Good Grief! Promenade Temecula Hosts a Special Charlie Brown Christmas Celebration! #california #holidays #events

GET READY TO SAY GOOD GRIEF!

PROMENADE TEMECULA HOSTS ANNUAL SANTA’S ARRIVAL WITH

A SPECIAL CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS-THEMED CELEBRATION!

 

TEMECULA, Calif., (November 10, 2015) –Promenade Temecula kicks off the holiday season on Saturday, November 21, transforming the outdoor plaza into a winter wonderland for its annual Santa’s Arrival and Holiday Tree Lighting celebration! This year’s event will feature a special Charlie Brown Christmas-themed evening, including special performances, fireworks, snow, and of course, Santa Claus!

            “Santa’s Arrival is by far our biggest event of the year, with an average of more than 5,000 guests joining us for this unforgettable holiday experience,” says Kym Espinosa, Director of Marketing for Promenade Temecula. “In order to improve visibility and enhance the overall experience for all of our guests, this year we will be featuring an additional LCD Jumbo Tron screen, which will allow even more guests to have a fantastic view of the show!”

The Pre-Show begins at 6:00 p.m. and parents are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a special children’s light wand giveaway for kids age 10 years old and under. Light wands are limited, and will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.

The main event will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. and will feature a special Charlie Brown Christmas show presented by CYT Riverside (Christian Youth Theater), along with appearances from Dunamix Dance and Resonate Vocal Group. In addition, this free holiday event will also feature a synchronized jazz performance from Vista Murrieta High School, as well as musical performances by Hijinx and Joy Song.

“Once all of the spectacular holiday performances are complete, Santa will make his grand debut, and will light our 35-foot holiday tree, as fireworks explode over the square and magical snow falls over the crowd,” Espinosa explained.

Magical snowfall will continue every Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. throughout the holiday season.

On the day of the Santa’s Arrival event, mall management strongly advises families to arrive early and park on the North side of the center near JCPenny or Macy’s. The East Garage Parking Structure will have limited availability. Access in and out of the East Garage Parking Structure will also be closed from approximately 7:20p.m. until 7:50p.m. for fireworks. Guests are advised to please plan accordingly.

Visiting Santa

Following the event, Santa Claus will be available for photos and visits throughout the holiday season until December 24, 2015.  

“This year, Promenade Temecula is introducing a better way to visit Santa with a new reservation system now available on our website,” notes Espinosa. “The new reservation service will allow families to reserve an exact day and time that they would like to visit Santa. This new process will ensure we provide a more seamless experience for all guests, as it drastically reduces wait time, and allows families to better enjoy their annual visit to Santa and the mall during the holiday season.”

After December 10, advance reservations will be required in order for children to visit Santa. Reservations can be booked online at www.PromenadeTemecula.com.

 For more information on holiday events and happenings at Promenade Temecula, visit www.promenadetemecula.com or call (951) 296-0975.

 

About Promenade Temecula

Promenade Temecula is an indoor/outdoor regional lifestyle shopping center located in Temecula, California.  The center’s anchor stores include Macy’s, Macy’s Men’s, Children & Home, JCPenney, Sears and Edwards 15 Cinemas.  

In addition to its indoor shopping experience, Promenade Temecula features a fresh, outdoor “Main Street” style plaza offering more than 170 premier shops including Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Apple, and Coach; as well as a large variety of sit-down restaurants including Yard House and Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar.  For more information about the center, visit www.promenadetemecula.com.

About Forest City

Promenade Temecula is managed by Forest City. Forest City is an NYSE-listed national real estate company principally engaged in the ownership, development, management and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate throughout the United States.  For more information, visit www.forestcity.net.

Images and text courtesy of Promenade Temecula’s PR

@Disney magical holiday lights at Irvine Spectrum #california #holidays

Disney is partnering with Irvine Spectrum Center and presenting “Disney Magical Holiday Lights,” to the Edwards Courtyard.

Text & Image from The Irvine Company / Orange County Zest (2015)

The Orange County Zest website states that this special tree lighting ceremony occurs throughout the night.

Showtimes: 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm, 8:30pm and 9:30pm.

Starting November 27, 2015 – January 3, 2016

Holiday music and lighting is themed after Disney holiday tradition. The music will be synced to the lighting systems.  Supposedly our friend Mickey Mouse leads a holiday sing-a-long!  A fun for the family post Thanksgiving local tradition, lending to the spirit of the holidays for the Disney at heart.

