Do you have a child that wants to be able to see things that are out of vision while they are walking with you?  Have you ever been on vacation and wondered what other options you have for your child rather?  Well we were given the opportunity to review the PiggyBack Rider system.

What is the PiggyBack Rider?  The PiggyBack Rider is like a backpack, but it is for an adult to wear on the back, and children stand up in it.  If your child can successfully navigate a staircase then they are ready for this.

We tried out the PiggyBack Rider with our neighbors child.  A friend of ours tried it out while in Disney World.  It is now being tried out by my sister-in-law.  Her review will be posted as soon as she is finished doing a thorough test drive.

Our neighbors son loves to be in the mix with everything.  He loved being able to see what we could see.  He didn’t like the harness much, but he learned to deal with it.  We found the PiggyBack Rider to be convenient, and it wasn’t uncomfortable at all.  The only noticeable thing about the system is that if the child shifts, moves, or falls off the adult will immediately notice.  Hubby and I both wish that this was around when our daughter was the right size for this.  I never got to try it out because he was having fun.

Here is the recommendation… According to hubby, and our friends this is an excellent idea.  It is a must have for children.

Some important notes…

• The PiggyBack Rider has a weight limit of 60 lbs.
• This can be used without any assistance.

The PiggyBack Rider has additional options available like a carrying bag that seconds as a pouch, a sac, and also as a mudflap.  Check out some of the videos HERE.

Photos will follow, but for now I have included a photo that the company has available.

The PiggyBack Rider has a MSRP of $79.99 + flat rate shipping.  You can purchase a PiggyBack Rider by going to the PiggyBack Rider store, or by checking through a list of retailers that carry it.

The double pack sells for $9.99 but you can also get them in single packs for $5.99 or pick up some more accessory packs for $4.99.  They also have play sets that are priced from $19.99 to $24.99.  The price seems very reasonable for this toy.  It’s sure to be a big hit this Christmas, and they can even make great stocking suffers.  Keep in mind because of the small removable parts that this is a toy for kid’s ages 4+.  The little one said she loves playing with hers and can’t wait to get more to play with.  These are great for portability too.  They seem to fit almost anywhere.

We were sent a double pack of Mix Pups so as to review the product.  Receiving this product had no effect on our review.

Located on International Drive in Orlando, Florida is a place called CocoKey Hotel and Water Park.  Conveniently located on the I-Drive Trolley Route this is a full featured resort.  They have a 54,000 square foot water park, multiple pools, 1000 square foot fitness center, party room (for birthdays, and more), game room, restaurants, and more.  The resort is conveniently located within distance to many stores, and attractions.  Here’s the best part of the resort… You don’t have to be a resort guest to use the water park.  All you have to do is purchase a day pass.  Rooms at CocoKey are priced from $99 to $149.  CocoKey offers complimentary transportation to Universal orlando, Sea World/Aquatica, and Wet N Wild.

We were invited to stay at the resort to give a honest review of the facility, and the service.  Being we are Disney people we also were not surprised to find out that the property was also originally a Hilton Inn South, but that it was used by Disney in the 70′s to train their employees before they went to the Contemporary.  The main pool still has a “Mickey” shaped pool.

Upon pulling in we went into the main building, and approached the front desk.  We were immediatelly taken care of by courteous staff.  During check in we were informed that a $50 charge was being made to our credit card.  This was to cover miscellanous charges.  The wristbands can have full charging capability if you choose.  We were fully checked in within 5 minutes.  We were given wristbands for the water park, and room keys.  The room we got in building 6 on the 4th floor was looking towards the water park, and I-4.  We drove around the back of the hotel, and parked.  There are 10 buildings of rooms.

For Halloween the resort had a “Trick or Treat” where the children went to stations, and received silly bandz.  After receiving her silly bandz the children received a free ice cream.

The rooms have wireless internet, flat panel tvs, coffee maker, and hair dryer.  Each room configuration is different based on your reservation / needs.  Each room receives daily housekeeping from a very polite, and hospitable staff.  The resort also has security patrolling 24hours a day.

There is a Pizza Hut Express located in the restaurant area as well as Tradewinds Restaurant.  Currently Tradewinds is offering Kids Eat Free (with purchase of adult meal)  The restaurants are conveniently located next to the water park, and the game room.

