** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for FREE to review **
For all those families that have young girls that love horses as much as my daughter does, you'll want to share A COWGIRL'S STORY with them. We had a chance to watch this flick before its April 18th release on DVD and Digital Download so I can assure you it is family friendly selection for a movie night at home. It is rated PG based upon thematic elements involving the Afghanistan war with the film's plot including the father of one of the characters being killed in combat and another one's mother missing in action. The movie doesn't show battle sequences though and primarily is a feel good movie about the soldiers' children who are left behind at home while their parents are off confronting dangerous situations. A COWGIRL'S STORY promotes messages of inclusion and patriotism through a generally lighthearted story.
A COWGIRL'S STORY follows Dusty Rhodes (played by Bailee Madison / Just Go With It) who moves from her rural home to live with her grandfather (played by iconic singer Pat Boone) in a suburban community while her parents are serving in Afghanistan. At her new high school, Dusty makes friends with a group of kids that aren't used to her country lifestyle; including Savanah (Chloe Lukasiak / Center Stage: On Pointe) whose own father was recently killed serving in the Army. You may take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl as Dusty brings a new sense of style and spirit to the community. Sharing her love of horses, Dusty convinces her new friends to join her in forming an equestrian drill team that allows them to perform at rodeos and parades.
Just as Dusty is becoming comfortable with her new home, she receives news that turns the world upside down. Her mother's helicopter has been shot down and she is missing in action. To keep from being overwhelmed by fear and helplessness, Dusty with the help of her grandfather puts together a very special riding performance by the new high school equestrian team in honor of her parents and all the American soldiers fighting overseas. Patriotic spirit envelopes the entire town which comes out to support the performance making it an unforgettable event for both the riders and their audience.
A COWGIRL'S STORY will be available on DVD at Amazon and Target among other retailers across the United States and Canada as well as on major online platforms like iTunes as a digital download beginning April 18, 2017. The movie is about an hour and a half long. To be honest the story is a bit cheesy but this movie will put a smile on your face and the horse scenes were especially entertaining and captured my kids attention. So A COWGIRL'S STORY gets A GEEK DADDY nod of approval for being a nice selection for a family movie night.
Today is #NationalDogDay which seems like the perfect time to announce the release date and trailer for Amblin Entertainment & Universal Pictures upcoming movie A DOG'S PURPOSE. Based upon the bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog's Purpose shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love. This family-friendly film told from the dog's perspective (voiced by Josh Gad) stars Dennis Quaid, Peggy Lipton, Britt Roberson, K.J. Apa, Juilet Rylance, Luke Kirby, John Ortiz and Pooch Hall.
A Dog's Purpose arrives at movie theaters across the United States on January 27, 2017. For more information visit adogspurposemovie.com or follow the movie's twitter account @a_dogs_purpose
Looking for a motion picture the whole family can enjoy for a movie night? According to the Dove Foundation which reviews movies regarding age-appropriate content for children to help parents select films to view that are family-friendly, AGAINST THE WILD 2: SURVIVE THE SERENGETI is a show worth checking out as it has received the "Dove Family-Approved Seal." The Dove Foundation notes "If you like a good story and animals, this is the movie for you!"
AGAINST THE WILD 2: SURVIVE THE SERENGETI is now available from Anchor Bay Entertainment to purchase on DVD or via Digital HD. My kids always enjoy movies set in far off locations featuring wild animals so they are really excited about seeing this motion picture. To share their excitement, A Geek Daddy has a dvd of the movie to give away.
UPDATE: Congrats to our giveaway winners - Hazell P. from Miami, Florida; John R. from Chicago, Illinois & Joe N. from Minerva, Ohio
To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow
@Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet
which is
embedded above before May 15, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST. Must be a US
resident over the age of 18 to participate. One entry per person and
we'll
randomly select a winner from all eligible entries to receiveAGAINST THE WILD 2: SURVIVE THE SERENGETI ondvd.
For bickering siblings Ryan and Emma it was going to be a fun visit with their dad who is temporarily working in Africa. But when their small plane crash-lands in the Serengeti, these two suburban kids from America have only each other -- and a Malamute named Chinook -- to rely on. Their mom (Jeri Ryan of "Star Trek: Voyager" & "Boston Public") is panicked as rescue teams head out in search of the missing children. Can brother, sister, and one courageous dog learn to conquer their fears and trust each other in the untamed wilderness? Ashley Dowds ("Scout's Safari") co-stars in an exciting stand-alone family adventure from Richard Boddington, the creator of the original AGAINST THE WILD. The original AGAINST THE WILD movie released in 2013 is a similar plot to this second film, but was set in the wilderness of Northern Canada. By the way, Anchor Bay Entertainment will also be throwing in a bonus copy of the original AGAINST THE WILD movie for our giveaway winner along with their AGAINST THE WILD 2: SURVIVE THE SERENGETI dvd.
