Hockey Night Out

Ever wish you could take your family to a Vancouver Canucks game, only to look at the ticket prices and have your mouth hang open in shock? Canucks games have quickly become a place for business and not a place for families.

But, have you ever thought of taking your family to a different game? A game that you could take your family of 4 to for the cost of 1 Canucks Ticket?

There are a few teams that are exciting, fast paced, and fun! Go see the up and comers of the NHL and see the Vancouver Giants, Chilliwack Bruins or the Abbotsford Heat. The Vancouver Giants and the Chilliwack Bruins are made up of teens from 15 to 20 years old who will be, or have already been, drafted for the NHL. They have skill and want to play professional hockey. They put on a good show every night and will knock you off your socks. The Abbotsford heat are the farm team for the Calgary Flames (I know I know... booooooooooo!). They are constantly trying to prove themselves to make it to the NHL by being called up to Calgary when they need another player or if someone gets injured.

Price for a WHL game (Giants or Bruins) is $20 or under.
Price for a AHL game (Heat) is $15-$45

Toons for Tots

More animated movies are making it into the theater these days and more families are going. Are you wondering if your kids will sit through a movie in a movie theater? Wondering if they'll have a melt down and all other movie goers will be throwing popcorn at you? Well, start with this!! Toons for Tots is movies especially for preschool aged children. They are held in smaller theaters across Canada (but mostly in Ontario), are inexpensive, and child appropriate. This month is Thomas and Friends: Misty Island Rescue. If you can't make it to the theater, you can buy Misty Island Rescue when it comes out this month Thomas & Friends: Misty Island Rescue (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

This is much like Movies for Mommies. Haven't heard of it, check it out here. Movies for mommies has adult movies at a quieter volume for infants to come along. That way you don't have to get a sitter and no one gets pissed off when you baby cries during a movie!

Click here to find a theater near you. AND, if they don't have your theater, talk to the manager at your local theater and see if they will consider bringing it there.

And, remember: to save money, bring snacks and drinks from home!

And, if they really loved the movie or Thomas in general, get this special Misty Island inspired Thomas Take along track! We bought it for our youngest for his birthday this summer and they LOVE it!! Comes with a Thomas die cast engine and space to add on other "Take along" Thomas track. We also bought "Captain" the boat shown in the picture above to go with it. See it here or order it from the states cheaper here Thomas & Friends: Take-n-Play Rescue from Misty Island

Free Entry and Rides at PNE!

Sunday August 22nd is free entry day to the PNE. Rides are also free until 12noon.
A friend asked me today "just what IS the difference between playland and the PNE? Why would I go to the PNE when I've already been to playland before?" Well, I said, "the PNE is so much more then just rides!" To be honest, the PNE is where it's at. There is a market place with booths for vendors to sell their items (we got a train to go around our Christmas tree last year), lots of food, free shows (like wonderdogs, this year they will have the Backyardigans!, etc), painting on cars for kids (yes, real cars), and much much more. It's just so much fun!

If you are thinking of going to the PNE on Sunday, get there early. Gates open at 9am, rides are free until 12:00pm, but they are expecting over 90,000 people to be there. Go for the whole day, but first, check out my prevous blog about saving money at the PNE.

Playland and the PNE

The fair at the PNE is a Vancouver family tradition that has spanned generations. This year will be the 100 year anniversary! The PNE or Playland (yes, they are different) is a whole day outing and is super fun, but it does come with a steep price tag. Here are a few tips for saving at the PNE.

• Playland or The PNE, which to choose? If you aren't excited about the PNE but you want to go on rides, go to Playland. The PNE is the last two weeks of August and ends on Labour Day. Every other day of the summer it is Playland. The difference is that Playland is rides and games. The PNE has a market place and an extra section with parades, shows, entertainment, etc. You will save about $15 per person if you go to Playland, however remember that it is ONLY rides and games. If you don't like amusement park rides, you shouldn't go.
• The PNE has free concerts at night each night of the fair. This year highlights include Cindy Lauper, Michael Bolton, Mariana's Trench, Loverboy, Joan Jett and much more. Get a sitter and go to the PNE in the evening with just the adults. Walk around the market, see the booths, taste the cuisine, and see a show. A fun evening out.
• Always pre-purchase your tickets. You can pre-buy your tickets at many local retailers (7-11, Safeway, online here) This will save you about $5 per person.
• Pack a Lunch. White Spot is the official supplier of Playland and the PNE. I do notice that the staff at playland do not know how to serve hot food. The food is expensive, and does not taste very good. We have friends who are vegetarians, and they find it difficult to eat there. Try to pack a lunch and some water to bring with you. Snacks for your little ones in ziploc bags or in small containers is a great idea and this makes it easy to pull out and give to them before a melt down ensues. You will save $30-50 per family of 4 if you pack a lunch instead of buy one.
• If you plan on drinking any fountain pop while you are there, buy a "Helevator Cup". This is a reusable cup that costs $9 to buy, but refills are free from any Playland food vending station. You CANNOT use the helevator cup at the PNE food vendors. If you already have one, make sure to bring it with you when you go back, it is only $5 to re-use it another day! A regular soda will run you about $3-5 each time, so depending on how much pop you drink, this cup is a significant savings!

Have a great time this year celebrating 100 years at the PNE or at Playland. Remember to bring water and sunscreen for your little ones and for you. It does get very hot, and they do not sell sunscreen for you to purchase. Get there as close to opening as possible. It gets very busy as the day goes on, and kids can get on rides faster and have less melt downs if there is less waiting in line.

For any information about Playland or the PNE, click here.