Anyway.
On Sunday afternoon we told the boys we had a surprise for them, then piled into the van and headed for the I-X Center. Even though we showed them pictures on the website, they still weren’t exactly sure what to expect. Especially since the last time we’d been to the I-X Center it was full of Legos. Obviously, we had to make it clear that that would NOT be the case this time.
But they were not disappointed. The place was full of different rides and games and there was something for everyone to enjoy. Even a really nice “tot” area where parents could sit and relax while the little ones played in playhouses or on ride-on toys.
If you’ve ever been to the I-X Center here in Cleveland than you’ve probably ridden the giant Ferris Wheel that sits in the middle of the building. I hate Ferris Wheels. Now, I am not a person who hates rides. But between the sheer height of the Ferris Wheel and the way those little baskets/gondolas hang so precariously without any restraints in the seats whatsoever, I hate them.
My kids, however, LOVE them. And when two of my sweet boys really wanted mommy to ride it with them, what was I supposed to do?
Suck it up and ride it. Obviously.
I just focused on their little smiling faces and it was fine. But in case you don’t believe me about how high the thing is…
That seemingly small building WAY down there is the AIRPORT. Those tiny specks in the distance are AIRPLANES.
But there were plenty of other rides besides the Ferris Wheel, of course.
We have a variety of ages and levels of fear in our family, but everyone managed to find rides that they enjoyed. Even the grown-ups.
My presence was also requested on the Bumper Cars.
Most of the rides didn’t cost anything (other than the cost of tickets to get in, of course). But there were a few things that had an additional cost. All of the Fun Houses (I think there were maybe three or four of them) cost $1.00. My boys really liked them, though, and since we didn’t pay for our tickets, we didn’t mind shelling out a few dollars for those.
There was also a petting zoo that only cost money if you wanted to buy food for the animals. And of course my kids wanted to feed the animals. Nearby was a pony ride that cost money to ride, too. Fortunately, I only had one kid interested in doing that. I’m pretty sure that any of the games where you try and win an enormous stuffed animal or goldfish also cost additional money, but honestly we stayed so busy with riding all the rides that my boys barely paid any attention to those.
And what would an Amusement Park be without an abundance of overpriced junk food? Mmmmm….junk food. I like a good funnel cake as much as the next person, but we managed to steer clear of the food stands. Although, the bar (yes a bar!) was tempting…
We spent several hours enjoying the rides then went home and ordered pizza instead. MUCH cheaper to feed the family that way and it was still a treat.
The Indoor Amusement Park will be at the I-X Center here in Cleveland through April 15th – you can get more information on their website here. It looks like you can get a good deal on tickets if you buy them at any Marc’s, too. Our family really enjoyed spending the afternoon there – I think we stayed for about four hours. There are also shows like Cirque Shanghai and a Tiger Encounter that happen every few hours (no additional cost for those) but we didn’t get a chance to check those out.
Needless to say, the boys slept very well that night. If you’re in the area and looking for something fun to do I’d definitely recommend it.
~ Dori
