Thursday, May 9, 2024

Harry Potter: The Exhibition™ Ends Historic Run In NYC With a Bang!


No need for a Time-Turner! Harry Potter: The Exhibition™ has extended its run in New York City for the final time until August 11, 2024 with lots of exciting magical moments in store for fans



We got to experience Harry Potter: The Exhibition in October 2023, and we are so happy the Exhibition is here to stay until summer 2024! We had such an amazing time! Check out my Know Before You Go post where it cites lots of helpful tips to help make your experience even more magical. 


A full year has passed, and there have been new additions to Harry Potter: The Experience making its finale run extraordinary. 





Adult Muggles and Wizards Only


Need a night away from the kids? Do you relate to Professor Umbridge and just have a natural dislike for children? Enjoy a quiet evening with the After Hours Night on select nights through July 2024. This special evening is exclusive to guests 18 and over, this offering includes a complimentary beverage, cocktail (with proper 21+ ID), mocktail or soda and snack before they can explore the exhibition at their own pace.  The After Hours Nights are May 16, June 20 and July 18, 2024 from 6 - 9 PM EST, so book your evening of fun and everything Harry Potter now! Check out my videos featuring Harry Potter: The Exhibition to get a sneak peek of what to expect.  


Sensory Inclusive Experience

My nephew has Sensory Processing Disorder, so I have witnessed firsthand what can happen when he gets overly sensitive to stimuli. Even though I found the Harry Potter: The Exhibition to be quite relaxing and emitting just enough light to cure the senses, this experience may affect our SPD friends differently. To manage this, Harry Potter: The Exhibition™ has partnered with KultureCity® which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating sensory-inclusive experiences for individuals. Harry Potter fans with sensory processing disorders can now enjoy the experience without interruption any time. The exhibition also has been certified as KultureCity®’s Sensory Inclusive™ site guaranteeing all visitors the opportunity to enjoy a more sensory-inclusive journey at any time. In addition to sensory-friendly experiences for all, a new accommodation was implemented to the exhibition called "Sensory Sundays" that guarantees an enjoyable experience. If you go on "Sensory Sundays," you can expect to find sound and lighting adjustments,  KultureCity® Sensory Bags, reduced capacity, minimized smells and sounds, and quiet spaces throughout the galleries.  

KultureCity® Sensory Bags will also be readily available, equipped with strobe reduction glasses, noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, and other items aimed at reducing sensory overload and encouraging engagement with the exhibits. 


Sensory Sundays at Harry Potter: The Exhibition will occur every first Sunday of the month from 9-11 AM EST on May 5, June 2, July 14 and August 4, 2024.


Must-See Tourist Attraction! 


New York City is a city that never sleeps, and even though this exhibition is not 24 hours a day, it is available to visit seven days per week. Nestled in the heart of Herald Square, NYC, there are plenty of things to do. 

Here's a sample morning and afternoon for NYC visitors from a real New Yorker!
  • Buy a timed ticket online for Harry Potter: The Exhibition (for parties of four - family 4-pack tickets are $20 per ticket + tax = $108.88). Allow yourself about 2-3 hours to experience the galleries and gift shop. Time will fly by! Trust me! I would recommend that you purchase an 11 AM ticket. We walked around the gift shop for an hour alone! There are a lot of exclusive items that you will not be able to get anywhere else!
  • If you wake up early, you can walk around the city before the commuters arrive. You'll see some joggers, bikers, and the homeless hanging around, but no one will bother you. Keep looking up - do not look down at your phone. **Have a destination in place before you leave your hotel.** Stay to the right when walking to keep the flow of traffic moving. 
  • Get breakfast at a NYC diner -- I recommend Tick Tock Diner for a classic NYC diner (big portions and really good food!), or if you want an elevated dining experience, then check out Friedman's Herald Square)
  • Head to Harry Potter: The Exhibition to line up for your timed ticket. There's a 30-minute window, so don't rush!-
  • After the experience, check out Macy's windows, and visit the seventh floor to see the new Toys R Us store inside of Macy's! 
  • Since you're in the center of it all, you can head to Times Square up 34th Street, stay on Sixth Avenue and walk toward Bryant Park (42nd), and if you walk up further, you will find Rockefeller Center (FAO Schwarz and Nintendo World NYC are there!). You can grab ca quick lunch at the Shops at Rockefeller Center. It's going to be busy, so maybe skip lunch! Then head to 5th Avenue to see iconic Saks Fifth Avenue, and visit the new LEGO store! 
  • Depending on where you end up, try and finish your afternoon at Central Park. Take photos à la Kevin McAllister in front of The Plaza, and then take a walk through the park to take magical photos using all of the cool merch that you picked up at Harry Potter: The Exhibition!


