Six Flags
« Previous EntriesTaking Your Toddler to an Amusement Park
Sunday, August 28th, 2011Growing up, my family went to amusement parks a lot. We traveled to Disney World, Sesame Place, Hershey Park, Six Flags, Busch Gardens, and countless other locations up and down the east coast. I have heard stories and seen countless photos of myself with Mickey Mouse as a toddler and even younger. Most of my personal memories of trips are from the time I was in kindergarten and beyond.
With the summer winding down and families planning trips for next year, many parents find themselves wondering if their child is too young to go to an amusement park. The answer in my mind is not to wait. You will make memories for your child to look back at in scrap books, and more important ones that you will hold close to your heart
When my husband and I were married, we said that one day we wanted to take our children to Disney World in Orlando. Our oldest son was born in 2003, so we said we would wait until he was ready to appreciate the experience. In December 2008, we made a decision to go on our first big family vacation to Walt Disney World the following spring. We knew that five year old NHL would adore it, but what about JSL who would turn two while there?
I spent countless hours researching restaurants, stroller rentals, diaper changing areas and other toddler must haves in an amusement park. I made a list of rides that would be suitable for my toddler, others that my older son could go on and we learned all that we could about child swap option (many other parks have similar policies). The child swap allowed us to get a pass for the other parent to ride on without a long wait while we swapped out staying with our little guy. This was fantastic and helped to cut down on more wait time with a toddler. Finding resources online from other parents, reading books and knowing my child were the most helpful items.
The truth is, toddlers will have fun in any location that you take them. If they see you laughing and smiling, chances are they will too. My son adored his time at Disney World. Will he remember that trip years from now? We may never know, but my husband and I will. We often look back at the trip photos with our now three year old and he points to the objects and cheers. If the opportunity to go comes along, take it and enjoy the special time with your family
Have you ever brought your toddler or younger child to an amusement park? Let me know how it went and please leave tips for others in the comments below.
If you plan on going to Walt Disney World, let me know. I have a slew of resources that are amazing in addition to my posts here on The Angel Forever.
Disclosure: This post was previously published on a project I worked on. The text is the same, but I placed additional photos and the question at the end for my blog.
Just hang on
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
Not all amusement park First Aid are created equally
Thursday, July 29th, 2010As the mother of two little boys, I have had more than my share of emergency room visits. Whenever we go on vacation, I secretly hope and pray that we will not need to call our doctor, visit an emergency room or require a prescription medication. Our boys have tested this several times. At my brother’s wedding, NHL was very sick and nearly had to go to the ER.
Of course, JSL the over achieving little brother, who must always top his big brother (be it febrile seizures or trips to the ER) taught us something else in February. While at Disney World on our family vacation part of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebrations (#DisneySMMoms), he got hurt twice (about the incidents from TechyDad). Thanks to the injury, our family visited Disney World First Aid twice. We now know the care that we received at Disney went above and beyond other amusement park First Aid. Here is a summary of the February incidents:
Injury #1: We were in Animal Kingdom and JSL was wandering around following NHL. He was getting tired and slipped on his own two feet. He face-planted right onto the concrete below him. He was hysterical and I immediately saw his forehead swelling. Lucky for us, the Animal Kingdom (and all Disney Parks) has First Aid stations clearly marked. We were able to follow the signs right to where we needed to go. We signed in and the EMT helped us assess the injury. He was great talking with us and getting us several ice packs to reduce the swelling on JSL’s head. We went on our way and thanks to that gentleman, JSL eventually kept the pack of ice on for a long time.
Injury #2: While I was at the DisneySMMoms breakfast, I received a text from TechyDad. He wanted me to know that JSL had gotten hurt. My heart sank and I did not know what to do. Eventually, I found out that he had fallen out of our rental stroller head first onto the marble floor at the Polynesian Resort. The Cast Members within the Polynesian were awesome. They gave TechyDad ice for the injury and asked if he needed anything else. They also took information about us down. TechyDad opted to take JSL to EPCOT, where I was located and have him checked at their First Aid. He did not feel that a concussion was involved and likely looked worse than it was since it was the same spot. First Aid at EPCOT was great and reassuring to hubby. Later that night, when we arrived back into our room at the Polynesian Resort, the phone was flashing. On the phone was a message from the manager of the resort. He wanted to see how JSL was doing. A phone number was given and told to call at any time if we needed anything else. Kudos to Disney for amazing follow through!