When you want to go swimming or in the water park just stop by the desk by the water park, and pick up towels.  Each of the slides has size, and weight restrictions for everyones safety.

Minnow Laggoon (For Younger Children)

Parrots Perch

An awesome interactive jungle gym adventure for younger children featuring a zero depth entry PLUS a 400 gallon bucket of tipping water fun! Height Requirement: 36” and 40”

Full Size Slides (1 and 2 person)

There is a pool called Coral Reef Cove in between the Minnow Laggoon, and Parrots Perch.  This pool has a slide, and the pool is heated.

There are 10 locations throughout the U.S.  Check the CocoKey website for more information.

Our daughter enjoyed the resort water park, and the large tv in the room.  We enjoyed the convenience of being able to walk to some of the area attractions, and also the small drive time to get to other area attractions.  We give the resort a 10 out of 10 because we didn’t find any problems, or issues.

We were given a complimentary stay at CocoKey in exchange for a honest review of the facility, staff, and more.  Receiving this had no effect on our review.

While on vacation in Orlando, Florida one of the dinner shows we went to was the Pirates Dinner Adventure.  Pirates Dinner Show is conveniently located to the hotels on International Drive.  This is where we stayed.  When we arrived we were a little surprised that you had to pay $3.00 for parking.  At the window before you go in you are given the option to upgrade your meal for an extra fee.  We chose to not upgrade and still had a good time.  You can also upgrade your dinner experience to Governors VIP for an additional $25.  This entitles you to access the VIP Lounge, VIP Bar, VIP Bathroom, a visit from the princess, souvenier hat and beads, and a few other small things.

When entering you are lead in to a big hall room where you get to see a pre show and given complimentary appetizers.  They also have a face painter who will paint the kids or your face for a small fee and a very small gift shop.  Being a show based on pirates the one thing that I found a little odd was the only time that I saw any gold coins is when you first get there by the front door when you walk in.  I also thought they would have used a lot more in there decorations or even have a place where you could buy gold coins in the gift shop.  After our pirate lead us to or table to be seated Leeann, and I were asked if we would like to volunteer to be in the show.  We were surprised that our daughter said yes because she is shy in these types of situations.

Guests are allowed 2 complimentary soft drinks, or beer.  First you are given the option of soup or salad.  I had chicken & seafood in butter garlic sauce while hubby and daughter had chicken and pork with mushroom sauce.  The chicken and port were delicious.  Either meal comes with rice and potatoes.  The potatoes seemed a bit dry.  There is a vegetarian meal available upon request.  This show was very entertaining, and the food and service was fast and friendly.  I also thought that it was really cool that you sit around a big boat that the show was performed on making it so everyone had a good view no matter where they sat.  If you can control where to sit try to be seated more toward the middle, as a few things are slightly distracting.  For dessert we had apple cobler with ice cream.  After the show is over you also get invited to stay for a buccaneer disco party bash.  This is also a good time to get photos with your favorite pirates.

The cost of the ticket is well worth the amount after you consider the entertainment you get before during and after the show but the food and service were also worth it.  The only disappointing thing was the fact that they charge you for parking especially with the price you pay for tickets.

Opening in 2010 is an adult only show called the Treasure Tavern.  Not much information is available at this time because It wasn’t open yet.

**As members of the media we were given 2 complimentary tickets to go and review the show, and food at Pirates Dinner Show.  Our review was not effected by the complimentary tickets.  As always my reviews are completely truthfull.

Today we got to go to the Highland Manor for brunch while we were in Florida. The Highland Manor is set back on a Horse Farm setting. It is the same place that served as home for Thomas McBride, and wife Helen McBride in the early 1900′s. Upon pulling into the property you drive past several landmarks that have been there for many, many years.

There are 3 brunch times available. Brunch costs $20 per adult. If you want a bottomless Mimosa / champagne added just include another $5. You can also have a bottomless Bloddy Mary for $10. First I had eggs benedict, sausages, and a fresh made omelet. The chef takes the order for your omelet, and then someone brings it to your table. The eggs benedict were excellent, and my uncle “L” would have appreciated them if he was here. Second serving I had waffles that were filled with larger than normal portions of blueberries. There was a meat carving station, but I was very stuffed by this point. There was also a section with fish, broccoli covered with sauce, mashed potatoes, chicken tenders, biscuits in a chicken stew. (At least that is what it seemed to be.) The dessert spread was rather nice. There were cookies, mini muffins, mini pumpkin pies, rice crispy treats, and a ice cream station with a lot of different toppings. Several of the desserts were decorated for the Halloween holiday. You can see the brunch menu by clicking HERE.

