Blog About It All: February 2023

February 19, 2023

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Mardi Gras Festival

Disclosure: This post is a sponsored post in collaboration with Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. While our family receives these benefits to share our experiences on our blog, all reviews and opinions expressed here are my own.

Make plans now to go to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA for the Mardi Gras Festival. The food is AMAZING!!!! Our family always has a great time when we visit Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, we especially like that they have rides for all ages. You'll find Thrill rides for your theme park thrill enthusiasts as well as fun rides in the Looney Tunes Seaport Village for the younger kids.

The Mardi Gras Festival is only here on select dates in February, if you are a foodie and love seafood, you definitely want to go. They have all kinds of Mardi Gras-inspired foods like Gumbo, Fried Okra, Beignets, and more! Be sure to pick up a Mardi Gras Festival Guide when you enter the park, it has a list of all the limited-time foods, beverages and desserts with a map to help you locate each location.

We arrived right at the opening and we were able to do all the rides in the DC Universe area super quick. In the DC Universe, you'll find Batman, The Joker, Superman Ultimate Flight, and Wonder Woman. I watched from the ground as the kids went on Wonder Woman and WOW, that ride goes crazy high and reaches 68 MPH! After we conquered DC Universe we headed to lunch.

We enjoyed lunch at the Cajun Kitchen which is right near DC Universe and towards the back side of the Looney Tunes Seaport area. You'll find a feast of Shrimp Boil with Sausage, Corn on the Cob, Potatoes, and Cornbread, they also have a Shrimp and Grits plate here. Everything was so delicious! There were six of us in our group and we didn't even finish everything, I think this tray could easily feed 6-10 people, especially if you have younger children.

After lunch, we enjoyed the Tiger Show at Odin's Temple of the Tiger and then headed to Seaport Sweets to find those Mardi Gras-themed Beignets. You can find Seaport Sweets near the Wave Swinger ride. The beignets were warm and covered in powdered sugar. They have two options, a traditional beignet, and a chocolate-filled beignet. Each order comes with six beignets and they are $7.99 for the traditional and $8.99 for the chocolate-filled beignets. I highly recommend making time in your day for the animal show experiences, you will see amazing animals, and the shows are educational and entertaining.

We headed to Oasis Plaza where they have the Medusa Ride, Sky Screamer, Kong, Cobra, and more! Our kids love Medusa and I love Sky Screamer, this is the ultimate definition of airtime with a spectacular view! Sky Screamer goes up 150 Feet in the air and reaches a top speed of 43 MPH.

The kids were ready for more delicious food, so we headed to the French Quarter Café to try the Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich. You can find the French Quarter Café, near the back side of Looney Tunes Seaport Village. The kids LOVED it, the bread looked scrumptious as well as the fried shrimp. You can also get Festival Fried Okra at this location. The Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich is $17.99, Festival Fried Okra is $6.99 and they have a Big Easy Shrimp Boil available here for $24.99.

We headed towards the main food court area to find Bourbon Street Eats to try the New Orleans King Cake Cinnamon Roll ($8.99). This Mardi Gras-inspired cinnamon roll was so festive, it had purple, green, and yellow sprinkles on top of the cinnamon icing, so festive and cute! This was a big hit with everyone as well! At Bourbon Street Eats you can also get a Classic Mint Julep Beverage and they have Gumbo! Chicken and Sausage Gumbo over Rice with Cornbread ($14.99) or a Chicken, Shrimp, and Sausage Gumbo option over Rice with Cornbread ($18.99).

You can also enjoy Carnival Churros and Big Easy Cotton Candy at the Mardi Gras Festival Food Carts located throughout the park.

They also have Mardi Gras-themed adult beverages, a Hurricane at JB's Sports Bar, and at Oasis Club a French 75 Beverage, and Carnival Queen Beverage.

We loved listening to the Mardi Gras-themed music throughout the park, we saw a few live performances and they also had a fun character dance party. One of my favorite parts of visiting Six Flags is photos with the Looney Tune Characters.

I highly recommend buying a season pass, it is so worth it! You'll get to enjoy the park all year long! We've done this at different times over the years and it is a great way to enjoy summer vacation with the kids as well as partake in all the holiday festivities during the rest of the year. I really do love that they do a variety of holiday-themed weeks or weekends such as this Mardi Gras Festival. They bring in limited-time food items, and special entertainment, and decorate the park! I also recommend purchasing a refillable souvenir cup, we do this every year, so worth it!

