Spring break. Time for families to vacation, to relax, to get a change of scenery.
Unless of course, your family is like ours, opting to stay home. Between my recovery from surgery and Passover coming up, we decided to stay put. A staycation in the purest sense of the word, with a few outings here and there.
But then, almost at the last minute, we spiced up our staycation with a local one night getaway to the fabulous Gaylord National Resort for their Spring Break with Friends from Madagascar. Except of course that we did not tell Principessa…we left it as surprise, giving her one clue each night for a week.
Each clue revealed guesses, but none of her guesses prepared her for what was really in store at the Gaylord National that night.
She was told she could pack a few of her things…which of course meant that Rebecca Ruben, her American Girl doll was invited to take our staycation with us.
The reveal and element of a surprise lasted even as we checked into the hotel, until we picked up our packet that would serve as our guide for the experience.
Although we had been to the National Harbor before, and I had even stayed at the Gaylord National for Blogalicious in the fall, there was something about this view from our room, on that day, that was magical.
Magical perhaps because this was the first time in a long time where the three of us could relax as a family, with no schedules, no worries, just focusing on fun.
The highlight of the Spring Break with Friends from Madagscar was the “Can’t be Tamed Family Games and Dance Party.” The convention center room was turned into a playground for children and adults, with lively music, appearances from the Madagascar characters, and a lot of fun. Even our poor showing during the three legged race could not take away from the excitement.
(Little did Principessa know that she would be hugging the very same Skipper the penguin that would be calling our room the next morning with a surprise wake up call!)
The Mind Boggling Games section of the party was the adult favorite for sure. The dads were hunched over the container of tennis balls “estimating” or attempting to count the balls outright.
The Pièce de résistance for our uber excited Principessa though, was “finding” the MAGIC BEANS after completing the Puss in Boots Quest for the Magic Beans Scavenger Hunt in and around the Gaylord National atrium and lobby. She carried her magic bean with her everywhere, not wanting it to magically disappear. We are now “patiently” awaiting the growth of a beanstalk in our garden where the bean is securely planted.
Our one night getaway at the Gaylord National was something that we are unlikely to forget any time soon. Stay tuned for part two of our staycation adventures coming soon where I will share some of the unexpected fabulousness of our one night getaway.
Spring Break with Friends From Madagascar has one more event on April 14th though it is currently sold out. Information about Summer Fun with Shrek and Friends and the Christmassy DreamWorks Experience will be published soon offering families fantastic opportunities for getaways full of fun and adventure.
Our stay at the Gaylord National Resort was provided by the Gaylord for the purpose of a review. Although we were pampered during our one night getaway, all opinions are my own and were easy to write about since I already adored the location, customer service, and overall decadence of staying at the Gaylord.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Too funny- I thought the doll was real at first.
Have a great WW!
POSH
How fun! A quick little vacation like that can be so fun.
Sounds amazing! My son would love to go there, and what an added bonus that it’s only 30 minutes from our house.