Although I was impressed at the time with Disney’s clearly marked First Aid areas and EMT workers, along with supervisors that follow-up, it did not register until recently. I guess I assumed that all amusement park First Aid would be the same. Please insert me slapping myself in the head for being naive. SERIOUSLY!
On June 19, we were using our season passes for our local amusement park. We were having an amazing time. TechyDad and NHL went onto a roller coaster together (kind of like Big Thunder Mountain for Disney People to compare). When they got off the ride, NHL was upset. They explained that his head was hurt at the end of the ride. We all went to find a restroom and regroup. When I got out of the bathroom, NHL started to really complain about his head. I looked down and started to see BLOOD coming through his hair. The kid has thick hair. At the mention of blood, NHL began to get upset. Someone cleaning the bathrooms saw what was going on and asked if we needed help. I asked where First Aid was.
Let the drama begin.
The one and ONLY First Aid in this park was way at the back and they could not explain where it was. Sure it was on the map, but there were not clear signs pointing to it. (So spoiled from Disney experience) She went onto her walkie-talkie to ask First Aid to meet us. We waited there with our screaming child for 20-30 minutes. NHL would not let me really look and wanted them to see it. It was bad. They had to call numerous times and found that the original message was not relayed. FINALLY, someone showed up. NHL allowed him to look at the cut. It was long, but not too deep. I was given antibiotic cream to put on it and that was the end.
Of course, I wanted to know where the disconnect was. Why did it take SO long to have help? The system at this park had failed and we are lucky it was not a more serious injury. I went to fill out a paper on the way out with my concern. My timing was amazing. The head of the EMT for the park was there, along with the gentleman that had helped us. I learned that there were only FOUR EMT in the park that day with well over 10,000 guests. Please note, this park is not just an amusement park with rides, it also has a water park section with pools and more. I could not believe my ears. The head of the EMT thanked me for writing this concern and said she hoped that more people would because it needed to be addressed by the powers that be. I was told that I would receive an e-mail or call from someone soon.
To date, I have still NOT received a call from said Park. In addition to the note I wrote on official paper, I also called and left a voice mail last week for a supervisor of the park. Nobody has responded. My son was injured on a ride – his head was cut and we still do not know how on said roller coaster. They never addressed that and more importantly nothing has been said about the lack of emergency responder/First Aid personnel in the park. To say that I am a concerned season pass holder would be an understatment.
You may wonder why I am writing this. Well, it really is not to complain. It is more of a warning to people visiting amusement parks this summer season. Look at your map and surroundings. Make sure you know where First Aid locations are and NEVER assume that it will come to you in a timely fashion. Have you ever had a First Aid experience at an amusement park be it Disney, Busch Gardens, Six Flags or Sea World? Please share and let me know.
Diving penguins and the boys
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Family fun at The Great Escape
Sunday, May 23rd, 2010Last year, we bit the bullet and bought season passes for the Six Flags park that is near us. I never actually named the park in the past since I had not stated that we live in NY. This year, I will not only name the park, but was Tweeting from there all day today. For almost seven fun filled hours, the boys and I were at The Great Escape in Lake George.
We arrived there at about 10:30 this morning and left at about 5:30 this evening. We had a fabulous time in the gorgeous warm spring weather. The park was not too crowded and lines were short. We felt spoiled. When we arrived, we took the passes that we bought from NHL’s school and upgraded them to season passes. We saved $60 this way and used half of that toward a season parking pass.
Kudos to The Great Escape for making this process so easy this season. There were a bunch of stations set up and individuals could use computers alone to enter information and wait for the processing. It went very smoothly. Within minutes, we had our coupon booklets and were ready for the park.