@seaworld Christmas Celebration starting Nov. 21 #socal #california #holiday #events #familyfun

AWE-INSPIRING MEMORIES AWAIT AT SEAWORLD’S CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

SAN DIEGO (Nov. 6, 2015) – Where can you find Shamu^®, Santa and more than one million glimmering lights this holiday season? SeaWorld, of course! It’s all part of SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration^®, kicking off Nov. 21 and continuing through Jan. 3, 2016. Festivities are included with park admission. The best way to enjoy SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration is with a Fun Card. Guests who purchase a 2016 SeaWorld Fun Card can enjoy all of SeaWorld’s Christmas festivities in 2015, plus come back again and again in 2016.

Returning are all the favorites…. Shamu^® Christmas Miracles, a whale of a holiday show with SeaWorld’s family of killer whales as the stars, and Dolphin Island Christmas, a holiday party celebrated dolphin-style with a tropical twist. In addition to the special holiday-themed animal shows, the park will be brimming with yuletide cheer, as Christmas characters meet and mingle with guests, and Mrs. Claus brings a little holiday magic to everyone. All the festivities can be enjoyed amongst more than one million low-energy holiday lights throughout the park. With all that and more, SeaWorld^® is the place to be this Christmas season.

Here’s a detailed look at SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration 2015:

• NEW – Toys for Tots Drive: Starting Nov. 6 through Dec. 13 SeaWorld San Diego is partnering with the Marine Corps Reserves San Diego Toys for Tots Program to deliver a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters through a new, unwrapped toy at Christmas. Guests can donate a toy (suggested retail value of $10 or more) at SeaWorld and receive a free child single-day admission with a full-paid single-day adult admission. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity that has been delivering smiles and toys to families since 1948.
• NEW – A Sesame Street Christmas: This new show at Mission Bay Theater stars all the favorite Sesame Street friends who come together to share Christmas with Abby, a three-year-old fairy that grew up in Fairyland and is not familiar with the celebration and traditions of the Christmas season. After singing Christmas carols, learning about Santa, reindeer, jingle bells and gift giving, Abby discovers the true meaning of Christmas.
• Shamu Christmas Miracles: Thrilling seasonal music rings out as amazing killer whales, gifted trainers and a talented female vocalist share a story of reflection and understanding, of peace and friendship and of the everyday miracles that surround us all year long. Guests will experience the power and beauty of Shamu’s family in this touching holiday favorite.
• Dolphin Island Christmas: This Christmas-themed dolphin show celebrates the holidays with a tropical twist. Dolphins and pilot whales perform amazing athletic feats. Dancers get into the spirit as well during this daytime show at Dolphin Stadium.
• Clyde & Seamore’s Christmas Special: SeaWorld’s prank-loving pinnipeds Clyde and Seamore have a hilarious holiday time in this Christmas-themed sea lion and otter show.

• The Pets Rule Christmas: A specially-themed show featuring the shelter-adopted stars of the park’s Pets Rule! show. As the winter season begins, the pets partake in holiday hijinks.

• KyXy Tree Lighting: Starting Nov. 27 and continuing through Dec. 25, KyXy 96.5 will simulcast the nightly SeaWorld’s Christmas Tree of Lights show at 6 p.m. The lights of Southern California’s largest Christmas tree—SeaWorld’s 320-foot Christmas Tree of Lights—will dance in sync with classic holiday songs.
• Santa’s Christmas Village: This magical, holiday area is brimming with Christmas fun! Guests can mingle with Santa’s elves and Mrs. Claus; enjoy a sweet treat such as a waffle-on-a-stick; and, every day before Christmas get a photo with Santa. Plus, Mrs. Claus invites everyone to join her in a spirited sing-along to help her and the elves light a festive 40-foot animated tree. Rather than wait in line at Santa’s Cottage, guests can check in for a pager that allows families to hold their spot in line, freeing them up to enjoy all the Christmas Village has to offer.
• Live Entertainment on Village Stage: Guests will enjoy sipping a cup of hot chocolate while listening to favorite holiday tunes from the Christmas Brass Band and new this year, performances by local community groups.
• Santa’s Reindeer: On the lawn in front of Animal Connections, real reindeer from Santa’s workshop will delight guests with up-close and educational encounters. Guests can also get in the spirit by playing reindeer games or hopping on Santa’s sleigh for a magical Christmas photo.
• Treat Yourself to Delectable Holiday Delights: Guests will be able to explore and celebrate culinary creations created by SeaWorld’s Executive Chef, Axel Dirolf. Favorites returning to the Christmas Village are waffle-on-a-stick, holiday mac & cheese, fresh baked pies and new this year is mashed potato pizza. Adults will delight in seasonal craft beer cart and adult holiday beverages. Christmas isn’t complete without a delicious turkey dinner and Chef Axel has pulled out all the fixings at Café 64 with SeaWorld’s “All About Turkey” menu featuring sweet chili turkey wings, classic oven roasted carved turkey, home-style holiday turkey pot-pie and more. In addition, holiday menus can be found at all of the park’s signature restaurants. Examples include the turkey cranberry burger at Shipwreck Reef Café and braised lamb shank at Calypso Bay Smokehouse.
• Holiday Atmosphere: SeaWorld will be decked out more than ever before, with more than one and a half million low-energy holiday lights and a 40-foot tree with an animated light show. New specialty lighting will be glimmering bright at Explorer’s Reef, welcoming guests inside the park. Outside Pets’ Playhouse, guests will find the Cat’s Christmas Parlor, where the feline stars of Pets Rule! hang out in their own Christmas-themed house. Animal exhibits such as Shark Encounter, Penguin Encounter and Animal Connections get a splash of holiday spirit with specialty-themed décor inside.

