to our room, read them a story and tucked them into bed.  Colin, who is 4, was obviously super excited. He loves Sesame Street and he especially loves Elmo!! But even the older girls were beyond thrilled to have Elmo to themselves. When else do you get Elmo all to yourself??

We had a knock at our door and the kids – who rushed back to the room from the pool to wait for Elmo – were bouncing around in excitement. We opened the door and there he was!!! It was so so sweet! After huge hugs, the kids lead Elmo over to the bed where they were sleeping and he climbed right in.
(I love Gracie’s face in this picture – can you just see how delighted she is to have Elmo there?)

Each kid got a little Sesame Street stuffed animal to cuddle with during their tuck in!

Then we settled in to read a bedtime story together.

Oh, the sweet Elmo cuddles.

They all got good night kisses from Elmo and were tucked into bed.

These Sesame Character “Night Night” tuck in packages are totally worth the extra cost. It was one of the trip highlights for the kids and they have talked about it to everyone they know! It was so so sweet! Truly, we will never forget this night.

Other characters available for the Character Tuck in at Beaches Resorts include Abby Cadabby, Grover, Zoe, and Cookie Monster. After talking to everyone it sounds like Cookie super fun for a night time tuck in too. Character tuck-ins are $85 per child and $30 for each additional child. This also includes a free stuffed plush gift for each child. Now we love Elmo more than ever and will never forget this special time at Beaches Negril!!

Disclosure: We visited Beaches as part of a press trip, so a portion of our expenses were covered. Beaches Resorts provided a free Character Tuck In so we could experience their partnership with Sesame Street to facilitate this review. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.

our favorites at beaches negril

Melissa

Our kids had a total blast at Beaches Negril! There was so much to do. My husband’s favorite part was definitely the scuba diving – he became certified in scuba diving and went on 3 dives.

My favorite? Red Lane Spa. Heaven. On. Earth. Our couples massage was amazing and the entire spa is a relaxing tropical oasis. First class all the way! I swear they took a year of stress out of my shoulders in just one massage. Every vacation should include at least one massage to be truly relaxing and reviving!

Oh, and let’s not forget laying in the sun under a palm tree, listening to the waves, sipping a frozen fruity drink and reading. My favorite activity on earth!

As for the kids -they had LOTS of favorites!!

disclosure: we attended this trip as part of a press trip. a portion of our trip was paid for and we received some special experiences to make our trip special. all opinions are our own.

disney’s coronado springs resort

Melissa

I was so excited to stay at the beautiful Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World Resort!

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a Southwest-themed Disney Moderate Resort hotel encircling Lago Dorado—a glimmering 22-acre lake—that evokes the spirit and romance of Spanish-colonial Mexico. Follow in the footsteps of explorer Don Francisco de Coronado as he searched for the legendary Seven Cities of Gold while you discover the beauty and fantasy of a unique Resort.

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It was gorgeous! The brightly colored Spanish-style Guest rooms are separated into 3 distinctly themed areas. I stayed in the Casitas offer an urban terra-cotta paradise. There are also rustic Ranchos resemble charming Southwestern pueblos and Cabanas provide a quaint beachfront retreat complete with cozy hammocks. Next time, I’m requesting the cabanas – I thought they were so adorable!

bedroom in one-bedroom suite

The Coronado Springs Resort is perfect for big groups and large families. My one-bedroom suite was huge – two queen beds, a queen sleeper sofa, table and chairs, two tvs, two full bathrooms, a wet bar area with fridge and so much storage. My family of 5 would fit easily in this room! This resort has rooms of every size and price point – so it a great place for big groups to stay together where everyone can get what they need!

living room of one-bedroom suite

Our room was quite quiet, but friends who were staying on the first floor said their room was a little noisy, so you may want to bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper (or request a room that is more remote.) And, since its Disney, do I even need to tell you how wonderful the staff was? Probably not, but I will anyway. Everyone was positively delightful and made my stay even better! Our room was squeaky clean and in perfect repair. I very much appreciated that the room had tons of towels and even had 6 coffee cups by the full size coffee maker. I hate when huge hotel rooms meant for 6 people only have supplies for 2 people!

Coronado Springs Resort also has a variety of yummy dining options, including everything quick snacks and food court dining to the divine Maya Grill, and Panchitos (the shop) where you can pick up essentials. Want to relax? Get pampered in the full-service salon or relax in the 22-person hot tub – one of the largest at any Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Between dips you can stroll down the nature trail or grab a poolside margarita at Siestas Cantina or play a game of sand volleyball.


And for the kids? They’ll love the Mayan pyramid-themed Dig Site that features a sprawling pool with a jaguar-inspired 123-foot long water slide. Kids can have fun looking for hidden treasure at the Explorer’s Playground or testing their skill at the game-laden Iguana Arcade.

