What: Tennessee Aquarium
Where: One Broad St., Chattanooga, TN 800-262-0695
When: 10 am – 6 pm except Thanksgiving and Christmas
Cost: $24.95 adults, $14.95 children (3-12)

• Add the IMAX to your aquarium visit for $6 per person
• Add Creative Discovery Museum for Kids for $10 per person
• An annual family pass is only $115. Depending on how many kids you have, this could pay for itself in one visit.
• See the bottom of this post on how to win tickets to the Tennessee Aquarium.

Photos: For additional photos of the Tennessee Aquarium, visit Field Trips with Sue on Facebook

The Tennessee Aquarium is located in downtown Chattanooga along the waterfront. It’s a beautiful location, and although the recommended time for visiting on the website is two hours, you could easily stay most of the day – in fact, we did.

Visit the butterfly garden in the Ocean Journey Building

The Tennessee Aquarium is housed in five different buildings, so it’s more of a campus than a single destination. Purchase tickets at the ticket center building, then choose between River or Ocean Journey – each are located in different buildings next to each other. Your ticket allows entry to both buildings and you can come and go as you please, so when the kids get hungry, just take a break and head down the street to Lupi’s Pizza and come back after lunch, just remember your ticket. Saturdays are the busiest day at the Aquarium and mornings are more hectic on any day. Come after 4 pm if you want to avoid crowds. We went during spring break and although there were a lot of people, everyone was spread out and there were lots of special programs to keep things moving.

River Journey
The building you choose to visit first depends on what you want to see. River Journey is focused on habitats along the world’s rivers. It features the newest exhibit put together in conjunction with National Geographic called River Giants. There is also an impressive diversity of turtles – who knew the world had so many different kinds of turtles! This building also houses Ranger Rick’s Backyard Safari, a bright gallery set up for up close and personal animal interactions. Check the schedule for show times so you don’t miss this opportunity. We saw a bird show; volunteer your dollar and you’ll get it back with a fun Aquarium sticker.

See the Bird show in Ranger Rick's Backyard Safari in the River Journey building.

I love finding art in unexpected places. These glass jellies were inspired by the real thing floating nearby.

Ocean Journey
Ocean Journey you’ve probably guessed focuses on ocean habitats. They have a wonderful penguin display that includes a chilly example of the water they swim in. It was hard to get my son away from watching the penguins, so he was a natural during our backstage tour of the penguin habitat where we helped observe the Macaroni and Gentoo penguins for research. The Aquarium has several different backstage tours. If you’d rather go it on your own, there is a cell phone tour of select galleries available as well.

I always love finding art displayed in places I don’t expect. Ocean Journey has a gorgeous display of glass inspired by the sea. It was easy to see the inspiration for the art with the ocean creatures swimming next to the artwork.

The penguins were a favorite for our family.

On the walk to the IMAX movie theatre, take a short detour and get yourself a moon pie.

IMAX Movies
A short walk from the Journey buildings is an IMAX theatre. This is a separate ticket and can be purchased at a discount with your aquarium tickets or individually. When purchased with the aquarium it’s a flexible ticket, meaning you can go to any showing you’d like, instead of being confined to a specific time, which makes for a more leisurely afternoon in the aquarium galleries. All my boys loved the IMAX movie, which was something I’m usually tempted to skip. I’m glad we didn’t. I can highly recommend Into the Wild. To the Artic is good too, but Into the Wild left me more hopeful, less sad.

River Gorge Explorer
Also included in the campus is the River Gorge Explorer, a two-hour cruise down the Chattanooga riverfront into the scenic Tennessee River Gorge aboard a high-tech boat. We didn’t have time to experience this boat ride, which is an additional fee, but it looks interesting and probably a good overview of the Chattanooga Riverfront in addition to offering a unique view of the Tennessee River Gorge.

The Aquarium is a campus of several buildings with a beautiful courtyard.

I can see why the Tennessee Aquarium is one of the most popular attractions in Chattanooga. They offer an amazing value for the ticket price and I love the flexibility within their ticket system. I feel like we only scratched the surface – guess we’ll need a return trip soon.

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Chattanooga

Although we were provided a complimentary attraction tickets for the purpose of reviewing it (as is common in the travel industry), we only recommend places we would visit.