A parenting note, please discuss with your children the importance of listening to the ride attendants. As we were in line waiting to get on Sky Screamer, the group ahead of us, had someone who was asked repeatedly to put their phone away, they had to stop the ride and have that person get off the ride. I understand how cool it would be to have that photo or video clip, I love taking photos and videos but I am also very grateful for the safety precautions that are in place. The ride attendants kindly tell everyone before the ride begins no phones are allowed and that the ride will be stopped. So I just don't understand how after all that, people still continue to disobey. It stinks for everyone on the ride, of course, they were given the option to remain other than the person on their phone, but it still takes time to go through the entire procedure to start back up.

Thank you for reading, if you would like to see more of our fun at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, check out our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or our YouTube Channel. Thank you again for your support of our blog and social media channels we appreciate each and every one of you! I hope you will take a road trip to Vallejo, CA, and enjoy the Mardi Gras Festival at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

February 16, 2023

Disney on Ice Road Trip Adventures Review February 2023

Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

We attended the opening night of Disney on Ice "Road Trip Adventures" this is the first time this show has come to Sacramento. I absolutely loved this show, it is such a treat anytime Disney magic skates into town here in Sacramento at the Golden 1 Center. You can watch this show now through Presidents Day Monday, February 20th, 2023. To save and receive $5 off select seats use Discount Code: FORKY or FB5. If you want a sneak peek of this show check out my TikTok or Instagram Stories @BlogAboutItAll.

Disney On Ice Road Trip Adventures takes families on a fun-fueled excursion to iconic Disney destinations. Disney on Ice really does a great job entertaining both young and those young at heart! We were so excited about this NEW show because it has Mary Poppins and the Incredibles!!!

The show opens with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and their friends, Donald and Goofy ready to take you along for a road trip adventure. The first stop on this road trip is to Mary Poppins and crew, which was simply beautiful. The lamp posts and the entire set on the ice make the story come alive. After Mary Poppins, The Incredibles dash onto the scene, and the music had me reminiscing about the Incredicoaster at Disneyland. After The Incredibles you'll sail the ocean with Moana, travel to somewhere cold with Frozen, and set your worries aside with the Lion King as you sing Hakuna Matata. Mickey and his friends make appearances between each performance. There is an intermission break so everyone can grab some snacks, stretch and use the restrooms.

After intermission, the show continues with Toy Story on a mission to find Forky and then Aladdin, but not the usual Aladdin, that we've seen at other shows, this one had scenes with Will Smith on the large screens. The screens were so neat and interactive, specifically the round center one, that lowered onto the ice throughout this show. I loved the scenes with Will Smith, it made the Aladdin portion new and fresh. After Aladdin, all the princesses make an appearance and after their performance, all the characters from the show join them on the ice.

When I asked my kids which part of the show was their favorite, they said The Incredibles and Aladdin, my favorite was Mary Poppins and Aladdin. I love how Disney on Ice changes up each show, no matter how many times you've been there are elements of surprise. We always love the pyrotechnics, my kids loved the ice lighting on fire during The Incredibles. It always amazes me, how talented the ice skaters are, they not only ice skate but fly through the air doing some pretty cool acrobatics.

To have Disney on Ice in town on a three-day weekend is a treat, be sure to reserve your tickets now, because these shows do sell out. What a fun way to spend Monday, Presidents Day, when the kids are off school! Something new they have is Character Experience packages you can add to your Disney on Ice Tickets, prices vary depending on which day and time you attend. On the website, it lists an interactive time, a dance party, and crafting time with special guest characters. Look for signs that will point you to the character experience.

S A C R A M E N T O Remaining Shows:

WHEN:

Friday, February 17th at 7:00 PM

Saturday, February 18th at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, February 19th at 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

Monday, February 20th at 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

WHERE:

Golden 1 Center – 500 David J. Stern Walk, Sacramento, CA 95814

TICKETS:

Family-friendly ticket pricing available – tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or visit the venue box office during regular hours

*Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand.

For more local event information please visit:

Disney on Ice Road Trip Adventures Sacramento

Things to know before you go:

Golden 1 Center has a no-bag policy. Only small clutches and wallets smaller than 8"x6"x1" are allowed, they are strict on this, so leave your purses and bags at home, or consolidate them into a small fanny pack size bag. They permit infant bags and medical bags. All bags must go through an X-ray machine.

Arrive Early - Give yourself plenty of time to locate your parking spot, get through the security checkpoints, and find your seats. Another benefit to arriving early is you will avoid the long lines at the concession stands.