AGAINST THE WILD 2: SURVIVE THE SERENGETI is available to purchase from Amazon on dvd and on iTunes for Digital HD in addition to being available from other retail outlets. For more information about the AGAINST THE WILD films, visit anchorbayentertainment.com.
Disclaimer & Rules / FTC Notice: A Geek Daddy
Blog
will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Anchor Bay Entertainment is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize. By
participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek
Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with
this promotion. A Geek Daddy Blog hosted this contest and blog post
based upon Anchor Bay Entertainment providing the prize to the selected winner.
Only
one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. Must be a US resident over
18 years old. If you have won the same
prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is
subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or
FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy
Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers. A Geek Daddy Blog did not
receive any financial compensation for publishing this post but did
receive one of the prizes for personal use. Personal information provided to Anchor Bay Entertainment from prize winners will only be used for the purpose of delivering the prize.
**A Geek Daddy has been financially compensated as a BLOGGER BASH Ambassador and affiliate links are included within this post. Opinions are my own**
As readers of A GEEK DADDY know, this blog is all about creating memorable and enjoyable experiences that I can engage in as a dad with my children and share with all of you. Posts with news about upcoming family friendly movies, stories of adventurous road trips to visit entertaining and educational destinations (such as amusement parks, museums, and zoos) and opinions on apps and video games are all part of the normal routine with this blog. Oh! ...and of course we can't forget the toy reviews can we?!
A GEEK DADDY has had some great toy review opportunities recently ranging from an AIR HOGS Batman V Superman official movie replica remote control batmobile to Hexbug's VEX Robotics Gear Racers to a WowWee MiPosaur interactive robotic dinosaur which were made possible through the contacts I established by attending last year's BLOGGER BASH conference in New York City. In addition to having a blast at the third annual BLOGGER BASH by attending an exclusive Blue Man Group performance, getting an advance opportunity to play the brand new Disney Infinity: Star Wars video game before it was released to the public, and attending a lunch with the talent providing the voices for The Peanuts Movie; my attendance at this event provided A GEEK DADDY with the connections to participate in some wonderful revenue generating sponsored campaigns, allowed my family the chance to review some incredible toys at no cost that my kids would otherwise not had the chance to play with, and let me share the fun with our readers by being able to host some great product giveaways that are a direct result of attending last year's event. We're just getting started though because in addition to attending again this year, I'm also going to be sharing my enthusiasm for the event as a BLOGGER BASH AMBASSADOR this year!
CLICK HERE to use my affiliate link to register for this year's BLOGGER BASH and use promotional code BBA2016 to save $30 off your registration fee.
If you are a digital influencer with an established blog you're going to want to join me on July 13 and 14 in New York City aboard the Majesty yacht, docked in Midtown Manhattan for BLOGGER BASH 2016. Don't worry about getting sea sick as the boat will be docked for the entire conference so attendees will be able to enjoy the view from the decks and be able to get on and off at their leisure. You won't want to get off though because BLOGGER BASH consists of multiple themed parties that serve as
networking opportunities between digital influencers and big-name toy, tech and household product brands that will keep your attention captured while you are there. My favorite of these is The Toy Insider’sSWEET SUITE, which allows digital influencers to
get hands-on with the hot new toys that will be coming out on the market for the upcoming holiday shopping season while feasting on deserts and drinks. SWEET SUITE is the highlight of BLOGGER BASH for me and if you write about toys on a blog shouldn't be missed.
Make sure not to linger too long in purchasing your tickets to BLOGGER BASH 2016 because there is a limited capacity for the Majesty and once it is reached the conference will be sold out. If you want to attend a digital influencer conference that doesn't have an intense focus on monetizing web sites, isn't hyper promoting a particular brand or crowded full of really clique groups than BLOGGER BASH is for you! I was completely surprised last year by just how friendly and welcoming everyone at this conference was during my experience and that is why I wanted to contribute to this year's event by becoming a BLOGGER BASH Ambassador. It is a laid back fun time where you learn about all sorts of cool stuff. Details on this year's agenda are still being finalized but the production team behind BLOGGER BASH has a goal of making each year's event better than the previous one which means 2016 should be AWESOME!
Grab your tickets now and remember to use promotional code BBA2016 to save $30 off your registration fees. Hope to see you there in July!
My kids have been looking forward to seeing THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS since they first started seeing its trailers at the theater last year and while they still have a few more months to go before the film debuts they were excited to get another advance peek at the movie with this Easter themed teaser that Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures released for the holiday weekend.
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS' story revolves around a Manhattan apartment building where a dog named Max has his life as a favorite
pet turned upside down when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel
named Duke. Max and Duke have to put their quarrels behind them though when they find out
that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of
abandoned pets determined to take revenge on all the happy-owned pets and
their owners in their building.
