Over The Top Mommy

San Diego

SeaWorld’sHalloween Spooktacular is Back + Kids Free Through 10/31

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.
Guests looking for family friendly Halloween fun can head to SeaWorld Spooktacular® for a festive day filled with candy, costumes, colorful characters, music and more.

This immersive family event features everything kids love about Halloween, from trick-or-treating to hay mazes to a Halloween dance party to fun times with their favorite Sesame Street friends. In addition to all the returning favorites, this year SeaWorld San Diego is bringing back its beloved Spooktacular Pumpkin Hunt! SeaWorld Spooktacular runs weekends now through October 31 and is included with park admission. As an added treat, SeaWorld San Diego is offering one child, aged 3 to 9, free admission with one full-paid adult admission until October 31.

  • Adventures along the Trick-or-Treat Trail: Find waves of Halloween fun when costumed youngsters trick-or-treat for ghoulish goodies. Each candy station on our trick-or-treat trail features an assortment of favorites from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
  • Halloween Dance Party & Costume Parade: Children can join a cast of silly characters for a Halloween Dance Party where they participate in line-dancing favorites and then show off their costumes in the costume parade!
    Meet a Mermaid: Meet the friendly Halloween mermaids each event day in this immersive experience along the Trick-or-Treat Trail.
  • Hay Maze: Wander through our festive hay maze and meet some fun fall characters along the way.
    Sesame Street Countdown to Halloween show: Join Count von Count as he goes on a journey on his favorite night of the year…Halloween! Learning the importance of friendship, he leaves his castle in search of his Sesame Street friends, meeting new friends along the way. See the park schedule for show times.
  • Dia de los Muertos: Back by popular demand is the celebration of the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. Large, beautifully dressed Catrina statues will welcome guests as they discover ofrendas (offerings) of mementos and flowers honoring loved ones who have passed.
  • Spooktacular Pumpkin Hunt: Families can purchase a Spooktacular Pumpkin Hunt Map to explore the park and track down SeaWorld and Halloween inspired painted pumpkins to redeem a special prize!
    Spooky Family Fun by Day, Terrifying Halloween Frights by Night

For guests who are seeking a scarier Halloween experience, SeaWorld San Diego is debuting its first ever Howl-O-Scream nighttime event. Guests will encounter roaming haunts rampaging through scare zones and haunted houses with dark passageways home to ghoulish creatures lurking in the depths. Adventuresome guests can deepen the thrills with terrifying rides in the dark on Electric Eel, Manta and Journey to Atlantis, quench their thirst for fear at fiendishly interactive bars and feel the monstrous electricity of the live Vampire Circus show. Guests won’t want to miss this “inaugural fear” year of Howl-O-Scream San Diego, select nights now through Sunday, October 31. For more information and ticket purchases for this separate-ticketed event visit http://www.HowlOScream.com/CA.

The Best Way to Experience Spooktacular at SeaWorld: Buy a new 2022 SeaWorld Fun Card, get 2021 FREE! For a limited time, visit again and again with a 2022 SeaWorld Fun Card and get the rest of 2021 FREE! This incredible deal offers more than three bonus months when you buy now, including visits to SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular this year and next year, for only $99.99*.For access with more benefits and low monthly payments starting at $10.50 per month, guests can upgrade to a Silver, Gold, or Platinum Annual Pass to enjoy the perks they want most. Annual Pass Members* receive 12 months of visits with incredible benefits including exclusive ride opportunities, FREE parking, up to 6 free guest tickets, savings on merchandise, and more! Annual Pass Members also get special discounts for the best deals on Howl-O-Scream San Diego. For more information about the SeaWorld Fun Card, please go HERE.

Safety:
The safety of guests, Ambassadors and animals in our care remains SeaWorld’s top priority. Consistent with CDC guidance, SeaWorld recommend that guests wear face coverings while indoors.

Logo, images and video property of SeaWorld and used with permission. 

Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND® California Resort Tickets Now on Sale

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND® California Resort is back this year with even more Halloween excitement! The Park is open after dark at the only kid-focused Halloween event in Southern California, every Saturday in October. Enjoy rides open late, trick-or-treating, live entertainment, Halloween décor, and more! Eat, drink, and be scary with season-al food and beverage options for the whole family. SEA LIFE® aquarium joins in on the celebration with Halloween décor, live creatures, and spooky-fun exhibits.

