Food Fun Family

The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Dominion

Lolli — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 16:14:28 +0000

This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

This past Saturday, three of my kids and I spent the day at Kings Dominion for the Great Pumpkin Fest. We had a BLAST! Talk about getting us in the Halloween spirit (although the weather felt a whole lot like middle of the summer!). There is something for everyone and EVERY age at Kings Dominion during the month of October!

Weekends starting September 23, and then September 30 to October 29 between 12:00pm and 5:00pm, the Great Pumpkin Fest is open! The Great Pumpkin Fest is a fun activity for the whole family and includes Halloween-themed live shows, Sally’s Pumpkin Painting Patch (decorate and take home a small pumpkin!), Franklin’s Scarecrow Hollow (a kid-friendly maze), Pig Pen’s People Washer (play and splash around in a “pool” of suds!), a petting zoo (adorable animals!!), and so much more! Your favorite rides are open during the day, as well as the entire Planet Snoopy kids’ area.

For more information about the Great Pumpkin Fest, please click here: https://www.kingsdominion.com/things-to-do/the-great-pumpkin-fest

We spent the daylight hours riding a few of our favorite rides and enjoying the Halloween festivities. The kid-friendly activities at Planet Snoopy wound down around 5:00pm, and then the park started the transformation to “HAUNT.”

Although my kids weren’t interested in getting scared, we were all impressed with the length that Kings Dominion went to to decorate for Halloween! We stayed about 90 minutes past sunset, so we were able to experience plenty of the spooky part. We especially enjoyed the after-dark shows, like the The Grave Walkers (a family-friendly wandering band with fun dancers) and the flaming torch juggler.

Be Scare-Proof with the No-Boo Necklace!

My 18-year-old was nervous about being scared by costumed monsters while walking around the park, so she purchased one of the No-Boo glowing necklaces and wore it proudly all day. The no-boo necklace worked like a charm once the sun went down and the monsters came out! Don’t worry about your little ones if you plan to stay in Planet Snoopy. Everything in the kids’ area is fun and kid-friendly and not scary at all.

Free Pre-K Pass!

Don’t forget about the free Pre-K pass – you don’t want to miss out on this offer! This special pass grants free admission to 3-5 year olds for the rest of the 2017 season and all of 2018! More info can be found here: https://www.kingsdominion.com/tickets-passes/pre-k-pass

Love to be SCARED?

For adults and teens, Kings Dominion goes ALL OUT for their Halloween HAUNT. From costumed “monsters” wandering the park to fog machines to spooky shows, mazes, haunted houses, and rides converted to Halloween themes, there is something for every level of Halloween fan!

Here’s a little of what you can expect: Start your night of fright at the Overlord’s Resurrection, where monsters will be unleashed into the park and out of your worst nightmares. Guests who are brave enough can enjoy eight mazes, five scare zones plus several live shows. If that isn’t enough fun, get your thrill fix on more than 20 rides, including Intimidator 305, as fog and darkness blanket the park.

Test your limits and experience fear beyond your worst nightmares with 5 all-new Skeleton Key rooms exclusive with Fright Lane. You’ll face extra terror as you unlock exclusive chambers and complete sinister tasks in order to escape.

Connect with Kings Dominion:

Kings Dominion official website
Click here for park hours & directions: https://www.kingsdominion.com/hours-directions
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingsdominionva
Instagram: @kingsdominionva
Twitter: @kingsdominionva

Kings Dominion BBQ and Brew Fest 2017

Lolli — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 21:20:19 +0000

My family and I were thrilled to receive an invite to BBQ and Brew Fest at Kings Dominion this past weekend. We couldn’t wait to return for our second year in a row (although this was BBQ and Brew Fest’s 3rd season at the park). The post was sponsored by Cedar Fair in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, but all thoughts, excitement, and photos are my own.

We decided to make this year’s BBQ and Brew Fest at Kings Dominion a fun family weekend getaway and stayed in the Richmond area Friday and Saturday so we could have a full day – opening to closing – at the park. We couldn’t have asked for better weather for a day at Kings Dominion, especially for August!

What is BBQ and Brew Fest?

BBQ and Brew Fest, in it’s 3rd season, runs Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 8pm between August 5 and August 20. Park-goers can enjoy mouthwatering BBQ from all over the region and relax or dance along with live entertainment (whichever strikes your fancy!). For those of you who are 21+ and enjoy a good craft beer, you can quench your thirst with the best local craft beers in Virginia. Since I’m not a beer drinker myself, I just enjoyed as much of the BBQ as possible!

