Melbourne

Wild Buggy – Review

| Kidding Around Australia

If you haven’t been to Wild Buggy Driving Adventure Park then you need to put it on your list for the school holidays, or the weekend, or for birthday parties, or anytime really … just put it on your list of things to do!

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Wild Buggy is a purpose-built adventure track in Melbourne where kids aged 5+ can take a drive on the wild side and conquer over 30 hardcore obstacles!

On arrival we were given a safety briefing and then fitted with hairnets and helmets before hitting the track!

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Each non-licensed (5yr+) driver is accompanied by an instructor in a dual-control buggy to assist in turning, braking and acceleration and to guide them through the Wild Buggy track. The instructors are fantastic and fully engage with the kids – we know this because we had a GoPro in the buggy and we just loved watching the kids interacting with their instructor.

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After the kids had their turns, Tim and I also went for a spin! All licensed drivers (P+) enjoy full control over their buggies whilst being accompanied by an instructor. Tim and I are daredevils (I wonder where the kids get it from?!) so we may have heard “slow up around this corner” just a few times!

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We didn’t need to worry about our safety though, the Wild Buggy Tomcar is an Australian-manufactured vehicle that is in active military service today. They are built like a tank and designed to be parachuted out of a plane and survive! They are even able to drive on a 53 degree slanted wall and the purpose-built off-road track and obstacles are designed to take full advantage of the capabilities of the buggies!

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We definitely took a ride on the wild side and we all cannot wait to return! Alegría and Isaac was living every little wild child’s dream and you couldn’t wipe the smile off their faces. They were beaming!

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Please note: Wild Buggy is driving course only, with a small cafe and no extra activities located onsite. It’s the perfect place to start your adventurous day out!

Stay tuned for our Wild Buggy video! It will be released very soon!

MORE INFORMATION

Wild Buggy
433-453 Boundary Rd
Heatherton, VIC
P: 1300 945 328

www.wildbuggy.com

Monster Jam Ticket Giveaway – Melbourne 2017

| Kidding Around Australia

MONSTERS ARE COMING TO AUSTRALIA!  MONSTER JAM® IS RETURNING IN 2017

Thrill seekers in three major Australian cities are in for a treat come October, when Monster Jam®, the action-packed moto-tainment extravaganza, returns for four shows across the East Coast in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

General public tickets for Monster Jam are now on sale with fans able to witness the supercharged, gravity-defying action from Monster Jam drivers and trucks, as well as experience a new addition to the show, Race Of Champions “ROC Factor”.

WE HAVE 4 TICKETS & AN AMAZING MERCHANDISE PACK TO GIVE AWAY TO ONE LUCKY KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA READER!

THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE 4 TICKETS + PIT PARTY PASSES TO MONSTER JAM IN MELBOURNE AND 4 TICKETS TO THE PARTY IN THE PIT ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 14, 2016 AT 2PM!

THE MEGA MERCHANDISE PACK INCLUDES:

  • Yearbook
  • Colouring book
  • DVD
  • Flag
  • Ear Muffs
  • Merch bag
  • Sports bottle
  • Lunch box
  • Monster Jam trucks x 4 (Max D, Grave Digger, Monster Mutt, Dragon)

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U.S. Monster Jam greats Adam Anderson, driving the famous Grave Digger® and two-time Monster Jam World Finals® Champion Todd LeDuc in crowd favourite Monster Energy will be joined by an all-star lineup for the 2017 tour, including new truck additions MegalodonTM and EarthShakerTM .

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The show will feature various unique Monster Jam driver competitions – including Monster Jam Racing and the coveted Freestyle competitions. Plus for the very first time ever in Australia, fans will witness the ultimate showdown where motorsport royalty go head-to-head in a unique Race Of Champions “ROC Factor” competition on the Monster Jam dirt track to determine who really is the fastest of them all (drivers to be announced soon).

