After the Yellowstone ordeal and the Mt. Rushmore disappointment you would think we’d sleep like logs.  In fact, we all slept terribly, so it was reported.  So imagine our surprise when we overslept THREE HOURS!  I’m always up early; usually, by 5 A.M. 

This was not how we wanted to start our day.  Many of us were bordering on discouragement. 

We grabbed the worst breakfast of our trip, and eventually started driving east.

Ah.  East.  I miss the East.

More prairie.  A little more variety to it in western South Dakota, and it started to even look like home when we entered Minnesota.

 

We made car sandwiches again.
I foresee a sandwich rebellion when we get home.

Originally, the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN was not on our touring plan.  But when we added a night to our drive home, I wanted to reroute us just a tad to see something in Wisconsin.  Lo, and behold, it brought us right up near Minneapolis.  A search for “Big-family hotels,” courtesy of www.sixsuitcasetravel.com revealed an Embassy Suites large enough and in our price range.  Before you knew it we were in MOA neighborhood, and we penciled it in.

I knew there were rides within, but anticipated it would be costly.  I vaguely remembered a Peanuts tie-in, and knew there was a roller coaster.

I spent most of the day without internet/cell access, but finally got connected in western MN.  This gave me time to look up more about Mall of America.  I was happy to read they had a Twilight Pass good for unlimited rides for $22.99.  I also learned that Peanuts had not been associated with the park since the early 2000’s and that Nickelodeon provided the backbone.  We are not Nickelodeon people, whatsoever.  But we are ride people, and it sounded as though they had plenty to do.

We arrived at 5:30 P.M. and as most rides were $6.90 individually, we grabbed 7 Twilight Passes for John and all the kids.  I was able to ride all the rides that Katriel needed a chaperone for without a ticket, so that worked out well.

They had a riot.  The place was not very busy.  Ride loading and unloading was exquisitely slow, but they did many rides multiple times, including their favorites.

My photos are not great.  Many were taken with the phone.  With the ceiling of the mall made completely out of windows, lighting was an issue again and again.
But – If you look carefully, I think you will see dozens of smiles. 

The food court was amazing.  Huge.  EVERYTHING you can think of.  And we found out that Johnny Rockets was safe!

They rode everything they wanted to and then some. 

We like amusement parks and frequent them when we can.  John and I were both impressed with how many very unique rides they had; things we’d never seen before. 
And – here’s the truth. 

We.  Like.  Rides. 
Like ‘em a lot.

THIS was a great way to spend an evening.  We just about closed the place. 
Money and time well spent. 

 

Off to our hotel for yet another late check in.  We willingly went without a goodnight swim. 

Oh.  And here’s a funny.

We were all disgusted with the teeny weeny pillows such a lush property had to offer us.  So artistically cool, yet stupidly unfunctional.

We learned in the morning that they were normal pillows, folded oddly to look artistically cool? 
I’m too tired for tricks, KWIM?