This really looks like an original and funny movie that children and
kids-at-heart of all ages will enjoy. Our family will absolutely be
going to see it after The Secret Life of Pets arrives at movie theaters across the United States on July 8, 2016! For more information, visitthesecretlifeofpets.com
It's always exciting when you discover something out of the blue that is really darn cool. I just stumbled across an animated movie coming out in September that I hadn't heard of before called THE WILD LIFE that looks perfect for a family outing to the theater. It is a comedic re-telling of the Robinson Crusoe story told from the perspective of the animals who inhabited the island that the castaway was marooned on. I can't count the number of times we've wanted to go to the movie theater with our kids and there just wasn't anything age appropriate for young children to view playing so it is always nice to hear of a new family friendly movie being scheduled a release date.
Look for THE WILD LIFE to arrive at theaters across the United States on September 9, 2016.
Synopsis of The Wild Life
From
the over-exuberant parrot Tuesday to the snack-obsessed tapir Rosie,
from the persnickety echidna Epi to the acrobatic pangolin Pango, from
the ditzy goat Scrubby to the commonsensical kingfisher Kiki and the
always-cool chameleon Carmello, things are larger-than-life on a
tropical isle that is pure wild animal paradise. Then Robinson Crusoe, a
marooned human, arrives in the midst of a furious storm, and their
lives are forever changed by this bewildering new “creature.” No matter
their differences, castaway human and quirky animals embark on an
hilarious new adventure, building the island’s first tree-house and
surviving together. But when two conniving members of the animal
kingdom — the savage cats Mal & May – pounce into a battle for
control of the island, Crusoe and his animal posse must uncover the true
power of friendship against all odds.
For more information, visit the movie's official Facebook or Twitter pages.
My kids are wild with excitement that we're going on a family outing this weekend to see Walt Disney Studio's newest animated feature film, ZOOTOPIA, at the movie theater. ZOOTOPIA arrived at theaters across the United States today and my kids have been wanting to see this movie since we began seeing trailers featuring a catchy theme song by Shakira while at the movies last year. It looks to be a funny, upbeat story that parents and children can equally appreciate. I'm sure all of us adults can appreciate the sloths working at the department of motor vehicles though kids under 16 may not get the humor. With a cute bunny as its star, comedic moments, and an energetic musical score this looks to be a perfect movie for families with young children to go see.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring the illustrated characters in a Walt Disney animated movie to life? Think you have the artistic talent to do it yourself? Check out these two videos from the production team of ZOOTOPIA showing how to draw the movie's characters Judy (Bunny) and Flash (Sloth). Have some fun giving it a shot trying to draw these two ZOOTOPIA characters yourself just like a Disney movie studio animator.
My wife and son are really talented when it comes to drawing, me not so much. For those of us who prefer leaving the drawing to those with a more artistic touch, we can still create our own Flash and Judy masterpieces by printing out and decorating these ZOOTOPIA coloring sheets A GEEK DADDY was provided courtesy of Walt Disney Studios. Go wild coloring Judy Hopps, Flash, Nick Wilde, Mr. Big and other characters from the world of ZOOTOPIA!
The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia which is the backdrop for this new family friendly animated adventure from Walt Disney Studios is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it's a melting pot where animals from every environment live together -- a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie police officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a force of big tough animals isn't so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with fast talking, scam artist fox Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) to solve the mystery.
Do you know the first Walt Disney Studios feature film to be released for public distribution on video tape? It was Pete's Dragon which was made available for VHS and Betamax video cassette players in 1980. This was one of the very few movies my parents ever purchased for our VCR, back in the days when everyone rented movies from video stores because purchasing them was absurdly expensive, and I watched it more times than I can count...so much in fact the cassette tape eventually just wore out. It was probably a good investment for my parents as we'd gone to the theater so many times to see the movie at my urging. Compared to today's computer generated imagery Pete's Dragon was very rudimentary yet for it being the late 70's/early 80's the combination of its special effects, Disney animation, and the Apple Dumpling Gang / Escape from Witch Mountain vibe of its live action scenes made it a mesmerizing film for a 6 year old boy to see. I still remember excitedly stomping around during my elementary school's Halloween parade wearing my bright green and purple Ben Cooper costume of Elliot my mom let me pick out at the Ben Franklin Five & Dime wishing I could fly, breath fire and turn invisible like the dragon in the movie.
Based upon my childhood fondness of Pete's Dragon, it was exciting to find out that Walt Disney Studios is producing a new version of the movie this summer that I'll be able to enjoy with my children who are at the age I was when the original movie was popular. This new movie is arriving August 12, 2016 to theaters across the United States will be a re-imagined telling of the tale with a modernistic tone to it. The original film's musical numbers, slap stick comedy, and cartoonish animation will be replaced with stunning imagery, a more sophisticated script and incredible life like special effects within this new incarnation of Pete's Dragon. Disney has been pretty hush-hush up to now on details of this brand new Pete's Dragon movie but has just recently released a poster, movie stills and a teaser reel.
Pete's Dragon will be rated PG. It's story revolves around old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) who for years has delighted
local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in
the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas
Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more
than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a
mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in
the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete’s
descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr.
Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an
11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber
mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he
belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
I hope that my kids find the new Pete's Dragon as magical as the original movie that I enjoyed so much at their age. For more information, visit movies.disney.com/petes-dragon-2016
Though you may not know her name you probably recognize the face because Crystal the monkey has had a supporting role in a number of Hollywood films including Eddie Murphy's Dr. Doolittle, American Pie, The Hangover Part II, Failure to Launch, We Bought a Zoo and The Night at the Museum trilogy of movies. She's also appeared on television shows such as The Big Bang Theory and Malcom in the Middle. Now Crystal the Capuchin monkey is getting her first shot at a leading role in the full length feature MONKEY UP from Air Bud Entertainment, the creators of the 'Air Bud' and 'Buddies' puppy dog movies.
In the newest movie from Air Bud Entertainment, we are introduced to Monty who is a precocious actor, product spokesperson and ... talking monkey! He's the face of the energy drink, 'Monkey Up,' but dreams of becoming the first award-winning monkey movie star. When the greedy owner of Monkey Up has other plans for Monty, the chase is on! He escapes with the help of his new family, the Andrews, and his hilarious primate siblings, Mort, Mooner, and Melody in an uproaring chase that proves Monty really is as he puts it the 'fast and the furriest.' Through this adventure Monty discovers that fame and fortune come and go, but family is forever!
Our family had a chance to pre-screen MONKEY UP and I have to give Air Bud Entertainment credit for knowing their audience because while parents may roll their eyes at the acting and adventures portrayed in the movie their children will be delighted and relish the high jinks. My seven year old son was all smiles through the movie and was laughing up a storm. Preschoolers and elementary school aged children will love this film with its talking monkeys, comedic stunts, and wisecracking jokes.
Since my son enjoyed this movie so much, A Geek Daddy wanted to share the fun with our readers as well so we have a MONKEY UP dvd to giveaway. To be eligible for this giveaways you must be over 18 years old, reside in US or Canada, follow
@Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet which is
embedded below before January 31, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST. Simple as that!
Each RT will be assigned a number based on the order it was received
and random.org shall select our winner.
AMC Theaters will exclusively be showing MONKEY UP from January 22 through 28, 2016 on 50 screens in the top U.S. markets. Proceeds from the week-long run at AMC Theaters will benefit Starlight Children's Foundation, a leading global charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and health for kids and families around the world. MONKEY UP will also be available to purchase via Digital HD on January 19 and is being released on DVD, February 2, 2016.
Crystal will be joined in MONKEY UP by John Ratzenberger (Cliff from Cheers and the voice of numerous characters in the Pixar films), David Milchard (YouTube sensation Convos with my 2-Year Old), Danny Woodburn (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2), Erin Allin O'Reilly (Dumb and Dumber To), Jonathan Mangum (House at the end of the Drive) and Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect 2). Astin will be voicing Monty as obviously Crystal can't really speak ... can she? MONKEY UP is directed by Robert Vince and produced by Anna McRoberts.
Looking for a lighthearted comedy that is sure to have young children giggling and laughing? You'll want to watch MONKEY UP for a family movie night. The film has been rated 'Family Friendly' by the Dove Foundation which recognizes movies, DVDs, made for TV productions, books, and other entertainment products that portray and encourage positive values. MONKEY UP has been rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) -- probably for scenes that show excessive poop throwing. People with an aversion to bath room humor be warned -- there is some really juvenile humor that your kids are sure to enjoy!
FTC DISCLOSURE / DISCLAIMER:A Geek Daddy Blog will be
responsible
for selecting the winner of this contest, but Air Bud Entertainment is
responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize.
By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek
Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with
this promotion. Winner must be following the twitter account
@Geekdad248 at the time winner is randomly drawn to be eligible and so
he or she can be notified. Must reply to DM within 48 hours of
notification or a new winner will be selected. If you win this prize on
another blog, you will not be
eligible to win again. Must be a US or Canadian resident over 18 years
old. Winner is
subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or
FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy
Blog did not receive any financial compensation or benefits for this
promotion other viewing a complimentary online screening of the movie to review and a prize to be awarded to one of
our readers for this
contest. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our
readers. Any opinions in this post are my own. #MonkeyUp
Your children don't need to stay up until midnight for your family to enjoy bringing in the New Year together with a new on-demand service from Netflix that allows you to participate in a Care Bears themed end-of-the-year countdown. According to research by Netflix, more than half of parents around the world (58%) would prefer to put their children to bed before the clock strikes twelve yet still want to experience having their family do a New Year's Eve Countdown together. Netflix has the Care Bears helping you cheer in the new year plus 5 other kid friendly countdown specials to select from you can choose to stream at the time you prefer to welcome in the new year as a family. Enjoy a family celebration with the Care Bears at 8, 9 or 10pm than put the kids to bed and enjoy the rest of the evening with some parents only time.