In addition to providing unique family entertainment, SeaWorld is also dedicated to being a good steward of the environment and that includes conserving water in every way possible. While SnowWorld has brought a fun, wintery experience to our guests over the past several years, it required a tremendous amount of water to operate.  Because of the severe drought in California, and in a continuing effort to reduce water usage in the park, SeaWorld officials felt it was appropriate to discontinue this Christmas Celebration attraction until environmental conditions in California are significantly improved.

All Christmas Celebration festivities (except for arcade-style games and reserved experiences such as Breakfast With Shamu and Santa) are included with SeaWorld admission.  Admission is $89 for ages 10 and older; $83 for ages 3-9; free for under 3. Parking is $16; $11 for motorcycles; $21 for RVs and Up-Close. Those who purchase a 2016 Fun Card can enjoy SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration this year, plus all that SeaWorld has to offer in 2016—

including Lunar New Year, Wild Days, Magic Weekends, SeaWorld^® Seven Seas Food Festival, Summer Nights at SeaWorld^®, Summer Vibes, Fiestas Patrias, SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular^® and SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration^®—all for the price of single-day admission. For show schedules and more information, visit www.SeaWorldSanDiego.com or call (800) 257-4268.

About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company delivering personal, interactive and educational experiences that blend imagination with nature and enable its customers to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world we share. The Company owns or licenses a portfolio of globally recognized brands including SeaWorld^®, Shamu^® and Busch Gardens^®. Over its more than 50-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 11 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection of approximately 89,000 marine and terrestrial animals. The Company’s theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld rescue team has helped more than 26,000 animals in need over the last 50 years.

Additional information about SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. can be obtained online at www.SeaWorldEntertainment.com.

@FashionIsland Tree Lighting Ceremony feat. @Disney THIS WEEKEND (Nov. 7/8) #californiaholidays

Images and text from email / Fashion Island c/o the Irvine Company

This festive occasion is fun for the whole family and features
Disney music and character appearances – even a magical snowfall!
The spirit of the season will shine brighter than ever before when
Mickey Mouse and his pals help us light up our magnificent holiday tree.

It’s a sparkling moment of magic, wonder and joy –
right here at Fashion Island!

*Seating guidelines: first come, first served seating; seating can be reserved
beginning at 8:00am each event day; blankets and/or small lawn chairs
(no more than six inches from the seat to the ground) are permitted but
must be removed after each show – items cannot remain overnight;
Fashion Island is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

**Santa’s still trying to get out of his Halloween costume
(this year he went as Frosty the Snowman!), so while he won’t make it to
Fashion Island this weekend, come visit him beginning November 13!

NEW: The LEGO® Movie™ 4D Adventure coming to LEGOLAND in 2016

“THE LEGO^® MOVIE™ 4D A NEW ADVENTURE” BRINGS AWESOME BACK
EXCLUSIVELY TO LEGOLAND^® PARKS AND LEGOLAND^® DISCOVERY
CENTERS WORLDWIDE IN JANUARY 2016!
An exciting new plot, some of the original voices from “The LEGO^® Movie™”
mixed with 4D effects make for an interactive guest experience 

Carlsbad, CA (October 12, 2015) – Merlin Entertainments is partnering with Warner Bros. Consumer Products and The LEGO Group to bring a new 4D animated film featuring the popular characters from The LEGO^® Movie™, from Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and LEGO System A/S, to guests at LEGOLAND^® Parks and LEGOLAND^® Discovery Centers around the world starting in January 2016!