The concession stands accept Apple Pay, which I love because then I just need my phone. They had Disney on Ice merch and souvenirs for sale as well as snow cones, popcorn, and Golden 1 Center Food (nachos, hot dogs, pizza, and more).

Popcorn is $20, and it comes with a tote bag or Mickey bucket. Cotton Candy comes with a crown. They have quite a few different Snow Cone cup styles, prices vary depending on which cup you choose, some $12, $16, and $20. Our favorite snacks are cotton candy and popcorn. We always get Sno-Cones, our kids love drinking out of the sno-cone souvenir cups at home after the event.

Best Golden 1 Center Deal - The Refillable Souvenir Cup! At only $10 you will receive unlimited refills and a souvenir cup to take home. Show your Souvenir Cup at the counter and they will give you free refills. Be sure to refill before intermission, they do stop giving refills right around that time.

Bring your ears! If you have Disney Park ears, feel free to wear them, it is so fun seeing everyone in their ears. They did have some cool light-up ears for $25.

Length of Disney on Ice - Each show is two hours long, and there is a brief intermission in the middle, which gives you time to use the restroom, stretch your legs and purchase yummy treats! I recommend going right before intermission, (45-55 minutes after start time) because the lines get pretty long for both the restrooms and concessions if you wait until the house lights go on. Or if you can wait about fifteen minutes after intermission, you won't have to wait in long lines.

Parking - You can reserve your parking spot ahead of time at SacPark.org. You can also use the Spot Hero App. We typically park at the Wells Fargo Center (400 Capitol Mall), it is a short walk, and in a building elevators have you exit right next to the Il Fornaio Restaurant. The Wells Fargo Center Parking Garage costs $13. There is always a crowd of people walking to nearby parking, and security at the nearby crosswalks.

If your little ones have Disney costumes, feel free to bring them dressed in costume, I love seeing all the mini Disney princesses and mini superheroes. If you would like to see some glimpses of our fun, check out my Instagram stories and follow us on TikTok and Facebook.

Follow Disney On Ice social media channels: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Subscribe to the Disney On Ice YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce

About Feld Entertainment: Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, and Jurassic World Live Tour. Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.

February 14, 2023

Disney on Ice Presents Road Trip Adventures | Sacramento February 16-20, 2023

Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures Takes Families on a Fun-Fueled Excursion to Iconic Disney Destinations. Playing in Sacramento February 16-20, 2023. It is so fun anytime Disney magic comes to you and Disney on Ice really does a great job entertaining both young and those young at heart! We are so excited about this NEW show because it has Mary Poppins!!!

This would be such a fun way to celebrate Valentine's together as a family, even better it is here on Monday, Presidents Day, so the kids are off school! They have Character Experience packages available to add to your Disney on Ice Tickets, prices vary depending on which day and time you attend. On the website, it lists interactive time, a dance party, and crafting with special guest characters.

Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures will whisk families away on an immersive getaway chock-full of magical participatory moments. Featuring new and classic tales, this fun-filled multi-generational experience makes its NorCal debut! Exciting twists and turns await as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and guests of all ages embark on an interactive and memory-rich adventure to iconic Disney destinations. See the world from the rooftops of London with Mary Poppins and Jack and his band of dancing lamplighters. Travel to the sun-soaked Motunui and help Moana restore the heart of Te Fiti. Set off on a safari and snap unforgettable photos of wild cheetahs and monkeys when guests traverse through the Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa. Discover a whole new world and be swept up in Aladdin’s princely parade filled with spectacular stunts, magical moments with Genie, and a brand-new song from Jasmine that will render the audience “Speechless.” Mosey on over to a larger-than-life comedic carnival and team up with Woody and Bo Peep as they search for their new friend Forky. Fans will hit a high note with Mickey and pals while singing along to beloved Disney tunes as they welcome Merida, Belle, Ariel, Mulan and Tiana to the ice.

Families should be prepared for a getaway jam-packed with unexpected hijinks and surprise, up-close character interaction as Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures makes a pitstop right in your hometown!

S A C R A M E N T O

WHEN:

Thursday, February 16th at 7:00 PM

Friday, February 17th at 7:00 PM

Saturday, February 18th at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, February 19th at 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

Monday, February 20th at 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

WHERE:

Golden 1 Center – 500 David J. Stern Walk, Sacramento, CA 95814

TICKETS:

Family-friendly ticket pricing available – tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or visit the venue box office during regular hours

*Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand.