Brick-or-Treat dates for 2021 will beOctober 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30.

To purchase tickets, please go HERE

There’s so much to do, you’ll want to have a Halloween sleepover just steps away from the Park entrance at the amazing LEGOLAND Hotel and LEGOLAND Castle Hotel. Check out the Brick-or-Treat Hotel and Ticket packages HERE.

Images property of LEGOLAND California Resort and used with permission. 

Legoland®California Resort Opens New Duplo®Playtown FEATURING a New LEGOLAND Express Train Ride!

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Streamers soared through the air as kids and families cheered with excitement during the ribbon cutting ceremony, officially opening LEGOLAND® California Resort’s DUPLO®Playtown. The colorful LEGO® town, geared towards children five and under, features interactive playhouses for kids to climb, slide, and explore, and is home to the new LEGOLAND®Express Train Ride.More than 30 families from the Southern California and San Diego chapters of Ronald McDonald House Charities® joined the opening ceremony festivities and were treated to a fun-filled day at LEGOLAND® California Resort. Kids were outfitted in train conductor hats and received commemorative buttons as they boarded the LEGO® locomotive which for many was their first ever theme-park ride! As part of the opening event, LEGOLAND® California donated $80,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities, benefitting the San Diego and Southern California chapters.

“Here at LEGOLAND California Resort we like to be the first for everything. For many of our young guests, this will be their first time riding our train, climbing Kid Power Towers, and playing with all the interactive play houses here at the new DUPLO Playtown, It’s an honor to have families from the Ronald McDonald House enjoy the new area and spend the day creating memories.” – LEGOLAND® California Resort General Manager Peter Ronchetti

DUPLO®Playtown includes more than ten whimsical playhouses that feature hands-on activities, slides and interactive elements that encourage kids to use their imagination and creativity while playing. Children can explore a barn, fire station, grocery store, hospital and maze complete with an interactive scarecrow. The new area is a great option for families with toddlers and the perfect place to let younger children play and experience their first theme park ride on the LEGOLAND®Express Train Ride. For the older siblings, Kid Power Towers stands tall in the middle of DUPLO®Playtown – kids and parents alike can ride to the top of one of three towers to get an incredible view of the entire Park and enjoy a thrilling “free-fall” down to the bottom.

DUPLO®Playtown, LEGOLAND®Express Train, and Kid Power Towers are all included with Park admission.For more information, visit http://www.LEGOLAND.com or call 760.918.5346.

Images are property of LEGOLAND and used with permission. 

Brick-or-Treat Party Nights at LEGOLAND® California Resort

I was invited to attend LEGOLAND® Brick or Treat Nights in exchange for coverage. All opinions are my own.

Brick-or-Treat Party Nights have returned to LEGOLAND® California Resort. It’s one of our favorite annual Halloween events to attend and you can attend this year, Saturdays through October 27! This event is a separately ticketed party offering exciting entertainment, sweet treats and not-so-spooky thrills and it’s an event where guests of all ages are welcome to dress up in costumes.  Brick-or-Treat is a very family-friendly and a must-do for us each year. This year, Brick-or-Treat Party Nights is presented by Disguise Costumes and will be offered from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the following Saturdays:

  • September 29
  • October 6
  • October 13
  • October 20
  • October 27

The Park is transformed into a monster mash bash for the ultimate family fun Halloween party and features the following:

  • Treat stations with more than 1 million pieces of candy
  • Costume contests and interaction with the “Boo Crew”
  • a new pop-badge challenge
  • Ghost Cruise adventure
  • LEGO Character Meet and Greets
  • Heartlake City Fall Festival with Pumpkin Patch Build and craft time with the LEGO Friends
  • The AstroBash Dance Party
  • “The Curse of the Hallowmeenie” theater show
  • The “Spirits of Halloween” animated light show
  • Bluegrass Band Jamboree
  • a special LEGO Friends meet and greet in Heartlake City, where kids can decorate their own craft

In addition to all of these special Brick-or-Treat Party nights offerings, guests also have access to many of the regular attractions during the party.Admission for Brick-or-Treat Nights can be purchased for as low as $54, if purchased online and in advance. LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE® aquarium are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on select dates throughout October and LEGOLAND® Water Park is open weekends 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. through October 27. With special event admission to Brick-or-Treat Party Nights on September 29, October 6, 13, 20 and 27, guests can extend their day until 9 p.m. at both LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE aquarium to enjoy all of the Halloween festivities-plus- add on a second day Resort Hopper ticket to extend the fun all weekend long. For exclusive savings and more information, please visit http://www.BRICKORTREAT.com or call 760.918.5346.