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Each city will also host the famous Party in the Pits® ahead of the first show where fans can get up close with their favourite Monster Jam trucks, before meeting the superstar drivers, taking pictures, getting autographs & more!

Standing nearly four metres tall and four metres wide, Monster Jam trucks are custom-designed machines that weigh around 5,500kgs. Built for short, high powered bursts of speed, the powerful Monster Jam beasts perform breathtaking stunts and can accelerate from 0-100kph in under 3 seconds. They literally fly – covering up to 50m in a single leap (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 12m skywards.

We LOVED it last year and CANNOT wait to go back – how amazing is this photo we took of El Toro Loco absolutely smashing it in the freestyle in Melbourne, 2016?

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Tickets start from just $24*, which makes Monster Jam affordably priced for the whole family!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Congratulations to D. Inness, 3758 who has won our competition! We hope you enjoy your prize!

FIRSTLY:

Make sure you LIKE Kidding Around Australia on Facebook and Kidding Around Australia on Instagram if you use these sites to keep up to date with all that we do. This is really important!

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SIMPLY:
Fill in this form and tell us which is your favourite Monster Jam truck and why! We would love you to ask your kids to answer! Don’t forget their name/s and age/s.

*IF YOU CAN’T SEE THE ENTRY FORM PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE AS SOME PHONES AND MEDIA DO NOT SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION.

COMPETITION CLOSES 5PM AEST ON MONDAY 28/08/2017. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON 29/08/2017! GOOD LUCK!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA ONLY. BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA MAILING LIST, IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SUBSCRIBED. YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED AND YOU CAN UNSUBSCRIBE AT ANY TIME.
BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU ARE ALSO AGREEING TO ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A GAME OF SKILL NOT A GAME OF CHANCE. ENTRIES NOT FILLING IN ALL THE REQUIRED FIELDS AND ANSWERING THE QUESTION WILL BE DEEMED INVALID. THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVE MERIT, BY A NON INVOLVED PARTY. THE JUDGE’S DECISION IS FINAL AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO.
ENTRIES CLOSE 28 AUGUST 2017 AT 5PM AEST. THE WINNER WILL BE DRAWN 29/8/2017 AT 9AM AEST AND ANNOUNCED ON THIS WEBSITE. THE WINNER WILL ALSO BE CONTACTED VIA EMAIL. 
ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD. PRIZES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE, CHANGEABLE OR REDEEMABLE FOR CASH. KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS, INJURY OR DAMAGE THAT OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRIZE OR THE WINNER’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION.

MORE INFORMATION

Kicking off on October 7, full dates and show locations are as follows:

07 October – 6pm – QSAC, Brisbane
14 October – 2pm and 7pm – AAMI Park, Melbourne
21 October – 5pm – ANZ Stadium, Sydney

Tickets for Brisbane through Ticketmaster:
www.Ticketmaster.com.au/MonsterJam or call 136 100.

Tickets for Melbourne & Sydney through Ticketek:
www.Ticketek.com.au/MonsterJam.com or call 132 849.

With stadiums selling out across the globe, Monster Jam fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early to avoid missing out.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.MonsterJamOnline.com.au. Follow Monster Jam on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disney On Ice presents Frozen in Melbourne Giveaway

| Kidding Around Australia

Disney On Ice presents Frozen Giveaway

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Disney On Ice presents Frozen will transform the stage into the wintery world of Arendelle inviting audiences to accompany Anna on her epic journey to save her sister Elsa and the kingdom of Arendelle. The immersive show experience features world class ice skating and dazzling special effects. Audiences across Australia are invited to enjoy this breathtaking and magical world, when Disney on Ice presents Frozen comes to a city near you!

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Audiences will be enchanted with the much loved Anna, Elsa and the lovable snowman Olaf as well as experience never before seen characters, including Grand Pabbie and the Trolls and the Marshmallow. Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, this live spectacular which will feature the full story of Frozen, as told in the Academy award winning film.