Vault of the Secret Formula is a new attraction at the World of Coca-Cola

What: World of Coke Vault of the Secret Formula
Where: World of Coca-Cola, Pemberton Place, 121 Baker St. NW, Atlanta (404) 676-5151
When: hours vary, see website for Hours of Operation
Cost: Adults (13-64) $16, Seniors (65+) $14, Children (3-12) $12
Special Ticket Offers: Active Duty, Reserves and Retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces admitted Free
Use Coke Rewards Points for Tickets
Photos: For Additional Photos of the World of Coca-Cola visit Field Trips with Sue on Facebook

It’s a Countdown to Summer Vacation at our house. I’m starting to feel the May Mom Olympics crunch. After that it’s cruise director time, Moms need to keep the kids busy over the summer. Here at Field Trips with Sue, we’re going to help you do that. For the next two weeks, we’re doing a Countdown to Summer. Yesterday we did a giveaway to See Rock City, today we’re offering readers a chance to see the Vault of the Secret Formula at The World of Coca-Cola.

Enter the exhibit through the Vault Door

The formula for Coca-Cola has been a closely guarded secret for 125 years. It once sat in a locked drawer in a non-public safe at SunTrust bank. Now the Secret Formula has found a new (and lets face it much better) home at Atlanta’s World of Coca-Cola. Guests can get within feet of the famous formula that eventually led to my addiction to Diet Coke.

Coke has created an entire interactive exhibit around the Vault. Match the perfectly balanced taste of Coca-Cola with a virtual Taste Maker or experience a fun zone of myths and legends. Have a hand in protecting the secret in a full-body interactive game that takes you to many of the locations where the secret formula has been kept. (that would be a fun Atlanta scavenger hunt.)

Coke has even incorporated smartphones into the mix. For those who can’t get enough of the exhibit, use your smartphone to scan QR codes for new content within the experience and multimedia features.This is a far cry from the World of Coca-Cola where I worked back in the early 90′s. Then it was more a standard museum with objects behind glass. They did have the jumping water in the soda fountain though.

In the Triangle Room, visitors take a glimpse into secret Coca-Cola history through a series of portals reminiscent of early-film era nickelodeons.

The Coca-Cola formula is a closely guarded secret. Keep an eye out for hackers.

To make your visit extra special, make a staycation out if it and stay Downtown. We did this last fall and stayed at the Omni CNN Hotel. It’s conveniently located on the park and an easy walk to the World of Coke.

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The World of Coca-Cola provided tickets for this giveaway and those I will use to visit the attraction. As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. 
 

Elaborate sets make for great family photos during Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios

What: Star Wars Weekends 2012 
Where: Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios
When: May 18 – June 10, 2012
Cost: Star Wars Activities are free with Hollywood Studios Admission
Photos: For additional photos of Star Wars Weekends visit Field Trips with Sue on Facebook

Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando is the largest gathering of Star Wars characters anywhere. The elaborate photo sets make for great one-of-a-kind photos – whether you take them with a character or just with your family. For Star Wars fans young and old, this is a fantastic, not to be missed experience. Don’t be deterred thinking it will be so crowded you can’t have a good time. In addition to our research and experience, I talked with Disney’s Gary Buchanan for this post. Gary is Disney’s self proclaimed #1 “Obi-Wanna-Be” and has worked on Star Wars Weekends for the past 10 years. Use the tips below and I assure you, the force will be with you.

Sign your younglings up for Jedi Training

Get There Early – This is the single best tip for any theme park experience, but especially when it’s a special weekend like Star Wars where crowds are expected to be higher than normal. Sometimes Disney will open early as a special “surprise” if crowds are already there and the staff is ready. The day we went, the studio officially opened at 8 am. We arrived at 7:30 and the gates were already open. I can’t guarantee they’ll open early when you come, but you may want to plan for it just in case. My boys immediately went to Rockin’ Roller Coaster and rode it five times with no wait at all. Later in the day, waits were up to 70 minutes long!

