The Vault Laser Challenge-Pigeon Forge, TN

On the ground floor of the MagiQuest building is The Vault Laser Challenge. It is a room full of laser beams that the player has to do their best to avoid by twisting, bending and crawling. 

As you can see there are a lot of beams that have to be dealt with. The goal is to get through the course as fast as possible, but every time a beam is broken by the player, extra time is added to their total time.  My husband said he thought he was doing a good job at first, but as the course went on, he could not avoid several of the beams and a lot of extra time was added on. Our daughter had a much better time with much fewer penalties. Because of her size, she was able to navigate around the beams much easier and by taking her time she was able to make it through some of the tightest spots.

The television monitor above the door is a great touch. This way, players waiting for their turn or family and friends of those going through the course can watch their progress and see how well or not so well they are doing.

You can purchase a ticket for just The Vault, however, they also offer a great deal a combo ticket which includes The Vault as well as Pirate Golf, Odyssey Mirror Maze and MagiQuest.

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Castle of Chaos-Pigeon Forge, TN

Also in the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center is Castle of Chaos which is described as the first 5D attraction in the world. 

The description is it is a haunted attraction that combines the experiences of a 3D film, a ride and a video game all in one. The ride part is the fact that you are on a rotating platform that randomly spins you between three screens which requires you to battle a variety of bats, bugs and zombies.  You and the other players are exploring a mysterious castle to discover the possibility of a paranormal activity outbreak.

As you can see in the picture above, 24 players can take part at once and each person is given 3D glasses and a gun that looks like an old style pistol.  The scores of all of the players are tracked during the ride and the top scorers are shown on the screen. 

This seven minute adventure is able to interact with you as much as you do with it.   I suggest you don't put all your attention on the screen because while you are shooting at it you will be caught off guard when the seat you are sitting in begins to come to life.  To be honest, this part did upset our eight year old daughter but only because she was not expecting it and scared her, my guess is that most kids her age and under would have no trouble with the Castle of Chaos. 

  For our daughter it was just a matter of needing to close her eyes and waiting for the ride to be over, but in the event that someone becomes too frightened or an emergency occurs all you need to do is unbuckle your seat belt and the ride will come to a halt.  With that being said I do not think the ride is suitable for seniors, women who are pregnant or anyone else who may find spinning at a quick speed not ideal for them.  

If you enjoy interactive motion rides that involve shooting, I think that Castle of Chaos is the ride for you. As with the other attractions at the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center, you can purchase tickets just for this one or the better deal is to go with the All Access Pass which includes entry to the Hollywood Wax Museum, Outbreak, Castle of Chaos and Hannah's Maze of Mirrors. 

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Outbreak-Pigeon Forge

 

A few days ago I told you about the Hollywood Wax Museum.  Just across the parking lot is another building that houses a few more attractions and one of them is called Outbreak Dread the Undead.

The description of Outbreak is:

This thrill-a- minute haunted walk-through experience is filled with hordes of the undead. Inside the laboratory of ChemaCorp, a global leader in biotechnology, medical research, and defense contracting, you’ll come face-to- face with a military experiment gone terribly wrong. The company’s viral compound, Alpha Strain, which was designed to enhance soldier DNA, has turned test subjects and the entire research staff into aggressive zombies that must be stopped. Your mission? Contain the outbreak and make it out alive… and SCREAMING!

My daughter and I were concerned that this might be too intense of an experience for us, so we had my husband go through without us. Unfortunately, he was not allowed to take pictures.  He ended up being part of a group of 5 people to walk through the lab.  What he told me was that Outbreak lasted longer than he thought it would which he was happy with. There were a lot of different rooms and hallways that you have to walk through depicting different scenes of a zombie outbreak in a lab.  There is a combination of animatronic zombies as well as live actors who do their best to scare the visitors.  He said what made this more enjoyable and in some cases laugh out loud funny was that in his group there was a young lady who was easily scared and was screaming and yelling quite a bit. It became apparent quickly that the live zombie actors realized this and did their best to scare her even more.

When he finished he let me know that he thought it was a good idea that my daughter and I sat this one out, but that younger kids who are not scared easily would be able to handle Outbreak. Keep in mind that the actors can't touch you and you can't touch anything. There is some blood and body parts and some dark hallways but as long as you keep your eyes out around corners and possible hiding places, you will be able to survive the Outbreak.