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

We are giving away 4 tickets (worth $180) with a money can’t buy ‘meet and greet’ experience and merchandise bag (rrp. $70) to Disney On Ice presents Frozen on Wednesday July 5th at 7pm in MELBOURNE!
We also have a runner up prize of a merchandise bag to give away to another lucky reader. Please make sure you can go on this day and time as we cannot change the date on the tickets.
FIRSTLY:
Make sure you LIKE
Kidding Around Australia and Disney On Ice Australia on Facebook and
Kidding Around Australia and Disney On Ice on Instagram 
if you use these sites to keep up to date with all that we do. This is really important!
FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SIMPLY:
Fill in this form and tell us who your favourite Frozen character is! We would love you to ask your kids to answer! Don’t forget their name/s and age/s.

*IF YOU CAN’T SEE THE ENTRY FORM PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE AS SOME PHONES AND MEDIA DO NOT SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION.

Entries close: 28 May 2017 at 9pm AEST. GOOD LUCK!

For more information visit www.DisneyOnIce.com.au Tickets are available now at Ticketek.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF AUSTRALIA ONLY. BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA MAILING LIST, IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SUBSCRIBED. YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED AND YOU CAN UNSUBSCRIBE AT ANY TIME.
BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU ARE ALSO AGREEING TO ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A GAME OF SKILL NOT A GAME OF CHANCE. ENTRIES NOT FILLING IN ALL THE REQUIRED FIELDS AND ANSWERING THE QUESTION WILL BE DEEMED INVALID. THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVE MERIT, BY A NON INVOLVED PARTY. THE JUDGE’S DECISION IS FINAL AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO.
ENTRIES CLOSE 28 May 2017 at 9PM AEST. THE WINNER WILL BE DRAWN 29/5/2017 AT 9AM AEST AND ANNOUNCED ON THIS WEBSITE. THE WINNER WILL ALSO BE CONTACTED VIA EMAIL. 
ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD. PRIZES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE, CHANGEABLE OR REDEEMABLE FOR CASH. KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS, INJURY OR DAMAGE THAT OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRIZE OR THE WINNER’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION.

 

CIRCUS 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus

| Kidding Around Australia

We were so excited to go and see CIRCUS 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus live on stage at Melbourne’s beautiful Regent Theatre!

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After successful seasons in Canberra and Sydney, the producers of The Illusionists and the award winning puppeteers of War Horse have brought their turn of the century circus to Melbourne with all the thrill and daredevil entertainment one would expect from the circus only with an old world charm.

Thanks to sensational puppetry, the likes of which we have never seen before, CIRCUS 1903 –The Golden Age of Circus puts elephants back in the ring by introducing “Queenie” and her baby “Peanut” – much to the delight of Alegría, who loved them!

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The first act is set during rehearsals in front of the circus with trucks, props and rigging and features performers from around the world. Whilst the second act is set inside the big top with flagpoles and rigging being raised into the roof of the theater and features more incredible acts for the audience to enjoy.

The aerialist was amazing and although we have never seen a bicycle ballet we were spellbound.

The contortionist had us shaking our heads in disbelief and the acrobatics and juggling were world class.

The highlight for us was the ringmaster who is incredibly witty and kept the audience engaged throughout the show. His “act” with the wild animals (children he plucked from the audience) and his pet raccoon had tears running down our faces from laughter!

This is a truly captivating circus extravaganza that is perfect for audiences of all ages an is only on for a strictly limited time!