 Have a Plan – This is the second best tip for any theme park experience, but again, especially important for busy weekends. Spend some time before you go to plan out your day. Know before you exit one attraction where you are headed next. Don’t try to do that on the fly either, plan it out before you go, there are lots of sites and guidebooks to help you. For instance, we saw the 9:40 am Little Mermaid Show and immediately went to the Animation Studio to find Sorcerer Mickey. We were one of the first five people in line when he arrived at 10 am and were able to zip in to see him and zip out. I found this tip on Disney planning site – www.TourGuideMike.com. Mike was not as helpful as I would have liked on the Star Wars Weekend information, but he was helpful on general park touring. I’ve also discovered a new site www.ridemax.com, which is a bit more updated than Mike’s site. I don’t know how reliable RideMax’s information is for special weekends like Star Wars, but they did give good tips for planning a normal visit.

See all your favorite Star Wars Characters during the afternoon parade.

Bring Your Younglings with You to Sign Up for Jedi Training – As soon as you enter the park (assuming you are there upon opening) register your children for Jedi Training. At press time, this registration is expected to be done at Sounds Dangerous, but check with guest relations when you enter the park to be sure. You’ll need to have everyone that wants to participate with you. Kids ages 4 – 12 are eligible. There is a bit of a wait here, but it’s worth it. Later in the day, your children don a robe and learn how to wield a light saber during training with a Jedi Master and Ahsoka Tano from Clone Wars. Then, they’ll battle either Darth Vader or Ventress. Upon completion, they are promoted to Padawans, given a certificate and a Star Wars toy (the program is sponsored by Hasbro). Once these spots are gone, they’re gone, so make sure you go here first thing if your child wants to participate.

Characters from the movies and Clone Wars walk through the streets

Star Wars Parade – Throughout the park are various Star Wars characters. You can wait in long lines to have your picture taken with them (similar to waiting to see Mickey Mouse) or you can get a good spot on the parade route and take them all in at once during the Star Wars parade. The parade starts at the front of the park coming out near Sid’s Curious Shop and goes down Hollywood Blvd. to the big Sorcerer Mickey Hat. The characters then go on stage for a great photo opportunity with the entire galaxy and pyrotechnics as a backdrop. Here are some thoughts on where to position yourself for the parade:

• The end of Hollywood Blvd.,  in front of the hat, is a great place to see the parade front and back. As the parade comes toward you, get a photo with Crossroads of the World in the background.
• Near the Backlot Express, across from Star Tours, celebrities get out of their cars and go up on stage. Stand here to get a better look at celebrities.
• Anywhere along Hollywood Blvd.  is good. We scoped our spot about 12:15 for the 12:40 parade, soon after that, it was harder to get a place. We missed the photo on stage, but I think everyone had ample interaction with the characters.
• If you’re a bit late, consider the courtyard in front of the American Idol Experience. People line up on Hollywood Blvd. first, and this area fills up later. If you stand on the Crescent Lake side, you can take photos with Sorcerer Mickey’s Hat in the background.

If your child would like to be in the parade, try to get in the Jedi Training class right before the parade. Generally they’ll pick kids from this class to be part of the motorcade parade. There is no way to set this up, it’s just the way the sign ups go, but if your children are in that class, perhaps ask about the parade.

Darth Maul is now my favorite bad guy.

Star Wars Characters – As I mentioned, there are lots of places to wait in lines to have your picture taken with various Star Wars characters. We didn’t wait in any of these lines, but we did watch the characters as they interacted with people and took pictures of them in between guests posing. Seeing them live and up close seemed to be enough for my boys, which was great because it left us more time to experience the park. Right in front of Star Tours is a speeder bike, where Chewbacca and the Ewoks come out. When they aren’t appearing, you can take a picture on the bikes – which we did, several times. For a fun souvenir, bring a light saber for characters to sign rather than an autograph book.

Star Tours - Star Tours reopened last May after a complete renovation. You’ll take a 3-D journey through space to different Star Wars planets, encounter fire fights, hyperspace and perhaps even Darth Vader himself. The ride has 54 different combinations, so each trip can be slightly different than the others, hence the need to ride it several times. Get as many fast passes as you can for this one. To keep up-to-date on Star Tours, “like” the facebook page www.facebook.com/startours.