You can purchase tickets to just Outbreak or the best deal is to get an All Access Pass which gets you entry to the Hollywood Wax Museum, Outbreak, Castle of Chaos and Hannah's Maze of Mirrors.    

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The Tomb - Pigeon Forge

 The Tomb is looking for a few archaeologists willing to travel deep into an ancient Egyptian tomb.  Your goal will be to find the professor without getting trapped in the burial chamber for all eternity.  If you are up for the challenge grab your whole family hurry to Pigeon Forge.

Warning you will find yourself face to face with the spirit of an ancient Pharaoh, who will not be happy with visitors disturbing his rest.   To prove it he is not going to make things easy for you, in fact you will find it to be just the opposite when he assigns you with a variety of tasks and games of logic.  You will soon learn the only way out is by working together with your entire group to solve each riddle.

 Obviously, we did not have any help going into this adventure so I will not be sharing with you any of the games or tricks you may need.  What I will say is that The Tomb, Escape Game is a family friendly adventure, there is nothing to fear for the littlest members of your crew.  While there are some points of that are darker than others you are never in complete blackness, the ground is level and paths are wide.  

We were able to find the professor and exit the burial chamber in about an hour. Our guide, who enthusiastic and willing to assist us with the challenges, but only if he had to which I believe for our group was only once.  

 

The Tomb does have a small gift shop that is worth mentioning as the majority of the items for sale are unique and have been imported from Egypt.  A ticket is not required to enter the gift shop, so if the adventure is not for you but shopping is make sure to add it to your list.

 

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The XBox Play Lounge at Beaches Turks & Caicos

 

Thank you to Beaches Resorts for my invitation to Social Media on the Sand. 

A year ago on my family's first visit, my daughter wanted to spend a lot of her time at Camp Sesame, which is geared for younger children. She spent parts of every day there and enjoyed hanging out with her favorite Sesame Street characters and interacting with the other kids. This year though my husband and I noticed that she was not that interested in Camp Sesame and instead had thoughts of spending more of her free time at the XBox Play Lounge, which is a place she spent only a few minutes last year. 

The XBox Play Lounge is a place where guests can play video games for as long as they want at no cost-this is part of the amazing all-inclusive benefits Beaches Resorts offer.  In fact, it seems like every time we went there, there was a mix of kids playing games by themselves or in groups of other kids, families playing together and in some cases, adults playing on their own.

The XBox Play Lounge is a large building that holds dozens and dozens of XBox One and Xbox 360 machines and monitors.  Different games are loaded on different machines, so I would be afraid to guess how many different games in how many different categories could be played.  The building has five different sections, so it never gets overly loud. Plus, there is a staff member present to make sure everything is running and kept straightened up.  One of the sections is a larger area that has two screens devoted to XBox Kinect.  My daughter and husband got to play sports and dance in that area.  It was her experiences this year that inspired my daughter to come home from our trip to Beaches Turks & Caicos and announce that she wanted an XBox 360. 

As you can see, the XBox Play Lounge appeals to adults as well as children.  While I attended meetings and other events, my daughter and husband took some time to get out of the sun and play video games.  The lounge was open from 9 in the morning until 11 at night and there were two nights that when I was ready to call it a night, the two of them headed out and ended up closing it down.  

The XBox Play Lounge is just another great part of the all-inclusive experience you and your family can have at Beaches Resorts.

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All-Inclusive Watersports at Beaches Turks & Caicos

 

Thank you to Beaches Resorts for my invitation to Social Media on the Sand. 

If you enjoy being active on your vacations, even if it is in between times of relaxing at the pool or laying on the beach, Beaches Resorts have the all-inclusive activities for you and your family. 

When Beaches says all-inclusive, they mean all-inclusive.  If you enjoy watersports activities, here is what you get to do without having to pay extra at Beaches Turks and Caicos:

-Sailing
-Waterskiing
-Kayaks
-Paddle Boarding
-Windsurfing
-Hobie Cats
-Glass Bottom Boats
-Snorkeling
-Aquatrikes
-Laser Bug Boats

Plus if you are new to any of the activities listed above, you can also receive unlimited free lessons.  Last year on my family's first visit to Turks and Caicos, we wanted to get out on the water but were not sure about going out by ourselves, so we took advantage of the above and beyond service offered by Beaches.  We decided we wanted to take a ride on a Hobie Cat so one of their staff, Captain Nemo, drove the boat while we relaxed and enjoyed the gorgeous water and amazing scenery.