Here are a few photos that I took with my cell phone today.
Many other memories were captured with our digital cameras to share later. Right now, we are scrubbing the kids and getting them to bed after they napped briefly while traveling home after the fun in the sun.
Disclosure: We purchased our own Season Passes from The Great Escape. This is a fun family destination that we like to visit over the summer and plan to blog about from time to time.
The Year that was 2009
Thursday, December 31st, 2009I remember it like it was yesterday, December 31, 2008. The boys and I were snuggled onto the couch. We were looking at a photo album from our honeymoon at Disney World. The boys were fascinated because we told them we would all be going there in 2009. That day we had officially booked our first big family vacation. Yes, in a few short months the boys would be going on an airplane for the first time to experience the magic of Disney.
The year has gone by in a blur. It is hard to believe that 2009 is just hours away from being over. Here are some memories from a year in my life:
January:
- JSL learned at 19 months old that snow is tricky to maneuver in. We captured this life lesson on video.
- Last year, I joined the anti-resolution craze. Did really well with this until things gradually slipped back and H1N1 killed it all.
- Going back on Weight Watchers, I was obsessed with my Nalgene water bottle. I was constantly drinking that and living my life in points (heading back on this as well).
- Then 5 year old NHL showed me that Word Families can be rather fun thanks to the "-it" clan. My angel was growing up too quickly.
February:
- Disney planning happened early one morning when I called in to make our dining reservations. This was huge and important for our trip that now included Nana and Papa.
- We continued to battle for control over NHL’s allergies and breathing troubles.
- A year passed from JSL’s first febrile seizure. A false sense of security from a year with no additional issues as I recalled the events from 2008.
- We went to Sesame Street Live. This was the first time for JSL and Cousin S, NHL was a pro and showed them what to do.
March:
- Reality hit and I learned that simply doing Weight Watchers was not enough. I had to move it, move it and Leslie Sansone became my friend. Time to dust those off again for 2010.
- We said goodbye to TechyDad’s long time car and bought a new one in the snow.
- Everyone dressed up for Purim and went to the parade for some fun and games.
- A weekend away for a family party = fun at a hotel pool. It was also the weekend that we questioned where the adult-parent line is in certain situations.
- 13 months had come and gone and nightmares returned as JSL had 2 febrile seizures in 30 hours.
- With 4 years of physical therapy behind him (to improve low muscle tone), NHL learned to ride a bike. This was a HUGE milestone and he was so proud, so were we.
April:
- For the first time in my life, I actually liked exercising and sweating. I walked and kicked with Leslie Sansone for miles each day. Leslie and I are going to be good buddies next week, asthma permitting.
- Lots of preparations went into Passover and the Seders were fun. This year, NHL really got into it thanks to Hebrew School.
- An early morning phone call on Shabbat from TechyDad’s parents proved to be bad news. Grandma had passed away. She was a beautiful woman who is missed greatly.
- Flowers were planted for Earth Day. They were gorgeous while they lasted. Sad to say, the neighborhood bunny dug up the bulbs and they will not be coming back this year.
May:
- Just in time for the trip to Disney World, I bought a pedometer. I tried daily to get in my 10,000+ steps. Need to get this puppy back out for the new year.
- Lots of packing, errands and last minute items were bought for Disney World. This included a shopping trip to buy everyone a new pair of shoes for sunny Florida. I lived in my Teva while we were there and all summer long.
- A week away from the computer meant scheduling posts for my blog. Right before we left a prize arrived with Mickey Ears. Check us out!
- While at Disney, the little guy turned 2. Here is a look back at two years in his life.
- Before we could blink, our week at Disney World was over. I wrote about a lot of the trip, but hate to admit I never finished. Our trip there, Chef Mickey in photos, Mother’s Day at Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom & Boma, and Day at the Magic Kingdom.
- This month also brought us EA Sports Active. Loved this, but my knee did not. An old injury came back to life thanks to a million lunges, squats and the like.
