I was invited to Edaville, USA along with the family to experience the opening of the all new Thomas Land. We were provided free admission, lunch and a gift bag. Opinions of our experience are 100% our own. I took the family with me to experience this new park. The last time we went to Edaville was six years ago. We took Eva there for Storybook Day. In the time since, Edaville has gotten more and more built up. Now there is a new part of the park called Thomas Land being opened and also it is still being completed. There will also be a new section called Dickens’ Village. I hope that is finished before Christmas because that will look spectacular from the train. The day was an interesting one and the kids had a great time. More on that below.

We arrived right on time at 8:30am to get started with the day. Eventually, one of the bloggers took it upon themselves to enter the park to go to the check in area. I think we would have been waiting at the front gate for a while had she not done that. But we entered, got our media passes and then gathered around a tent where the kids were each given a Thomas shaped train whistle and they met Driver Sam.

At this point we waited around and the kids played Simon Says with Driver Sam. We spoke with some of my blogging friends and met some new ones. This was Media Day and while there were bloggers and more around there were also people from more traditional media. I was provided some basic information on the day. Entrance at 8:30 and Ribbon cutting at 9:15. Not really how that went. The first thing we did was take a ride on the train that was pulled by Thomas. But we did a lot of waiting around and weren’t given much direction. We were asked to leave a specific area so they could record something with the VIPs and then they wanted a bunch of the children for something to be filmed. But there wasn’t a clear person in charge and so we didn’t hear about that at all and the kids missed out.

The train ride was nice. We were sitting on the train waiting to go while we watched a drone fly around filming the train and everyone inside. It was a cool bit of tech being used to make a commercial or some promotional materials. We sat with our friends and we also sat near the park’s architect who told us about the Dickens Village that was being built. the train ride give us a chance to see the whole park including many areas that are being developed.

We got off the train and then the VIPS came off and were introduced. We then all walked to where the ribbon cutting ceremony would take place. The kids were tired and hot. Allison and I were tired and hot. I gave in to Eva and let her sit on my shoulders. I gave her my camera so that she could capture some of the ribbon cutting ceremony. She enjoyed the ride. MY back and shoulders and neck, not so much. Our friend Keriann took the next two pictures. Allison also relented and let Andrew sit on her shoulders. I’m actually tweeting out a photo that I took of Eva and I standing there. Keriann also made a great video that I will share after these next two videos. The is The Toy Queen and also a fellow Imagelogger.

Allison’s got Andrew

I’m being Eva’s Tripod as she takes photos of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

After the ribbon cutting we explore the new Thomas Land. The kids went on the Sodor Windmill and we watched the show at the Tidmouth sheds. There were actually four or five other rides that were open but we didn’t check them out because the kids were hungry so we went back to the older part of the park to have lunch. Eventually there will be a place to get food in Thomas Land but that wasn’t ready yet.

We did see a lot of kinks being worked out. Some rides worked and some didn’t. Eventually they all got fixed and were working again. The show at Tidmouth sheds that we watched was the very first one and some of the trains had audio problems but the actors did a great job and the kids had fun.

After we ate lunch I picked up the kid’s goody bags and put them in the car. when I came back we went on many of the older rides including the Flying Elephants. Andrew wanted to go on that ride the moment we arrived in the park.

After some rides we walked through the Dinoland that was built a few years ago. It was interesting to see the dinosaurs and then some of the older rides that I am sure I went on as a kid. Eva read all of the dinosaur plaques and enjoyed it. Andrew got a little freaked out and so did Eva. The dinos looked really good. Some of the sounds weren’t that convincing but they motion and look of many of the dinos was great.

At the end of it all I’d say that Thomas Land needs a few more weeks to get all the kinks worked out of it. It has the potential to be a very nice park when all is said and done. The rides look great and a lot of work and attention to detail has gone into the park. I enjoy bringing the kids to the park and experience the fun of being kids. With the opening of Thomas Land the overall value for a ticket has gone up dramatically. I foresee this as a place that the kids will look forward to visiting again and again.