Choose the time to go to bed and let your kids choose which of their favorite Netflix children's show characters they want to countdown to the new year with:
Care Bears & Cousins head to Share Bear's Shake Shack to gear up for a belly badge -tastic countdown in Care-a-Lot;
Puffin Rock residents Oona and Baba re-live their adventures from the past year and celebrate with the Northern Lights, nature's own fireworks;
Inspector Gadgetsaves New Year's Eve from a mischievous M.A.D. agent just in the knick of time for a dazzling firework display;
King Julien lives up to his party animal persona with a countdown to dance your way into the new year.
Mr. Peabody and Sherman venture around the world to gather their favorite talk show guests fro a star studded countdown event featuring popular DreamWorks characters Hiccup and Toothless, Puss in Boots, the Croods, and the entire Dinotrux team.
Project Mc2 stars McKeyla, Adrienne, Bryden and Camryn team up for NOV8's most important mission yet: Party!
These Netflix countdowns are a great way to share the New Year's Eve experience with young children while getting them to bed at a respectable hour. Parents in the US, UK, Canada and Australia agree 9 pm is the new midnight with nearly half of those surveyed by Netflix saying they'd prefer to countdown those famous 10 seconds as a family by 9 p.m. Of those people surveyed it appears us Americans really appreciate getting our kids to bed early on New Years Eve with 41% of US parents replying that they have or plan to use a special countdown as a way to get their kids to bed early. No matter where you are, start your party anytime, anywhere by searching "New Year's Eve Countdown" on Netflix. They won't tell your kids it is not midnight if you don't.
Stay up to date on all the latest news about the #CareBears by visiting www.CareBears.com, following @CareBearsFriend on Twitter or liking the Care Bears Facebook page.
A Geek Daddy is a Care Bears #ShareYourCare Brand Ambassador. As part of that blogger program, I occasionally receive Care Bears promotional information and products to review and share with blog readers. A Geek Daddy does not receive any financial compensation for its participation in this brand ambassador program.
** As a Fox Home Entertainment Insiders blogger, A Geek Daddy received a complimentary Digital HD download for #AnastasiaMovieNight **
Join my family and other Fox Home Entertainment Insiders bloggers from across the country as we enjoy a fun movie night on Friday, September 25, 2015 watching the classic 1997 animated film ANASTASIA, which will be available as a digital download at a special discounted rate only on that day via the Fox Movie of the Day app. Pop some popcorn, click this link to download the app to get the featured flash sale film of the day, and enjoy your Friday evening with a family movie night.
Anastasia mixes adventure, comedy, romance, and music in this animated tale of a lost Russian princess and her quest to find her true identity. When the shadow of revolution falls across Russia, the royal family's youngest daughter barely escapes with her life. Years later, Anastasia and a band of heroic companions must battle the evil Rasputin, his sidekick Bartok the bat and a host of ghostly minions in a headlong race to reach Paris, reclaim Anastasia's rightful destiny, and solve one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century. Anastasia was nominated for an Oscar in the category of "Best Original Musical Score" and features the vocal talents of Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst, and Angela Lansbury voicing the characters in this animated film.
Anastasia will be available exclusively for a special discounted price on Friday, September 25, 2015 through Fox Home Entertainment's Movie of the Day app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch which allows people to purchase their favorite Twentieth Century Fox films via Digital HD downloads through daily flash sales. The Movie of the Day app's user friendly interface gives consumers a 24-hour window to buy a brand new movie each and every day at a discounted price of up to 70% off and add it to their iTunes library. The Movie of the Day app is available only on the App Store.
A Geek Daddy is part of the Fox Home Entertainment Insiders program, an exclusive, members-only ambassador group that has a real passion for film and TV that works to promote Fox Home Entertainment Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD releases. Fox Home Entertainment Insiders are provided with exclusive access to Fox releases and unique and exciting opportunities to interact with Fox Home Entertainment in engaging ways.
When you enter a town known as a vacation destination it can be easy to bust your family's budget on meals with hyped up prices from restaurants looking to cash in on visiting tourists. If you want to enjoy dining out while on vacation but also need to be a budget conscious traveler consider skipping the touristy spots and find out the establishments the locals frequent. These diners, restaurants, and taverns will often provide you a taste of what makes the community appealing to the people who live there and a menu that's priced more down to earth to be affordable to the locals who make an average living servicing all the tourists who are in town. Plus often times you may just find something delicious and unique to eat or drink as these establishments provide something produced locally or that caters to local tastes.
So where do you find out where the locals hang out? Well you don't want to find out through the visitor magazines and pamphlets that promote a town because those tend to be all sponsored editorials and ads where you'll most likely find some of that advertising expense added into the cost of your dinner tab. Also beware that often times hotels and resorts get commissions or have referral deals with local establishments looking to cash in on visiting tourists. One way I often get tips on the best places to eat while on vacation is by picking up some postcards and taking them to the local post office to mail to friends and family. Instead of just throwing the post cards in a mail box or slot though, I go up to the counter to buy some stamps and strike up a conversation with the person working the counter about interesting things to do and best places to eat at while in town. I always get great suggestions that help filter out which places are truly worth while to visit and which ones are primarily tourist traps. Another good spot to get some honest advice of what the locals think about area restaurants is to swing by a grocery store to pick up some snacks. While you are doing your shopping ask some of the staff where they frequent and which restaurants they'd recommend to their friends and family. Speaking of friends and family, post online through social media that you are thinking of visiting a particular place and ask if anyone has been there or knows people there that could give you some recommendations. Then Yelp their suggestions. Just don't post when you are actually going because you don't want to worry about who knows who seeing that information and returning home to find your house cleared out by some robbers who knew you were out of town.
