Beaches- Sesame Street Activities and Upgrades

     After having returned from another incredibly fun vacation at Beaches Turks and Caicos, I wanted to do a full of review of the Sesame Street activities and upgrades offered by the Beaches resorts. Most of the upgrades are available at all the Beaches locations and in my experience at Beaches Ochos Rios and Beaches Turks and Caicos, they were very similar.

Charlie, Will, Me and the Sesame Street characters.

     Before I review them, a general tip regarding the characters is that your access to them will depend on the resort and how busy it is. When we originally visited Beaches Turks and Caicos, the characters would visit with the children after each Sesame Street show.  This no longer happens at the resort. The reason being that there are a lot of children and a very real danger of little people getting step on or hurt. Last year, in Ochos Rios, the characters spent up to ten minutes after the shows taking pictures and visiting with the children.

Charlie cuddling with Cookie Monster after the Sesame Street Show.

     Your best bet for some free time with the characters is to hang out by the main pool at the resorts. In Turks and Caicos, characters often visited children at the Italian pool during the day. Just be warned that you are not allowed to touch them if you are wet but will still be allowed to take pictures with them.

Visiting Grover by the pool.

    Besides these options, most of your time spent with characters will be at one of the following activities:

Sesame Street Stage Show - Included in cost of vacation

    The Sesame Street stage show takes place almost every night at the resorts as long as it is not raining. The show changes each night of the week and tends to be quite entertaining. Some people arrive quite early to save seats but don't worry too much about doing that as most of the children sit directly in front of the stage and the characters are so large you can see them from anywhere. The shows are quite short usually running about 15 minutes. Before and after each show, children are allowed and encouraged to mingle and dance on the stage. Twice last week, there was an organised children's dance party after with a host and helpers. This was a great addition from previous years and a tradition I hope Beaches will uphold.

Big Bird's Beach Party Show

Chicken dancing at the Kid's Dance Party after the show.

Sesame Street Day Camp - Included in cost of vacation

     The Sesame Street day camp is available for children 24 months to 5 years old. There are also camps for younger babies and children older than 5 but they do not feature the Sesame Street characters. The camps are open all day, except during a staff dinner break, and close in the evening. This is a great way for your kids to get to spend time with the characters. Cookie monster runs a cookie baking seminar for the camp that you can also attend with your children which is quite fun. Other activities include tea parties with Abby, bird watching with Big Bird and Rubber Ducky hunts with Ernie. Some people use the daycare more than others but I found with this vacation, Charlie was asking to go to the Sesame Street activities on a daily basis. After the specific character activities, I would often pick her up and head to the pool until the next one.

Baking cookies with Cookie Monster

Sesame Street Parade- Included in cost of vacation 

     Once a week, each resort hosts a Sesame Street parade.  I have personally attended 3 parades in the past 2 years and can attest that they were all quite different. Most recently, I was shocked at how large the parade at Beaches Turks and Caicos has become. Don't expect anything close to Disney parades but do expect a fun island experience. In the Turks and Caicos, if your children want to be IN the parade with the characters, they need to be dropped off at a kid's camp by 5:30 pm on the night of the parade. Children not attending with the kids camp are not allowed to join in and parents are not allowed to participate in the parade. That being said you can watch the parade and then follow behind it. In addition to the characters, the parade features local dancers and musicians. The parade ends at the Italian Village concierge lobby, where the characters, guest and islanders dance and mingle.

Musicians in the parade in Turks and Caicos.

Will and Ernie walking in the Parade.

    In Ochos Rios, which is a smaller resort, the parade is smaller and more intimate. Children are invited with their parents to gather in front of the hotel before the parade and offered free face paint and parade supplies like hats and masks. The parade then proceeds through the resort with each character walking with two children. In many ways, I preferred the parade in Ochos Rios and felt it was much more suitable to toddlers and young children.

Charlie getting her face painted for the parade. 

Will and Oscar enjoying cotton candy at the parade. 

Sesame Street Birthday Party- $250-350 

     Our first year at Turks and Caicos was Will's 4th birthday and we booked a Sesame Street birthday party. The party was held at Mario's in the Italian Village around 3:00 pm. When booking the party, we were told that the characters were not available at lunch or dinner time thus the party needed to be between those times. We arrived to find a table set for 8 children with food that had been waiting on the table at least half an hour. Once the children sat down, Elmo arrived and led a few dances and then Will blew out the candles on his Elmo cake and Elmo left. When booking the party, we were told the Will would receive a special gift from the character. Elmo gave Will a small stuffed dolphin that was available for sale in the gift shop for under $10. To say the least, we were underwhelmed.