MORE INFORMATION

Venue: Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne

Dates: Tuesday 3 January at 7pm
Wednesday 4 January at 3pm & 7pm
Thursday January at 3pm & 7pm
Friday 6 January at 3pm & 7pm
Saturday 7 January at 3pm & 7pm
Sunday 8 January at 3pm & 7pm
Tuesday 10 January at 3pm & 7pm
Wednesday 11 January at 3pm & 7pm
Thursday 12 January at 3pm & 7pm

Prices: Adults from $81.26
Child from $50.68
Transaction fee of $8.90 applies per order

Bookings: 1300 111 011 or www.ticketmaster.com.au
www.circus1903.com

 

 

 

Backpacking with your family … Space Hotel Melbourne

| Kidding Around Australia

Back in the day, I travelled the world as a backpacker, visiting 30 countries and having the time of my life! In fact, I met one of my best friends whilst backpacking around the USA. Alegría and Isaac have German Godparents because of a chance meeting between Mikka and I in New York City, so it is fair to say that I was all for staying in hostels before I had kids.

Since having them, I haven’t given much thought to staying in a hostel. We are hotel / caravan park people these days. Or, so I thought.

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I was recently introduced to Space Hotel in Melbourne and wanted to share this little secret with you*!

Space Hotel is an affordable, contemporary and social accommodation solution in Melbourne’s CBD. With 12 different room types, Space Hotel caters for all travellers, especially those on a budget – who wouldn’t love hotel quality at hostel prices?

Since opening its first property in 2011, Space Hotel has achieved enormous success winning Best Backpacker Accommodation at the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards (VTA) in 2013, 2014 and 2015, earning them a place in the VTA Hall of Fame.

Sun lounges on Rooftop

Named as one of the world’s top ‘Poshtels’ by Lonely Planet, Space Hotel hosts groups, families and single travellers with accommodation options ranging from luxury rooms with skyline views to dorm beds. Their family room consists of a private family room with a high quality queen bed and 1 bunk bed, a 32 inch LCD TV, iPod docking station, wardrobe and study desk. As a bonus, a clean and modern ensuite bathroom is located in the room.

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BENEFITS OF STAYING AS A FAMILY IN A HOSTEL

Space Hotel has put an emphasis on facilitating social experiences, guests have access to a range of shared spaces including an internet cafe and stainless steel commercial kitchen. That means that if you want another grown up to talk to then you are in the right place! Plus, the staff are lovely so they will make a real fuss of the kids and you can even squeeze some home-schooling in if you want to! Having a kitchen on site is perfect if you don’t want to eat out or have picky eaters and Space Hotel also have a gym and laundromat.

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Other facilities include a free in-house cinema (great if you want to get some work done while the kids watch a movie), and the Space rooftop boasts impressive panoramic views of the city with sun lunges and spa (which is fantastic when you don’t want to stay out exploring all day and don’t want to be confined to your room!).

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Swim spa on Rooftop

The staff are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. They can answer all your questions regarding transportation, tours, attraction opening hours, closest ATM’s and great places to eat. What a God-send for any family holiday.

Next time you want to stay in Melbourne (or any other city around the world) then make sure you check out family friendly hostels like Space Hotel – I know we will be!

*Just a little note: this isn’t a sponsored post so I am not getting paid to tell you about Space Hotel … I like sharing with you little bits of information that I find that I think will make your life easier when you travel.

MORE INFORMATION

Space Hotel
380 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9662 3888
www.spacehotel.com.au

Competition Time! Win Tickets to Monster Jam Melbourne 2016

| Kidding Around Australia

Monster Jam 2016

MONSTERS ARE COMING TO AUSTRALIA!  MONSTER JAM® IS RETURNING IN 2016

Fans of big trucks and high-powered vehicles rejoice – Monster Jam® is heading back to Australia in 2016, with up to five brand new trucks and drivers and even more super-charged moto-tainment providing a unique sensory experience like no other and of course we have tickets to giveaway!

WE HAVE 8 TICKETS TO GIVE AWAY TO TWO LUCKY KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA READERS!

EACH WINNER WILL RECIEVE 4 TICKETS TO MONSTER JAM IN MELBOURNE AND 4 TICKETS TO THE PARTY IN THE PIT ON OCTOBER 8, 2016!

