Crown Center for Kids (Overland, Union: appointed, spring break, hotels)

[denverian]

I'm bringing my kids (two boys, age 7) to KC for spring break to visit my mom. Is Kaleidescope at Crown Center still as much fun as I remember when I was 7? And how is that Legoland place? I looked it up, but they didn't have pictures, just a description of it. Is it expensive?

And are there any hotels around 435 and Metcalf that have an indoor pool? I know that wolf lodge place has an indoor water park, but it's too far and rather expensive. I'm just trying to keep the boys occupied while there.

[RadioSilence]

Legoland, at the door, is almost $20 per person. They sell combination tickets to Legoland and Sea Life Aquarium, so if you want to do both, you can save some money.

My co-workers still take their kids to Kaleidescope. It's free, but there is a time limit.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by RadioSilence

Legoland, at the door, is almost $20 per person. They sell combination tickets to Legoland and Sea Life Aquarium, so if you want to do both, you can save some money.

My co-workers still take their kids to Kaleidescope. It's free, but there is a time limit.

Thanks! I didn't know about the aquarium. Should be plenty to do with the kids. Maybe even Union Station too.

I saw on Kaleidescope that you need to call in the morning to reserve a time in the afternoon. I wonder if it's changed since I was a kid lol!?

[kcmo]

All this talk about supporting the city and you stay at some boring hotel in Overland Park. I'm very disappointed denverian .

Don't give me some excuse about how you are closer to family bla bla bla. Stay in the city at least during the time you plan to visit the city! You can then walk from the hotel to all the places and make a day of it.

Legoland/Sea Life
Get combo tickets online. The Aquarium is tiny compared to most large aquariums, but if you get enough of a discount it's okay and young kids won't know that you are not in a major aquarium. We have season passes to the National Aquarium and have been to all the big ones in the country, so I wouldn't even take my older kids to the one in KC, they would make fun of it which would annoy me since it cost as much to go there as it it does most of the big ones. I honestly wouldn't recommend the aquarium to people that live in a city with a big aquarium, but your seven year olds will enjoy it, so that means you will too. Same with Lego Discovery. If you ever get a chance go to a Legoland Park (one near San Diego and one near Olando). They are a blast and your kids are the right age. Again, Lego Discovery is okay. Kids will enjoy it. You will like the models of KC icons. But you will spend a lot to go to two relatively small attractions. So go knowing that so you enjoy it for what it is and are not disappointed. Oh and GET TICKETS IN ADVANCE. Not only for the discount, but because lines to get in on busy weekends are really long and time consuming.

Kaleidescope. Always a blast. I recomend that place to people with small children all the time and I still get rave reviews. So yes, make time for that.

Science City. Science City is getting much better and typically worth a visit. They also have a nice planetarium that would be very entertaining to your kids. http://www.unionstation.org/calendar

Union Station. Make sure you go to the model rail road exhibit in the north portion of the station. It's huge and free. Also, at union station, exit the station from near the model rr exhibit and cross the pedestrian bridge that goes over the real railroad tracks. There are always freight trains and you might even catch an amtrak. Kids love doing that.

Fritz. Over at Crown Center, get a burger at Fritz where trains bring your food to you. The kids will love it.

Speaking of crown center, they often have traveling exhibits that cater to kids, so check that for dates when you are in town.

The WWI museum is awesome, but may be a bit of bore for 7 year olds. However, they would probably love going up in the observation tower. So you could skip the museum and at least go up in the tower.

The Money Museum might be worth a trip. It's free and you get a bag of shredded money. I don't think it would be too boring for young kids. It's only about an hour to tour it.

If you get a chance go down to the college basketball experience. They have tons of fun interactive things to do for kids of all ages. You kids may be borderline young to take advantage of most, but it might be worth looking into.

So speaking of legos. My kids (and myself) are lego fanatics. I think it has more to do with my interest in urban planning. But over a period of 12 years, we have built our own lego city. So many hours of bonding with my kids building and rebuilding this: You should try it

[shindig]

Basically what everybody else said . I was at CC this past Friday over lunch (was craving d'Bronx) and wanted to check out the new Halls. It was a freaking mess....so many kids I was annoyed...I like the old days when CC was dead during the weekdays

[denverian]

Originally Posted by kcmo

All this talk about supporting the city and you stay at some boring hotel in Overland Park. I'm very disappointed denverian .

Don't give me some excuse about how you are closer to family bla bla bla. Stay in the city at least during the time you plan to visit the city! You can then walk from the hotel to all the places and make a day of it.