During a family vacation to Traverse City which has a reputation for being a premiere Michigan summer travel destination, we decided to look into where the locals go to eat out. We found that a lot of the places where diners or taverns because these have traditionally been the places that stayed up all year long rather than reducing hours or closing up in the winter when the tourists are primarily gone. If you happen to head that way for a Michigan Up North adventure, check out these fine places: The Jolly Pumpkin
With its housemade white fish dip for an appetizer and bison sloppy joes for a lunch or dinner this restaurant has a unique menu that for being part of a brewery is very family friendly. The barn like decor of the building gives visitors a Sleepy Hollow vibe as they enjoy their meals. The atmosphere and food make this a delightful spot to enjoy a memorable meal. The restaurant is tied to a brewery which provides some great beer selections to enjoy during a meal but I'd suggest giving their hard cider a taste which is brewed from apples harvested from an on-site orchard. I'd also note that during our visit we had exceptional service and they even went out of their way to make something special for my picky eater son when he didn't particularly care for anything on the menu.
The Jolly Pumpkin is a bit out of the way from many of the normal tourist spots as it located mid-way up Old Mission Peninsula in a rural spot that is somewhat of a haul to get to from where most of the downtown and beach activities are at. It is a scenic drive to The Jolly Pumpkin with some great views of Grand Traverse Bay and a nice way to unwind while you are on a vacation getaway by taking the drive over there. The quickest route is to take M-37 straight there from downtown Traverse City but I'd highly recommend meandering along Peninsula Drive enjoying the wonderful scenery along this path instead.
The Cottage
This casual and comfortable diner is located along M-31 just west of the Traverse City State Park. The Cottage's specialty is All You Can Eat Freshwater Perch which it has been serving for more than 20 years. It caught our attention because it seemed to be the place a lot of seniors were going to eat which normally means good food at affordable prices. We weren't disappointed!
They have great deals when it comes to Kids Meals which range in price from $3 to $5 dollars. My kids received generous portions and really devoured their meals which they only do when what they are eating is really good. So this was a really great deal when it comes to families with kids looking to eat out. It just wasn't the kids who enjoyed their meals though. I ordered the meatloaf which The Cottage brags is based on a family recipe. It was loaded with mashed potatoes, gravy and fried onions and I literally was licking my plate off as I finished off my meal it was that good.
Located on Front Street in the heart of Traverse City this wonderful pizzeria creates pizza pies from its own housemade dough and locally supplied ingredients that is a perfect meal for a hungry family on vacation. They still hand-toss the pizzas as they get the dough ready for the oven and each one is handcrafted with sauce and toppings. No pulling a ready made pizza out of the freezer and throwing it in the oven here. The restaurant has a great downtown vibe to it and is a fun place to hang out while enjoying a meal. It does have limited seating though and is a popular place that tends to have a line and crowd to get in. If you don't feel like eating at Pangea's they offer carry out so you can order ahead and just pick it up to eat at the beach or the place you are staying. We enjoyed the pizza so much that we went back the day our family was leaving town to bring one back with us to eat when we got home as a final reminder of our great Up North trip to Traverse City, Michigan.
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We weren't able to hit everyplace that locals recommended we go to during our vacation but here are a few more places we want to visit the next time we make it to Traverse City:
Built in 1882 by a Bohemian wheelwright named Vencil Sleder this is the oldest continually operated restaurant in the state of Michigan. Among the hunting trophies and stuffed animals that decorate the place is a moose named Randolph and it is a local tradition to KISS THE MOOSE FOR LUCK. With a tin ceiling, hardwood floors and more than a century old mahogany bar this place seems like it will really take you back in time to the lumberjack days gone by of the region during a visit. In fact the tavern is located in a neighborhood called Slabtown which is an old working class district of the city where the houses were built with slabs of scrap wood salvaged from the local sawmills.
This tavern the locals call Lil Bo's started off as a hot dog stand that was the cover for a secret speakeasy during Prohibition. The second oldest tavern in Traverse City after Sleder's it was named in honor of the Bohemian community that settled in this part of the state. The place is know for its great "sammiches" , olive burgers, eggplant, gnocchi and lasagna plus some Bohemian recipe house specials.
Is a breakfast joint that locals praise for its homemade hash. Hash, hash, hash when someone speaks about Round's that is about all that comes out of their smiling mouths. If you enjoy a good breakfast it appears that Round's is the place to go and is a popular hang out spot of the local residents. My insider's tip is to order the Red Velvet Hash Omelet but I've head lots of good things about almost everything else on the menu too especially from the helpful lady I spoke to at the post office. Only downside is that it appears to be a small space and not always easy to get a seat.