The resort is located between Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, but not within walking distance, so you can take complimentary bus service to destinations throughout Walt Disney World Resort, including all Disney Theme Parks and Disney Water Parks.

Overall, I say Coronado Springs is a terrific property and I would definitely stay here again!


swim with the dolphins at dolphin cove

Melissa

One of the highlights of our trip to Beaches Negril had to be our visit to Dolphin Cove! As soon as we found out we were going, we decided to spring for the dolphin experience! Ellie is totally obsessed with dolphins and we knew it would be the highlight of the trip for her!

Dolphin Cove is the #1 attraction in Jamaica – for good reason. This award winning resort is located in Lucea, Hanover, about 30 minutes from our resort in Negril. This 20 acre property is the largest natural dolphin lagoon in the world. Visitors have the opportunity to interact with dolphins in their natural sea environment. We arrived and were immediately welcomed by a friendly staff. We found out we had to split up into two groups: three of us were going to do the Dolphin Touch and two were doing Dolphin Encounter.

Dolphin Touch is perfect for all ages. Colin is just 4 and he was very comfortable in the water. You stand on a platform in waist deep water (waist deep on an adult – Colin needed to be held, as the water was up to hos neck) and touch, interact and get kissed by a dolphin. The trainers share the entire time about dolphins, answer questions and share how they train and care for the dolphins in Dolphin Cove. Grace was in heaven – she was so so excited! Colin was happy to touch the dolphins, but got nervous about actually getting kissed. That’s why he looks a little grumpy here:

The Dolphin Encounter is what my husband and Ellie did – it was pretty amazing and definitely worth the extra cost, in my opinion. They swam with dolphins, got kissed, danced with the dolphin, rode for a bit on a dolphin and generally had an amazing time!  I would recommend this for older kids (Ellie is 9), and kids need to be able to swim. You are in quite deep water with a huge dolphin, so younger children might be too intimidated to get your money’s worth. But for Ellie, it was worth every cent. This picture is worth a thousand words to me!!


A few notes:

  • Make reservations beforehand – this attraction fills up fast.
  • The cost does not include transportation to the resort. From our resort, it was $20/person.
  • Do not wear jewelry – it can scratch the dolphins.
  • Bring sunscreen, but apply either much before you arrive or after your swim, as sunscreen can irritate the dolphin’s eyes.
  • Cameras of any kind are not allowed in the dolphin area. Digital pictures and video of your experience is available for purchase.
  • Bring towels!

Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the latest additions to the park.

disney’s art of animation resort

Melissa

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the newest value hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. The first phase of the hotel opens May 31, 2012.

This Disney Resort hotel invites you to become a part of your favorite animated films. At Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Guests are immersed in the artistry and enchantment of Walt Disney and Disney•Pixar classics through imaginative design and themed rooms, including:

  • Finding Nemo Family Suites—Opening May 31, 2012—Book Now!
  • Cars Family Suites—Opening June 18, 2012—Book Now!
  • The Lion King Family Suites—Opening August 10, 2012—Book Now!
  • The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms—Opening September 15, 2012—Book Now!

I didn’t stay here – I just got to poke around and see what the hotel had to offer – but I was won over by the family suites – FINALLY rooms that accommodate more than 4 people! Each family suite features:

  • 2 separate full bathrooms
  • A master bedroom
  • 3 separate sleeping areas within the living space, which includes a generously sized dining or work table that easily transforms into a comfortable bed.


This hotel is amazing. We just saw the Nemo section, but I got to peek over at the Cars section, which looks like the next best thing to staying in Radiator Springs itself. And we love us some Cars in our house!

So while we’ll be staying in the Cars section, the Nemo section was totally amazing. Coolest. Pool. EVER! Even the playground was incredible:

This place is incredible! Animation Hall is so cool – (you saw the lobby above) and has a food court, arcade for the kids and walk through it for the Finding Nemo courtyard.  (There are 4 playful courtyards—one for each film— and three pools with a Finding Nemo, Cars and Little Mermaid themes.)

Be sure to check it out for your next visit to Walt Disney World Resort!

wild africa trek at disney’s animal kingdom

Melissa

Last month, at the Disney Social Media Mom’s Celebration I got the chance to go on the Wild Africa Trek — a private guided tour in Disney’s Animal Kingdom where you get to go behind the scenes and get close to the animals.