June:
- Memories from my childhood visits to Disney World and a Figment bribe from my father.
- We all celebrated a big birthday for my mother. Thanks to Aunt L, we had a nice party for her with family all there.
- After the allergic reaction at Disney to walnuts, I went to the doctor and got my blood test results. New inhaler to help asthma and lots of vitamins were added to my routine. . . need to go back to those again too.
- Shooting at the National Holocaust Museum brought back memories of living in fear of hatred that I have had as a Jewish American.
- The end of Kindergarten for NHL was filled with fun events. There was Field Day, Cake Balls for the last day with the horse rides, and kindergarten graduation. NHL went into kindergarten with the goal to read and came out with that and so much more!
- TechyDad and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary. Here’s a look back at our wedding.
July:
- NHL learned to play tennis at a local tennis program. He had a lot of fun, and we hope to do it again in 2010.
- I learned what was causing my intense stomach pains for weeks – SOY! Our almost vegetarian lifestyle was turned upside down.
- A long weekend trip to visit Uncle I, Aunt M and Cousin S meant a stop to see the Berenstain Bears at the museum. The kids loved entering their world.
- Thanks to season passes, we had a lot of time at Six Flags/Wiggles World. NHL conquered his fear of characters, we drove in Big Red Cars, and followed the M&M Road.
- A BIG event also came to our area. We were lucky enough to take the boys to see Walking with Dinosaurs. It was amazing on so many levels.
- NHL learned to swallow pills! Nice to be able to give him a little pill than tons of liquid or chewables.
August:
- When the rain stopped long enough, we went to the park. JSL liked going on the swings with Daddy. Here they are having a blast.
- In an attempt to relive the yummy memories from Disney, we tried our first stab at the Pop Century Tie-Dyed Cheesecake. This was in time for TechyDad’s birthday celebration .
- I also got my first pair of Crocs, some wedges that were really fun. Since then I have added 3 more pairs, including some boots.
- NHL went to camp for the first time. He had a blast during the week long Dinosaur camp.
- In the middle of the month, my first born turned 6. NHL was growing up before my eyes, so I showcased the past year for him.
- The summer was filled with Wiggle Tooth woes. It actually required the Tooth Fairy to write NHL a note to encourage him to keep wiggling.
- My knitting took on a new adventure as I tried circular needles for the first time. A baby blanket for my new nephew due in February 2010 is in the works.
September:
- My best friend that I went to kindergarten with had her baby shower. It was so nice being a part of this special day for her.
- A night away from the boys was a special treat as I went with my parents to see Cirque du Soleil while it was in town.
- NHL got ready to begin first grade. A new adventure was waiting for him as he went back to school.
- A beetle invasion in our house led to the discovery of termites in the basement below. A quick plan of action and lots of money invested led to at least the termites being taken care of.
- We celebrated the Jewish New Year with family eating lots of yummy food of course.
- A weekend away to celebrate my sweet niece’s 2nd birthday also included craft time with MY little brother.
- NHL was off to a great year in first grade. He was reading a ton, getting perfect scores on spelling tests. Of course, a little fun and excitement at pick up happened one day when JSL landed head first on the concrete at school. Yet another ER visit for our family.
October:
- We took the boys to a pre-season hockey game. We had a blast and the little guy loved the zamboni the most.
- After the hockey game, I started to feel lousy. Being a Mom, I ignored the symptoms until it was too late. A week later, a visit to the doctor confirmed that it was likely H1N1 (thank you ER visit). We left with my asthma being treated and a script for Tamiflu for the little guy just in case.
- A 2:00 in the morning call to Nana and Papa required the Tamiflu being filled. H1N1 attacked JSL fast and furious.
- While taking NHL to get his 6 year old portraits, we learned there is a great conspiracy involved.
- TechyDad and I entered the wonderful world of texting. We dropped our cable phones, added texting and have never looked back.
- Between sicknesses, we managed to get out to pick 35 pounds of apples. We had a blast with the boys out in the orchard.