The HyperSpace Hoopla is a Good vs. Evil Dance Off

Stage Shows and Events - Autograph sessions aren’t the only way to see the stars of the Star Wars franchise. There are also themed talk shows and behind the scences presentations. These activities fill up quickly on a first-come, first-served basis and there are no Fast Passes available. That said, if you’re a fan, it’s fun. During a talk show with Clone Wars actors they do a staged presentation of a recording session. They build the scene right there and choose guests from the audience to participate. Q&A with the actors is also available for hard core fans. For updates on guest stars and special events, check the Disney Parks Blog.

Chewie is great in the HyperSpace Hoopla. Love the drum in this picture.

Don’t Miss the HyperSpace Hoopla – OMG this was GREAT! Whatever you do, don’t miss this show. The HyperSpace Hoopla is a dance off between the Dark Side and the Rebel Alliance. You’ll see all your favorite characters from the Star Wars movies and Clone Wars – including Kit Fisto, my son’s favorite. Senator Palpatine is a riot and Chewie wins it for the Rebels in my book with his bandana, sunglasses and awesome moves. The day we went, it began at 7:45 pm. We got a great spot at 7:15, but by 7:30, things are getting tight, so you judge when you think you need to start camping out. If you want a little more space, maybe stand in the back near the tip board. You can still see and hear back here, but there’s a little more room.

Star Wars Characters are everywhere during Star Wars Weekends

Fast Passes – A Disney Fast Pass is free with your ticket. Fast Passes allow guests to save a place in line while they visit other attractions. You can begin getting Fast Passes at participating attractions as soon as the park opens. Each pass gives a return time for the ride and when you are eligible to get a second set. This time difference correlates to how busy the park is at that time. In the early morning, your fast pass times will be fairly soon and you’ll be able to get another fast pass in about an hour. As the park fills up, those times are stretched out. To maximize Fast Passes, you need to come with a Fast Pass plan (as part of your park plan). Designate someone to hold all your tickets and be the Fast Pass person. This person will take all the tickets (regardless of whether baby Susie wants to ride Rockin Roller Coaster, you can still use her ticket to get a Fast Pass for the attraction that someone else can use) and get the Fast Passes, keeping track of when you can get another one. Fast Passes hold a return time on them. In the past you could come back whenever you wanted, but that policy has changed and you must come back within the Fast Pass time window.

Fight Darth Vader or Ventriss during Jedi Training

Fast Passing During Star Wars Weekends – Once you enter the park, Fast Pass the Toy Story ride. This is one of the newest rides and it’s very popular and everyone can ride it regardless of age or mobility. You’ll want to do this ride more than once, so go ahead and use your Fast Pass for this one.  As I mentioned earlier, you’ll want to ride Star Tours numerous times too, so make sure you get a few Fast Passes there as well. There are only two more rides that really require the Fast Pass and those are the Rockin’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. If you have small kids and won’t be going on these anyway, then don’t worry about them. If you want to go on these rides, then secure Fast Passes here as well.

Stay Late – The day we went, the Studio was open from 8 am – 12 pm (but it really opened at 7 am). The festivities for Star Wars end with the HyperSpace Hoopla at 7:45, but there are still lots of things to do at the park. Fantasmic, the fireworks, light, stage show at the Hollywood Bowl is worth seeing and was at 9:00 and 10:30 pm the night we went. Folks were lined up for the 9 pm show as early as 7 pm. We opted to wait for the 10:30 pm show and do some more rides. It was a great call. We walked into Fantasmic at 10:30 and there were LOTS of great seats available. Plus, lines for the rides – Star Tours, Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror were down to about 15 minutes after 9 pm. As it got later, the lines got shorter. We were using our Fast Passes, but at times, it seemed the wait line was about the same. If you can do it, get to the Studios early, leave and take a break (a nap if you can) and come back later, staying until closing. Save all your “rides” for after 9 pm. You could even grab some Fast Passes before you leave for your break to use as soon as you get back. Sooo much better than waiting 70 minutes for one ride at the peak times in the afternoon.

For more Star Wars Weekend Tips visit the Disney Parks Blog or try this website on Star Wars (note their Top 10 Star Wars Weekend Tips has old information as it was written in 2008, but this site does have good historical information to see what’s been done in the past.)