For more local event information please visit:

Disney on Ice Road Trip Adventures Sacramento

Follow Disney On Ice social media channels: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Subscribe to the Disney On Ice YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce

February 10, 2023

Easy Coupon Deals Just Using Your Phone

Something you may not know about me is I used to be really into couponing. Every Sunday I would purchase multiple copies of the Sacramento Bee newspaper, so I could use paper coupons. At one time I even had multiple subscriptions delivered to my house. After many years of doing that and building a stockpile of all kinds of things from cereal to laundry detergent and everything in between, I stepped away from couponing.

I took a break from couponing mostly because once I started my Keto/Low Carb journey I realized many of the coupon deals were junk foods and foods filled with sugar. I would still use my Ibotta App, which I still love, by the way, I just stopped buying the Sacramento Bee newspaper and stopped printing coupons from home.

Couponing is a great way to save money and although many of the deals are for sugary cereals, fruit snacks, and junk food, there are still so many great deals on things you may use. Some of my favorite things to save money on are paper towels, feminine products, laundry detergent, and cleaning supplies.

I am not going to share every deal I come across on my blog or even on my social media accounts, I will only share if it is a super great deal. Right now you can check out a Walgreens deal on Bounty paper towels on my TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, I know everyone participates on different social accounts, so I link them all. You can also check out this great deal on those laundry Downy or Gain scent beads, right now at Target you can earn a $10 gift card when you buy three and there is a $5 off rebate on each one on Ibotta, if you have those offers, you can get $15 back from Ibotta and $10 back from Target and there is a $5 P&G Rebate offer online! Check out that deal here on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. Often times on my Instagram stories I will share Costco deals, and Grocery Outlet Deals, and any time I am out and spot something that is a great price, so go give me a follow if you like to save money! If you are not on social media at all and want the breakdown on these deals send me an email at theblogaboutitall@gmail.com and I'll fill you in.

If you have never couponed or like myself used to but stopped, I encourage you to look into it. Especially now with Apps, you do not even have to cut out paper coupons, there are so many digital ways to save. If you are new to the Ibotta App, use my referral link and once you submit your first receipt, you will receive a sign-up bonus (free money, yes please) and I will also receive a bonus. Here is my link https://ibotta.onelink.me/iUfE/1005cd3f?friend_code=qygfhq.

Now even Coupon.com has a digital App, you select the coupons you want to use, upload your receipt, or link your card, my Walgreens account is already linked. You do have to select the coupons before you shop at the stores where your rewards number is linked. You receive the money in your PayPal account. This is an easy way to save especially on things you were already going to purchase anyways.

My favorite memory of using the Ibotta App, is one year we decided we would not transfer any of the rebates out. You have to reach at least $20 before you can transfer your Ibotta Rebates, you can also purchase gift cards with your Ibotta Rebates or transfer them to your bank account. Back to my story, one year we decided to leave our Ibotta Rebates in the account to see how much we could save, we saved over $500 and we used that money on Christmas presents. I will say it was a year I was doing a lot of couponing. On most months nowadays I earn $20-$40 on Ibotta, as I have cut back on shopping deals. That may not seem like a lot, but the truth is every little bit helps. Again if you use Ibotta on the things you are already buying, why not save a little bit. Ibotta is a great way to try NEW products, they will often do deals labeled free after rebate, many times on new flavors of beverages or a new cereal or granola bar. You can also use Ibotta to give back, our kids' school does a food drive every year and many times I will save up those free after-rebate items, that maybe we wouldn't necessarily eat and don't those items, that is a free way to give back. I really love using Ibotta on feminine products, it's something we all have to purchase why not get $2 back every time you buy them.

I wanted to share those two great deals that you can do this week and I wanted to share about Ibotta because it is such an easy way to save money right from your phone and with egg prices where they are and really all-around prices at the grocery store, we could all use little extra ways to save. I hope you will download Ibotta and give it a try. Another great way to save us use your Ibotta Rebate money and purchase gift cards to your favorite coffee shop or Walmart gift cards they even have restaurant gift cards, hey free money towards date nights! Click here to download Ibotta https://ibotta.onelink.me/iUfE/1005cd3f?friend_code=qygfhq,

Cheers to an amazing 2023 and saving money on everyday things for more coffee money, Disney trips or whatever suits your fancy.

Want to read more on couponing here is an old blog post where I share how I cut my grocery budget in half with the help of couponing, click here. Here is an old blog post where I share 10 simple ways to save when you are having a baby click here. Don't laugh at these posts, they are so old from when I first started blogging and need to be updated.