A very special THANK YOU to LEGOLAND California Resort for hosting us for a fun night out! 

 

LEGO® City: Deep Sea Adventure submarine ride Now Open at LEGOLAND® California Resort

I was invited to a media preview in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are 100% my own. 

July 2, 2018 was an extra exciting morning at LEGOLAND® California Resort. After festive grand opening ceremonies and ribbon cutting, the all-new LEGO® City: Deep Sea Adventure submarine ride at took its official maiden voyage. Among those in attendance were Mr. , the creator and also several Ronald McDonald House guests, who had been chosen to be among the first to ride. The interactive ride features more than 2,000 sea animals including several species of sharks, rays and other tropical fish amid new LEGO® modes, all themed around a ship’s sunken treasure! Five species of sharks and several species of rays including a southern stingray with a five-foot wing span, are among the sea animals guests will discover.Guests actually board a real submarine and go underwater to discover a truly amazing world filled with real sea animals. Through the use of interactive touchscreens at each porthole inside the sub, guests can help the LEGO® minifigure dive team identify LEGO® gems, pearls, gold coins and more throughout the more than four minute journey. During each “voyage” guests can achieve one of three levels: Junior, Senior and Master Explorer.The interactive touch pads aren’t the only feature that utilizes technology within Deep Sea Adventure. Before guests board the 22,000 pound submarines, they are given a briefing on the mission that awaits them by a 3-foot-tall LEGO diver whose face, with the help of a projector screen, is animated as he gives instructions to the explorers
Here’s a short video showing our day:

Another fun interactive area is located at the exit of the ride, when you enter the souvenir shop. Guests of all ages can use the interactive screen to build their own fish and then “play” with it on the digital screen . Speaking of the souvenir shop, there are a ton of adorable LEGO souvenirs in the shop adjacent to the exit including t-shirts, themed plush and LEGO sets.

The LEGO® City: Deep Sea Adventure submarine ride is now open daily during regular park hours and included among the park’s attractions. For more information, including park hours and ticket information, please go here. 

 

Guide to the LEGOLAND® Castle Hotel at LEGOLAND® California Resort

Our family was invited to stay at the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel in order to share about our experience. All opinions are 100% my own. 

The LEGOLAND®Castle Hotel recently opened at LEGOLAND® California Resort and we were lucky enough to get to stay there for a night! It’s North America’s only hotel and is located right at the entrance to LEGOLAND California.legoland-castle-hotel-exterior-1This hotel completely immerses guests into a castle experience from the moment they walk in.  A royal LEGO statue marks the entrance and is just one of more than 2,100 LEGO models created out of more than three million bricks. As guests enter the Grand Hall, they are greeted by a towering LEGO wizard conjuring up spells to protect the Castle from the bad knights and dragons.legoland-castle-hotel-signlegoland-castle-hotel-wizardWe had the opportunity to stay at the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel right when it opened and I want to share all about it with you!us-at-legoland-castle-hotel-grand-openingThe rooms
The hotel features 250 premium LEGO Castle themed rooms, with 20 suites. Whether you’re a knight or a princess, you’ll love staying in any of the 3 different themed rooms they offer. You can book a Royal Princess, Knights and Dragons, or a Magic Wizards room. Each one is beyond adorable with its details.

‘Not only does every room tell a story, every wall, floor, LEGO® model is designed to make guests feel like they’re in an actual castle.” – General Manager Frank Idris

You’re going to be enamored by the decor and features in your room. In the Royal Princess rooms, the princess is joining forces with her jester friend to sneak into the grand tournament and compete with the knights. In the Knights and Dragons rooms, the knights are on a mission to defend the king’s castle and protect his treasure. In the Magic Wizard rooms, the wizards are concocting potions and fireworks for the grand tournament.

