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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
So since my Aunt is no longer coming for labor day - DH decided we should take a short trip for DD and for my birthday. So we are planning on taking both DD's to Lancaster for Sat, Sun and Monday labor day weekend. We plan to drive there sat morning and drive back Monday.
So tell me - we are staying at the Country Inn and Suites - any reviews? Should we stay somewhere else?
We plan to do Sunday at dutch wonderland - anything else that is a must do while we are there?
We will be traveling with a 26 month old and a 3 month old.
Any restaurants that are must do's?
I haven't been to Lancaster since 1994 and that was for school so I haven't really explored the area or done any family type things.
BTW DD is a HUGE train fan (thomas train won't be there while we are there) - is it worth doing the strasburg railroad? Will we have time?
How long is the drive there from Western Nassau County btw? What stops did you make on the way since I will have an infant and a 2 year old I figure we will need to make frequent stops.
Message edited 6/22/2009 11:08:22 AM.
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Posted 6/22/09 11:07 AM  |
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eddiesmommy
best buds!
Member since 5/09 11524 total posts
Name:
Melissa
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We just went last weekend and it was FABULOUS! We did both Dutch Wonderland and the RR Museum with DS who is 21 months. Dutch Wonderland was PERFECT for their age group and DS had a blast and was able to go on almost all of the rides. No waits (and it was Thomas weekend), it was clean, and they have lots of healthy food choices.
We also did the RR Museum, Thomas was there that weekend and while DS LOVED Thomas he was WAY more fascinated by the RR Museum. Its like a giant hanger filled with 50 or more old restored trains and DS walked in and literally said "WOW". He had a blast running all over and looking at the trains and climbing on them. Even without Thomas Id highly recommend it.
We drove from Smithtown and it took about 4 hours. We stopped once for about 15 minutes and that was i
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| Posted 6/22/09 11:13 AM |
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Mella46
LIF Adolescent
Member since 1/07 515 total posts
Name:
Carmella
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We just got back on Saturday night and it took us 3 hours we left from Valley Stream.
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| Posted 6/22/09 11:53 AM |
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turkeybaby
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 921 total posts
Name:
Jodi
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We go every year to Lancaster. Last year my kids were just about the same ages as your girls. We left from Melville and stopped one time to get gas. I was also nursing so I did that in the car while my DH took my older son inside to the bathroom.
On Saturday we always do the Dutch stuff since nothing Dutch related is open on Sunday's. On Sunday we go to Dutch and then Monday we always hit the outlets for a bit and then head home.
Kitchen Kettle village is great for the kids. We take the buggy ride from there.
You can't go by me as far as stops go because I am that crazy person that drives to Florida with my kids alone and just makes stops for gas and food.
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| Posted 6/22/09 12:13 PM |
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We stayed at Country Inn Suites. I liked it. There are refrigerators and microwaves in the room.
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| Posted 6/22/09 1:40 PM |
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lizzie0612
LIF Infant
Member since 2/09 154 total posts
Name:
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
There is also a Children's Museum in the center of town that is supposed to be very good.
Did you go to school at F & M?
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| Posted 6/22/09 2:26 PM |
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pnm1654
Mommy to 2 boys!
Member since 5/05 4565 total posts
Name:
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Hey! We're going in July and staying at the Fulton Steamboat Inn
i've never stayed there but it's gotten great reviews.
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| Posted 6/22/09 2:41 PM |
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michele31
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 3372 total posts
Name:
Michele
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We are going for the 3rd year in row next Tuesday. We stay at the same hotel and it is great. Clean hotel, nice breakfast included in your room and a pool.
When you go to DW you can purchase your tickets for the next day starting at 4pm and then get into the park for free that evening. It is great. We always take the kids to get their photo all dressed up right when we get there- they are happy and clean :) Then we take a train ride so they can see everything in the park. And then start going on rides for a while. Lines are not very long at that time. And we plan out a bit of the next day.
Then the next day we have breakfast and go to the park.
The sprinkler park is great! So much fun. Just make sure you bring towels and plastic bags to put wet clothes in. Bring sun hats for the kids and sunscreen. You will need to reapply a few times while there. We also bring drinks and snacks with us to save money.
We stopped at the Crayola Factory one year on the way up and had a great time. The kids enjoyed all of the arts and crafts and it was not a very expensive stop over. I have not been to the train museum but have heard great things about it.
Last year at DW they had a Thomas show and my son LOVED it.
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| Posted 6/22/09 3:08 PM |
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turkeybaby
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 921 total posts
Name:
Jodi
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Posted by michele31
We are going for the 3rd year in row next Tuesday. We stay at the same hotel and it is great. Clean hotel, nice breakfast included in your room and a pool.
When you go to DW you can purchase your tickets for the next day starting at 4pm and then get into the park for free that evening. It is great. We always take the kids to get their photo all dressed up right when we get there- they are happy and clean :) Then we take a train ride so they can see everything in the park. And then start going on rides for a while. Lines are not very long at that time. And we plan out a bit of the next day.
Then the next day we have breakfast and go to the park.
The sprinkler park is great! So much fun. Just make sure you bring towels and plastic bags to put wet clothes in. Bring sun hats for the kids and sunscreen. You will need to reapply a few times while there. We also bring drinks and snacks with us to save money.
We stopped at the Crayola Factory one year on the way up and had a great time. The kids enjoyed all of the arts and crafts and it was not a very expensive stop over. I have not been to the train museum but have heard great things about it.
Last year at DW they had a Thomas show and my son LOVED it.
We were there this past May for Memorial Day weekend and they had the Thomas show as well.
