Event

Hollywood is a magical place. It has a 24-hour buzz of excitement, creativity and activity. Most people never get to really understand it unless you “work in the industry.” It’s the place where actors make it (or don’t), where writing comes to life on the screen and where people flock from around the world to experience stardom. Universal Studios Hollywood has captured this excitement and magic and has bottled it up in a theme park – Universal Studios Hollywood. My family just spent an entire day there, and we were treated like movie stars, being able to cut to the front of the line and get reserved seating on every ride and show that is there. But believe it or not, this experience can be had by all, with a Front of the Line pass.

Universal Studios Hollywood Globe

Universal Studios Hollywood Globe

My family and I traveled down to Los Angeles during Spring Break, a time when other families and friends head out en mass to see the attractions. Honestly, it is one of the worst times to visit any type of theme park. Be prepared for long lines, lots of people, and spending most of your time simply waiting to do things. If you are headed to Universal Studios Hollywood during the peak season, be prepared to wait – some of the new rides can have wait times of over 60 minutes. And when the park is in full swing, you probably need 2 days to see all of the shows and get all all of the rides as well as do the back lot tour. But let me tell you this secret, if you can afford it, the Front of the Line pass (which is either $129 or $149 depending on the season) is well worth it in that you can actually see everything in the park in one day (and even do a few things a couple of times).

The Front of the Line pass gives you 1-time “cutting” abilities in lines for each ride and show. You are directed to “Gate A” which is a different line than what normal ticket holders follow. And it gives you reserved seating at all of the shows so that you can wait until the last minute to head to a show – you still get prime seats. Your pass is scanned each time and if you try to use it again on the same ride, you are told that it only is good for one time through using Gate A on each ride, however we found that we could come back to a ride later in the day and use it again. We experienced the new Transformers 3D ride twice, Jurassic Park three times and the Mummy ride twice, all on the same day, and still were able to enjoy everything else at the park. Bottom line, if you can swing it, the Front of the Line pass is definitely worth it.

Front of Line Pass

Front of Line Pass

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Post image for Jumping Into January – What I’m Missing & What I’m Not and Why It’s Relevant

Who would have believed what a busy month January 2013 would be. As is customary for me, I can barely see the end of my nose, the end of the day or the end of an article. How the heck can I look through a month and plan ahead? Honestly, I wish that I had actually planned ahead a bit more as January is looking to be one of those really important months. But “focus” is a key word for me in 2013 so planning will be crucial.

I have to make choices, just like everyone else. While I wish that I could focus 100% of my work brain on HighTechDad, I actually have a day job which pays the bills, ensures my family has health care and provides me with a professional career. (Well, I could say that my writing with HighTechDad is another professional career.) But I digress.

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January has several events that I truly wish that I could have attended but due to budget, work and time limitations, I will be covering, analyzing and observing these remotely. Here are the events that I feel to be particularly relevant to the tech and family world that I inhabit. If you have a chance, try to check them out.

NMX (BlogWorld)

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Post image for Hands-on with the Nintendo Wii U

This past weekend, my kids and I were invited to a private event hosted by Nintendo to get some hands-on game play with the new Nintendo Wii U, due out on November 18, 2012. When the Nintendo Wii first came out, it was revolutionary. It got gamers out of their seats and active when playing games. You could create your own persona within the game via the Mii profile and characters. It was fun. But over the years, it has started to show its age. It has been moved out of my own entertainment center, replaced with the more powerful and better graphics in the Microsoft Xbox 360 and the Sony PS3. But, I think I may be shifting some of my gaming consoles around once again when the Wii U hits the market.

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The Wii U event was quite well organized. There were a couple hundred people there, families and gamers alike. The space was nicely laid out with individual kiosks with different games and in the center of the room were couches for additional gameplay. There were also rooms around the outside for dance, singing and other new game showcases.

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This event was all about showing off both the new hardware and the games that you can get with it. And I must say, Nintendo seems to be really trying to re-enter the market with a strong statement. Just the same way the original Wii was different by getting people out of their seats and jumping around to play games, the new Wii U brings some new innovations. And let’s think a second about the name. Wii made sense, even if it was a bit odd. Wii = “we” – a multiplayer experience, doing things together and also plays on the sound of “weeeee” – having fun. The new Wii U adds to this with the “U” which can be referred to as “you”. Here’s why I think so.

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Post image for Hyundai Does It Right Introducing the new 2013 Santa Fe CUV

When Hyundai does a new auto introduction, they sure do it right, at least in my book. This past weekend, I was the guest of Hyundai along with several other prominent bloggers and members of the media as we were introduced to the new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe, a CUV (crossover utility vehicle) that I believe will have a great appeal to families and a big impact in the auto marketplace. The setting for the introduction was ideal – high in the Park City, UT mountains at the Montage Deer Valley Resort, a stellar resort bolstered by impeccable service and beautiful scenery.

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My trip was brief, only over a weekend, but every moment was filled with activities and introductions to Hyundai’s new Santa Fe. Arriving late on Friday, I spent a little time with Jason Sasaki (of sasakitime.com) touring historic Main Street in Park City, UT.

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We enjoyed a famous buffalo burger at the No Name Saloon and Grill which was amazingly delicious and then did a quick tour of the Park City Museum to learn more about the rich history of Park City, UT. Originally established as a silver mining town, Park City is now the home of winter and summer activities alike. The first few days, the altitude got the better of me, and only at the end of my stay was I starting to get acclimated to the 7000 foot elevation.

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Behind the Scenes: Filming My LG Techorating Home Entertainment Living Room Makeover

April 27, 2012
Thumbnail image for Behind the Scenes: Filming My LG Techorating Home Entertainment Living Room Makeover

It’s been a few months now since LG contacted me to find out if I was interested in participating in a head-to-head competition with another “daddy blogger.” It wasn’t a challenge of wit or writing or sports (well not really) – it was a challenge to see whose living room could be “techorated” better by [...]

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Growing a Mustache in November for #Movember (Or in my case – Facial Hair) – Men’s Cancer Awareness

November 1, 2011
Thumbnail image for Growing a Mustache in November for #Movember (Or in my case – Facial Hair) – Men’s Cancer Awareness

Facial hair has not really been my big thing. I have sported a goatee a while back and even a “soul patch” but I always ended up shaving it off to the cheers of my wife, parents and even my kids. But for the month of November, I’m getting scruffy again but this time for [...]

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How Ford is Saving Teenage Lives, One Person at a Time – “Driving Skills for Life”

October 25, 2011
Thumbnail image for How Ford is Saving Teenage Lives, One Person at a Time – “Driving Skills for Life”

I’m scared. In 1 year, I will have a teenager. In 4 years, I will have a teenage driver. And I have two more daughters after that. Just writing the past few sentences has given me a few more grey hairs. While automobile safety has improved dramatically over the past few years, so have distractions. [...]

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Energy Conservation & Caring for the Elderly – 2 Topics of Today with Huge Impacts for Tomorrow

July 27, 2011
Thumbnail image for Energy Conservation & Caring for the Elderly – 2 Topics of Today with Huge Impacts for Tomorrow

A few weeks ago, I participated in the Intel “Upgrade Your Life” 2011 summit in Intel’s Santa Clara, CA campus. This was the second year I attended and after both summits, I always managed to walk away with a headache. But, not a “bad” headache by that definition, but a “good” one. Think about when [...]

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