The show will feature four unique Monster Jam driver competitions – Monster Jam Wheelies, Racing, Donuts and the coveted Freestyle competitions, with the Freestyle Motocross and Quad Wars also set to return.

The 2016 lineup includes a number of fan favourites, with ‘Grave Digger’, ‘Monster Mutt Dalmatian’ and ‘Max-D’ back to tear up the track, alongside new additions ‘Alien Invasion’, ‘Pirates Curse’ and the yellow ‘El Toro Loco’.

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Standing nearly four metres tall and four metres wide, Monster Jam trucks are custom-designed machines that weigh around 5,500kgs. Built for short, high powered bursts of speed, the powerful Monster Jam® beasts perform breathtaking stunts and can accelerate from 0-100kph in under 3 seconds. They literally fly – covering up to 50m in a single leap (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 12m skywards.

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Kicking off on October 1, full dates and show locations are as follows:

  • 01 October – 7pm – QSAC, Brisbane
  • 08 October – 2pm and 7pm – AAMI Park, Melbourne
  • 15 October – 7pm – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
  • 22 October – 7pm – ANZ Stadium, Sydney
  • 29 October – 2pm and 7:30pm – Domain Stadium, Perth

Each city will also host one Party in the Pits ahead of a show (we have tickets for that as well!), where fans can get up close with their favourite Monster Jam trucks, before meeting the superstar drivers.

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To enter our MONSTER JAM competition, COMMENT on this Monster Jam blog post and answer in 50 words or less “Who is your favourite Monster Jam driver or truck and why”.

(By commenting on this post you agree to all the terms and conditions. They can be found by clicking HERE. You will need to give us a valid email address so that we can contact you – don’t worry it will not be published! Comments are moderated so may not show up immediately.)

COMPETITION CLOSES 5PM AEST ON MONDAY 15/08/2016. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON 16/08/2016! GOOD LUCK!

Monster Jam events are affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting from just $28* but be warned! With over 170,000 tickets sold nationwide last year, Monster Jam fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early to avoid missing out.

Tickets for Brisbane & Perth visit Ticketmaster:

www.Ticketmaster.com.au/MonsterJam or call 136 100.

Tickets for Melbourne, Adelaide & Sydney are through Ticketek:

www.Ticketek.com.au/MonsterJam.com or call 132 849.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.MonsterJamOnline.com.au. Follow Monster Jam on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Kidding Around at … Wind in the Willows by the Australian Shakespeare Company

| Kidding Around Australia

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Wind in the Willows is TOADally awesome!

We were invited to join Mr. Toad, Ratty, Weasel, Mole, Badger, Otter, Portly, Polly and the Head Chief Rabbit at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne to watch them bring to life Kenneth Grahame’s famous tale about life on the riverbank. Amazingly, this year Wind in the Willows is celebrating 29 years in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and 15 years in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney!

The cast of Wind In The Willows – from left Badger (Ben Noble) Mole (Chloe Bruer Jones) Ratty (Leigh Piper) Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers) Weasel (Paul Morris). Photographer Matt Deller.
The cast of Wind In The Willows – from left Badger (Ben Noble) Mole (Chloe Bruer Jones) Ratty (Leigh Piper) Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers) Weasel (Paul Morris). Photographer Matt Deller.

For over 90 minutes, we were entertained by all of the classic characters who were introduced by the narrator, Head Chief Rabbit. The children (and let’s face it, most parents) were transformed into rabbits by the Head Chief Rabbit with a waggle of the ears and a wiggle of the nose!

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All of the young ‘rabbits’ were encouraged to get involved and become part of the adventure where we (oops, I mean THEY) sang out loud, ran through the gardens, screamed and laughed hysterically!

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Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers), Ratty (Leigh Piper), Toad (Ryan Hawke), Portly (Dante Arestia), Badger (Ben Noble) and Weasel (Paul Morris). Photographer Matt Deller.

