We had a couple of reasons for choosing to go to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for our family getaway this year, and one of the main ones was to visit the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, Texas.  Our son is a HUGE Lego fanatic and we wanted to give him the ultimate Lego experience.  I am so glad we did because I think I can safely say our whole family had a blast.

Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, Texas is located inside the Grapevine Mills mall.  We went on a Friday afternoon, so we did have to stand in line for about 20 minutes to be admitted.  Once we were in, Professor Brick-a-Brack gave us a short introduction to how Legos are made from plastic.

Once this demonstration was over, we headed into the heart of Legoland Discovery Center and spent almost three hours watching our son play his heart out.  I think he spent the most time inside the Lego City Fire Academy.

We all agreed that the 4D Cinema short movie was the best!  I had never experienced a 3D movie, much less one in 4D, so this was so much fun!  If you go, be prepared…it involves a little wind and water (think sprinkles like rain), but it is SO worth it!

My husband and I were enthralled with MINILAND, a city on a miniature scale made completely of Legos.

(Mini Southfork Ranch- When you walk past it, the display starts playing the “Dallas” theme song!)

(Mini Texas Rangers baseball stadium)

We had a snack in the café.  They had the usual foods that all kids love (pizza, hot dogs, etc.), but they also had some healthier food choices.  As with buying food at any attraction, you will pay for convenience, so I would recommend taking along some extra cash if you plan to purchase snacks.

 

When we finally succumbed to exhaustion and decided it was time to leave, we knew there was only one thing left to do.  Shop for Legos!  The only way out of Legoland is through the gift shop, so of course we spent a good thirty minutes in there.  There was so much color and all the Lego sets you could imagine.

E.B. had saved up quite a bit of money in his piggy bank before the trip, so we matched it and he ended up leaving with quite a haul!

We went back to the mall the next day and we bumped into the Lego man himself!

This was the most fun we have had as a family in a long time, and the look on my son’s face as he played, discovered, and built at Legoland Discovery Center was absolutely priceless.  The facility was clean and the staff was helpful and friendly.  I am so glad we decided to go because we made a ton of great memories!

My family and I were graciously provided with three complimentary tickets to Legoland.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

In the heart of Grapevine, Texas, the Embassy Suites DFW Airport North Outdoor World towers over the city and is definitely tops in service.  My family and I just experienced an incredible night’s stay and we literally hated to leave.

When we stepped into the doors of the hotel, we were greeted by the friendly front desk manager.  She was so welcoming, got us all checked in, and then she informed us that we had been chosen as “Guests of the Day” and immediately upgraded our room to a Penthouse Suite.  Naturally, this excited us to no end!  Our room was located on the 12th floor, which excited my son to no end, because he had already been asking before we checked in if we could stay “all the way at the top”.  He loves elevators and heights.

The lobby itself was amazing. I think I could have spent all day just sitting there taking it all in.  There were fountains, a gift shop, areas for dining and visiting, and even a coffee bar!

 

 

Our room was equally impressive.  When we walked into our suite, we heard classical music playing from the bedside alarm clock.  Our suite had a living area, a bedroom, a full bath, and a half bath.

 

 

Our room had a king sized bed, perfect for the three of us.

 

 

There was also a wet bar with a microwave, refrigerator, sink, and coffee maker.  The coffee maker was fabulous!  Complimentary coffee was provided.  The half bath was spacious and definitely appreciated.  We never fought over the bathroom once!

 

 

The master bathroom was heavenly.  Everything was clean, the towels were crisply folded and plush, the toiletries were by Crabtree & Evelyn (love!), and the tub had jets.  However, the thing that impressed us most about this big bathroom was that it had a TV!  My son, of course, thought this was THE best.

 

We also had a private patio with an incredible view of the city below.

 

 

There were two 32-inch flat-screen televisions in our suite and my son enjoyed watching a movie on demand, compliments of the manager.  He also fell asleep on the sofa. Had we needed the extra sleeping room, the sofa would have made out into a sleeper bed.

 

We all slept very comfortably.  The mattress was perfect, the sheets were cool and crisp (just the way I like them), and extra pillows were provided in case we needed them.

The next morning, we headed downstairs to enjoy a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast.  This is well worth getting up for because any breakfast food you could possibly want was available.  My son was especially excited about the fresh fruit!

 

After breakfast, we checked out the fitness room and my husband tried out the weights.  We also checked out the pool area (and met the super nice man who takes care of the pool) and just looked around more before it was time to leave.

  

We hate that we had to miss out on the manager’s reception the evening we arrived there (complimentary drinks and appetizers), but we went to a baseball game, so we had to leave early for that.

Our stay at Embassy Suites DFW Airport North Outdoor World was absolutely incredible and should you find yourself in the area and need a hotel, you really needn’t look any further.  No attention to small detail was overlooked, and those small details are just the kind of things that make staying here extra special.  We were treated like absolute royalty from the moment we walked through the doors until we pulled away from the hotel to drive back home.  Everyone (managers, housekeeping, the valet parking service, cooks, doormen, and other hotel employees) we had contact with went above and beyond to make us feel absolutely welcomed and comfortable and we thank them so much for their hospitality and excellent service.  They also went out of their way to make my son feel comfortable, and even though this hotel looks very nice, I can assure you it is also very kid-friendly.  I can honestly say our family has never felt so spoiled while staying away from home.

There’s still time to enter Embassy Suite’s Get More Vacation Contest! Upload your family’s “vacation face” photo with a caption explaining how your family plans to get the most out of your summer vacation – before, during and after.  Enter on the Embassy Suites Facebook page by July 20, 2012 for your chance to win!

 

I wrote this review while participating in an Ambassador Program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Embassy Suites Hotels and received a one-night complimentary stay at an Embassy Suites Hotel to facilitate my reviews and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.