- During Halloween week, NHL was one of the 30% of kids out from his school with the flu. That same week, JSL had febrile seizure #4 while I was home alone with both of the boys. We still do not know what caused this one.
- By Halloween, NHL was feeling well enough to head out to trick-or-treat at a few houses. Check out his costume here.
November:
- Both of the boys are Wiggles Fans. We bought tickets over the summer to take JSL to his first Wiggles concert. He had a blast and could not believe what he was seeing.
- There were several absolutely gorgeous days in November. The little guy and I took advantage of this and went to the park for some fun while NHL was at school.
- LEGOs came alive in our house with a fun discovery. Lots of imagination and building have followed.
- NHL has been learning Hebrew each Sunday at Hebrew School. He even made items to use at home for Shabbat.
- Twas the day before Turkey Day and we went to visit the 1st graders. . . later that night we went to a fun filled hockey game.
December:
- My birthday arrived this month. I finally picked out something from my parents from last year and this year. I now have a gorgeous Pandora bracelet that has so much meaning behind it. Oh course having a December B-day often means snow ruins plans. This year the snow, illness and a trip for NHL to the ER got in the way. TechyDad also got me a premium Picnik membership, so lot of photo fun has taken place over the last few weeks.
- Chanukah arrived and there was so much going on. Here are each of the boys enjoying the special time of year.
- A gingerbread house building party closed out 2009 in the first grade. The kids had a fabulous time. I was so glad to be home and able to watch this.
Of course, these are just some of the major events that took place here in my world. Thanks to my blog, I have many other moments captured for our family. 2009 has had it’s share of good and bad moments. Even with all of the ER visits, scares and things I would not change the year gone by. If we did, who knows if we would have had our magical memories at Disney World and other fun family moments.
Thank you to my family, friends (both IRL and online) who have supported me this year. Another thank you to the wonderful PR people and companies that I have worked with this year. Eveyone’s interest has been crucial to helping TheAngelForever.com to be a success. I look forward to 2010 and beyond with all of you.
Happy New Year to all of you and your families.
Family fun day at Six Flags
Saturday, August 29th, 2009Dear NHL & JSL,
This weekend we were supposed to go to see Bubbe and Grandpa. Since the weather was going to be bad all weekend, we decided to stay home. Friday Daddy had the day off so we decided to go to Six Flags for the day. It was an unusually chilly day. We actually wore jeans and had sweatshirts in August.
JSL, you started to chant that you wanted to go on the Big Red Cars the minute you heard we were going. Of course, one of our first stops was Wiggles World. You loved driving the Big Red Cars and especially enjoyed spending time at the Wiggles gift store. You were quite upset later in the day when your Diego (Go-Go) sun glasses broke. Thankfully a special gift made you smile and you held onto it while taking a nap.
NHL you were upset that your favorite ride was closed down for the day. Thank goodness you enjoyed all of the other things you were able to go on. You seemed to like the wind in your hair when we went on the Big Red Planes. The cool weather certainly changed what we did at the park, but you enjoyed it.
Just before our silly lunch (funnel cake sundaes), we stopped to watch the Looney Tunes show. At the end you could head up to the stage for photos with some of the characters. Both of you seemed to actually enjoy this when you went up with Daddy.
I hope that we get a few more trips to Six Flags in before the end of the season. Watching both of you laugh, be silly and smile while there is truly priceless.
Love,
Mommy
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Six today
Monday, August 17th, 2009Today my big kid is six years old. I am in major denial. For some reason, NHL turning six has hit me harder than when I turned thirty. I am not sure why, but the fact that NHL is over half way to a double digit number is tough for me to swallow (Five).
Dear NHL,
Six years ago today the adventure began. You were born and our lives changed forever. Daddy and I became parents and we loved the challenges that came our way. Looking at our gorgeous little boy was worth every sleepless night.
Before we knew it you grew up before our eyes. Each year we would celebrate. . . one, two, three, four and, last year, five. This year has been quite the adventure with a five year old. It was a transition for not only us, but you as well. Soon after turning five, you went to full day kindergarten and began your adventure in elementary school.