Orlando

To the Arctic is a 45 min. IMAX movie at Fernbank Museum of Natural History

What: To the Arctic Opening Celebration
Where: Fernbank Museum of Natural History
When: Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 10 am – 2 pm (museum open until 5 pm)
Cost: $17.50 for adults, $16.50 seniors and students, $15.50 children 3 – 12.
IMAX Tickets: $13 adults, $12 seniors and students, $11 children 3 – 12
Win a Four Pack of Tickets to Fernbank and tickets to see Arctic at the IMAX Theatre (Good on Sat. April 21 for 11 am IMAX showing)

To celebrate the opening of their latest IMAX film To the Arctic, Fernbank Museum of Natural History has planned an Arctic-themed Saturday you won’t want to miss.

In addition to the fantastic exhibits at Fernbank and playing in one of my favorite indoor educational playgrounds NatureQuest, enjoy scheduled activities from 10 – 2 pm that include:

• Georgia Bubbleman – I’ve seen him before and his is incredible. The kids LOVE chasing and popping the giant bubbles.
• Lars the Polar Bear – Meet Lars the Plar Bear from the children’s book series, The Little Polar Bear, by Hans de Beer.
• Polar Habitat Toss Game – Help the animals find their way to the correct polar habitat in this fun toss game.
• Pin the Tail on the Polar Bear – always a favorite (don’t peak)
• Walk like a Polar Bear – Learn how polar bear’s feet allow them to walk across ice and snow without slipping
• Snowflake Rubbings 
• Arctic Animal Matching Game – Lemmings, arctic foxes, snowy owls and more!
• In addition, at 11 am and 1 pm join Big Thinkers Science for some super “cool” experiments. (This would be my son’s favorite part)

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Watch Field Trips w/Sue on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta

This morning was a Field Trips with Sue morning on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta. If you missed it, here’s what we talked about…

Field Trips with Sue on CBS Better Mornings in the 5 am hour

• Atlanta History Center’s Sheep to Shawl Day
• UGA’s Spring G Day Football Game

Field Trips with Sue on CBS Better Mornings in the 6 am hour

• Atlanta Rocks Family Night
• Strawberry Picking 

The Castillo de San Marcos is the only 17th Century fort in the United States

What: Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Where: 1 South Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084
When: Anytime (but weekends they shoot off the cannons)
Cost: $6 per person, Under 15 FREE
Photos: For additional Photos of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, visit Field Trips with Sue on Facebook

While passing through St. Augustine, along the main route A1A, we happen to pass a rather large stone fort, or castle – it’s kind of a bit of both. My son, recognizing it from his social studies books, informed us that it was the only 17th Century fort still in existence in the United States. Well, of course we had to stop.

Investigating holes in the coquina from past battles.

The Castillo de San Marcos was built by the Spanish. It took more than 80 years to erect the fort which at the time, was quite innovative. The walls are thick and graduated to withstand cannons and gun fire rather than tall and thin to block arrows and catapults. A limestone mixture of shell, sand and calcite called ‘coquina’ was used for the bricks and proved to be quite good at absorbing shot from guns and cannons. A sewer system used the natural tides to wash out waste helping keep the fort sanitary.

Costumed interpreter at the Castillo de San Marcos

The fort was used by various occupants since the 1600′s. That’s a lot of history to cover. We listened to a costumed Ranger talk in the Plaza as he brought us through several hundred years and gave us an idea of what daily life was like for soldiers and other occupants. It was a story of greed, pirates, imprisonment and daily routine. Even my 7-year-old was quietly listening.

Working through the Jr. Ranger Booklet, which is available free at the gift shop.

To engage the youngest even more, we requested a free Junior Ranger book on the Castillo. The booklet is a great way to engage kids in the fort and guide discussions about the many time periods covered in a single place. It’s also a great way for adults to learn about the fort.

The Castillo seems to have strong programming with a variety of events at various times. Had we been there a day later, we would have seen them shooting the cannons (something my boys have asked to go back to see). Several Foursquare tips also mention that the Fort is amazing at night (and one says a bit spooky). To make it even better, the staff we encountered were enthusiastic, helpful and obviously enjoy what they do.

We went on a cool October day, but remember this is Florida, so summers can be quite hot, bring lots of sunscreen and stay hydrated. There is limited metered parking in front of the Castillo. It’s central Downtown location is also a great home base for a tour of St. Augustine. On our list for next time, in addition to a return visit to the Castillo, is the Pirate Museum, Gator Zoo and the Government House Museum.