Memphis Dry Rub Ribs

Memphis-style Mac & Cheese

North Carolina Pulled Chicken Wontons

Shish Kabob Beef from Georgia

How it Works

Visit BBQ booths around Candy Apple Grove to taste sample size BBQ dishes from Texas, Georgia, Memphis, North Carolina, Virginia, and St. Louis. Each sample size portion costs 2-4 Taste Tokens. Tokens can be purchased at the Festival Information Center. The “sample” sizes were very generous, and we all got plenty to eat!

BBQ and Brew Fest Menu 2017

We all spread out and visited several BBQ regions. I think my favorite item was the tater tots with pulled duck and creamy gouda cheese. How delicious does that sound?! It was as tasty as it sounds and looks!

Tater tots with pulled duck and creamy gouda cheese

Live Entertainment

There is live music and entertainment every day of the festival between 12-2pm and 4-6pm – perfect for the lunch and dinner crowds! There are places to sit and enjoy the music while you sip on a cold drink and nibble on some tasty BBQ.

Enjoy a Day at Kings Dominion

Of course, we enjoyed the rest of the day at Kings Dominion riding as many rides as possible and taking a relaxing break or two at a show, too! Check out this summer’s shows at https://www.kingsdominion.com/play/shows-and-entertainment. We loved Jump: The Ultimate Dog Show (which runs through September 4 in the Peanuts Showplace) and Origins: A Cirque Experience (which runs through September 4 in the Kings Dominion Theater in Old Virginia).

Origins: A Cirque Experience at Kings Dominion

Jump: The Ultimate Dog Show at Kings Dominion

There’s so much to do at Kings Dominion – from family-friendly rides to thrill rides to water rides to shows! We did a little bit of everything last weekend!

Caricature Drawings at Kings Dominion

Cooling off on the Shenandoah Lumber Company Log Ride

Hurry over to Kings Dominion for the remainder of BBQ and Brew Fest 2017. You’ll love it!

Connect with BBQ and Brew Fest

Learn More about BBQ and Brew Fest: https://www.kingsdominion.com/play/events/bbq-and-brew
Park website: https://www.kingsdominion.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingsdominionva
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingsdominionva/
Twitter: @KingsDominionVA

Kings Dominion: What’s New for 2017

Lolli — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 14:31:06 +0000

I was invited to a media preview of the new Planet Snoopy expansion at Kings Dominion during opening weekend for the 2017 season. I spent the day at the park with two of my kids and enjoyed a special lunch with the other members of the media and their families. We received admission and lunch, but no other compensation was received.

Kings Dominion is a premier amusement park just outside of Richmond, Virginia. With more than 60 rides, shows and attractions, there’s something for everyone! Check the website for hours and ticket information.

My family and I love Kings Dominion! We spent many summer days at Kings Dominion last year, and I am shocked that the park is open for the 2017 season already.

We lucked out with the weather the day that we were there. Our spring weather has been all over the place, but we couldn’t have ordered better weather if the forecast worked that way (perfectly clear, blue skies and nicely warm but not hot). The time passed a little too quickly, but we had a blast.

During our media preview, we learned about 4 fabulous new features for 2017.

This year, Kings Dominion is making room for more fun, more laughs and more thrills will the Planet Snoopy expansion that includes 3 new thrill rides for kids. Also expanding the Planet Snoopy experience includes a new event space and upgraded food and beverage locations.

Kings Dominion will also be adding free park WiFi for guests and introducing FunPix, a fun and easy way to capture, collect, and share photos while you’re at the park. And last but not least, Kings Dominion has introduced the Pre-K Pass, which allows parents to get free passes for the entire season for their preschool-aged kids.

Free WiFi Throughout the Park!

This is a new feature that the entire family will appreciate! Kings Dominion is now equipped with free WiFi – no password or login required. Now you can play all day and not worry about eating through your phone’s data. We tried it out, and it was fast and smooth to use. No connection problems at all!

More Fun at Planet Snoopy

This spring, Kings Dominion has introduced three brand new Rides in Planet Snoopy:

Kite Eating Tree: Charlie Brown’s kite is stuck in a tree. Can you help get it down? This ride will take you up to see if you can grab it, then gently bring you down. Children of all ages will laugh and smile on this ride that takes them in the air and then gently drops them in a jumping, vertical descent.