Legoland/Sea Life
Get combo tickets online. The Aquarium is tiny compared to most large aquariums, but if you get enough of a discount it's okay and young kids won't know that you are not in a major aquarium. We have season passes to the National Aquarium and have been to all the big ones in the country, so I wouldn't even take my older kids to the one in KC, they would make fun of it which would annoy me since it cost as much to go there as it it does most of the big ones. I honestly wouldn't recommend the aquarium to people that live in a city with a big aquarium, but your seven year olds will enjoy it, so that means you will too. Same with Lego Discovery. If you ever get a chance go to a Legoland Park (one near San Diego and one near Olando). They are a blast and your kids are the right age. Again, Lego Discovery is okay. Kids will enjoy it. You will like the models of KC icons. But you will spend a lot to go to two relatively small attractions. So go knowing that so you enjoy it for what it is and are not disappointed. Oh and GET TICKETS IN ADVANCE. Not only for the discount, but because lines to get in on busy weekends are really long and time consuming.

Kaleidescope. Always a blast. I recomend that place to people with small children all the time and I still get rave reviews. So yes, make time for that.

Science City. Science City is getting much better and typically worth a visit. They also have a nice planetarium that would be very entertaining to your kids. Events Calendar | Union Station

Union Station. Make sure you go to the model rail road exhibit in the north portion of the station. It's huge and free. Also, at union station, exit the station from near the model rr exhibit and cross the pedestrian bridge that goes over the real railroad tracks. There are always freight trains and you might even catch an amtrak. Kids love doing that.

Fritz. Over at Crown Center, get a burger at Fritz where trains bring your food to you. The kids will love it.

Speaking of crown center, they often have traveling exhibits that cater to kids, so check that for dates when you are in town.

The WWI museum is awesome, but may be a bit of bore for 7 year olds. However, they would probably love going up in the observation tower. So you could skip the museum and at least go up in the tower.

The Money Museum might be worth a trip. It's free and you get a bag of shredded money. I don't think it would be too boring for young kids. It's only about an hour to tour it.

If you get a chance go down to the college basketball experience. They have tons of fun interactive things to do for kids of all ages. You kids may be borderline young to take advantage of most, but it might be worth looking into.

So speaking of legos. My kids (and myself) are lego fanatics. I think it has more to do with my interest in urban planning. But over a period of 12 years, we have built our own lego city. So many hours of bonding with my kids building and rebuilding this: You should try it

lol! Yeah, I'd prefer to stay downtown, but I hate driving all over and my mother lives on the edge of hell in Olathe.

Thanks for all the advice on tickets. I'll get them in advance.. and of course my boys love Legos, as did I at their age. We don't have a $50K Lego room though Great work! (my kids are still at the stage where they build things with Legos and then destroy them lol!)

They love the aquarium in Denver, so I may make the KC aquarium a last thing to do if we have time. I've never been to Science City, so looking forward to it.

Thanks for all the advice!

[denverian]

Originally Posted by shindig

Basically what everybody else said . I was at CC this past Friday over lunch (was craving d'Bronx) and wanted to check out the new Halls. It was a freaking mess....so many kids I was annoyed...I like the old days when CC was dead during the weekdays

We'll be there on a weekday... I was hoping it wouldn't be crowded.

[shindig]

Originally Posted by denverian

We'll be there on a weekday... I was hoping it wouldn't be crowded.

It was the Friday before President's Day, so maybe there were a lot of kids out of school....not sure, but the parking garage I parked in off of Grand was packed.

[denverian]

Well, we made it to the Legoland Discovery Center, aquarium and Kaleidescope. The kids had fun and I parted with money lol! The last time I was in Crown Center was probably the early 80s. It's sort of set up like a rat maze though...

Overall, my kids (7 years old) didn't give a crap about the city and all the things I pointed out. But I suppose that's what you get with 7 year olds. One of them asked me, "is it smoggy here?". I said, "no, why?" His response: "Because I can't see the mountains" lol! They've never been anywhere without mountains before.

[shindig]

Originally Posted by denverian

Well, we made it to the Legoland Discovery Center, aquarium and Kaleidescope. The kids had fun and I parted with money lol! The last time I was in Crown Center was probably the early 80s. It's sort of set up like a rat maze though...

Overall, my kids (7 years old) didn't give a crap about the city and all the things I pointed out. But I suppose that's what you get with 7 year olds. One of them asked me, "is it smoggy here?". I said, "no, why?" His response: "Because I can't see the mountains" lol! They've never been anywhere without mountains before.

Yeah I noticed that as well when I was trying to figure out where the new Halls store was set up. I think it could have been done better.