The view out to sea from the top deck.

Clifford the Big Red Dog runs through May 6, 2012

What: Clifford the Big Red Dog Exhibit
Where: Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta
When: Exhibit runs through May 6, 2012
Cost:  $12.75 + tax
You can visit for Free!

Lots of hands on fun with Clifford the Big Red Dog and his friends.

Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta Discounts: Fulton County residents can get buy one, get one free tickets on select days.
Target Second Tuesday: The museum if free from 1 – 7 pm on the second Tuesday of the month

When my boys were young, we spent many hours watching Clifford the Big Red Dog on PBS. Later, we enjoyed hours reading the Clifford books. We even had a computer game. It seems that Cliffored is still mesmerizing children.

Now kids can get a hands-on experience with Clifford’s playground at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s Clifford the Big Red Dog exhibit. Candice Orpesa author of Mommy Explorer visited Clifford the Big Red Dog at Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta with her daughter and wrote a great review. The Orpesa’s had so much fun, they visited again. Candice not only offers some good tips on this special exhibit, but she offers some sound advice on visiting the Children’s Museum of Atlanta in general.

Free Things to do at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World consistently tops most lists for best family travel destination. However, spending several days at the Disney theme parks can get expensive. When I talk with people about getting the best value on vacation, one tip is to mix free activities with more expensive ones. Next time you’re in Orlando, explore the Disney resorts and mix a few free things to do at Walt Disney World into your agenda. Here are eight free things to do at Walt Disney World to get you started.

Learn to Hula Dance Free at the Polynesian Hotel. Photo by Daniel St. Pierre http://ow.ly/9UML3

Learn to Hula Dance – Disney’s Polynesian Resort offers complimentary hula classes most days in the resort lobby. Auntie Kaui, a hula dancer and instructor with 50 years experience, leads most of the classes offered Monday through Saturday at 3:45 p.m., and Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. until noon. Weekday classes are geared toward the younger set, with leis and grass skirts, while the Saturday morning lessons encourage guests of all ages to do the hula shake.  And whether guests stay for five minutes or the full two-hour Saturday classes, they’ll learn a variety of chants and dances from such tropical locales as Hawaii, Tahiti and more.

Take in a Movie – Several Disney resorts offer outdoor movies. My favorite is Fort Wilderness where Chip ‘n Dale kick off the festivities with a sing-a-long and marshmallow roast. Smore kits are available for purchase or bring your own. The website Build a Better Mousetrip has a list of all the free outdoor movies available at Disney World.

View the Electric Water Pageant – I’ve always loved the Main Street Electrical Parade. I spend a few festive months as Parade Audience Control (PAC) and watched the show twice each night – it never got old. The Electrical Water Pageant is a similar experience offered nightly in the resort areas of Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. Best part is you can bring a blanket spread out and let the kids run around a bit. The show is subject to weather, so confirm times and the best viewing location with the hotel concierge. Generally you can see the parade at

• 9: 00 PM – Disney’s Polynesian Resort
• 9:15 PM – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• 9:35 PM – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• 9:45 PM – Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
• 10:10 PM – Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Ft. Wilderness has free movies and a visit from Chip and Dale fireside

See the Wishes Fireworks from the Grand Floridian – One of the things I love about Disney is the amazing fireworks displays, but I could do without the crowds and having to fight my way out of the Magic Kingdom afterwards. For a more laid back experience, watch the Wishes Fireworks from the Grand Floridian boat dock. Narcoosee’s restaurant on the dock receives the audio soundtrack from the Magic Kingdom, so you can enjoy the fireworks synchronized to the music.

Go on Safari – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge features 46 lush acres with over 200 animals from 30 different species.  The best time to see the animals is at dusk and if you’re lucky, a Disney cast member will be on hand with night vision goggles to see the animals in the dark.

Discover the resorts and find the Hidden Mickeys photo credit: www.wdwforgrownups.com

Hidden Mickeys – Spend an hour or an entire day exploring the fabulous Walt Disney World Resorts. Each one is themed a little differently and can take you on a new adventure. To keep it interesting for even the littlest in your group, search for Hidden Mickeys. These are the three circles that make up the Mickey logo. Imagineers have inserted them in subtle ways into the fabric of the resort. Want a check sheet? Here’s a Hidden Mickey Resort Guide from Steven M. Barrett and expert on the subject.