There was a lady playing the harp during the meal. Our server Gerald was very polite. The price for the brunch was good for the quality, and the amount of food that you can eat.

After brunch we got to take a tour of the facility. We were shown through the home and we got to see photos of the location when it was first a doctors house / business. We weren’t allowed to go to the 3rd floor because of many reasons, and one being there have been many instances of ghostly happenings. We got to see one of the wedding halls, and in it is a bar that was originally in New Orleans. There is a chapel on grounds, and a sales office which originally had many businesses in it back in the day. The chapel is still used to this day, and can accomodate up to 100 people.

The Arrowsmith at the Highland Manor serves lunch from 11am to 2:30pm Tuesday through Saturday, and dinner from 5pm through 10pm Tuesday through Saturday.

Check out my Disney site DisneyContestBlog.Com for an interesting piece of history that not many people know about. I have a picture from when Disney was involved in things that are not well known about in this time.

**We were given a discount on our meal for reviewing the facility, and the meal. We have not considered this in our review. Our review is totally truthful in every aspect.

This year the little one got to pick out a Halloween costume from Disguise.com.  She picked out one from the fairylicious category.  It is called the Aqua Fairy #2307.  We went off the size and figured that a size 7-9 young adult would fit her.  We got the costume within 4-5 days of picking it out.  When I took it out of the box you could see that it was not a cheaply made costume.  When I took the costume out of the package some of the faux fur strips did shed, and even though the crown is made of a rubbery plastic the side hair combs were broken on it.  But that was just because of the way they boxed it for shipping and the company said they would send me a new one to replace it.

For the parents that don’t appreciate a child showing more than necessary all you need to add is some sort of tights to avoid the dress slipping up in the wind.  You can get optional pieces from Disguise.com such as fishnet stockings, and a choker.

Now we come to the big test of her trying it on to make sure that it fits without any problems.  Now I must say hubby and I felt that she looked great in it, and it fit just fine.  The little one felt that it was too tight for her even after I explained to her that it’s because the sides are made out of a spandex material to help form fit the person wearing the outfit.  Not remembering that she hates tight things was my mistake when I picked out the size.  Now she’s upset that she has to pick out a new one because they were out of the next size.  With lots of cool different costumes to pick from on the disguise.com web site I’m sure it won’t be hard for her to find a new one.

Keep in mind that costumes aren’t just for Halloween.

We received the costume so as to review the quality, and the product in general.  Our review was not effected by receiving the costume.  As always this review is 100% opinion.

In my family we love to eat microwave popcorn.  It’s something that we often have as a snack.  I try to get the light butter flavor ones, and even 100 calorie bags because they are better for us.  No matter what I get hubby always likes to add melted butter to his popcorn because he says it tastes better.  So when I got the Pop Weaver extra butter popcorn to try out I found it funny that he didn’t add any extra butter to his popcorn.  He said it was good the way it was.  It had more of a buttery taste than the light one, or 100 calorie packs that I have gotten in the past.  What he didn’t know is that it’s made with canola oil, and that’s a lot better for him than melted butter is.  In every full bag there’s only 2g of saturated fat, and NO Trans fat.  Being that I diet I am always looking for things that I can snack on that won’t throw my numbers off too much.  I would say that this works to be one of the best weight loss supplements that I could use.  There are 260 calories, but that’s for a full bag.  I was not sure if the bag would pop alright because of the canola oil but I will say that in every bag we had very little kernels left over.

I would definitelly recommend the Pop Weaver popcorn, and I will try to get this anytime I am looking for popcorn for the house.  Being the fact that there is Canola oil, and NO trans fat this would be one of the best things that I could have been offered to try out.

I received a package of Pop Weaver popcorn so as to try out the product.  Receiving this product did not effect my opinion of the popcorn.  As always my review is honest, and true.

Using the “Brew Over Ice” K-Cups is very easy… All you do is put ice in your cup, and run the K-Cup through like normal.  (Use the 6oz. or 8oz. setting)  Add your extras as necessary, and that’s it.

You can purchase them by going to the Keurig site.  Prices start at $13.95 for a box of 22.

We give the “Brew Over Ice” K-Cups a 8 out of 10. 

