10 AWESOME Reasons to Visit LEGOLAND

We recently returned from a family vacation to Orlando, Florida... and (for the third time) my boys insisted on visiting LEGOLAND*. If you have never taken your kids to LEGOLAND, you definitely should. It is always a highlight for my boys, and my husband and I enjoy it too. Still not convinced? Keep reading... because today I am sharing 10 reasons that you should go to LEGOLAND with your kids.

1) It's not as crowded as some of the other parks... and the lines are shorter. Of course, wait times depend on the day that you visit the park and the ride you are trying to get on; however, we have found that wait times at LEGOLAND are usually shorter than the other parks we have visited. To minimize wait times, I recommend getting to the park early and heading directly to the back of the park where the roller coasters are located. On this visit, we headed straight to the NEW virtual reality roller coaster, and there was very little wait time.

2) There is a LOT of cool stuff built out of LEGO. Throughout the park, there are tons of awesome things made from LEGO, and MINILAND USA is fantastic. There are amazing scenes made from over 32 million LEGO bricks, great photo ops, and interactive buttons to push.

3) You can make your kids wear fun t-shirts. I always love the opportunity to dress my kids in special shirts when we visit theme parks. It makes the pictures look fantastic, and it helps me to keep track of the kids as we move through the park. This year, my sister and I purchased bright orange shirts that said, "Everything is awesome... when you are with your COUSINS!" Aren't they great?

4) You can save money on tickets. In the past I have purchased discounted tickets at Costco, you can sometimes find coupons online, and you can always save money if you book in advance. 

5) You can build your own minifigures. Building minifigures is always a highlight for my boys when we visit LEGOLAND. You can mix and match LEGO minifigure body parts and accessories to create unique minifigures... and you can buy a three pack for a very reasonable price. It's a lot of fun!

6) You can trade minifigures. You can trade the LEGO minifigures you buy from the park, and/or you can bring minifigures from home. (Just make sure you have a full minifigure... including a hat or hair.) You can trade with workers that have minifigures on their name tags, or you can ask the workers in the stores if they have a tray of "trading" figures you can see.

7) LEGOLAND has cool shows. There is a 4D movie that is a lot of fun, and there is a cute live action show that includes water skiing LEGO people. Check the park schedule for times to make sure you don't miss them.

8) Your kids can drive a LEGO car. The LEGO driving school is always one of my boys' favourite rides. I wish I was small enough to drive a LEGO car!

9) The rides are awesome... especially the LEGOLAND virtual reality roller coaster. LEGOLAND has a number of fun rides and roller coasters. They even have a virtual reality roller coaster. You wear virtual reality goggles while you ride, and you feel like you are really moving through a land made of LEGO!

10) The water park is awesome! This was our third visit to LEGOLAND, but it was our first visit to the water park, and we LOVED it. There is a wonderful play structure, a wave pool, water slides, and a lazy river. If the weather is nice, plan to make the water park part of your day. (Keep in mind... the water park isn't open every day, and there is an extra fee... so plan accordingly.)

Have you been to LEGOLAND? If you have kids, and you are planning a trip to Orlando, you should check it out. It really is a fun place to spend some time with family.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I was given complimentary tickets in exchange for my truthful review of this park. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

Simple Mother's Day Brunch

What does every mother want for Mother's Day? I'm willing to bet that most mother's want hugs, kisses... and a well deserved day off! So, why not treat mom to a simple Mother's Day brunch at home? Today I am sharing a simple idea for Mother's Day that is sure to bring a smile to the face of your special lady.

The key to this simple Mother's Day brunch is the presentation. All the elements come together to spell out the word "LOVE". Cute, right?

For this special meal, the "L" is made from bacon, the "O" can be made from a donut or a bagel, the "V" can be made with a pancake or a piece of french toast cut out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter, and the "E" is made from fruit. Older kids can help prepare the food, and younger kids can help with spelling out the word. (And don't forget to add tea/coffee and juice!)