Georgina Says

Don’t forget to pack a picnic full of yummy goodies, a rug to sit on, a hat, insect repellent and some sunscreen. The production moves location half way through so make sure you are ready to fold up your picnic rug, grab your stuff and go for a little stroll to the next set.

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Head Chief Rabbit (Roscoe Mathers) Toad (Ryan Hawke ) and Ratty (Leigh Piper). Photographer Matt Deller.

The kids loved the Head Chief Rabbit (played by Roscoe Mathers) and by far the most entertaining for me was the Weasel (played by Cheltenham local Paul Morris). He has shades of Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow and rumour has it that whilst I was away from my picnic rug with the children (I won’t tell you why) he helped himself to my popcorn!

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Paul Morris is fantastic as Weasel!

We LOVED the show. Seriously, there is something for everyBUNNY (see what I did there?) to enjoy. Everyone from 4-84 will be have a laugh at one of the jokes and thoroughly enjoy being whisked away to the world of Wind in the Willows. This is interactive theatre at it’s best and you and your family will be talking about it for a long time!

So, HOP TO IT, book your tickets and don’t forget to get a photo with the cast after the show!

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MORE INFORMATION

Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne (Enter via Gate F on Birdwood Avenue)
Season: 24 December 2015 – 23 January 2016
Bookings: (03) 8676 7511 or online at: www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney (Harbour side of main pond)
Season: 6 – 23 January 2016
Bookings: 1300 122 344 or online at: www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au

Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.

Kidding Around … Santa’s Magical Kingdom, 2015

| Kidding Around Australia

We were thrilled to be invited to the opening night of Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Melbourne!

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For us, it was a big drive to Caulfield which elicited a variety of different responses from each member of the family and I was wonder whether or not it would “jingle our bells”!! About 1.5 hours into the drive (to make matters worse we got stuck in peak hour traffic) Isaac declared it was time to go “home”, I was eyeing off a hotel and wanted to just pull in there and go to sleep, Tim wanted to smack his own head against the steering wheel and when Alegría paused between her 1000th and 1001st question of the journey our little girl (who only had her eyes on the prize) said “I WANT TO GO TO SANTA’S MAGICAL KINGDOM!”
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There is so much to see and do in each three-hour session, so there was never a lull in the entertainment. With the limited number of tickets sold in each session it meant that the flow of people was effortless, minimal to no lines for each ride with plenty of space to move around in.

Inside the undercover dome, most activities were free. There are 6 amusement rides, the McCormick gingerbread man decorating area, Aeroplane Jelly craft area where the kids coloured in a Christmas bauble, letter writing with Mrs. Claus, a spectacular walk through snowland where the Snow Princess and Snow Maiden from Hans Christian Anderson are happy to pose for photographs.

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Of course, you can visit Santa in his special room (there is actually 4 Santa’s) and photo packages range in price from $25 upwards. You don’t have to get a photo though, you can visit him and he will give the kids a present – for free! Families can request to see the same Santa for continuity! The Santa we saw was fantastic although Alegría wanted to know what was in the other rooms ….
For a small fee ($5) you could play the carnival game or buy a gift from the merchandise stand.
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Outside, was the HUGE euro slide, an older kid swinging ride and a partially enclosed ferris wheel.
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If this wasn’t enough to fill your 3 hours, then a Christmas themed circus show (which is also included in the entry price) will have you entertained (or if you only want to watch a bit of it, all of the rides are still operational in this time!).
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Georgina Says
  • Bring your real camera – the lighting is dim (so the lights twinkle) so the camera on your phone will struggle and there are plenty of photo opportunities!
  • Either bring your snacks with you or schedule your booking around eating times! There is a restaurant just outside Gate 23 (you will enter at Gate 22) so you could go there before or after your session. There is food available but it’s chips / popcorn / hotdogs etc.
  • There are ATM’s onsite but they have service fees so bring a small amount of cash with you.
  • If you chose to book the 6-9pm timeslot consider traffic and bedtimes! You want to enjoy it and not be stressed before you arrive!