We were given 2 sample packs of “Brew Over Ice” K-Cups so as to try out the product.  Receiving product does not influence our reviews in any manner.

New for this summer are Green Mountain Coffee^®Nantucket Blend^®and French Vanilla Iced Coffee in K-Cups. Both are based on the popular hot versions of their namesakes, but are specially blended to provide full flavor when brewed into a cup of ice.

For iced tea lovers, two new Celestial Seasonings^® Perfect Iced Teas are debuting: Half and Half (part black tea, part lemonade) and Southern Sweet Tea. These new K-Cups join the four Perfect Iced Tea varieties introduced last summer: Sweet Lemon Black Tea, Sweet Peach Black Tea, Sweet Raspberry Black Tea and Black Tea Unsweetened.

The kit comes with all of the following…

Oil of Love: This oil warms up when rubbed, and has an Indian smell to it.

Massage Cream: Tasting of vanilla this edible cream is very smooth on the skin, and has Vitamin E.

Honey Dust:  The honey dust comes in a black cloth pouch, and also comes with a feather duster.  The honey dust adds sweet taste to anything.

The feather duster is a very nice addition to the creams, oils, and dust.  This helps add some fun to any kit.  The kit comes in a plastic covering.  The inside of the box is cardboard.  The only problem we had was that the first kit we received had some sort of shipping problem with the Oil, as the oil was all over the box.  This is possibly an oversight in packaging, but EdenFantasys took care of it.  I was surprised that the honey powder came in a plastic bag, and not a canister, or something.  It didn’t seem like there was much honey powder, but that could have also been that some of the honey powder ended up at the bottom of the box.  At the bottom of the box is “Shreaded Paper” that makes the kit look nice initially.  I got rid of mine because I couldn’t make everything fit with the paper.

The kit sells for @$50.  You can check it out by looking on the EdenFantasys site.

This kit adds to romance by giving you more to do than usual.  I give the kit a 9 out of 10.  I took off 1 because of the original shipping issue.

Recently I was given the opportunity to review a new type of shoe called Cityslips.  They are a foldable, and portable ballet flat type of shoe.  I found Cityslips to be very comfortable, and a easily portable shoe that comes with a carrying case whick makes it easy to take them anywhere.  The carrying case is no larger in size than a cosmetic bag, and you can conveniently store your flats in it when you don’t need them.  The same carrying case also unzips into a full size tote bag to hold your original footwear.  Cityslips are very stylish, and come in a variety of colors, and materials making it so there’s no reason to sacrifice fashion to have comfort.  Cityslips can be worn just about anywhere like at home, office, weddings, dancing, or even when you’re your commuting.  They are great to use anytime that you want to give your weary feet a rest from high heels.  Also coming soon from Cityslips is foldable flip flops that also come with an expanding carrying case for heels.  When I used the shoes last time I put my wallet, and my electronic cigarette pack in the tote.  I am going to give them a very lengthy test when I go back to Disney World.  That will be a true test.  It is a very convenient setup.  The Cityslips retail for $24.95.

Cityslips are now available at Cravings Boutique in Wayne, NJ.

The Utterly Yours™ Breast Pillow provides the most optimal and comfortable breast support for nursing. It resolves the tiresome – and painful to the wrist – act of having to physically support your breast throughout each feeding to make sure baby stays latched on.

Benefits

• Lifts and Supports
• Holds breast in position for hands-free nursing
• Easy to care for and easy to use
• Comfortable against the skin
• Incredibly compact – small enough to take with you
• Cover is machine washable
• Made With Eco-Friendly Memory Foam

Check out their site, and their products by going to the Utterly Yours site.

Our sister-in-law, “B” gave this a try recently, and here is her review.

This product seems to be targeted more towards larger breasted women, therefore if you are a “C” cup, the pillow may be a little big.  The size chart is very accurate so be sure to order correctly.  I found that the product was very easy to use, however it is difficult to wear a nursing bra when using the pillow.  The pillow lifts, and supports your breast.  It holds your breast in position for hands-free nursing.  It is easy to care for, and easy to use.  I would recommend this for larger breasted woman.  For me I found the baby used it more as a headrest.

We were sent a breast pillow as to review the product.  Receiving the product had no influence on our review.

For more information visit the Frappuccino site.