Are you going to visit Harry Potter: The Exhibition in New York before it closes August 11, 2024? When you go, you'll join two million guests across seven cities who also got to play Quidditch, activate a portkey, see Mad-Eye Moody's eyeball in Umbridge's office door, get sorted by the Sorting Hat, see real movie props and clothing, and so much more! 

The interactive, record-breaking exhibition created and developed by Imagine Exhibitions, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment, and EMC Presents, is conveniently located in the heart of Herald Square in Midtown on the corner of 34th and 6th Ave and is easily accessible via Penn Station, Port Authority, or subway. 



Buy your timed tickets or flex tickets now before this show is gone from New York City forever! Let me know in the comments if you have visited Harry Potter: The Exhibition.





 

Friday, April 12, 2024

Push Pop Gummy Pop-its Game Takeover in NYC to Celebrate National Board Game Day!

New Yorkers, something fun is happening on Saturday, April 13, 2024. The event is free, which makes it even sweeter!



On April 13th, days after National Board Game day, your favorite candy brand PUSH POP is taking over 5 popular board game cafes in New York City for a FREE event!

 

You're invited to all Hex and Co and Sip n Play locations where there will be samples of the brand new Push Pop Gummy Pop-its candies. While noshing on these sweet treats from your nostalgic past, you can play the new hilarious card game, Gummies Got Game. Gummies Got Game corresponds with each Push Pop Gumy Pop-it color. 


 





What is Push Pop Gummy Pop-its? 

With Push Pop Gummy Pop-its, enjoy the interactive package by pulling up the clear inner tube to reveal all of the eye-catching gummy candies and then pushing it back down to dispense a single tasty gummy. Pop-its package comes with four fan-favorite flavors: Strawberry, Blue Raspberry, Berry Blast, and Watermelon.

 


Here are the locations to venture to this weekend! 


Locations Listings and Times: 

Hex & Co. West, 2911 Broadway, NYC 10025: 10am-1pm ET 

Hex & Co. East, 1462 1st Ave, NYC 10075: 10am-1pm ET

Hex & Co. Union Square, 801 Broadway, NYC 10003: 10am-1pm ET

Sip & Play, 471 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215: 2pm-6pm ET


Have fun!



 

Friday, April 5, 2024

Free Meet & Greet Reservation Link with Bluey & Bingo at FAO Schwarz Rockefeller Center

You can meet Bluey and Bingo for real life! Make it a wonderful weekend filled with all things Bluey at FAO Schwarz in Rockefeller Center New York City. 





We got to play hooky and hang out with our favorite Heeler pups, Bluey and Bingo, in celebration of the Bluey pop-up shop at FAO Schwarz in NYC


We noshed on Bluey-themed donuts, and sugar cookies featuring pawprints, Bluey, and Bingo at the Bluey x FAO Schwarz event! 





According to Forbes, Bluey is truly a phenomenon, raking in over 3.8 billion minutes streamed, and knocking out previous most-watched shows like Suits and Grey's Anatomy. In our house, we definitely contributed to at least 10 million of those minutes, because Bluey has been played every day in our home since the fall of 2019. 


Bluey fans can meet Bluey and Bingo on two Saturdays in April - that makes for a great weekend!
April 6 and April 13, 2024 from 10 AM - 2 PM. 





We all love Bluey. The world agrees--children, parents, childless adults, and even teens; Bluey has a very special place in our hearts with their family themes paired with real-life struggles, Bluey has given parents the okay to continue having fun with their children. 

Hanna Andersson pajamas and Bluey-themed plush by Moose Toys.

There is plenty of stock to choose from with Bluey and Bingo! You can also collect Bluey and Bingo's friends in figure form by Moose Toys, or pick up a few books! 




We're sporting some awesome Bluey and Bingo ears. You can get a pair of Bluey ears with your $50 Bluey purchase at FAO Schwarz until the end of the month! While supplies last




We got to see a lot of Bluey merchandise at the iconic FAO Schwarz. From figures and playsets by Moose Toys to craft kits by Horizon Group USA, there are plenty of things to look at and buy for all Bluey fans. My son is sporting an FAO Schwarz exclusive Hanna Andersson Bluey pajama set, and you can pick up varieties at the store! 





Also available are these amazing super soft Bluey-
themed shirts by RSVLTS! The prints are awesome, the quality is wonderful, and they have sizes for little and big Bluey fans. 