A great example of great training was what I watched as I relaxed on the beach. I saw one of the Beaches staff taking time to teach a group of 4 people how to wakeboard.  He worked with them on the beach at first and went over the equipment and how to use it and what to do in certain situations. Then he took them out into the water and worked with them some more. I could see by how well these people were doing, that the lesson really helped them. It definitely helped them to enjoy themselves more and not get discouraged.

Also while I sat there, I saw a guest who wanted to go snorkeling so she hopped into a boat with a couple staff members and they took her out to that area and stayed with her until she was done.

This year while my daughter was having fun with the other kids at Camp Sesame, and I was content sitting on the beach with a drink, my husband said he wanted to give the Hobie Cat a shot by himself.  All he had to do was go to the Watersports desk and give them his name and room number, put on a life jacket, get the boat turned around with the help of a staff member and sail away.

I was a little skeptical at first of his sailing skills, but the smaller size of the Hobie Cat makes it easy to maneuver and my husband had a great time sailing around. He actually went out a bit farther than I thought he would, but he had no problems and came back raving about how much fun it was and tried to get me to out with him, but I was content relaxing and enjoying the ocean breeze from my beach chair.  

We had time on our final day at Beaches to do a water activity we all could enjoy.  We signed up for the Glass Bottom Boat ride. As it turns out we were the only three people to sign up so we got the boat and the attention of the three staff members to ourselves for about an hour.

The views of the ocean were amazing and educational. We learned that Turks and Caicos has one of the largest coral reefs in the world and it is very popular for scuba diving and snorkeling.  At times they would turn off the engine and just let the boat float above the coral reef so we got to see a lot of pretty views of the reef as well as the fish that live there. 

The water around Turks and Caicos is home to a huge array of different fish, so luckily, the boat has handy identification charts for the passengers.  Also, the staff on the boat were very knowledgeable and entertaining and they made the trip even more enjoyable.

If you are planning on a trip to Beaches Turks and Caicos, I would definitely encourage you and your family to set aside time to take advantage of the all-inclusive watersports.  

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Parakeet Pete's Steampunk Balloon & Waterfront Zipline - Branson, MO

Thanks to Parakeet Pete's for my tickets for review. Opinions are honest. No compensation received. Personal photos may not be used without written permission from My Springfield Mommy.
If you are heading to Branson and are looking for some new experiences instead of shows, miniature golf or go-carts, I would suggest heading to the Branson Landing for two activities; Parakeet Pete's Steampunk Balloon and Parakeet Pete's Waterfront Zipline.

Parakeet Pete's Steampunk Balloon opened this past March.  It is based on 1880's science fiction.  If you have seen the movies Wild Wild West or Cowboys vs Aliens, you have seen examples of Steampunk.  The balloon came from France and is the only one like it in North America.  The pictures do not do it justice, it is even more impressive in person.

The balloon rises to 188 feet.  The ride up is very smooth and slow.  You are in an enclosed basket so there is no risk of falling out. Plus, the floor is see through so you have incredible views in every direction.  You can see Tannycomo Lake which is where the Waterfront Zipline is over.  In addition to the great views of the Branson Landing, including the Hilton which you will be 50 feet higher than when you reach the top in the balloon, you can also see Shepherd of the Hills which is 7 miles away.  The balloon basket can fit two wheelchairs. It has a 2,400 pound weight limit and hold 12 people. 

Another neat feature of the balloon is that it rotates as you are going up and down so you get a great 360 degree view.  Plus, the balloon operator will share a lot of great information with you regarding the balloon and Branson.

If you are looking for a more thrilling experience, you have to check out Parakeet Pete's Waterfront Zipline which is just a short walk down the Branson Landing from the balloon.  

The Waterfront Zipline was designed by a gentleman who also created a roller coaster at Silver Dollar City. It opened in 2014 and the party deck that you can see in the distance in the picture above opened earlier this year.  The zipline takes you backwards over Tannycomo Lake which is 48 degrees year round.  Once you reach the other side of the lake you are released to zip back across.