I was sent a package of the Starbucks drinks so as to review the product.  My receiving of the product had no influence on the review.

We were allowed to review the Flip MinoHD by Flip.  We got the Brushed Metal design, but there are other customization options available at the Flip Store.  I usually use my MiniDV Sony video camera when we go to Disney World, but I didn’t want to lug it around, and this was a great opportunity to put it to the test.  The camera is small enough to fit in your pocket, and very lightweight.  It is also very easy to use.

With the included FlipShare software it is very user friendly to download, and upload your videos.  You can share the videos by email, FlipChannel, YouTube, and greeting cards.  If you want to do more with your videos, then you can create a movie for playback, a dvd, and you can also create still photos from the videos.

You can playback your videos on the screen, pc, or plug it into an HDMI connected to your tv.  I did see one accessory that I am interested in, and that is the FlipShare TV.  This makes it so you can send your videos to your tv without hooking it up directly.  Check it out HERE.  You charge the unit by plugging it into a USB port on your computer.  There is an included tether, and pouch for easy carrying.  You can purchase a power adapter in case you need power, and don’t have your laptop, or computer.

What I didn’t like is that it is limited to 2 hours.  I wish there had been a way to use additional memory cards if necessary.  The only other problem I found with the MinoHD is that they don’t work well in low-light situations.

I will be putting some of the videos up on YouTube, but for now you can check out one of the videos we took while in Disney World.

Here are the specifications…

2″ Diagonal screen

960 x 240 Screen resolution

HDMI Connector

1280 x 720 Video Resolution

30 Frames Per Second

2x Digital zoom

The MinoHD has a MSRP of $229.99.

The MinoHD is available at many local retailers, or by going to the Flip Store.

I would definitelly recommend the Flip MinoHD to anyone that is looking for an easy to use video camera.  This is going to be something I will use time, and time again.

Thanks to Flip we were given a Flip MinoHD unit so as to review the product.

Receiving the product had no influence on our review, and our review is just that.

It’s a Disney’s Fairies balloon playset.  The new toy will hit the stores in the spring of 2010.  This one will have a Terence Fairy in it.  Terence is new to the fairies line of toys.  I’m sorry if that is not true, but that’s straight from my little one’s mouth, and she knows more about them than me.  This toy’s suggested retail price is $19.99.  It contains 11 small pieces so it wouldn’t be any good for children under 3 years old.  You can close up your balloon, and go on a journey whereever your mind takes you.  My little one says she can fly to Neverland with Terence, and save Tinker Bell from the evil fairies.  I hope this doesn’t mean that I want to take this, and the million other toys she has to Disney with us because there’s no room in the car. 

My niece was over playing with the little one, and her new toy.  She liked it so much that she asked her daddy if she could get one.  After seeing the toy he said it was cool, and asked me how much it cost.  When I told him the suggested retail price he thought that was a little high for a toy.  He said for something like this he would pay $14.99.  I did explain to him that toys are not cheap, and that this is a suggested price if they do make it $19.99.  Toys do go on sale.  In seeing how much he liked it I asked him if he felt it’s a toy that a boy could play with.  He thought it was cool for a boy, or a girl.  My overall review of this toy is that $19.99 is a little high, but it’s a well made toy.

JAKKS Pacific is bringing the #1 Disney channel series for kid’s ages 6+ to aisles this spring.  It’s those crazy boys Phineas and Ferb.  The toys are called Eye Buggers.  They are squeezable toys, and when you squeeze their belly their eyes bug out of their head.  They are like those little farm animals from years ago, but these are bigger, and the eyes are covered in plastic so they are not sticky.  This obviously protects them from getting dirty.

There are four different ones to choose from.  I was sent the Phineas one, but they do also have Ferb, Dr.Doofenshmirtz, and Perry.  If your kids like Phineas and Ferb then they’ll love this toy no matter what their age.  My family thinks I’m nuts because when they drive me crazy I give Phineas a squeeze, and when his eyes bug out I ask “Do you see what you’re doing to me.”  The little one thinks it’s so funny, and  she can’t stop laughing, but hubby just thinks I have lost my mind.

The suggested retail price is $5.99.  I think that this is a reasonable price for this toy.  I could see kids ages 6+ having lots of fun with the Phineas and Ferb Eye Buggers.  I know my family does.

I was sent a Phineas Eye Bugger so as to review the product.  Receiving the product had no influence on my review.