Make sure you come to NYC to visit with Bluey and Bingo!

Bluey & Bingo will be at FAO Schwarz in NYC on Saturday, April 6th, and Saturday, April 13 to meet and greet fans between 10 am - 2 pm ET. Walk-ins are welcomed, but making a reservation is strongly encouraged! Make a reservation via this link! Have fun fellow Bluey fans! 


Big thank you to Bluey, PlayWise Partners, and FAO Schwarz for hosting us at this wonderful event! We are absolutely the biggest Bluey fans in the world, so it was such a wonderful experience! 




















Sunday, March 10, 2024

Super Mario Bros. 2 Movie Officially Announced by Nintendo for MAR10 Day!

Super Mario Bros 2 was announced by Nintendo legend, Shigero Miyamoto, and Illumination's Chris Meledandri.




Ain't that a kick in the turtle shell? Daylight Savjngs has stolen an hour of our sleep, and Nintendo will be stealing our hearts, once again. Super Mario Bros 2 was announced this morning with a special announced by game developer legend, Shigero Miyamoto, and Illumination's founder and CEO, Chris Meledandri. The new animated sequel will take us on another adventure, possibly outside of the Mushroom Kingdom,  as  Princess Peach foreshadowed in the first film, "There's a huge universe out there. With a lot of galaxies." Oh, we know, Peach, we know!


I am looking forward to the release of Super Mario Bros 2, which will debut in the US and other undisclosed locations on April 3, 2026, and other markets through April 2026. Meledandri mentioned that the Illumination team wanted to get the sequel "just right." I'm all about that! Thank you, Nintendo, Shigero-son, and Illumination for bringing our childhoods from the small screen to the big screen.



To jump-start the Super Mario Bros 2 festivities, let's take a look at all of the cool products that are out now, and coming soon to commemorate this news!





Super Mario Bros Wonder for the Nintendo Switch was voted the best family game of 2023! AmazonGameStop, Walmart $54.99 


Watch Super Mario Bros Wonder gameplay on my YouTube channel!




Mario vs. Donkey is such a fun game! You may remember this wonderful game from the Game Boy Advance, and now it is reimagined for the Switch. The levels are fun, fast-paced, and really thrive when you're playing with a friend! GameStop, Walmart, Amazon, Target $49.99


Watch Mario vs. Donkey gameplay on my YouTube channel



Princess Peach has a solo game coming to the Nintendo Switch on March 22. We got to preview the new Prince Peach Showtime at the recent Nintendo Mom event, and it looks like so much fun! Check out my blohg post, and video to see what's in store for our favorite 8-bit Princess! Pre-order Princess Peach Showtime now at Nintendo, GameStop, Walmart, Amazon, or Target! If you pre-order from Walmart, you will be able to get two exclusive Princess Peach hair scrunchies!


To celebrate MAR10 Day, I rounded up the coolest LEGO Super Mario sets to buy before the release of the new LEGO Super Mario sets coming this August, and the teased LEGO Super Mario Kart sets coming in 2025! Check out my recent LEGO MAR10 Day blog post!







LEGO® Super Mario™ The Bowser Express Train $119.99 | 1392 pieces | Ages 9+ Coming August 2024



Get your snacks ready, and press START! I've got more cool Super Mario-themed goodies to show your Super Mario-loving spirit!




Pop Up Super Mario game provides a lot of gameplay in just one game! Players have to insert the coin sticks to prevent Mario from popping up! The player with the most coins wins. Amazon $17.99 Ages 4+


Watch the full gameplay and instructions on how to play on my YouTube channel.  






Pirahna Plant Escape features the character that's been around since the beginning! That pesky Pirahna Plant is popping up from his pipe and does not want to let you pass. To play, roll the die, and don't get bit! This game is so fun, and not only will provide lots of laughs (and maybe some NES PTSD), but it's a great collector piece. Perfect for display and play, enjoy the high-quality collectible game pieces that are interchangeable with Epoch Super Mario games. EpochAmazon | MSRP $24.99 Ages 4+ 





Blow Up! Shaky Tower features seven different familiar Super Mario characters including Mario, Luigi, Red Toad, Yellow Toad, Yoshi, Boo and Goomba. The object of the game is to balance as many characters as you can on the ledges all whole making the ball drop. The kicker is that no one can fall, if any of the figures fall off, you lose! This is a great balancing game that will improve your fine motor skills! Remember, this includes collectible figures that can be interchanged with other Epoch Super Mario sets! Play this game solo or with more players to make it a game night! Epoch | Amazon MSRP $24.99 Ages 4+






Playing each level of Super Mario Bros has always been a beautiful balancing act. If you run to fast, you may fall off of the ledge in the underworld. If you swim too fast, you may hit a Blooper and lose! The collection of Super Mario Balancing Games are simple, fast-play games that are fun to play and to display. There are three sets to launch the line, and I hope more come out! It would be great to see a water world board or a desert board. 