Sally’s Sea Plane: Kids and their parents join Sally as she flies through the sky on this crazy airplane adventure that rotates and rises into the air.

Peanuts 500: Start your engines! Burn rubber through a circular speedway towards the checkered flag. Hang on through the turns – they’ll make you giggle! Children and their parents can pick their car and hit the track!

Pre-K Pass

To celebrate the opening of 3 new Planet Snoopy rides, Kings Dominion is offering free admission for ages 3-5 with the Pre-K Pass! Now your little ones can join in the fun with no extra cost! Find out how to get a Pre-K Pass for your little one here!

FunPix Photo Pass

Whether it’s on a ride, with Charlie Brown or at one of the park’s photo spots you’ll have plenty of pictures to remember your visits by. With the new FunPix All Season Photo Pass ($44.99) you’ll be able to look back at all the photos you’ve collected from the entire season. You can also get a Single Day Digital Photo Pass for $24.99.

Take advantage of your photo pass at multiple locations throughout the park, including:

On-ride photos
Roaming photographers
Peanuts character photos
Photo spots

About Kings Dominion

The idea for a family amusement park north of Richmond, Virginia and south of Washington, D.C., began as a dream in 1971. A site was selected in Doswell, VA in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic to build the 400-acre park. The design of the new park was similar to Kings Island near Cincinnati, OH, using similar rides, attractions and themes including a 315-foot-tall Eiffel Tower replica and twin-track, racing roller coaster.

With more than 60 rides, shows and attractions Kings Dominion has everything you need to create lifelong memories. Thrill-seekers will get their fix with one of the East Coast’s largest collection of roller coasters – 12 in all – including Intimidator 305, which stretches 305 feet tall and screams at more than 90 miles per hour. Families will delight in the zany rides at Planet Snoopy, featuring Snoopy and the entire PEANUTS gang.

Find out more about Kings Dominion at kingsdominion.com.

Hersheypark in the Dark

Lolli — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 03:04:39 +0000

As part of my Sweetest Moms Ambassadorship this year, my girls and I were invited to spend Saturday (which happened to be my birthday!) at Hersheypark for the opening weekend of Hersheypark in the Dark – Hersheypark’s annual Halloween celebration. Although we were given tickets, we covered all travel expenses and food ourselves. All thoughts are my own.

Fall is my favorite season – with the changing leaves, the cooler temperatures, and the acceleration towards my favorite holidays of the year.

After spending the weekend at Hersheypark, I’ve convinced that fall is also the perfect time to be in Hershey! Hersheypark is transformed into a festive Halloween town, with family-friendly activities and lots and lots of chocolate. Hersheypark is fun all day long, but it becomes magical at night when the sun goes down and the lights come on. I loved the festive Halloween lights, the singing jack-o-lanterns, and the festive music being played throughout the park.

But I think my favorite Hersheypark in the Dark perk was the Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake – a seasonal treat featuring a pumpkin spice funnel cake drizzled with cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with crumbled graham crackers, and topped with whipped cream. It was heavenly.

Hersheypark In The Dark

Hersheypark In The Dark takes place Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from October 14 – 30 (2016 schedule)

Here are a few of the things you can expect from Hersheypark in the Dark as well as other area attractions:

More than 50 rides and attractions including 13 roller coasters and Halloween-themed live entertainment.

NEW Laff Trakk will be a dark ride experience (ie, NO LIGHTS!) during all operating hours. In addition, the Park will once again turn the lights off the last operating hour of each evening on the three wooden roller coasters: Comet, Lightning Racer and Wildcat.

Hershey’s Trick-or-Treat Adventure with two locations – Hershey’s Chocolate World and Treatville, a hometown village of treats and sweets inside Hersheypark, for children 12 and younger (costumes are encouraged).
Fall-themed food and beverage offerings including pumpkin funnel cakes, pumpkin chili and more!

Live entertainment including favorites “Screaming Mummies,” a band of misfit mummies and their classic Halloween tunes, performing in the Amphitheatre. Additional entertainment offerings including “Boo Crew,” “Monster Party,” and “Treatville Tales” will be located at the exit of Treatville.

Hersheypark In The Dark will offer meet and greet opportunities with your favorite Hershey’s Characters.

For more information about Hersheypark in the Dark, plus hours of operation, visit www.hersheypark.com/seasons/halloween.php.