February 8, 2023

Free Museum Weekend March 4-5, 2023 | Sacramento, CA

Free Museum Weekend is March 4-5th! While you will hear people and see comments saying that it will be packed, we have successfully attended and enjoyed it numerous times. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

First, you do have to register for FREE tickets ahead of time. It is nice to know the Museums are trying to keep it manageable. Tickets will be available on February 21st!

Second, choose a museum that is less popular. Of course, if you choose the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento it is going to be very busy, that is a popular choice on any given weekend. I would also say if you choose the new SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity, that one as well will probably be one of the more popular choices.

Third, arrive early! Most people like to sleep in on the weekends, so I have found when we arrived first thing at the opening, we were able to enjoy ourselves without a ton of crowds. I have witnessed it often, by the time we are leaving, it was definitely picking up in attendance. You could also try the opposite tactic of going later, closer to closing, give yourself at least an hour and a half to explore. I would think that most people are either doing mid-morning or afternoon and that the later time as well is probably a good time to go.

Lastly, guess what, it's FREE, so if you go and it is much more crowded than you like, you can leave without losing out. You went, you tried, switch up your plan to enjoy a park day or whatever. Just pre-warn your children if that is your plan. I would tell my kids "hey let's go check it out, if it is too busy I'll take you guys to the park."

Here is the information from the SacMuseums website: 2023 marks the 25th consecutive year that Sacramento Area Museums have collaborated to present a FREE Museum experience! This year, 20+ amazing museums located throughout the greater Sacramento area are excited to present a two-day FREE Museum Weekend on March 4-5! Similar to last year -- and in an effort to prevent large crowds -- advance tickets are required, capacity is limited, and availability may fluctuate by the museum. All guests must pre-register for free admission, otherwise, regular admission fees will apply. To register for free tickets and/or more information about FREE Museum Weekend and/or Museum Membership Month (happening in March) click here. Stay tuned for more details on additional sponsors, ticket availability, and procedures.

This is not a confirmed list of participation, these are the museums under the Sacramento Museum tab.

With 32 museums and destinations, the Sacramento region is rich in culture, events, and education. Each museum offers unique things to do, learn and experience. Whether you're looking for art, history, science, or wildlife you will find it here.

Aerospace Museum of California - We have done this one on Free Museum Day because you can tour the airplanes outside and tour inside, I felt although it was busy, it wasn't super crowded and again, we arrived right at the opening, we were in and out in just over an hour.

California Agriculture Museum

California Automobile Museum - We've done this one and because the building is large, although busy it did not seem crowded.

California Museum

California State Capitol Museum

California State Library

California State Railroad Museum - I would say this is a popular choice. If you don't mind it being busy, enjoy it, or make another museum choice, we have quite a bit to choose from.

Crocker Art Museum

Don & June Salvatori California Pharmacy Museum

Fairytale Town

Folsom History Museum

Leland Stanford Mansion

Locke Boarding House Museum

Maidu Museum - This would be a great choice, we visited this one on a Free Museum day, and it was not super crowded. There is also an outdoor space and trail to explore so I felt with it being spread out, it didn't feel busy at all.

Museum of Medical History

Roseville Utility Exploration Center - This one has a smaller space, we've done this one and it felt crowded, although it wasn't really that crowded. Just know this one is going to seem busy. I do like this center, it has a library and park all in the same area, so you could enjoy the library and park all in one trip.

SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity - This will be popular because it is new. I still think it will be doable, it is spacious, and if you plan to arrive early or in those later hours, I would think that it would be manageable.

Sacramento Children's Museum - This one is another popular choice, especially with those who have little kids and again works with smaller areas, so just know this one will seem crowded even if it is really not that crowded.

Sacramento History City Cemetery

Sacramento History Museum

Sacramento Regional Fire Museum

Sojourner Truth African American Museum

State Indian Museum

Sutter's Fort - We've done this one on Free Museum Day, we arrived early, and had a great time, you could tell it was getting busier when we were leaving.

Verge Center for the Arts

I love that the Sacramento Museums get together and host these FREE days. It is very helpful for larger families and really with the way prices are up everywhere and for everything, this is helpful for all families of any size small or large. We can all use ways to save a little money, so I appreciate these events.

I hope they will continue to do this annually or even consider doing this twice a year, that would be amazing for families to get out and explore their city and the amazing museums we have near us.

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