And the best part of this meal is that it is prepared and served with love. How cute are my darling boys?

I hope all the hard-working mothers out there get pampered on Mother's Day... and that they are lucky enough to get a served a lovely brunch (like this one) by the darling kids they love!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Homemade Mother's Day Gift Idea... with free printable tags

Mother's work hard, and they deserve a break on Mother's Day... and a treat! It doesn't take a lot of time or money to make moms feel special, and today I am sharing a simple homemade Mother's Day gift that moms are going to love. I'm even including free printable gift tags.

To make a treat box for the special mom in your life:

1) Purchase a plastic box (used to organize screws, nuts and bolts) from the dollar store.

2) Clean the box well in soap and water.

3) Fill the box with mom's favourite treats.

4) Add a colourful tag to the top of the box.

I designed a few different tags for you to use. 

To download the tags: click on one of the pictures below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

These are perfect gifts for Mother's Day, and they are cute for a "new mom" too.

What do you think of this simple homemade Mother's Day gift? I would definitely like to receive these treats from my boys!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

10 Tips for Doing MULTIPLE Disney Parks in ONE Day

Recently, my family (and extended family) planned a trip to Orlando, Florida. As a lover of Disney*, I knew we needed to visit a park, but we also wanted to spend a lot of our vacation relaxing pool side. So, we decided to pay the extra money for "park hopper" passes, and we made a plan to visit 3 Disney parks in one day. We moved 12 people (ranging in age from 5 to 70) through three parks in one day, so you can do it too! Check out my 10 tips for "Disney park hopping" below.

1) The first thing you need to do is decide which parks you are going to visit. Keep in mind that Disney parks are huge and there is a lot to see. If you want to fully experience all the parks (especially Magic Kingdom), you are going to want to buy multi-day passes. If you are going to park hop, you are only going to see the highlights of each park. 

For our trip, we decided to visit Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Magic Kingdom.

2) Make a plan and book fast passes early. You aren't going to see everything in one day, so make a list of the "top things" on your "must do" list. Buy your tickets early, and use MyDisneyExperience to book your fast passes as soon as you are able to do so... 60 days before your visit if you are staying on site or 30 days if you aren't.

3) Get to the park early.  If you want to maximize your ride time and minimize your wait time, you are going to want to get to the park early. We started our day at Animal Kingdom with a goal to get on Avatar quickly (without a fast pass). 

On the day of our visit, the park opened at 9am. We arrived at the park at 7:20am, the ticket booth/guest relations opened at 7:30am (so we were able to exchange our paper tickets for cards early), the gates opened at 8:15am, and they started letting people head to rides at 8:45am. As a result, we had our first ride (which has one of the longest waits in the park) finished shortly after 9am. 

Extra tip: When you are waiting in line, stay to the left. The left side tends to move faster.

4) Use fast passes wisely. We booked our fast passes for 9:30-10:30, 10:30-11:30, and 11:30-12:30. We were able to go on a popular ride first thing (without a fast pass), and then we used all our three passes right away. (After all the fast passes are used, you can book more.) 

On our trip, we managed to complete all our "must do" Animal Kingdom rides quickly, so we had time to enjoy a show before heading to our second park.

5) Dress for success. If you are park hopping, it's going to be a long day, and you are going to want to be comfortable. Make sure you wear comfy clothes, sneakers, hats, and lots of sunblock. (You should also bring dollar store rain ponchos if the forecast calls for rain and light sweaters because it can cool down in the evenings.)

You may also want to buy special Disney themed clothing. My sister and I had these adorable shirts made for our six boys. They say "Cousin Crew 2018". They look cute in pictures, and matching shirts help you keep the group together (and easily identified) as you move through the parks.

6) Pack a lunch. If you are going to try to cover multiple parks in one day, you are not going to have time to stop for meals. So, bring some backpacks, and fill them with food and water. You will have lots of time to eat and snack while you are waiting in lines. You are also going to want to stay hydrated, so don't forget to fill your water bottles at the various fountains located throughout the park.