    I have since witnessed slightly better looking parties and have learnt that you can insist the parties take place at better restaurants or even on the beach at lunch or dinner time. That being said, there is nothing particularly special about the party besides the cake and the short character visit.

    Each resort also hosts a birthday party for Elmo once a week that is the exact same as described above but with many children which makes it a lot more fun. My advice would be not to book a private party but to simply order your child a cake on the day of their birthday. There is no extra cost to attend Elmo's birthday party.

Sesame Street Catamaran Cruise- $30 per child, $60 per adult

     This year in Turks and Caicos, we decided to participate in the Sesame Street Catamaran Cruise. I must admit, I was shocked by how much fun it was. The cruise leaves early in the morning and lasts about 2 hours. The cruise is limited in the number of participants and your children get to spend a lot of time with  Elmo and Zoe on the cruise.

Elmo and Will getting ready to board.

     When we departed from the dock, I was a little concerned with how choppy it was. Staff aboard had everyone sit and cruised quite quickly into a much quieter bay. By doing so, they were able to stabilise the boat enough that all the kids could get up and dance with the characters as well as play games with them. The characters roamed around the boat and spent quite a lot of time with each family. There was also quite good food on the cruise and the children were given a small sesame street toy from the characters.

More dancing! 

Playing hot potato with Elmo.

     In a moment of absolute genius, one of the families had purchased a birthday cake for their son before the cruise and brought it on board. The whole boat shared the cake and sang happy birthday to the child. This is a much smarter solution especially if you are at the resort with only your immediate family than attempting to throw a 4 person birthday party.

Charlie and Zoe enjoying the ride. Moments later they both got very wet.
 

    I highly recommend the catamaran cruise for kids up to 10 years old.


Sesame Street Tuck-In- $85 for one child plus $30 per additional child 

     Between the hours of 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, you will often spot the characters en route to various hotel rooms. This is to participate in the character tuck-in which I must admit is by far my favourite up-grade. The characters arrive in your room with an assistant who is there to read your children a bed-time story and lead them in a bedtime stretch. The characters actually get into bed with your kids and listen to the story and then kiss them goodnight and tuck them in.

Story time! 

     Will and Charlie loved this surprise. You can request characters from a list at the resort but due to size issues Big Bird does not participate. In a wonderful surprise, we had Bert, Ernie and Abby Caddaby attend our Tuck-in in Ochos Rios and there was very little room left in the room due to the sheer size of the characters. I have found the tuck-in is a great way to end your trip and love to book our favourite characters for our final night at the hotel.

Charlie and Abby playing dolls in bed. 

Sesame Street All-Access Photo Shoot- $50 

     Twice a week, you have the option of attending the Sesame Street all-access photo shoot. This is the only time you will ever get a group photo with all of the characters. The proceeds of the photo are donated to the Sandals Foundation which I previously reviewed here.

Our group photo from the Sesame Street All-Access Photo Shoot

     I also recommend taking the opportunity to attend this event once while you are at the resort for two reasons; (1) the group photo will be given to you in an 8 x 10 commemorative frame is worth the cost and (2) the pressure to find each character for your child to meet will be over. When we participated in the photo shoot at Ochos Rios, we were the only family who had booked and were given the entire session to spend with the characters. The group shot we have is fantastic and one of my favourite vacation photos.

Charlie and Big Bird attempting a high five at the photo shoot. 

     Be warned, the resorts are quite protective of this event and will not allow your children to participate or visit with the characters unless you have booked the shoot. At Turks and Caicos, they also request that you do not bring personal cameras. This policy was not in place in Ochos Rios and I was able to capture some incredibly cute moments particularly with Charlie and Abby Caddaby.

Charlie and Abby practising their fairy poses.

    At the photo shoot and anytime you meet the characters, it is helpful to tell them what your children like or don't like. For example, telling Zoe the ballerina that your child loves to do ballet will often entice the character to start ballet dancing with your child. I also find carrying on general conversations with the characters makes your children more comfortable around them. Just know they will nod and motion to participate in the conversation but the characters do not speak.

The kids sneaking up on Ernie to tickle him after the photo shoot. 

Sesame Street Character Breakfast- $12 per adult, $16 per child or $49.99 per family of four 

     At each of the resorts we have visited, we participated in the character breakfast. This event is extremely fun for adults and children. Most recently at Turks and Caicos, the whole event was led by a very energetic and fun woman named Roxy who kept the party going. The key is to arrive on time and feed your children immediately. Once the kids have eaten, the characters are introduced and each character visits your table besides Big Bird who you meet on the way in to the breakfast. This again is due to his height.

Saying hello to Big Bird before breakfast. 

     Once the characters have met the children, the breakfast turns into a dance party complete with conga line. Children are invited to walk and dance with the characters and their is a sufficient amount of time spent with each character.