It was amazing. Incredible. One of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had at Disney – and we’ve done some really cool things! Check it out:

QUICK FACTS

  • cost is about $200/person, depending on when you go.
  • 3-hour VIP tour through Pangani Forest on a thrilling, privately guided expedition featuring close encounters with exotic wildlife species, followed by a VIP safari through African savanna, including a visit to an exclusive safari camp with incredible views of everything from towering giraffe to powerful rhinos.
  • light African-inspired refreshments are served. And by ‘light refreshments’ they mean WOW. Curry-chicken salad, roasted pepper hummus, grilled shrimp, fresh food, pita bread… SO delicious.
  • And while you’re on the tour, you have two guides with you who are taking tons of pictures – and you get a photo cd to bring home. So, while you will be taking tons of pictures – because its really amazing – you don’t have to worry about missing something. And you can put the camera down and enjoy the view!

QUICK TIPS

  1. Only guests eight years old and up can go on the trek. There are medical restrictions as well, such as a minimum weight.
  2. You cannot bring a camera without a strap and cell phones must be left back at base camp. Lockers are provided for all other belongings, but they aren’t huge, so leave the big backpack at the hotel.
  3. You will not be near a bathroom for at least two hours, so plan accordingly.
  4. You will be required to wear long shorts or pants and close-toed shoes. Trust me, you will be glad you did. This is off the beaten path.
  5. Consider the weather and time of year when booking your trip. It was about 80 degrees the day we went, and I wouldn’t want it to be any hotter. I’m glad we were there during the morning hours, when it’s cooler and the animals were more active.

This was truly an experience I will never forget. I’m so glad I got to go with a few friends – I am dying to take my family as soon as my kids are all old enough!

 

disclosure: i experienced the wild africa trek as part of the disney social media moms conference. while i did pay to attend the conference, we were given a terrific deal by disney!

disney’s yacht club resort

Melissa

I just enjoyed a three night stay at Disney’s Yacht Club, part of the gorgeous Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. And let me just say, every resort I stay at at Disney World is just as amazing as the last!

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is a lakeside Disney Deluxe Resort featuring lush landscaping and the formal grace of a grand New England yacht club. The design makes you feel like you’ve been transported to the summertime Shingle Style hotels of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Located right on Crescent Lake, it is walking distance to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. And it is positively breathtaking to boot.

photo by @JoLynneS

We pulled up to the Yacht Club after getting off the Magical Express, walked right into the amazing lobby. The wood was gleaming and it felt like stepping into a old New England beach house. The lobby is warm and inviting, with comfy sofas grouped off inviting guests to relax and linger. And, seeing as its Disney, the staff was absolutely delightful.

Our room was a standard room with a pool room. It had two queen beds, a desk, dresser, lounge chair , gorgeous nautical decor  and a huge marble bathroom with private toilet. Rooms are available with 2 queen beds and a day bed – thank you Disney for accommodating families of 5! The rooms also have coffeemakers, refrigerators and microwaves (on request), hair dryers, irons and ironing boards and an in-room safe. Cribs are complimentary on request. There was more than enough room for our group of four women and the astounding amount of luggage we brought with us. It would have easily fit my family of 5.
This photo is from the Disney website. You can not even imagine how our room instantly exploded when the four of us got into it.

As I’ve said many times before, the two non-negotiables of a hotel are 1) comfy beds and 2) a great shower. The beds at the Yacht Club were quite comfy. the linens were amazing – no scratchy sheets or gross bedspreads here. The shower was perfect – only the tub didn’t drain quickly, but easily overlooked. Our room was squeaky clean – not a speck of dust, dirt or hair on the floor and everything was sparkling every day.

The hotel offers so much right on site. For an additional fee, you can have a Club Level deluxe room, with admission to the Regatta Club which includes:

  • Advanced Walt Disney World Itinerary Planning service
  • Personalized front desk and concierge service
  • Evening turndown service with chocolates
  • Secured key access to the club-level lounge, which serves refreshments from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily
  • Complimentary fax assistance
  • Limited selection of DVDs

There are also two restaurants on site – the Yachtsmen Steakhouse, character dining at Cape May Cafe, the Captain’s Grille (which was SO yummy and very affordable!), not to mention two lounges and a soda shop! Plus – you are just a 5 minute walk to the World Showcase at EPCOT. Talk about dining options!!

And the pool!! The pool was AMAZING. If you are staying here, add an extra day to your trip just to stay here and play by the pool. Actually, make that two days – because this pool in incredible. You can’t even capture it in one picture. There’s a sand-bottomed pool, a lazy circular river, a “Shipwreck” to explore with one of the highest hotel waterslides at Walt Disney World Resorts… even an elevated tanning deck. And the bar makes a fabulous margarita.
And you are a short walk to Epcot, a slightly longer walk to Hollywood Studios and buses to Downtown Disney, Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom pull up right outside about every 20 minutes.

This hotel was FABULOUS! Our next trip to Disney, I would love to stay here again and highly recommend this hotel. The location is just too perfect!!

disclosure: i stayed at the yacht club resort as part of the disney social media moms conference. while i did pay to attend the conference, we were given a terrific deal by disney! photos from disney.com, except where noted.