Look! Want to meet the superheros?

Know what I’ve learned is better than vacation? Free vacation. 

 

Last weekend, Jack and I went to spend the weekend at Gaylord Rockies Resort located in Aurora, near the Denver airport. It had everything: a waterpark, four restaurants, a spa, outdoor spaces like mini golf and basketball courts and lawns, and the best thing being superhero activities. 

 

See, Gaylord Rockies is a big advertiser with the magazine I work for, Colorado Parent. So when the PR agent for Gaylord Rockies reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in writing a story or producing some editorial content in exchange for a free stay, I immediately hopped on board. 

 

After some exchanges, our stay was booked. A free, two-night stay at the resort in a room with a mountain view (a big deal around here) and a king bed. On top of that, we got free parking, $200 dining credit, a dinner reservation, and a reservation at their golf simulator suite. And of course, we got to do all the superhero things that kids could sign up and parents could pay for, as I was there to highlight the resort’s “DC Superhero Summer.” 

 

We got there on Friday in time to get in our room and head to dinner at one of their restaurants. After a tasty meal, we decided to use the free s’mores kit we’d been given (others could purchase) and head to the lawn outside where they had numerous decorative fires that also worked well for roasting marshmallows. It was fun to see all the little kids running around in the dark, chocolate and marshmallows in their hands or sticky on their happy faces. 

 

On Saturday, we walked around and explored the resort and convention center, which is ginormous. As it turned out, there was a DEKA event going on in the convention center that we had no idea about. Basically, DEKA is a fitness challenge similar to a Hyrox, where individuals or teams compete by completing a series of physical exercises and challenges while being timed. It looked hard, but also exhilarating. I can see myself doing it someday, and Jack even said he would be my partner. Plus, who doesn’t want a cool medal?

 

Anway, we walked around and then made it back toward the resort in time for our craft area time slot, where we received free superhero-themed bedazzling kits. Then we headed to the pool patio where they were doing face painting and temporary tattoos. We considered the line of children and then decided it wasn’t worth it for us as two adults to get temporary tattoos (although they would have been fun). 

 

After exploring that, we headed to get our seats at the live action superhero show we had received tickets for as part of the complementary package. The show was…interesting, to say the least. It was Jack and I, and two families. So five children and six adults. Props to the performer, a woman who was a “superhero superfan” there to help kids solve riddles and learn things. At the end though, Batman came out to say hello, meet the kids, and sign certificates for being heroic. No offense, but Batman needed to work on his penmanship. But it was still cool to meet him and take home our certificates, which are now hanging proudly on the fridge. 

 

Needless to say, it was a fun weekend where we got to stay and eat for free, while I videoed the experience and will write about it after. Seems a decent tradeoff. 

 

My Determination: “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me. ” — Bruce Wayne/Batman, Batman Begins