Moms Minivan Blog » fun for the road

Rolling Reviews from the Backseat – Dr Doom’s Fear Fall

Road Trip Mom — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:42:40 +0000

Road Trip review from Big Bro, one of Road Trip Mom’s kids!

The most thrilling ride for me at the Universal Studios Theme Park was in the Islands of Adventure park, and it is called Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall. You enter the ride with your party and are isolated from the other riders. Before the ride begins, a scary voice comes on and tells you that all safety protocol will be ignored. Then shoots you straight up into the air at what seems like a million miles an hour, and as soon as it gets to the top it shoots you downwards faster than gravity can pull you.

I had a great deal of fun trying to convince my younger sisters to go on it with me. They were terrified at first, but after they went on it once they each went four more times. The ride is very intimidating to look at but it is a blast to go on. The lines were also very short when we went with little to no waiting for a seat. The view at the top of the ride is also outstanding, with the whole park in front of you and the beautiful Florida landscape behind you. I highly recommend this ride to anyone who is looking for thrills at this park.

Keep reading for lots of tips on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios theme parks.

NOTE FROM ROAD TRIP MOM: This is a review by my road trip son! He’s helping me out with his own backseat opinions on some of our recent travels. Let’s give him a hand!

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Rolling Reviews from the Backseat: Rip Ride Rock-It Rollercoaster

Road Trip Mom — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:39:38 +0000

By The Back Seat Reviewer — Road Trip Mom’s Daughter!

On my recent trip to Universal studios, one of the most thrilling and original rides in the park was the Hollywood Rip Ride Rock-It. This bright red roller coaster covered in dazzling florescent lights could be seen from anywhere in the park. The fun starts the moment you get to the front of the line. Immediately after you sit down and pull your seat belt across your lap, you have 30 seconds to choose a song from a variety of music. Choices range from music by Fergie, to songs like I Will Survive; so everyone can get a song they know. If you don’t pick your song before the ride starts, on is picked for you. The song you picked will play out of speakers by your ears throughout your ride.

Unlike most roller coasters that have a steady incline that brings you to the top of the first hill, the Rock-It saves space with a vertical climb to the top of the park, followed by an equally frightening near-vertical drop. After that comes a series of stomach churning loop de loops and cork screw turns that rip through the park. The whole time your face is being recorded by a camera on the back of the seat in front of you so that when the ride is over, you have an opportunity to view and purchase your own music video. The only problem is that because this is one of the most popular rides in the park, the line gets extremely long and there is no express line, so getting there early is a must. All and all this an amazing ride that anyone who love roller coasters and music should be sure to ride.

Keep reading for lots of tips on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios theme parks.

NOTE FROM ROAD TRIP MOM: This is a review by one of my road trip daughters! She and her sister are becoming regulars on my website with their product reviews and backseat opinions.

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Geography Car Game

Road Trip Mom — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:42:08 +0000

Here’s a car game you can play without any materials at all. It’s a geography game that I found on Education.com, which also has a lot of other games and printable materials for kids — great stuff for road trips.

The geography game is super easy to play. You simply take turns naming different cities, states or countries around the world. The only catch is that when it’s your turn, your geography point must begin with the same letter that the last person’s ended. Simple! If you have an atlas in the car, this game will have your kids scouring through it and learning new places.

Devra, my friend and frequent road-trip cohort from Parentopia.com, has played this game with her family (and me) for years. But somehow it always seems to me like there are a lot of geography points that start AND end with the letter A — Alaska, Alabama, Alameda, Australia, Angola, Argentina, Albania, … see what I mean? Next time I’m on a roadtrip with them, I’m using “Arkansas” as my secret weapon. If you can’t spell it, you won’t know that it ends in an “S”! And if that doesn’t get them, then I’ll try “Albuquerque.” Ha!

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Make a Nyan Cat Cake!

Road Trip Mom — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:18:39 +0000

Check out my article on how we made this adorable birthday cake look like the nyan cat from youtube!

We also have a video of the cake. Please hit the “Like” and “share” buttons! Enjoy!

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Best Souvenir Ever!

Road Trip Mom — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:02:30 +0000

The best souvenir we’ve ever had from any trip is a memory book filled with all the pictures from our trip. You can make your own memory book, starring YOU! It’s not expensive and it’s really easy. Upload all your pics and order a hard-bound copy. then order extra copies for each of your children.

The best place I have found to do this is at Snapfish. They frequently have specials and will also do regular prints dirt cheap! We have found the quality to be excellent.

Here’s a book I made from our recent trip to Universal Studios Orlando. I got a copy for each of my children which I gave to them as a gifts at Christmas.

This is truly a souvenir that they will cherish the rest of their lives, that won’t get lost in a drawer somewhere, or tossed aside and forgotten. As an added bonus, you get the the thrill of reliving those memories every time you look at it. Without a doubt — the best souvenir ever!

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For the Road: Make a Trip-Journal

Road Trip Mom — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 07:28:00 +0000

Keep the kids busy in the car by having them make a Trip-Journal or Scrapbook of their own. Give everyone a big spiral bound sketchpad and a box of crayons or markers. Each day of the trip or for each event along the way, draw a picture of what you did that day, or draw a map of where you went, and write about it. You can also attach souvenirs.

Even children too young to write can draw pictures, and then you can write in the details for them by asking them about the picture. Be sure to include the date since this will be come a treasure forever.

Read more about kids travel journals …!

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How to Make a Pirate Map

Road Trip Mom — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:21:00 +0000

Do you have some swashbuckling youngsters about ye? Are ye surrounded by crazy mad rowdy tricksters? Need ideas to keep them busy? Send them on a treasure hunt!

Start with your very own authentic looking map. Here’s How to make your own authentic looking pirate treasure map!

Avast ye, mateys!! It’s time for some fun on the high seas!

Oddities Attract

Road Trip Mom — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:10:00 +0000

Stopping for a crazy road side attraction is something we love to do on a long car trip. Take a break and give yourselves something to talk about for the next leg of your journey. I’ll tell you where to find these amusing sights and how to make the most of your stops…

Read the entire article and see some of the crazy road side photos I’ve taken with my family at Oddities Attract – Side tracks Remind You that Half the Fun Is Getting There.

What weird roadside things have you seen lately?!

Paper Plate Car Games

Road Trip Mom — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:50:27 +0000

More fun ideas for the road — check out this video of some travel games you can make with paper plates! Make them in the car, or make them at home to bring on the road with you.

Reader Favorites – Car Travel Activities

Road Trip Mom — Sat, 08 May 2010 19:26:23 +0000

It’s time to share some of YOUR favorite car travel activities!

“We enjoy passing around a fake mike, as we take turns being the solo singer to the radio or cassette tunes! Sometimes we will unexpectedly lower the sound to make the singers voice really stand out.” (Lin)

“A great car activity for children ages 5 (with adult help) and up, is to make a pot holder on a weaving loom! My 3 sons, ages 5, 10 and 12 all three enjoyed picking out their own colors and designing their own pot holder to give as gifts to grandparents and friends when we returned home from our trip! They also make neon colored material for the weaving looms. You can buy a whole bag for under $2!” (Johna)

“Whenever we hit the road, we are always sure to grab a bottle of bubbles. We turn on the car fan, hold the bubble wand in front of the vent, and voila! A car full of bubbles. The bubbles generally go straight toward the back of the car, and are barely a distraction to the driver. This is great fun in traffic, when we not only amuse ourselves but so many drivers alongside us. And their happy grins
are a great amusement in themselves!” (Elaine)

Thanks Readers! Keep sending in your ideas! ~~Laurel (Roadtrip Mom)