Laff Trakk is our favorite ride at Hersheypark, but I have to admit…it WAS scarier with the lights out!

Creatures Of The Night at ZooAmerica

Just like the rest of the year, your one-price admission to hersheypark in the Dark also includes admission to ZooAmerica. Starting at 6:00pm every night, guest are encouraged to come to the Zoo with their flashlights to experience Creatures of the Night…after dark and after-hours. This is the only time of the year when guests can experience ZooAmerica in the dark!

See ZooAmerica’s newest additions – two black bears and two armadillos!
Guests may observe the nocturnal habits of North American species with programs and activities nightly starting at 6:00pm (like howling with the wolves!)
Pumpkin treats for select animals.

My girls and I thought it would be fun to howl with the wolves…and it was! Once people and wolves started howling at the full moon (and it really WAS a full moon!), it was hard not to join in.

Hershey’s Chocolate World

We love Hershey’s Chocolate World all year long (especially because it’s a place we can go for good food, entertainment, and as much candy as you could dream of….with free admission!) but like Hersheypark, Chocolate World has some Halloween-themed fun you don’t want to miss!

Hershey’s Trick-Or-Treat Adventure: The candy collecting begins at Hershey’s Chocolate World and continues inside Hersheypark.
Full Moon Fridays: Dress up and enter Hershey Hallow for spook-tacular music, dancing with the Hershey’s Characters and more ghostly activities.

Flavors of Fall Dessert Festival: Bite into the delicious flavors of fall, such as the Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
Trick-or-Treat Trolley: Limited edition tours featuring Milton Hershey’s life story in a fall themed Trolley with plenty of treats and no tricks.
Tricky Treats & Sweets: Shop Halloween treats in Hershey’s largest candy store and pick up delightful sweets from the bakery.

The Hershey Story Museum

Visitors can learn about the history of chocolate at The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue, and families can experience Ghosts & Goodies: Kids are encouraged to wear their favorite costume as they create ghostly treats using Hershey’s candy. This is a FREE event and is held October 29 and 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Hershey Gardens

Hershey Gardens lights up the night with more than 150 uniquely carved illuminated pumpkins and a variety of whimsical scarecrows that come to life along the path, during its annual Pumpkin Glow. Kids ages 12 and younger are invited to bring a flashlight, come in costume, trick-or-treat throughout the Gardens and experience the following activities:

NEW See a unique collection of live spiders and insects in the Educational & Horticultural Wing of the Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory.
Listen to a garden-themed story.
Collect candy treats at stops along the Gardens’ paths.
Watch live pumpkin carving demonstrations.

Pumpkin Glow is from 6 to 8:30pm on October 21, 22, 28 and 29. Tickets may be purchased online at www.HersheyGardens.com or at the door. Please note, the Butterfly Atrium will be closed during Pumpkin Glow hours.

The Official Resorts of Hersheypark

Stay overnight at The Official Resorts of Hersheypark for the perfect fall getaway. Don’t forget that Hershey’s Water Works at Hershey Lodge is new this year and open all year round for guests!

There’s a special Hersheypark In The Dark Package available at Hershey Lodge which includes:

Deluxe accommodations.
Breakfast with Hershey’s Characters.
One-day admission to Hersheypark In The Dark.
Admission to Hershey Gardens (including the new year-round Butterfly Atrium).
Admission to The Hershey Story’s Museum Experience.
The package is available Friday and Saturday nights from October 14 -30 with prices starting from $469*.

*Price is per room per night, based on a family of four. Excludes tax and gratuities. Other restrictions may apply.

The Spa At The Hotel Hershey

Through November 30, The Spa At The Hotel Hershey offers guests fall-themed treatments to relax their mind and body such as Pumpkin Latte Manicure & Pedicure, Pumpkin Soufflé Wrap and Pumpkin Spice Scrub. Please visit www.ChocolateSpa.com for treatments offerings, pricing and additional information.

For additional information, hours and pricing for Halloween In Hershey, please visit www.HersheyPA.com. Follow us on Twitter @HersheyPA, Instagram @TheSweetestPlaceOnEarth and enjoy the latest stories from Hershey, PA at Stories.HersheyPA.com.

Kings Dominion BBQ & Brew Fest 2016

Lolli — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 20:00:37 +0000

This past Saturday, three of my kids and I headed south to Kings Dominion for BBQ & Brew Fest. All I had to do was mention BBQ tasting and they were ALL IN. This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

What is BBQ & Brew Fest?