Talk about a tiny, quaint place to eat, Ham-Bonz serves up smoked ham, turkey, beef and pulled pork for enormous omelets and sandwiches cooked up from a backyard pit grill. I've been told this is the closest thing to pure Southern BBQ you'll find outside of the Mississippi Delta. My wife and I love pulled pork so we absolutely have to get around to checking this place out.
Our family took a summer road trip to Traverse City, which is about a four hour drive from Detroit located in the northwest corner of Michigan's lower peninsula (or the top of the pinky finger of the mitten if you use your hand to describe a location in the state like us Michiganders are known to do), to enjoy a few days at the Great Wolf Lodge. While this resort has a rustic wilderness theme to it we found its amenities and staff service to be first class providing for a comfortable and enjoyable stay.
We reserved a standard room and found it to be very spacious for our family of four and conveniently equipped with a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, pull-out sleeper couch, two queen size beds and a dinner table suitable for our whole family to sit at. The best part of the room though had to be the mattresses ... they were so comfy! Seriously, these beds were more comfortable than many I've slept at while staying at some really highly-rated "luxury" hotels. I wasn't expecting this at a family-focused resort and it was a really pleasant surprise. Throughout our stay I consistently had a great night's sleep thanks to those beds being so comfortable. My wife and kids even remarked to me about how comfortable the beds were so I know it wasn't just me being tuckered out from all our vacation's activities.
The big highlight of a stay at Great Wolf Lodge is it's indoor water park. It is filled with a variety of water slides, splash pads, and pools that can provide countless hours of family fun with a variety of features that cater to children of various ages. The central feature is Fort Mackenzie which a huge interactive tree house located on a splash pad. Since there is no standing water, there are no age or height restrictions so anyone from a toddler to grandpa can play here. Fort Mackenzie is full of suspension bridges, swinging cargo net ladders, spray cannons, and water features. Some of the water features are great for getting yourself wet while others are meant for targeting other people who may be in your proximity. The biggest, and probably the most popular, part of Fort Mackenzie is a huge bucket located at the top of the tree house that pours down a 1,000 gallons of water every 5 minutes. Make sure you have your swim suit tied up tight because one unlucky guy standing next to me during one of the downpours had his pulled down to his knees by the water and that was something no one wanted to see. Ooops...thank goodness that wasn't me!
At the back end of the tree house there are two water slides called the Totem Towers that can be slid down to get back to the ground level. It is really fun to pair up with someone and race to the bottom. I had a few races against my son and daughter which I always won ... I think weight played a factor there but hey a win is a win. A nice thing about these water slides is that you end up in a zero depth chute rather than a pool. So if you have a child who can't swim they can still have tons of fun playing at the interactive tree house and riding the water slides without the worry of them drowning. Plus there are a few lifeguards stationed at this attraction too just to be on the safe side.
In addition to the Totem Towers water slides there are also two other ones at the rear of the park. There is the Alberta Falls which is a four story fast-paced water slide full of twists and turns which you can ride down on a single tube by yourself or on a double tube with a friend or family member. You have to be 48" tall to ride this by yourself and my kids are 46" so I had to ride down it with them all the time. It was a really fun ride but after constantly lugging the inner tubes and climbing four stories of stairs for each ride my legs were pretty sore on the car ride home. I wasn't going to take my iPhone on this ride but here's a video from the resort's website highlight a trip down Alberta Falls:
The other big water slide is the River Canyon Run where you can have up to 3 people jump aboard one huge raft to that hurls its way down a four story curvy chute. Again the minimum height for this ride is 48" so my wife and I had to ride this with our kids. Since they were just a smidgen too short the next time we take a vacation to Great Wolf Lodge they should be all set to go on these by themselves. Note too that children shorter than 42" can't ride either the Alberta Falls or River Canyon Run even with an adult accompanying them.
Great Wolf Lodge's lazy river is called the Crooked Creek and is a 132,000 gallon stream that you can ride a tube around in as it is pushed along a course by a gentle current. It is about 3 feet deep and they let kids who are too short or may not be comfortable in the water to wear life vests. My kids really enjoyed the Crooked Creek and spent a lot of time in it, but they didn't want to use the tubes they just wanted to run and swim along with the current. In fact a lot of the kids there were like that and that must be fine because the life guards didn't seem to be bothered. I was somewhat disappointed with the Crooked Creek as while it was fine for younger kids, it was very short and seemed squeezed between Fort Mackenzie and the rear water slides so it wasn't very nice for just grabbing a tube and trying to relax on.