Every room at the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel includes:

  • A children’s sleeping area with bunk beds, a trundle bed, their own television, LEGO building station and shooting stars illuminating on the ceiling.
  • An adult sleeping area with an ornate head board with LED lights which could resemble a stained glass window, a canopy sparking with twinkling lights or shelves filled with potions and a magical bubbling illuminated cauldron.
  • A bathroom with quality toiletries, a blow dryer and plenty of space to get ready.
  • An in-room treasure hunt with prizes for the children
  • Complimentary WiFi

Here’s a short video giving a tour of the room we stayed in:

The lobby
As you enter the LEGOLAND®Castle Hotel, you’re not only greeted by a giant wizard, but your kids will most likely run straight to the LEGO building area and become immediately occupied with some serious LEGO building. Other unique, features in the hotel lobby include a fun little slide for guests of all ages and a knock knock door created to entertain guests.There’s also a hands-on LEGO building area. The Royal Courtyard
One of the kids’ favorite parts about the hotel was the Royal Courtyard area. Located in between the buildings, down the center of the hotel, this area boasts a giant play area with a huge play structure for “big” kids, as well as a smaller DUPLO play area for smaller children. There’s also a giant movie screen for nighttime outdoor movies and tons of seating around the entire area for adults to relax and watch their children play. The Royal Courtyard also has a stage area for live plays and shows. It’s truly unique for a hotel to have such an amazing area for kids to just be kids and I found that our kids never wanted to leave.The swimming pool area
The pool area features fountains and other interactive water features and a gradual incline pool and hot tub. With such great weather year-round, guests can always enjoy a swim in the heated pool or a soak in the hot tub, during the day or at night. (hours vary) There’s plenty of seating around the pool, cabanas are available for use, and towel service is available. Kids will love to play with the giant, floating LEGO bricks that are inside the pool. The pool bar and grill offers smoothies, sandwiches and salads prepared fresh to order.Dragon’s Den Restaurant & Bar
This amazing sit-down royal restaurant features an extensive, delicious menu featuring locally-sourced food. The restaurant has an open kitchen for guests to watch chefs preparing their food, Adjacent to the sit-down portion of the restaurant is also a bar area, as well as a patio. LEGO models and entertainers make this a unique dining experience, offering something for guests of all ages.legoland-castle-hotel-dragons-den-entrancelegoland-castle-hotel-lego-artGuests staying at the hotel are also treated to a free breakfast buffet each morning at Dragon’s Den restaurant. Feast on a variety of breakfast items from the buffet, as well as made-to-order items, all included in the price of your stay. It’s a great way to start your day before heading to the park.Early entry to LEGOLAND California
For guests who have park tickets or a season pass, you can gain early entry to LEGOLAND California by staying at the hotel. It’s a great way to get on a couple of attractions before the park is fully open to the public.legoland-castle-hotel-horse-statueHave you stayed at the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel yet? If not, you’re going to love it when you do. For more information, including access to booking your own stay, please go here.

Submarines for the New LEGO® City: Deep Sea Adventure Ride at LEGOLAND® California Resort Have Arrived

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

There’s a new ride coming soon to LEGOLAND® California Resort: The LEGO® City: Deep Sea Adventure submarine ride! As construction continues on the interactive ride, the attraction is expected to open July 2018 and we couldn’t be more excited for it!lego-submarine-ride-1 As it prepares to take its maiden voyage this summer, the submarines officially arrived at LEGOLAND® California Resort! Eight 22,000 pound submarines were unloaded and installed in the 300,000 gallon tank. Up to 12 guests will board one of eight submarines that are designed after the LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure line of toys


LEGO® CITY: Deep Sea Adventure submarine ride is Merlin Entertainments’ single largest investment for a ride in any LEGOLAND® Park. For the first time in the United States, LEGOLAND California Resort brings guests onboard a real submarine where they’ll go underwater to discover a truly amazing world filled with more than 2,000 real sea animals, including several species of stingrays and a variety of sharks. Through the use of touchscreens at each porthole inside the sub, guests can help the LEGO minifigure dive team identify gems, pearls, LEGO® gold coins and more throughout the four minute journey. lego-submarine-ride-2The submarine ride will be included in the price of admission this summer at LEGOLAND California Resort. For more information and to sign up for the latest updates, please visit LEGOLAND.com/deepsea2018.lego-submarine-3

Submarine photo and video are property of LEGOLAND California Resort and used with permission. 

The LEGOLAND® Castle Hotel is Officially Open at LEGOLAND® California Resort!

I received hotel accommodations in exchange for coverage. All opinions are my own. 