It’s simple! BBQ & Brew Fest is a three weekend-long festival celebrating great BBQ and local craft beer. Guests can sample everything BBQ, from chicken to brisket to pork to ribs (and don’t forget the sides and desserts!). Guests 21 and over can enjoy signature craft brews from some of the area’s local breweries. All that BBQ pairs perfectly with entertainment from live bands. BBQ and Brew Fest runs Saturdays and Sundays, August 6 through August 21.

Where is BBQ & Brew Fest?

The BBQ & Brew Fest is set up at Kings Dominion along Candy Apple Grove. It’s easy to browse the different food offerings (all within a short walking distance around Candy Apple Grove) and then grab a shady spot to eat and listen to live music.

There is no separate admission fee for BBQ & Brew Fest – anyone in the park can enjoy. All food items are $5.00 each (except for watermelon cups which are $3.00 and strawberry shortcake parfaits which are $4.00); you can either pay cash or purchase sampler cards for $5.00 a piece. They’ve even got a discount card for $20.00 that get you 3 BBQ tasting cards and 2 brew sample cards.

Sample size (5 oz) pours of beer can be purchased for $3.00. Full size (20 oz) pours are $8.00 each.

The BBQ & Brew Fest Menu

The Pit
? Moonshine Pulled pork slider with smoky BBQ sauce and spicy pickles
? Beef Brisket Slider with BBQ sauce and spicy pickles

Tastes from the Tower Food Truck
? Redneck Eggroll with “white BBQ sauce”
? Loaded tater tots with pulled pork, cheese sauce, jalapenos and sour cream

BBQ Fiesta
? Loaded moonshine pulled pork “walking taco” bag
? BBQ chicken tacos

BBQ Island
? Hawaiian style grilled teriyaki beef slider with chive mayo and pineapple coleslaw
? Jamaican style jerk BBQ chicken quarter with Jambalaya Cornbread fritter and mango salsa

The Dogs
? Virginia Oinker dog (dog wrapped in ham, topped with BBQ pork and chopped bacon) and BBQ brown sugar baked beans
? Grilled hot dog topped with BBQ pork, coleslaw and jalapenos with BBQ brown sugar baked beans

Mac ‘N Cheesy
? BBQ pork and mashed potato “parfait” with macaroni and cheese
? Candied bacon blt served with BBQ macaroni and cheese

Southern ‘N Sweet
? Moonshine bratwurst with blackberry jam
? Southern style banana pudding

The Halligan Bar and Grill:

“Chicken Shack” BBQ
? Memphis Style BBQ Chicken Slider
? “Wings of Smoke”
? “Bird Dog”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad

Beef Country
? Texas Style Beef Brisket Slider
? Bacon Wrapped Brisket Bites
? “Texas Bull Dog”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, Macaroni salad

Carolina BBQ
? North Carolina Style Pulled Pork BBQ Slider
? Baby Back Ribs
? The “Dog Pound”
? Sides: Cole Slaw, BBQ Baked Beans

Fire Truck Smoker with Whole Pig Roasted on Saturdays

The BBQ & Brew Fest Brewers

I’m not a beer-drinker, so I can’t speak to how great the beer tasting was, but people sure seemed to enjoy it! The list of brewers is different each weekend.

August 6 – 7

Bold Rock Hard Cider — Nellysford (Nelson County), VA
Brother’s Craft Brewing — Harrisonburg, VA
Legend Brewing Company — Richmond, VA
O’Connor Brewing Company — Norfolk, VA
Old Bust Head Brewing Company — Faquier County, VA
Strangeways Brewery — Richmond, VA

August 13 – 14

Ardent Craft Ales — Richmond, VA
Devils Backbone — Roseland, VA
Midnight Brewery — Rockville, VA
Chaos Mountain Brewery — Callaway, VA
Center of the Universe — Ashland, VA
Starr Hill Brewery — Crozet, VA

August 20 – 21

Bold Rock Hard Cider — Nellysford (Nelson County), VA
Steam Bell Beer Works — Chesterfield, VA
Isley Brewing Company — Richmond, VA
Hardywood Craft Brewery — Richmond, VA
Kindred Spirits — Richmond, VA

The BBQ & Brew Fest Entertainment

I love live music, so this was perhaps my favorite part of BBQ & Brew Fest! We loved the Pat Russel Band, and wish we could be there every day of the festival to hear all of the other live entertainment!