And, although sit-down meals may be too time consuming for a day of park hopping, you may want to take a short break for a Disney-themed treat. My boys and their cousins enjoyed some Mickey ice cream with their grandparents.

7) Get a family photo. Every time that we go to Disney, we take a family photo, enlarge, and add it to our "vacation wall". It's a fun tradition, and its a great way to document the special family memories we are making.

This year, we even got a lovely stranger to take a photo of our group of 12 (2 grandparents, 4 parents, and 6 little boys)!

8) Take the monorail. To save time, you can take a monorail (free of charge) between Epcot and Magic Kingdom. 

We started our day at Animal Kingdom, and then we drove our car to Epcot. Then, when we finished at Epcot, we took the monorail to Magic Kingdom. Our goal was to get to Magic Kingdom in time for the nighttime show, but with the time we saved taking the monorail, we were able to squeeze in a ride on Space Mountain.

9) Plan for a nighttime show. Disney is more than just awesome rides. The parades and shows are spectacular, and my all time favourite is the castle/fireworks show at the end of the night at Magic Kingdom. Get a spot (with a good view of the front of the castle) early, and enjoy. It really is a magical way to end the day! 

Extra tip: You can bring your own dollar store glow sticks/ light up toys. They are cheaper than what you can buy at the park, and the kids will love having them.

10) Have fun! It's important to get to see everything on your list, but the most important thing is to have fun, be in the moment, and make wonderful memories with your family.

Have you ever done multiple parks in one day? Do you have any "Disney Park Hopping Tips" to add to my list? Please leave them in the comments below. I'm excited to read them because I'm already planning my next trip! 😃

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I was given two complimentary tickets in exchange for my truthful review of these parks. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

5 Minute DIY Spring Wreath... for less than $10

Seriously, when I say you don't need to be crafty to make this, I am telling the truth. I made this "wreath" in less than 5 minutes for $7.50! This is the easiest DIY I have ever done. All the supplies come from the dollar store, and you don't even need to use a glue gun.

To make this cheery Spring wreath, you need a cheap child's umbrella ($2.50), four sprigs of flowers ($1.25 each), and a piece of ribbon (which you may already have). I purchased all my my supplies at the dollar store.

Remove the tags from the umbrella and the flowers, insert the flowers into the top of the umbrella, and tie a ribbon around the base of the umbrella. That's it! I told you it was easy.

Isn't it cute?

I think the bright colours make it a perfect piece of inexpensive Spring decor, don't you? 

What's hanging on your front door? If you decide to give this simple dollar store craft a try, let me know how it turns out!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the simple DIY Spring Wreaths here.

3 Orlando Attractions Your Kids Will Love: Coca-Cola Orlando Eye, Sea Life Aquarium and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

Disclosure: I was given free admission to these attractions in exchange for my honest review. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

My family recently returned from a trip to Orlando, and because this was our 5th family trip to this destination, we wanted to see some different attractions. So, after some research, we decided to spend a night at The Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive which is in walking distance to the Coca Cola Orlando Eye, the Orlando SEA LIFE Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds wax museum. Below, I am sharing the details of our visits to these attractions.

The night we arrived in Florida, we headed straight to the Orlando Eye because my oldest son wanted to do it at night. It is a 23 minute ride in one of 30 air-conditioned capsules. It's 400 feet high, and my boys loved it!

The 360-degree views really are breathtaking. You can even see nearby theme parks, attractions, downtown Orlando, and Kennedy Space Centre.

Then, on our second morning in Florida, we took a walk over to the SEA LIFE aquarium. My boys loved it! There is a glass tunnel where the marine life (including sharks) swim all around you. There is also a "log book" where the kids complete tasks (like touching a creature in a tide pool) and get stamps. When the log book is completed, the kids can claim a prize.