Here is a look back at the last year of you life. After your fifth birthday, you were quite fascinated with croquet. Much time before kindergarten was spent outside with your new set from Nana and Papa. (August 2008)
With tears in our eyes we sent you, our kindergarten kid, off to school. (September 2008)
Dr. NHL had a lot of fun Trick-or-Treating on Halloween. To this day, we all joke that your fascination with all things medical may be a sign of a career in your future. (October 2008)
For Thanksgiving at school, you insisted that the Pilgrims try some matzoh balls made my Mommy. You gobbled them up and were so proud that JSL came to kindergarten to visit. (November 2008)
So many things happened at the end of 2008. We celebrated Chanukah, went to Disney on Ice and planned our first big family vacation. (December 2008)
During the cold winter months you, JSL and I had a lot of fun spending snow days home in our PJs. This was our time to catch up on watching different Disney movies before our trip in May. (January 2009)
For the third year in a row, you went to see Sesame Street Live. This time you were the pro and helped to show your little brother and cousin S the ropes. (February 2009)
As the spring arrived, you became excited about learning to ride your new bike (early birthday present from us), seeing your cousins for a weekend at the hotel/pool and getting ready for Disney World. You also showed your vulnerable side when you saw your brother taken away by ambulance to the hospital after another febrile seizure. (March 2009)
Along with kindergarten, this year began another part of your education. You went to Hebrew School and loved Israeli Dancing. Daddy went with you to your first big dance festival and you loved it. (April 2009)
When May finally arrived, you were beyond excited to take your first ride on an airplane and go to Disney World. You came home from that visit a new child. Not only did you love roller coasters/wild rides, you no longer were afraid of costumes at amusement parks. (may 2009)
In June, you rode a horse for the first time and graduated from kindergarten. At that moment, you were no longer my kindergarten kid and it was tough for Mommy. (June 2009)
This summer, we went back to Six Flags and you continued to show your love for rides galore. You had fun riding in the Big Red Cars with JSL, and of course the Bob Sled with Daddy and me. The best part, you wanted your photos taken with all of the characters at the park. Now if only you can get your little brother to be cool with them. (July 2009)
This month, you went to camp for the first time, tried a Super Soaker with Daddy, went to Home Depot and Lowes for kid building clinics, finished the summer library reading program (read over 60 books so far), and discovered your first wiggle tooth is almost ready to come out. (August 2009)
This year you have learned so much. You saw how important it is to take your medicine to control your allergies, even if you do not like it. Figuring out how to swallow a pill was much better than a lot of liquid medicine. Not only can you add and subtract, but you now write stories and can read books on your own. This was your number one goal that you told your teacher in September and you met it with flying colors!
You are my big kid and I am so proud of you. I can not wait to see what this year has in store for us as you turn six today. Know that I always love you, will be cheering you on, and will help you when you need me. I hope that you have a magical birthday today and know that I love you with all of my heart.
Mommy
Waiting at Wiggles World
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 
Recycling Coca-Cola style
Thursday, July 16th, 2009The Green movement of buying more earth friendly products, recycling, using reusable bottles and bags has hit in our house for a while now. There are some things that will not happen (cloth diapering since my youngest is already 2), but we are trying to do as much as possible. I have been impressed recently with other places that are doing the same.
This is a sign that we snapped a photo of while at EPCOT in May. I loved the display with information for people and wished that I had more time to stop and check things out.
This weekend while visiting Six Flags something caught my eye in Wiggles World. I went to check it out and HAD to take a photo.
Yes, this was strategically located next to the regular garbage can. The Coca-Cola shaped bottle is actually a recycling container for visitors to place their empty soda bottles in. Love it! In fact, I kept looking for different places where they were hidden within the park. Here is another one that I found.
I think it is great that Six Flags and Coca-Cola are teaming up together to help our planet. They could simply have their trash cans and not bother, but they are going the extra step to help everyone. Kudos to both parks for helping us to be more Green!