8/6: Pat Russel Band
8/7: Inside Out
8/13: Moonshine Society
8/14: Red Light Rodeo Allstars
8/20: The Mashup
8/21: Little Country

Also catch Chainsaw Chix each day at 2:00pm, 3:15pm and 6:30pm. They were fascinating to watch!

I loved everything about our experience at Kings Dominion BBQ & Brew Fest, except for the weather. It was almost too hot to do anything at all. When we weren’t sampling the BBQ and listening to Pat Russel Band perform (in our shady spot), we were refilling our souvenir cups or ordering frozen treats to try to cool off. Unfortunately, because of my son’s stitches, we weren’t able to get wet (how mean would it have been to leave him while we went down a water slide or two?!) but we still had a blast on a couple of our favorite rides.

We’re definitely putting BBQ & Brew Fest on our calendar for next year!

Kings Dominion KidsFest

Lolli — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 19:22:34 +0000

Two of my kids and I were able to visit Kings Dominion this past weekend for KidsFest and we had a blast! This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Kings Dominion is welcoming back its wildly successful KidsFest for a second year and you are invited!

What is KidsFest? I’ll tell you! KidsFest is the most fun, family-friendly weekend(s) EVER at Kings Dominion! Yes, even big kids like mine LOVED KidsFest! KidsFest takes place at Planet Snoopy and is a celebration of all things kids-related, from concerts and crafts to activities, shows, and so much more! KidsFest started this past weekend (7/16-7/17) and next weekend (7/23-7/24) from 12pm to 5pm.

PLUS – (this is exciting!) Everyone Pays Kids Price when you buy your tickets online to come during KidsFest.

We started our KidsFest day at the Imagination Movers concert – front row, center stage. It was a blast! Yes, it was HOT but at least we were sitting and out of the sun for a little while. Imagination Movers put on an energetic, fun show – perfect for all ages!

One of our favorite experiences of the day was the Cirque Imagine acrobatics show. Not only were the performers super talented, but they were funny, too! We especially loved the cool auditorium that provided a welcome rest from the heat!

You can see Cirque Imagine at the Kings Dominion Theater from June 18 – September 5. Shows are Tuesday – Friday, Sunday 2:00, 4:00, 6:00 and
Saturday 2:00, 3:30, 5:30, 7:00.

KIDSFEST ENTERTAINMENT

The entertainment during KidsFest ROCKS! This was our favorite part of last weekend’s visit for sure! We rocked out during the Imagination Movers concert from our front row, center seats, and even had a free meet and greet with the Movers themselves afterwards! My daughter bought a hat and had all 4 Movers sign the rim. She may be 17, but it was “best day ever!” quality!

Imagination Movers – Get ready to move and groove with the Imagination Movers! Join us in the PEANUTS Showplace for two free concerts at 1pm and 4pm on Saturday, July 16. (PAST)
Choo Choo Soul All Aboard! – Choo Choo Soul will be performing at the PEANUTS Showplace on Saturday, July 23 at 1pm and 4pm

Power UP! Dance Party – Shake it and groove it at our Power UP! Dance parties! 12:00pm-1pm & 2:30pm-3:30pm.

Mad Science – This is not your typical science education show! Join Atomic Ali and learn more about science in a fun and interactive way. At PEANUTS Playhouse 12:30pm-1:00pm & 2:45pm-3:15pm.

Animal Education Show – Enjoy this wild show full of different animals. Get your questions ready — this engaging show will teach you all about the starring animals and their habitats. At PEANUTS Playhouse 2:00pm-2:30pm & 3:30pm-4:00pm.
Party with the PEANUTS Gang – Hang out with the PEANUTS gang! Join Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang to celebrate your day at Kings Dominion. Take a break and party with them daily at 2pm and 5pm at the Snoopy Fountain!
Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular – End your day of fun with Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular! Take in the vibrant light and music extravaganza from the International Street fountain to the Carousel. 10pm-Closing

BONUS: The Kings Dominion Clown Band is not a KidsFest-only event. I recommend enjoying them everyday! They are so much fun and FUNNY! These are clowns that will make your kids laugh and clap and dance along to the music (not run away in fear!). Watch for their shows – they roam around the park so you never know when you’ll see them!

KIDSFEST ACTIVITIES

Kids of all ages can enjoy a ton of free activities (included for free with park admission), including crafts, a visit with the Hanover Fire Department and a chance to climb inside a real fire truck, Lola the CLown an her amazing balloon animals, and coloring pages (you can even print off your own pages to color at home!