Each themed set (ground, underground, and castle) each comes with color-coded balancing beams, die, and characters. You can take all three sets and link them up to create a cool balancing act and to make the gameplay slightly trickier. The object of the game is to continually move the figures without having any of them fall. If you do, guess what, you're out of lives! Epoch $12.99 each | Amazon each theme varies Ground | Underground | Castle or buy all three for $39.99 







Aquabeads Super Mario Creation Cube is a collectible crafter's dream, especially if they like to use Aquabeads! This set comes neatly packaged in a coin or Princess Daisy-inspired box (I'm not sure what look they were going for here), and inside are 2500 intricate Aquabeads with different facets and star shapes for a unique texture. The set comes with everything that you need to create a range of different characters in trendy pixelated designs that die-hard Super Mario fans will know and love! Epoch | Amazon MSRP $39.99 Ages 4+






If you crave to create Super Mario Aquabeads but with a smaller set, opt for the Super Mario Character Set, it includes the powerful nostalgia of Super Mario and friends all neatly packaged in a colorful box! This set has fun art work to turn into pixelated Aquabeads, bu they are not as detailed as the Suepr Mario Character Cube! I would highly recommend purchasing both sets together to create the ultimate gift! Epoch | Amazon MSRP $12.99 Ages 4+

 


Let's just hope that the Super Mario sequel wasn't all just a dream. Har har har I'm old. 



Happy Mar10 Day! Stay tuned to my social channels for more MAR10 Day content!



What do you think of this news? Let me know in the comments!





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Saturday, March 9, 2024

Happy MAR10 DAY! LEGO Super Mario Sets Summer 2024 and LEGO Super Mario Kart Coming in 2025

We were all minding our own business when LEGO decided to drop a bombshell! LEGO is expanding the Super Mario line with Super Mario Kart sets.


Screengrab from LEGO's short on YouTube.



Before you get all revved up, the LEGO Super Mario Kart sets will be released in 2025. Bummer. You can score some LEGO Super Mario sets at a discount now until March 11, 2024. Remember that this sale is for LEGO VIP only, so sign up now, it's free and you can earn points for major discounts, sales, and exclusive sets.

If you already have the lot of LEGO Super Mario sets I have listed below, then scroll down to the see the three new LEGO sets officially shared on LEGO's website. What a nice surprise this MAR10 day!


To celebrate MAR10 Day, let's dive into some awesome LEGO Super Mario sets you should grab before they speed off of the shelves. Contains affiliate links!






LEGO® Super Mario™ Adventures with Mario Starter Course


You cannot enjoy the magic of LEGO Super Mario without the Super Mario Adventures with Mario Starter Course. $59.99 | 231 pieces | Ages 6+ 



Don't forget to get his brother's set as well!




LEGO® Adventures with Luigi Starter Course $59.99 | 280 pieces | Ages 6+




LEGO® Adventures with Peach Starter Course $59.99 | 354 pieces | Ages 6+



LEGO® Super Mario™ Piranha Plant 

 

$59.99 | 540 pieces | Ages 18+ 

 



LEGO® Super Mario™ Bowser’s Muscle Car Expansion Set $29.99 | 458 pieces | Ages 8+ 

 



LEGO® Super Mario™ Yoshi’s Egg-cellent Forest Expansion Set $9.99 | 107 pieces | Ages 6+ 

 



LEGO® Super Mario™ Dorrie's Sunken Shipwreck Adventure Expansion Set $44.99 | 500 pieces | Ages 7+ 

 




LEGO® Super Mario™ Diddy Kong's Mine Cart Ride Expansion Set $109.99 | 1157 pieces | Ages 8+



Coming in August 2024 are three new LEGO Super Mario sets! I love the Bowser Express Train!





LEGO® Super Mario™ Battle with Roy at Peach's Castle $64.99 | 738 pieces | Ages 7+






LEGO® Super Mario™ King Boo's Haunted Mansion $94.99 | 932 pieces | Ages 8+






LEGO® Super Mario™ The Bowser Express Train $119.99 | 1392 pieces | Ages 9+


Happy Mar10 Day! Stay tuned to my social channels for more MAR10 Day content!




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