There is also an area called Cubs Paw Pool that is meant for children 48" and shorter that features a toddler-friendly pool with zero depth entry and maximum depth of one and a half feet at its deepest level filled with a bunch of spray devices and interactive water toys plus a couple of water slides just for little ones that provide a super safe experience for preschoolers and parents to enjoy together. If your kids are at an age where they can swim there are a couple of deeper level pools they'll have fun in. The Big Foot Pass has lily pads that kids must jump across to get from one side to the other. Note the water is more than four feet deep here and my kids couldn't touch the bottom but they also can swim and had parental supervision. This was the one area of the water park as a parent I was a little nervous about with my kids because of the depth of the pool versus my kids height and the hectic atmosphere that had numerous kids jumping all about. There is also another pool next to this one filled with basketball hoops and we spent quite a bit of time playing catch and shooting baskets there. Plus there is an outdoor pool with a big splash pad next to it if you want to get some fresh air and sunlight during a visit to this resort during the summer months.
It really does come down to it that this water park is for family's with young children. My kids loved it and they were still a little too small to fully enjoy it. If you have children between preschool and middle school age A Geek Daddy gives Great Wolf Lodge a nod of approval for being an incredibly nice family friendly resort that will keep the kids and parents who want to play with them entertained. On the other hand, it is my impression that teens would get quickly bored and you absolutely wouldn't want to go there for a romantic getaway with your special someone. The ideal age range for this resort is probably 3 to 10 years old from our experiences and observations. So Great Wolf Lodge is a great choice for a family vacation when you have young children living in your home and we'll absolutely be going back again with our kids sometime in the future.
In addition to the water park there are a variety of activities you can do at the resort that don't involve getting wet. The most popular is called MagiQuest. This is a game where you are provided riddles to answer that with the aid of a magic wand can reward you with runes and gold coins to complete quests. There are props, animated features, and computerized screens that are activated by waving your wand at them to trigger special effects or to confirm you've found the right location in the riddle you are trying to solve.
Once you've found all the locations hidden in the clues of your quest's riddle there is a stage where you get to interact with a character like a fairy or princess on a large video screen. Once you've reached the last stage of the last quest there is an intricate video game confrontation you battle out with an impressive dragon simulation that really thrilled the people who got that far ... we didn't make it there ourselves though only reaching some of the middle quests that involved interacting with the princess character to get runes and rewards to help us keep moving forward in the game.
The is a large store at the resort filled with MagiQuest wands, accessories, clothing and gear. A basic wand and game play package is $30 but with add ons, accessories and multiple children a parent could quickly find themselves spending more than a hundred dollars equipping a family for this experience. I'd recommend just buying one of the basic wands for $15 and the game access for $15. A family can have just as much fun playing together with one wand as if you purchased one for everyone. To be honest it isn't like the game's props and features are that amazing that your kids will be disappointed if they don't have their own wand to trigger the MagiQuest special effects. The fun in the game is more in enjoying family time together wandering around the resort solving the puzzles to gain runes and gold coins to move forward with new quests. Don't throw away your wand after your trip is over because the next time you visit you can use it again - you just need to pay the $15 fee to activate a new game during your stay.
Additionally, Great Wolf Lodge has some other fun options to entertain kids during their stay. There is the Howl in One Mini Golf course which has 18 challenging holes filled with tricky shots, giant animals and golf ball eating fish. The Ten Paw Alley is a hoot with its half-length lanes, built-in bumpers and five-pound balls that lets you bowl without having to change your shoes. There's a huge arcade that is like Vegas for Kids emitting bright neon lights and exciting sounds filled with games of skill and chance where kids can earn tickets to win prizes. I wasn't that impressed with the arcade because it wasn't really filled with many games or video simulators but rather was all focused on kids spending money to earn tickets to win trinkets. There also was a Kids Spa with an ice cream theme where mommies and daughters can spend some girl time together getting Mommy & Me manicures and pedicures. We spent all our time enjoying the water park, outdoor pool and MagiQuest during our stay and didn't get a chance to try out the mini golf, bowling alley, arcade or the kids spa ourselves.
We did make sure though to take in the Great Clock Tower show which is a performance by animatronic animals and trees that take takes place during the evening in the Grand Lobby. These "northwoods" themed shows filled with stories and songs featuring Great Wolf Lodge's cast of animal mascots were a great treat during a Michigan "Up North" vacation.
Don't miss the nightly bed time story in the Grand Lobby either where one of the resort's Ambassadors of Fun and either Wiley or Violet the Wolf Kids read the story of how the wood's wild animals came together to create the Great Wolf Lodge. This is really a nice ending for a fun-filled day.
We really had an enjoyable time and left with plenty of memorable moments to share with friends and family on our return home. If you are looking for a great spot to go for a family vacation that won't bust your household budget definitely keep Great Wolf Lodge in mind. If Traverse City might not be a convenient road trip for your family there are 12 other locations spread across the USA and Canada including in Ontario near the scenic Niagara Falls, in Virginia near Colonial Williamsburg, and in Sandusky Ohio near the amazing Cedar Point Amusement Park so you can easily incorporate a Great Wolf Lodge stay within a larger stay to various touristy destinations. For more information, visit GreatWolf.com.
** Our Great Wolf Lodge visit was paid for entirely at our own expense without any special perks or benefits from the resort. Opinions expressed are my own **