“The LEGO^® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” is premiering at LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort on Jan. 29, 2016, followed by LEGOLAND^® California Resort on Feb. 6, with the film continuing to roll out at LEGOLAND^® Windsor, LEGOLAND^® Billund, LEGOLAND^® Deutschland and LEGOLAND^® Malaysia. Shortly after, guests at the 11 LEGOLAND^® Discovery Centers in North America, Asia and Europe will get to experience this thrilling new adventure.

Written by Adam Pava (writer of “The Boxtrolls”) and co-written and directed by Rob Schrab (director of the sequel to “The LEGO Movie” debuting in 2018) “The LEGO Movie 4D A New Adventure” is bringing back some of the original voices including Elizabeth Banks (Wyldstyle), Alison Brie (Unikitty), Nick Offerman (MetalBeard) and Charlie Day (Benny) and will introduce a new villain, “Risky Business,” voiced by Patton Oswalt.

“The LEGO Movie 4D A New Adventure” follows a new journey for Emmet, Wyldstyle, Unikitty, Benny and MetalBeard after they receive a mysterious invitation leading them to a new theme park where all of the rides are based on the characters’ adventures in “The LEGO Movie.” But not all is as it seems as the heroes are once again thrust into the middle of an evil secret plot, only this time, it will be up to the audience to use their Master Builder skills to help save them! Using elements such as wind, water, smoke and special lighting effects, the larger-than-life experience brings the film’s main characters, Emmet and Wyldstyle, back together with their friends for another awesome adventure.
The 4D movie is being produced by Pure Imagination Studios, Inc. in Los Angeles. For the latest news on this 4D adventure, check the Merlin website at www.MerlinEntertainments.biz

We are so excited for this to come to LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California since we are big fans of the LEGO movie.  Are you?

Knott’s Berry Farm – 1st family trip: pics & review

Late September 2015 we took our first family trip to Knott’s Berry Farm.  From the High Desert it is less than an hour drive, depending on how bad traffic is coming from through the Cajon Pass.

We didn’t stay long however we are planning a trip back ASAP.  Being there for my employer/company picnic, we devoted most of our day to the actual Lagoon picnic area.  We spent a short amount of time in Camp Snoopy which the kids enjoyed.  Being there when the park first opened there was a small crowd.  For the rides in Camp Snoopy the kids barely had to wait at all.

After entering the turnstiles, Peppermint Patty greeted us.  She gave baby girl knuckles and adoringly did the Baymax “balala” afterwards.

Here is our youngest driving her first (mini) Camp Snoopy big rig.

My son smiling and ready for take-off on a hot air balloon ride.

Our favorite part was at the picnic when Snoopy arrived for Karaoke and picture opportunity.  We left shortly after knowing we would be back soon, and head home to start planning our next trip!  I started looking up details on the hotel and it seems TOO CUTE.  That will definitely be one of our next Staycations!

By the way if your company needs to plan an event and has a descent budget to spare, this was a top notch event.  The food was delicious, included their famous fried chicken.  (My son wanted me to make sure I mention the yummy chocolate chip cookies, too) Delish!

Thank you Knott’s, we will be back soon.

Legoland California Hotel – pics and review

In March 2015 our family took our first trip to LEGOLAND California.  Because we travel from the High Desert, it was a must for us to utilize the hotel for this trip because we really didn’t know what to expect from the park itself, or the drive.  Much to my surprise I think the hotel turned out to be my favorite part of the trip.  Not at all to discredit the park itself, but the hotel really made it a staycation for me in the precious time I have with my family.

Check out this video.

Lego flowers

Upon arrival the valet courteously helped us with our bags and inside the hotel where we were greeted at the front desk by Lego flowers.  of course.

Behind the front desk, brilliantly, there is a giant Lego pit for children to play while parents get situated.

We requested a pirate theme room with the separate children’s bunk area.  This pirate greeted and spoke to you each trip up and down to the elevator.

By the way – your elevator is entertaining!  Various songs will play while the lights go off for your own little dance party. Including EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!

The room immediately set me at ease.  Complimentary drinks for parents and kids.  A Lego mini fig ice bucket, and a box of Legos to play with.  The décor in here is amazing…

These are just some images from the walls.

