For many kids Disneyland is the ultimate adventure... for my kids (and their Dad) I don't think anything could beat Diggerland USA!
Think diggers, think tractors, think road rollers... then think of your child's face when they are told that they get to drive them!! Pretty awesome right?! The kind people at Diggerland USA invited us down to New Jersey to have a fun filled day of construction vehicles, and boy oh boy did we have a blast! We are a family of four, with a 5 year old son and 18 month old daughter.
I'm a total sucker for surprising my kids with treats. I decided to reveal the trip by packing their little Trunki suitcase with digger pajamas and t-shirts which I got from Carter's, along with some toy diggers.
The kids initially thought they were just getting new clothes and seemed happy enough! But when we showed them a promo video of the park my son was literally jumping with joy! Baby sis was shouting excitedly too, purely thriving off big bro's excitement (and still overjoyed with her new pajamas!).
As a parent I really appreciated how much useful information I was able to find on the Diggerland website. Too many times we've been stung by the drama of taking our kids somewhere only to find they can't go on most of the stuff due to height restrictions. Diggerland has clear guidelines for each attraction which meant we were able to highlight the activities our son could enjoy before arriving and him being disappointed. We knew from the get-go that 18 month old baby sis would be very limited, but we also knew we would be able to keep her happy with the playground and snacks! It's also really useful that around the park they have clear rules and regulations to check out before waiting in line.
Baby sis tried her best to grow a few inches while we were there...
As soon as you arrive at the park you will hear 'ooooo' and 'aaaaa' from the back of your car. There are construction vehicles EVERYWHERE! We wasted no time and entered the park. This is where I must point out how pleasantly surprised we were at the lack of long lines. Within minutes of arriving big bro and Daddy were driving a tractor!
My son was beyond excited! He crossed the path and walked straight onto his next ride! It depended on the type of vehicle as to whether it was a lap ride or he was at the wheel by himself.
Meanwhile baby sis and myself were able to keep cool with the many shaded benches and spray fans dotted around the park. I was a little anxious that she may get restless but the layout of the park was such that we could feel close to the rides and wave to big bro which kept her entertained. Oh and the odd snack helped too!
One of my son's highlights was most definitely the little go-karts at the Digger Derby ride. They were fast enough for a thrill but definitely slow enough to not be worried! At the start of each ride a worker would carefully explain any controls and rules. We were impressed with the clear communication and kind nature of the workers.
After then he was off!
Next up were the Big Diggers and they were pretty awesome! Again, I liked how the viewing area was not far away, it meant myself and baby sis could see clearly and still feel part of the action. My son loved that he actually got to dig a hole in the dirt with a real digger!
Look at that smile after he was done!
I have to say the day we were at the park was pretty hot! Thankfully the staff came to the rescue and made a few impromptu sprinklers for the kids to run through. No pictures as I was too busy running through the water with baby sis to cool off. Oh and we may have indulged in the odd ice cream too!
Another great aspect of the park is the air con room. It's a large room full of dining tables and also a party area. It was a life-saver for the kids to fuel them up when it all got a bit too much. As you can see baby sis was quite pleased for the cool air!
As well as the vast number of construction vehicle rides, there are also some slightly different attractions. The Barrel Train was a huge hit with my train mad boy. Baby sis could have actually gone on this one... had she not dozed off in the stroller!
Another slightly more adventurous option was the Greased Beast dump truck ride. This was a big step for my little guy who can be nervous of tipping rides, but he loved it!
I'm afraid Daddy was a little less brave on the Dig-a-Round!
The arcade also offered a welcome relief from the sun and there was a great selection of games. You can add money to a gaming card and earn tokens to redeem for small prizes. Lots of great vehicle rides too of course!
I have to also give a big shout out to Diggerland USA for including The Kid Zone playground in the park. It's such a simple addition but with baby sis being too small to ride on most stuff, allowing her to explore a big fun playground was awesome!
Oh and how could I forget the gift shop that kindly left out toys in the air con for kids to play with, and the mini digger to make sure baby sis could say she rode a digger too!
So what's our overall review of Diggerland USA...
Two huge thumbs up! There is so much to do there! It's not just a case of getting to ride a few construction vehicles. The park is cleverly planned so that you are not constantly waiting in line, or getting frustrated that you can't see your kids enjoying the rides. Even with baby sis not being able to participate in most of the attractions, she still had a blast and as a parent I didn't find it a stressful place to be. We will most definitely be heading back for more Diggerland USA fun!
Upcoming 2018 Diggerland Events:
- Use the promo code LABOR18 to save $5 on your online over 42″ day tickets for Labor Day Weekend
- Diggerland Touch-a-Truck event held at the gates of the park, free entrance but Diggerland tickets must still be purchased to enter the park, Saturday September 8th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
- Diggerfest will see the park decorated with a Fall theme and special activities every weekend in Fall
- Winterfest will also be debuting in December
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