Visit Downtown Disney – Downtown Disney is a great place to shop or to spend a few inexpensive hours playing. My boys love the LEGO store play area. Don’t forget a bathing suit. Kids (and adults) can splash around in the interactive fountains.

Collect stamps and get a prize with Animal Kingdom's Kids Discovery Club

Create your own souvenirs – At World Showcase in Epcot, children can create their own souvenirs at the park’s Kidcot Funstops located in each of the pavilions. Craftsmen teach the budding artisans how to create one-of-a-kind masks or musical instruments using their own magical touch. Ok, so this one requires you have a ticket for the theme park, but it’s a fun and free way to engage kids in World Showcase. Animal Kingdom has a similar program called Disney Discovery Kids Club. Kids collect stamps for a bonus prize.

Orlando

Peter Pan gets an inventive twist at Atlanta's Ctr. for Puppetry Arts

What: Center Puppetry Arts Peter Pan
Where: Center for Puppetry Arts
When: April 5 – May 27, 2012
Cost:  $9.25 for members and $16.50 for non-members
Win Tickets below to the April 14, 12 noon show!

My children love the story of Peter Pan. It’s one of my favorite’s too. I’m not sure why, but it seems to transcend gender and generations. The Center for Puppetry Arts is putting a slightly inventive twist on the popular tale for what’s sure to be one of their most popular puppet shows.

This adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s beloved children’s book depicts Wendy Darling as an amateur inventor, who along with her brothers John and Michael, travel to Neverland with the impetuous Peter and his fairy companion, Tinkerbell.

Adventures abound as the children romp with the Lost Boys, swim with mermaids, rescue the resourceful Princess Tigerlily and battle the nefarious Captain Hook. Following the novel’s classic episodes, Peter Pan celebrates the carefree spirit of childhood and the value of following your dreams.

An original score by Jeffrey Bützer complements the vivid designs, featuring an array of musical instruments including accordion, toy piano, saxophone, cello, flute, guitar, glockenspiel and more. You may also learn a new language during the show. Princess Tigerlily, the daughter of the chief of the Neverland tribe, speaks Cherokee. The Center for Puppetry Arts was pleased to work with the Cherokee Nation Education Services and the Translation Department of Education Services to translate Tigerlily’s dialogue into this beautiful language for the show. I’m not sure there were Cherokee in London, but it’s an interesting twist for the tale.

Peter Pan is presented in Mainstage Theater April 5 through May 27. Show times are as follows:

• Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
• Saturday: 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday*: 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. (*The Ctr. is closed on Easter Sunday)

Single show tickets include museum admission as well as the Create-A-Puppet Workshop, where kids can make their own Cranky Crocodile Hand Puppet.

Find Peter's Shadow in Atlantic Station and win tickets to the show.

WIN TICKETS
Enter below to win a family four pack of tickets to see the show on April 14 at 12 noon.

Want another chance to win? Visit Atlantic Station.

Peter Pan has lost his shadow and it is loose in Atlantic Station! Join the Center for Puppetry Arts and Atlantic Station in this exciting chance to win FREE tickets to Peter Pan!

How to Enter:

1. Find Peter’s shadow somewhere in Atlantic Station, March 22 through April 5.
2. Take a picture of his shadow and email it to PR@PUPPET.ORG
3. You will be entered in a drawing to win 4 FREE tickets to Peter Pan, which opens April 5.

Limit one entry per email address.  Drawings will be held twice a week, for a total of 4 winners.  Contest tickets valid April 5 – 22 only.

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Watch Field Trips w/Sue on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta

Today was a Field Trips with Sue morning on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta.

During the first hour we talked about some fun activities for all ages on Field Trips with Sue on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta including:

• Hunger Games Premiere Party at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur (I’m reading the books now and can’t stop thinking/talking about them!)
• Atlanta Braves Free Open House
• Disney on Ice at Gwinnett Arena

During the second hour we talked about Easter Activities in Atlanta on Field Trips with Sue on CBS Better Mornings Atlanta including:

• Atlanta Opera’s Rabbit Tales Community Performance
• Easter Bunny at Atlanta Area Malls
• Easter Egg Hunts in Atlanta