After the our aquarium adventure, we headed to Madame Tussauds wax museum. The figures are all very impressive and life-like, and the displays are fun and interactive. My boys really enjoyed posing with all the wax figures. I've never seen them so anxious to get their pictures taken!

Check out some of our favourites! Even my husband and I hopped into a few photos.

It's worth noting that you can buy individual tickets to these attractions, or you can bundle them together. You can even add tickets to LEGOland if that is something you are interested in.

Have you and your family every visited these attractions? What did you think?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Reasons Why "The Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive" is a Great Hotel for Families

Disclosure: I was given a complimentary room in exchange for my truthful review of this hotel. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

Recently, my family travelled to Orlando, Florida, and we had the opportunity to stay at"The Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive". Known as "The official hotel of the I-Drive 360", this hotel is conveniently located. Today, I am sharing my review of the hotel, including the reasons I believe it is a great hotel for families.

When we arrived at the hotel, I was greeted with a tray of cookies. How "sweet" is that?

Then, I let the boys tour the room. As a family of 5, it was a special treat to be able to book a family suite. Check out my boys' reactions in this video of our arrival!

The room came equipped with bunk beds, a bean bag chair and an extra TV.

There was also a bed for my youngest and one for my husband and I. My boys were super-excited that there was room for everyone, and no one had to share.

The hotel also has two pools, a lobby bar, a poolside restaurant (Gatorville), and lovely grounds.

It's also worth noting that this hotel is conveniently located in the I-Drive 360 area... which is a very walkable neighbourhood. We took full advantage of our location, and we walked to the CocaCola Orlando Eye, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, and the Orlando Sea Life Aquarium. My boys loved all three of these attractions, and I will be sharing more about them soon!

So, are you planning a trip to Orlando soon? 

If you are interested in staying at "The Wyndam Orlando Resort International Drive", I have a special booking code you can use to save 30% off their Best Available Rate with NO minimum nights required. You just need to use this link.

If you have any questions about my stay, I'd be happy to answer them. Just leave your questions/comments below, and I will get back to you as soon as possible!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Beauty and the Beast Centrepiece (dollar store craft)

I recently watched the new live action version of Beauty and the Beast, and it renewed my love for this movie and it's wonderful story. I decided to create a little Beauty and the Beast decor using dollar store supplies. This adorable centrepiece is easy and inexpensive to make, and it would be a fantastic centrepiece at a Beauty and the Beast themed party. It would also be perfect for a simple Beauty and the Beast afternoon tea party.

To make this adorable dollar store craft:

1) Use glitter paint to paint a dollar store cork trivet and knob, and let dry completely.
2) Insert a dollar store rose into the cork trivet.
3) Use hot glue to attach the know to the bottom of a dollar store vase.
4) Place the vase over the rose.

Isn't this Beauty and the Beast centrepiece adorable? I love the way it looks sitting on top of a stack of books.

I am absolutely delighted with how this dollar store craft turned out. It really is perfect for a DIY Beauty and the Beast party!

♥Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Movie Treat Boxes... made from recycled cereal boxes

In our house, we try to have family movie night every Friday night. It's a highlight of our week where all electronics are banned and we cuddle up on the couch together. It's also a night where we indulge in some movie night treats... because what's a movie night without popcorn, right? But popcorn (and kids) can be messy, so the movie treat boxes I am sharing today are perfect for movie night!

The best part about these movie treat boxes is that they are made from old cereal boxes, and they are reusable. To make your own movie night treat boxes:

1) Cut the top off of a cereal box.

2) Use shelf liner to cover the bottom of the box. (I purchased a big roll at the dollar store. Cut the liner to the right size first, and then slowly insert it and smooth it out.)

3) Apply duct tape to the inside and outside sides of the box.

Isn't this a great idea?

I love that these movie night treat boxes are easy to make and use simple dollar store supplies. They'd be perfect for a movie-themed party too! It's always fun when you can add simple and inexpensive DIY details to parties. If you decide to make a tray or two, let me know how it goes. I plan on make a bunch for our next movie party.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)