Europa Park

Over Memorial Day weekend we went to Europa Park with friends....it is AWESOME!  Picture Disney World combined with Busch Gardens Williamsburg...they have the Europe country theme of Busch Gardens with a boy and girl mouse as their mascot and completely random princesses walking around (the princesses cracked us up because we don't know their names and they aren't associated with any ride or in any gift shop) BUT they are extremely accessible (unlike the Disney Princesses that you have to wait in line to see) and the girls just love them!  And the park has more coasters and thrill rides like BG rather than Disney.  We had such a great time that we went back a few weeks later when Leevi had a four day weekend....it was PERFECT because the Germans still had school so it wasn't crowded at all!!!  And I almost forgot....Kai's best quotes of the day were:  "Mom, you just have to believe in yourself!" when I told her I was too scared to go on a roller coaster AND my favorite:  "I want to go on a roaster coaster and scream my pants down!" 

With the mascot

With the random princesses!

We didn't see this parade the first time we went but we caught it the second time and I must say that it was WAY better than the parade at Disney!!!  They pulled kids from the crowd (soooo cool for the girls to get to dance with the princesses) and there were acrobats and gymnists! 

The first day we went it was pretty hot and the girls played around in the small water playground and also stood in the splash zone of some water rides. 

There were plenty of fun kid rides

The girls went on all of the rides that they were tall enough or old enough for.  Most of the rides have a weird height AND age requirement.  Kai was tall enough for some rides but not old enough (she had to be four and of course she told the ride attendant that she was three) OR Hailey was tall enough for some rides but if you were under 8, you had to ride with an adult.  It made for a lot of juggling and waiting in the line twice to give both girls a chance while someone stayed with Luke.  Thankfully, it wasn't crowded and the lines weren't long! 

I'm still surprised at how the girls can find excitement on a little kid ride after going on the adult rides!   The bottom right picture is of The Atlantis Adventure which is almost exactly like Escape from Pompeii at BG....you sit four across on a big boat and it takes you down two drops (backwards on the first one and forward on the BIG second one)  Others riders seem amazed that Kai enjoys that ride!  My tiny thrill-seekers!!!