Parents, your bed is actually cooler than your kids!

Ahoy!  You and your mate will set sail to sweet dreams in this super comfy bed.  We slept like drunken sailors.

The children’s section is located near the door. Keep out!

This pirate watches over them while they watch TV from their bunk bed.

Even the bathroom maintains the theme.

Your shower curtain.  Too cute.

Your goods.

And a safe that has a little treasure hunt for the kids to go on.  Once they figure out the code, they open up the safe to unveil some extra goodies like Lego magazine, mini figs, and more.

Back downstairs this huge castle and pirate area has even more Legos and play things for the kiddos.  There is a small area to sit and relax, have a snack, or a cocktail if you choose.  This is super handy after dinner, while the kids have Lego building contests and dance party hosted by kid friendly characters until their bedtime.

My son had so much fun building his shoot gun “from the future”

The baby enjoyed herself, too.

This cool set-up is in the snack/hang-out area.  There is also a higher end sit-down restaurant (which was delicious and incredibly accommodating) as well as a fun buffet with kid-size buffet bar for them to help themselves which we enjoyed our breakfast at.  Everyone inside of the hotel is also willing to trade mini figs on their name tags.  Just ask!

I would stay here again in a heart beat.  Even with a full house and dance party going on, you heard NOTHING between the walls.  We slept like babies and give it high-fives and thumbs up.

Three cheers to Lego!

Legoland California’s Brick or Treat – pics and review

My family loves (and needs) brief getaways.  These are much cherished, as I work full-time, am in school full-time and seldom take “vacations.”  Being that we live in California, we staycation often.  Even if it is just for half a day, it feels like we are at least out of our daily element of the High Desert.

In the past year we had visited LEGOLAND once before and stayed at the hotel (which is AWESOME) by the way and I will share more about our hotel experience in another post.

Having the opportunity to return and check out the LEGOLAND California Brick or Treat event seemed like a fantastic one day getaway idea.  I have two kids, that are now 16 months and 7 years old.  My 7 year old is not into the so-called spirit of Halloween so this was even more appealing being that I heard terms such as “not-so-scary” being used for this event.  Our day began as a regular trip to the park.  It was the first day of the 2015 Brick or Treat event and the park was busy but not overwhelmingly so.  Ride waits were tolerable and there was a nice breeze with temperature in the high 70’s.  (This is why I love California)

BOO!

After having a tasty lunch in the park, and riding a few rides – we checked in for our sneak peek of Candy Quest.  Truly we had no idea what to expect, having never been to these events before.  My son was hesitant going in, but quickly realized after entering and facing his first challenge that there was little to fear.  The characters in Candy Quest were all appropriate, fun, and professional while interacting with the kids.  In small groups, we went from quest to quest solving riddles and gathering treats.  Overall we spent about 7 minutes inside of the attraction.  Note: that several attractions in the park will close an hour or so early to prepare for the Brick or Treat event.  And upon exiting the Quest my son was no longer scared for what the rest of the evening was going to bring us.  Success!

The Raven

We headed down to Heartlake City next to the new (and totally adorable) Carousel where we saw the Not-So-Scary Story Tellers show.  Three actors told a fun story about walking through the woods.  They did a lot of interacting with the crowd, and improving.  I have to admit I am hard to entertain, and they were actually really funny!  I truly laughed out loud more than once.  Very cute, and not scary.  Another win.  Once the story was over, the true Brick or Treating began.  Lines were swirling around main areas of the park and kids with bags danced in line waiting for their next treat.  Unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity to check each one out – but it looked like things were being distributed from healthier snacks to candy to Lego vampire headpieces and Ninjago masks.

Not-so-scary story tellers

LEGOLAND staff helped try and organize by holding up markers where the line ended, however it was hard to tell sometimes what you were standing in line for.  Candy Quest’s line wrapped about half way around the park by 7pm.  My tip is line up when they shut the doors down at 4pm so you can be one of the firs through when it opens.  There was live music and costume contests.  The Lego costumes that kids and adults wore were AMAZING.  Blown away by the creativity.  Seriously.  My son filled his bag up with candy for a little over an hour walking through Mini Town.  As the sun started to go down and the lights started to come on in the park, we started to get hungry and realize it was almost our littlest one’s bedtime.  We had to go get dinner and get on the road.

Scare crow

Frank

Overall it was a great mini trip and I would absolutely take my kids again.  I have a feeling that as the years go by LEGOLAND will continue improving on this event making it more and more worth our while each time.