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We have been asked if it was worth the entry price (between $35-$40 per tickets for everyone over 2 years old) and whilst that’s hard to define, since our visit Alegría has asked to go back to Santa’s Magical Kingdom probably every second day! She clearly had a great time and Isaac enjoyed it, so for us it would be worth it as a special Christmas treat and is something you could budget for throughout the year.

MORE INFORMATION

Website: http://www.santasmagicalkingdom.com.au/

We were given tickets to Santa’s Magical Kingdom for the purpose of this review. As always, our opinion is honest and unbiased.

Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.

 

Competition Time … Santa’s Magical Kingdom

| Kidding Around Australia

Smooth_SMK_Horiz Colour copy 2We have been eagerly awaiting Santa’s Magical Kingdom’s return to the Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne this year, as it promises to be bigger and better than ever! We are also excited that our friends in Sydney are also able to join in the magic of Christmas this year when it opens for the first time at Sydney Olympic Park.

If you are new to the world of Santa’s Magical Kingdom – it is a festive family-friendly event with tickets selling out in Melbourne for the past 3 years!

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The event includes:

• A magical Christmas walk-through wonderland

• Snowland with the all new Snow Castle

• A free gift, when you meet Santa

• A brand new International Christmas Show Spectacular

• Roving Christmas characters

• Meet the Original Snow Queen and Snow Maiden from Hans Christian Anderson

• Gingerbread Land, where you can decorate your own gingerbread man

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• Interactive Letter Writing area with Mrs Claus

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• Amusement Rides & Games, including laughing clowns, a Carousel, Santa’s Sleigh Ride, the Giant Ferris Wheel and one of the Largest Super Slides in the country!

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WE HAVE AN EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR TWO LUCKY FAMILIES!

We have one family pass to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Melbourne (on Saturday 21st of November at 10am) and another family pass to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Sydney (on Saturday 12 December, 6pm – 9pm)!

For your chance to win:

  1. “Like” Kidding Around Australia on FACEBOOK ;
  2. “Like” Santa’s Magical Kingdom in your city – MELBOURNE or SYDNEY ;
  3. Leave a comment on this post (this will save you time when filling out the form – you won’t have to come back!)
  4. Click on your city’s link below!

ENTER HERE FOR MELBOURNE

https://gleam.io/DB4Rp/santas-magical-kingdom-melbourne

ENTER HERE FOR SYDNEY

https://gleam.io/mBxtc/santas-magical-kingdom-Sydney

Competition closes at midnight on the 1st of November, 2015. Good Luck!

Terms and Conditions:
Open to residents of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia only.  By entering this competition, you agree to subscribe to the Kidding Around Australia mailing list, if you are not already subscribed. Your privacy is protected and you can unsubscribe at any time. By entering this competition, you are also agreeing to all other terms and conditions.
This is a game of skill not a game of chance. Entries not filling in all the required fields and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, by a non involved party. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will be drawn 02/11/15 9am AEST and announced on this website. The winner will also be contacted via email. The Prize is a family pass (4) tickets to Santa’s Magical Kingdom in Melbourne (on 21/11/15 at 10am) and Sydney (12/12/15 at 6pm).
One entry per household. Prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash. Kidding Around Australia will not be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage that occurs in connection with the prize or the winners participation in the promotion.

MORE INFORMATION

DATES: Melbourne 21/11/2015 – 24/12/2015 and Sydney 12/12/2015 – 24/12/2015

TICKETS: On sale now, via Ticketmaster or through the booking office, 1300 307 740.

WEBSITE: www.santasmagicalkingdom.com.au

FACEBOOK: Santa’s Magical Kingdom – Melbourne and Santa’s Magical Kingdom – Sydney

SMK3