The 2017 Ford Explorer is on the top of my new car wish list. I love my current SUV, but the poor thing is 11 years old and nearing 200,000 miles. It has a dent on one side (thanks to an ice storm and a mailbox) and several, um, "quirks" in its old age. I've tested a few 2016 and 2017 vehicles in the past year or two, and I am impressed by the Ford Explorer. The 2017 Ford Explorer has industry-leading safety features like inflatable rear outboard safety belts and front passenger knee airbags. The 2017 also offers an all-new Sport Appearance Package, which
features a darker grille, 20-inch wheels, and black roof racks. It's a beautiful and comfortable vehicle!
The most popular upgrade in the 2017 Ford Explorer is probably the new SYNC 3 interface, which simplifies the system for the user. SYNC 3 is the latest
version of Ford’s communications and entertainment system. It performs faster and is more intuitive than prior versions. SYNC 3 also has more conversational
voice recognition and a smartphone-like touchscreen. - - - Note: Ford Southeast is providing my family with a 2017 Ford Explorer for our December holiday adventures in exchange for sharing this info and photos along the way. All opinions are 100% mine.
It's almost Thanksgiving! Which, of course, means that Christmas events and attractions are open all around the Atlanta area. Our favorite metro family attractions have special holiday lights, shows, and magical fun. Stone Mountain Christmas
Opened this year on November 12th, Stone Mountain Christmas is back with more sparkle than ever. Over two million lights and cheerful sounds will surround you at Stone Mountain Park. New for this season: character experiences with Rudolph, Clarice, and friends at Rudolph's Merry Little Meet and Greet, the Skylights Spectacular musical walk-through, and Rudolph The Red-Nosed-Reindeer 4-D! Plus, beloved favorites the holiday train, snow angel snowfall, and holiday fireworks have returned. Center for Puppetry Arts: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
"Rudolph soars back into town for this faithful
adaptation of the wonderful holiday tradition that speaks to the misfit
in all of us." This shows sells out quickly, so do not delay. Contact the Center for Puppetry Arts to see if you can still catch this holiday classic. You will feel like you are in your childhood television!
How do you plan your Disney Parks vacation with Disney Fast Pass+? Do you get the most out of your park day by planning ahead and finding the best ways to have shorter wait times?
I am a Disney Parks planning fanatic. We visit at least one Disney park every few years, and I spend a lot of time planning, looking at ride wait times, and scheduling calendar reminders so I can get the Disney Fast Pass+ plans that we need. (Planning ahead also means we can get the dinner reservations we want - did you know you can make Disney Parks and Disney Resorts restaurant reservations 180 days in advance? For the most popular character experiences, you need to do just that.) Tips for making the most of your Disney vacation by scheduling Disney Fast Pass+: #1 - Know when you can reserve. If you are not staying at an on-property resort hotel, you can book Fast Pass+ 30 days in advance. If you are staying on property, you can book 60 days in advance plus the length of your stay. Look up the details that pertain to your own visit and mark that date on your calendar. I jump on the My Disney Experience app at the earliest moment so I have my full pick of the Disney Fast Pass+ options. This is really important if you want a Fast Pass for some of the most popular attractions like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom or the brand new Frozen attraction at Epcot. Princess and Mickey character meet-and-greets also book up almost instantly.
#2 - Get the My Disney Experience app - and use it. This is your lifeline to planning your Disney Parks vacation. You can book restaurants, experiences, Fast Passes, and keep all reservations and info for your entire family in one place. The app is also the best way to know what ride wait times are like on the days you visit and to quickly snap up any extra Disney Fast Pass+ reservations after the initial ones are used. You can also use park maps to make sure you are not scheduling Fast Passes in a way that leaves you running cross-park several times.
The Center for Puppetry Arts provided my family with free tickets to preview the newest show, Old MacDonald's Farm, this past weekend.All
opinions, as always, are 100% mine.
Kermit the Frog and creator Jim Henson cut the ribbon to open the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta when I was just a few months old. What began as a collection of puppets and community involvement has grown into a fantastic museum experience and a jam-packed calendar of shows and events.
The Worlds of Puppetry Museum offers a few hands-on experiences for the young visitors, plus a perfect mix of history and contemporary
entertainment via many puppetry exhibits. I was fascinated by puppets from the 1800s. My daughter was excited to see a scene from the movie
Coraline (which, by the way, we learned took 18 months to create and two years of pre-production). Our little guy was especially thrilled to see Elmo and Bert and Ernie. And of course, I have a nostalgic soft spot for the Fraggles!