Hear ye! Hear Ye! The brand-new LEGOLAND® Castle Hotel at LEGOLAND® California Resort is officially open!  legoland-castle-hotel-grand-opening-1After a royal ceremony complete with knights on horses, a little girl squire and boy knight plus a hawk that flew the key to the Castle to Merlin the wizard and trumpeters to announce the grand opening of in front of hundreds of media and special guests, the hotel was declared “officially open”! Here’s a short video of the Grand Opening Ceremony that also shows a little bit of the hotel too.

 

“We’re excited to open a second hotel having learned from the first how powerful the brand is and children love how their experience in our theme park transforms into an overnight magical memory. Not only will this 250-room hotel bring more people to the beautiful city of Carlsbad which benefits local business, but we’re adding more than 200 jobs further boosting the economy in the region. Considering that, plus the amazing locally-sourced food, great entertainment and whimsical features found throughout the new hotel, this is already a great win for us!” – Peter Ronchetti, LEGOLAND California Resort General Manager

legoland-castle-hotel-statueA royal LEGO statue marks the entrance and is just one of more than 2,100 LEGO models created out of more than three million bricks. As guests enter the Grand Hall, they are greeted by a towering LEGO wizard conjuring up spells to protect the Castle from the bad knights and dragons.legoland-castle-hotel-royal-princess-room-1In the Royal Princess rooms, the princess is joining forces with her jester friend to sneak into the grand tournament and compete with the knights. In the Knights and Dragons rooms, the knights are on a mission to defend the king’s castle and protect his treasure. In the Magic Wizard rooms, the wizards are concocting potions and fireworks for the grand tournament. Every room has a children’s sleeping area which includes:

  • bunk beds
  • a trundle bed
  • their own television
  • a LEGO building station
  • shooting stars illuminating on the ceiling.

Every adult sleeping area has an ornate head board with LED lights which could resemble a stained glass window, a canopy sparking with twinkling lights or shelves filled with potions and a magical bubbling illuminated cauldron.legoland-castle-hotel-dragons-den-restaurant-lego-wallIn Dragon’s Den, a full-service sit down restaurant, guests can watch chefs preparing their food, enjoy LEGO models and entertainers within a unique dining experience. Breakfast is included with each guest’s stay and includes made-to-order items along with a buffet.legoland-castle-hotel-dragons-den-breakfast-buffet-1legoland-castle-hotel-dragons-den-buffet-2The Royal Courtyard immerses children in a fairy tale of their own creation with multiple play areas for different age groups, a giant movie screen, resort-style pool with interactive water features and hot tub and a tented stage for live plays and shows.Iegoland-castle-hotel-royal-courtyard-playground-1legoland-castle-hotel-pool-1Interactive elements throughout LEGOLAND Castle Hotel include a knock-knock door, a royal throne that makes silly noises, LEGO caricatures to build upon, a self-playing piano and a slide from the first floor to the lobby.legoland-castle-hotel-sword-in-the-stone

For more information about LEGOLAND® Castle Hotel at LEGOLAND® California Resort or assistance with planning your trip there, please visit http://www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO (5346).

Video and some images are property of LEGOLAND California Resort and used with permission. 

 

SEA LIFE® Aquarium at LEGOLAND® California Resort Opens Two New Exhibits

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own
.

Guests of SEA LIFE® Aquarium at LEGOLAND® California Resort can now take a splash in the ocean without ever getting wet and become a shark explorer! SEA LIFE® Aquarium has 2 new exhibits: Sea at Night and Shark Mission! Open just in time for spring break, both exhibits allow guests to learn about marine life in a fun and interactive way.sea-life-aquarium-new-exhibit-1Sea at Night invites guests to jump, leap and “splash” into simulated bioluminescent waves that react to their footsteps. The reaction created by the guests’ movements demonstrates the effect of a glowing tide similar to ones often seen along the Pacific coastline.

Shark Mission allows kids to come face to fin with six different species of sharks and rays on three giant touch screens. Young explorers can learn about anatomy, conservation and other cool facts through interactive activities and games. Guests can also hold a shark’s tooth, learn about shark skin and eggs, plus step into a shark cage.

SeaLife Aquarium exhibits.(Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Legoland)

sea-life-aquarium-3Sea at Night and Shark Mission are open now for guests to explore at SEA LIFE aquarium. For more information, visit LEGOLAND.com/California.

Images and video are property of  LEGOLAND® California Resort and used with permission.