Tampa Zoo $10 Deal Through September 26

Through September 26, Florida Residents can enjoy a day at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for just $10 per person (ages 3 and up)!

Make a quick escape to Africa, Asia or Australia – no passport required. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo features 1,000 amazing animals on nearly 60 acres of natural habitats. Guests will find many interactive exhibits and opportunities to get closer to wildlife — feed a giraffe, hold a lorikeet, touch a stingray and more. The Zoo’s Manatee and Aquatic Center expands the traditional boundaries of a zoo, focusing efforts on critical care for injured, sick and orphaned wild manatees. Also at the Zoo: splash ground water play areas, rides and educational shows.

The special September savings offer is valid for daytime admission Sept. 17-26 for Florida residents only (ages three years and up). Adults must present valid state issued identification at ticket windows. Offer may not be combined with any other discounts.

Check out their other upcoming events: http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/calendar_events.php

Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores Giveaway

If you know me at all, you know I’m not much of a shopper. I’m a HUNTer. I know I want a flowered dress, capped sleeves, size (none-ya), below-the-knee, on sale…. OH, and it has to be purchased at a store that’s easy to get in and out of. (I know. I’m picky.)

Good for me the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores mall is having their 17^th Annual Spring Festival on Saturday, April 12^th where I can park easily, get in and out easily, and hunt for that perfect Easter dress (or shoes, and…).

I’m especially excited that two of my favorite bunnies in the whole world, Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry from Give Kids the World Village (GKTW) will be visiting at the Festival and superheroes from Heroes Alliance. The center is selling raffle tickets for a chance to win more than $6,000 in prizes including attraction tickets, hotels stays, store gifts and gift cards. One hundred percent of raffle ticket sales benefit Give Kids the World. (Thank you LBVFS!)

We’re huge GKTW supporters (you can read about one of our adventures here).

In addition, there will be a farmers market, crafts, face painting, balloon sculpting, games and an awesome sidewalk sale.

The Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores mall boasts 50 outlet shops including:

• the area’s only Old Navy outlet store
• U.S. Polo Assn.
• Lindt Chocolate,
• Nike, OshKosh B’Gosh
• Tommy Hilfiger Stores
• G by GUESS
• Justice
• Carter’s
• Crocs
• Calvin Klein
• Levi’s®
• Aeropostale
• Converse
• Famous Footwear Outlet
• Fossil
• Gap
• Izod
• Rack Room Shoes
• and many more including one of my favorites:
  The Ann Taylor Loft store.

 

If you would like a chance to win a $50 gift certificate toshop at the LBVFS mall, click on the Rafflecopter image at left.

Even if you don’t win, you can get in on the savings by downloading a coupon from the Center’s website, then bringing it to Travelpro at the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores to receive a coupon booklet valued up to $400 in savings. Many stores offer additional savings from 20-40% off to “Friends & Family.”  Savvy discount shoppers can learn about these discounts, as well as specific stores and their hours by following the center on Facebook and Twitter, as well as visiting www.lbvfs.com. Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is located just one mile from Walt Disney World at 15657 S. Apopka Vineland Road (State Road 535), Orlando, FL 32821-6316, and two miles south of I-4, Exit 68. Stores are open Monday-Saturday, 10am-9pm, and 10am-7pm on Sunday. 

4/8/2014 update: Contest has ended. Congratulations to Mary Edwards, winner of the $50 gift card.

Half-Price Kids Tickets Through October 31, 2011 at SeaWorld

Nothing Spooky about this Friendly Witch!

Now through the end of October, kids get in for half-price at SeaWorld*. With each full-paid adult ticket, a child’s ticket (kids 3-9) can be purchased for half price and you both also get to enjoy the “second visit free” promotional with the discount. Additional children get $10 off their admission.  Just in time for SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular!

Guests enjoy trick-or-treating by the water side, and Halloween-themed shows throughout the park. Clyde and Seamore tend to go all out and street performers, like the Longshoremen, will make you laugh with their take on apple bobbing and pumpkin carving.

For an additional cost, families can dine with “The Count” from Sesame Street. This seasonal special is a lot of fun! Tasty breakfast, Elmo, fun for the whole family… what’s not to love? Click here for the link to purchase tickets. (Passholders don’t forget to log in to the main website to receive your discount.)

Kids can wear costumes, or not. The choice is up to them. Our 4-year-old insisted on a different costume EACH time we went last year. And as season passholders, that’s a lot of visits. (For the record, wearing a tee shirt with a baseball on it does, indeed, count as a ballplayer costume! Ha ha.)

Longshoremen Remove the "Pumpkin Guts."

Here’s a peek at the “Halloween Party” routine. I suggest when you see it live giving the stevedores some “room” to do the show. It is a splash zone. A pumpkin-spraying, arms-waving, guts flying good time.

Be sure to bring your camera as there are lots and lots of great shows, and whimsical sea creatures all around who are more than happy to take pictures with your little one. (And grownups, too!) Shamu, Opie Otter, Daisy Dolphin and the rest of the characters can also be seen out and about posing in their costumes. There are even some mermaids “swimming” about. I wonder what Shamu will be this year?!

I see something fishy at Spooktacular!

My favorite from last year was a little girl dressed as a jellyfish. What are your kids wearing? Any awesome marine-inspired costumes?

Tell me how you enjoyed Spooktacular last year. Anyone help Abby find her wand? Did you see the roller-blade-wearing sea weed? What was your favorite part? I’d love to hear from you!

*Adult admission is $81.99 plus tax, and children’s half-off admission is $36.99 plus tax with each paid-adult ticket. Visit SeaWorldOrlando.com or call 1-888-800-5447 to purchase tickets.