FAMILY-FRIENDLY RIDES

Of course, a day at Kings Dominion would not be complete without your favorite rides! There are rides for ALL ages at the park – my big kids like the thrilling rollercoasters, but I’m more fond of the Carousel and Peanuts Turnpike!

Get Kings Dominion tickets HERE…and don’t forget to grab the amazing deal for KidsFest next weekend. Remember – everyone pays kids prices when you buy online!

POKEMON GO AT KINGS DOMINION

Kings Dominion is a gold mine of Pokestops and Gyms. We played while walking around the park and standing in line and had SO MUCH FUN working on OUR Pokemon collection together (yes, we have one game that we work on as a family). We found a ton of new Pokemon that we’d never encountered before, and we collected so many items at Pokestops that our storage was at capacity. Kings Dominion is a great place to play Pokemon GO as a family!

Connect with Kings Dominion

Website: https://www.kingsdominion.com/ #KDFirstTimer
Facebook: facebook.com/kingsdominionva
Instagram: @kingsdominionva
Twitter: @kingsdominionva

Kings Dominion: Thrills to Fit Every Size!

Lolli — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 17:07:33 +0000

Today is our first day back to school and work from Spring Break – and it was a wonderful, relaxing, fun break that we all needed! To kick off our Spring Break week, I was able to take the family to Kings Dominion in Virginia. This post is sponsored by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand, and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions and photos are my own.

When was the last time you took the whole family to an amusement park? My kids are the perfect age for enjoying a family day together at Kings Dominion and we had a blast! Spring is the ultimate season to head to Kings Dominion – the weather was perfect, the lines were shorter, and we were able to fit everything in to one day!

We’ve lived in the DC/MD/VA area for many years, and we’ve definitely visited Kings Dominion before, but it had been a while, so the park felt new to most of us. We set out with comfy walking shoes, fully charged phones, and sunglasses.

One of the first orders of business was to get a few souvenir cups (since we are planning on going back again before the season is over!). Kings Dominion offers 2 different types of souvenir cups – one cup can be refilled for free on the day of purchase and then any other visit refills are just a dollar. The other souvenir cup is a little pricier upfront, but you get free refills all season.

Our Favorite Rides at Kings Dominion

My 15-year-old son was drawn to all of the roller coaster rides – especially Intimidator 305 (which is the fastest roller coaster on the East Coast at 90 miles per hour). He told me that it made his Top 3 Roller Coasters Ever list! He convinced me to try it out with him near the end of the day, and I loved it…but I swear it was so fast I couldn’t even scream.

Can you believe that drop?

My 16-year-old daughter loved several of the roller coasters, but I think her favorite was Volcano. She had been to Kings Dominion with friends last summer and couldn’t wait to take the rest of the family on the ride.

The ride that we frequented the most was Backlot Stunt Coaster – that was my 10-year-old’s favorite ride, hands-down! I loved that it was thrilling but still kid-friendly (ie, no upside-down loops). He kept asking to go again (and since the lines were so short, we could!).

My 13-year-old loved the food and the getting a matching henna tattoo with her sister.

Benefits of Getting a 2016 Kings Dominion Season Pass

All day while we were in the park, I saw benefits of having the season pass – from free parking to discounts on food in the park. Here are a few of the reasons you should get a 2016 season pass:

Unlimited visits all season
Free parking
Early entry and ride times
10% discount on select food and merchandise throughout the park
Bring-a-friend days
Free admission to Dinosaurs Alive

What’s HOT at King’s Dominion

• Planet Snoopy – over nine acres of Peanuts themed fun – from rides and shows, to meeting your favorite Peanuts character. Planet Snoopy is perfect for younger kids and has SO much to offer for kids and families to enjoy together!
• Soak City – recently expanded and renovated, including a children’s play area for kids of all ages. We can’t wait to go back to enjoy Soak City during the summer!
• The all-new Delirium – new in 2016, this thrill ride will allow thrill seekers of all ages to fly through the air as they experience gravity-defying hang time.

After your park day is over, don’t forget to set aside time to enjoy in Richmond! My husband used to live in Richmond, and we used to drive down to Richmond ALL the time. We love it! Here are a few things to do in the Richmond, Virginia area.

Have you been to Kings Dominion? What were your favorite rides and features?

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