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| Posted 6/22/09 3:23 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Posted by turkeybaby
We go every year to Lancaster. Last year my kids were just about the same ages as your girls. We left from Melville and stopped one time to get gas. I was also nursing so I did that in the car while my DH took my older son inside to the bathroom.
I'm nursing too - is there a place to nurse in DW or do I need to make sure to pump enough for the day?
Posted by lizzie0612
There is also a Children's Museum in the center of town that is supposed to be very good.
Did you go to school at F & M?
I will check out the children's museum too DD loves the LICM.
Yes, for freshman year only.
Posted by pnm1654
Hey! We're going in July and staying at the Fulton Steamboat Inn
i've never stayed there but it's gotten great reviews.
We looked at it - and it looked like a lot of fun!!! The only issue was that we were worried that is Madelyn is waking up at night for feedings (she will only be about 14 or 15 weeks old) that she would be waking up Kaitlyn all night - so we wanted something that had two rooms. I didn't know what other suite place we could try that was close to the parks. The country inn and suites gives us a sitting room with a door and a bedroom so we can keep Kaitlyn in the sitting room and the baby in our room.
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| Posted 6/22/09 7:03 PM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Posted by michele31
We are going for the 3rd year in row next Tuesday. We stay at the same hotel and it is great. Clean hotel, nice breakfast included in your room and a pool.
When you go to DW you can purchase your tickets for the next day starting at 4pm and then get into the park for free that evening. It is great. We always take the kids to get their photo all dressed up right when we get there- they are happy and clean :) Then we take a train ride so they can see everything in the park. And then start going on rides for a while. Lines are not very long at that time. And we plan out a bit of the next day.
Then the next day we have breakfast and go to the park.
The sprinkler park is great! So much fun. Just make sure you bring towels and plastic bags to put wet clothes in. Bring sun hats for the kids and sunscreen. You will need to reapply a few times while there. We also bring drinks and snacks with us to save money.
We stopped at the Crayola Factory one year on the way up and had a great time. The kids enjoyed all of the arts and crafts and it was not a very expensive stop over. I have not been to the train museum but have heard great things about it.
Last year at DW they had a Thomas show and my son LOVED it.
Thank you Michele!!! That is SO helpful - I didn't know that DW had a sprinkler park and DD loves those so I know she will want to run around in that. I will definitely get the tickets that include the night before so that we can break up the next day a bit - since we will have the baby with us.
These tips are all so great!!!! Now we are just wondering if maybe we are better to go Friday to Sunday instead of Saturday until Monday - since the traffic is likely to be crazy on Labor day for the return drive.
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| Posted 6/22/09 7:06 PM |
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
I'm planning a trip to Reading PA to visit my sister in Aug w/ 18 month old. We went at 15 mos for mothers day. He was good in the car for about 3 hours. My sisters is about 4 1/2 hours from Shirley. She is meeting us at the Leigh Valley Zoo or at Crayola Factory in Easton PA depending on the weather. Not sure where that might fit into your trip, just thought I'd throw it out there.
Hope you have a good trip.
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| Posted 6/22/09 8:03 PM |
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Posted by Lillykat
I'm nursing too - is there a place to nurse in DW or do I need to make sure to pump enough for the day?
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I think I saw a nursing station near the entrance at Dutch Wonderland.
Having two rooms was the best part about Country Inn and Suites. I could stay up and watch TV when DS went to sleep. There was a DVD player in the room as well. I wish I had brought more DVDs.
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| Posted 6/22/09 8:24 PM |
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charon54
My two boys!
Member since 5/05 7279 total posts
Name:
Rebecca
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Excuse me for crashing your board. There used to be a Toy Train Museum in Strasburgh when I was a kid that my dad always took us to (my father is a huge RR fan, I have been on tons of steam trains). If it is still there I would highly recommend it.
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| Posted 6/23/09 9:08 AM |
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turkeybaby
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 921 total posts
Name:
Jodi
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
There is a nursing room right when you walk into the park to the right.
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| Posted 6/23/09 9:57 AM |
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Posted by pnm1654
Hey! We're going in July and staying at the Fulton Steamboat Inn
i've never stayed there but it's gotten great reviews.
We go to Lancaster almost every year and always stay here. Its a great place. We go a lot around holiday time and it is always so nicely deecorated.
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| Posted 6/23/09 11:17 AM |
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Lillykat
going along for the ride...
Member since 5/05 16253 total posts
Name:
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
thank you everyone for the amazing tips!!!!
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| Posted 6/23/09 1:24 PM |
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jxnoscar
Baby Delicious!
Member since 8/06 4156 total posts
Name:
Nancy
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We go EVERY year with my inlaws. We stay at Willow Valley, they have tons of kids stuff in and outdoor pools, slides, etc. Beautiful lake where you can feed the ducks.
Go to kitchen kettle for hayrides
As for dinner there are TONS of chain restaurants but just 7 minutes away is a Japenese, Hibachi restaurant called Ichiban. Make reservations. It's EXCELLENT!
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| Posted 6/23/09 1:56 PM |
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jellybean78
:)
Member since 8/06 13103 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
We have gone the past two years in a row. We stay at the Best Western Eden Resort...I love that place. Dutch Wonderland is great too..the water park is awesome. Have fun!!
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| Posted 6/23/09 2:27 PM |
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Re: Talk to me about Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster....help for our family/my birthday trip
Someone told me to check out the Cherry Crest farm. We didn't have time but it looks similar to White Post Farms.
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| Posted 6/23/09 2:41 PM |
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