As you can see in the picture above, this differs from regular ziplines in that there are seats that the riders are seatbelted into and you are not just suspended by a cord above.  I think if you have been skeptical of trying a regular zipline, you would be comfortable giving this one a try because you are sitting down.  The maximum combined weight is 450 pounds and the minimum rider height is 42 inches.  I generally avoid rides or attractions like this one, but I was convinced to give it a try and I really had a good time.  I felt safe the entire time and thought it was really fun getting to go backwards across the lake, then fly back across it forwards. 

Thanks to Parakeet Pete's, I am giving away two sets of combo passes which are good for both the Balloon and Zipline.

 Giveaway will end at 8pm on Sunday, November 1st

 Winner chosen by Random.org
Winners responsible for supplying shipping info via email.
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Shoot for the Stars Mini Golf - Branson, MO

Thank you to Shoot for the Stars for inviting us to play, opinions are honest.

For our family no trip to Branson, MO is complete without a round of mini golf.  This trip was no exception which is why we made a stop at Shoot for the Stars Mini Golf.

What sets Shoot for the Stars Mini Golf apart from other courses is that the course is interactive and follows you along your path of stardom.  

It all starts with McBooster, your agent.  He guides you through the course from being discovered to getting head shots done, dealing with the paparazzi, red carpet premiere, attending the Academy Awards and achieving stardom. 

At each hole, you will find a cell phone you can push and listen to a message from your agent.

One fun feature on the course is that certain holes have sensors which bring the characters to life. In this one, the paparazzi are calling to the celebrity and asking them for a picture.  Take it from my daughter, it is fun to play along as you wait for your other teammates to finish the hole.

The Shoot for the Stars course is the most clean and well maintained one my family and I have played on.  As you can see in the picture above, you even play one of the holes on the red carpet and walk right by the Oscar statue. The scenery really makes you feel like you are in Hollywood and is very true to the actual structures including the Paramount Pictures gate. You also walk by the Capital Records building, the Hollywood sign and much more.

If you plan to make a stop at Shoot for the Stars be sure to bring your camera, the props are designed for the camera and ones that if taken right will have everyone believing you just returned from Hollywood.

Shoot for the Star Mini Golf is opened year round and offers an All Access Pass that includes admission to not only the Shoot for the Star Mini Golf but also Hannah's House of Mirrors, the Castle of Chaos and The Hollywood Wax Museum.  

Tip: Grab a brochure and buy your tickets on site, there is a $4 off coupon found on the back.

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7 Things My 7 Year Old Wants to do at Beaches

This weekend I officially told my seven year old that she would be joining us in October when I attend Social Media on the Sand at Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos.  She immediately started listing off what she was going to do when she arrives and asked to look at the photos from last year.  As you can imagine the list only got longer as she went through the photos and it was obvious I had to cut her off or we would be staying for a month, which would be perfectly fine with me but we have to return to school and work.  I told her since she is seven she could choose seven things to do, her list is priceless so I have to share.

#1- This year she is going to make it her goal to try every Sesame Street inspired (kids) cocktail on the list, all from the swim up bar.

#2 - She has set a goal of finding 100 of these little lizards.  Last year she was unsure of them since lizards are not something you find in Central Illinois, but this year she is ready for them and even hoping to catch one.

#3- Baking Cookies with the Cookie Monster, not going to lie I think this is really just her way of getting to hang out at Camp Sesame without telling us she wants to hang out without us for a while.

#4- This year she is going to master the surf simulator, she gave it a good try last year but I think she was still just a little too young for it.

#5- Assuming our room has a bunk year she will be sleeping on the top.  Last year I was convinced she would fall off in the middle of the night and made her stay on the bottom, you know "where the babies sleep".

#6- Playing on the beach.  Somehow last year we missed any shells so with any luck we will find one or two to bring home this time.

#7-  Hoping to find this cat, we first saw this cat on our walk to Kimonos restraunt.  After dinner it followed us around for a while, but left us before we returned to the room.  The next morning when I opened the curtain I was shocked to find it sleeping on a chair, not only was it amazing that it found our room but it was also that it managed to climb to the third floor.  Once Maris woke up and saw it, the cat did not leave our side for an entire day.

 She also asked if she could have breakfast with her Sesame Street friends again this year before we leave and I told her since she is almost eight she probably could do eight things.

I love that the things she picked out to do are so simple yet were memorable from her first trip to Beaches such as counting lizards to sleeping on the top bunk exactly the way it should be for a seven year old.


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Personal photos may not be used without written permission from My Springfield Mommy.