Cookie monster is the best dancer of all the characters.

Abby and Charlie twirling on the dance floor.

Roxy, the fearless conga line leader.

     Besides the photo shoot, the breakfast is by far the easiest way to meet and get your photograph with each character. We had so much fun at the character breakfast in Ochos Rios that we attended it twice and then also attended it this year in Turks and Caicos. Children are also given a small sesame street toy at this event.

     No matter which of the above you chose to attend, the Sesame Street characters will be a big part of your children's vacation and a good way to remember the trip. Last week, there were many times when I teared up a little watching the kids interact with their favourite characters and I must admit getting a hug from the characters was fun for me too.

     If you do head to Beaches, make sure to tell the crew that we say hello and we will see hopefully see them again soon.

Sandals Foundation

     When staying at any resort for a week's time, the kids and I tend to get to know a lot of the on-site employees. This trip to Beaches Turks and Caicos was no different. By far one of our favourite employees was a young man named Louciano who always had time for a chat and a hug from Charlie. In fact, our meals were often based around where he was working. 

Charlie and Louciano

      Like many of the employees at the resort, Louciano was a recent high school graduate who had been educated on the island. Through many conversations with him, I became quite intrigued about the Sandals Foundation and its role in education on the island.  The Sandals Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts, the parent company of Beaches, has as its mission a goal to invest in communities throughout the Caribbean by investing in education, environment, and community projects that improve people's lives and preserve natural surroundings. 

Enid Capron Primary School, a school sponsored by Sandals Foundation

    But what does this really translate to for people like Louciano? Well, in the Turks and Caicos, the investment can be seen in schools at both elementary and high school levels. The Sandals Foundation not only invests in the schools but Beaches provides an internship program in the local high school which leads to permanent positions at the resort. In speaking with Louciano, he explained he had graduated from high school two years ago and was pleased with the progress he had made at the resort. 

    After looking into the Sandals Foundation further, I expressed an interest in visiting the elementary school on the island that is sponsored by the Foundation. My request was met with an enthusiastic yes and yesterday morning, Will, Charlie and myself were invited to visit the school. 

    In preparation for our visit, Will chose one of our books to donate and began practising to read to the class. Little did I know how incredible this visit would be for us all. We arrived at the school and were met by quite a few smiling children who rushed over to say hello. 

Charlie being welcomed by students at the school.

    After meeting some of the kids, we were invited into the Kindergarten classroom to read to the children and answer questions. Will was so excited to read to the class and the kids were very grateful for the book we were leaving behind. When we were done reading, the kids had an opportunity to quiz Will and myself about life in Canada. We were all laughing and chatting and really enjoying the moment. 

Will reading the Underpants Zoo to the class

Will explaining to the class how tall the CN Tower in Toronto stands.

    During this time, Charlie roamed the classroom making friends and checking out the books and toys. 

Charlie chatting with a new friend.

The students showing Charlie the classroom books.

    When the question period was over, we sadly said our goodbyes and headed to meet Rachel Taylor, the principal of the school. Miss Taylor proudly asked if she could show us the library and once I entered the room I was shocked by how large and diverse it was. She explained that each book in the library was donated by guests of Sandals and Beaches resorts as donations or as part of the Sandals Foundation Reading Road Trip. 

A portion of the library built with books almost entirely donated by guests of Sandals and Beaches.

Elanor from Sandals Foundation presenting a donation of books from another Canadian family to the school.

     The Reading Road Trip takes place every Thursday in Jamaica, Antigua, the Turks and Caicos, St. Lucia and Exuma in the Bahamas. Essentially, guests of the hotels pay $20 US which covers transportation, educational materials, and a donation to the Sandals Foundation. On the Road Trip, guest volunteer in literacy as we did and get to help work with the children at the school. 

Visitors on the Reading Road Trip get to visit with a specific class. Will, Charlie and myself visited with the Kindergarten class.

     Even though most vacations to these resorts are only a week in length, you will be glad you took the time to experience this opportunity first hand. Being escorted to the school by Elanor Finfin Krzanowski, the public relations manager for Beaches Turks and Caicos, and witnessing the bond between her and the students was incredible. Some children she had volunteered with on Earth Day last year rushed over to see her and other children whose parents worked at the resort asked us to say hello to their parents when we returned.  Elanor also explained to me that she often visits the school for educational programs, such as nutrition, with the Sesame Street characters like Elmo and Zoe in tow so she tends to be quite popular. 

Will and Charlie meeting a student.

     Will, Charlie, and I may not remember every moment of our vacation years from now but we will never forget how incredible it was to visit the school and meet and play with the children there. 

A student helping Charlie down the slide.

Will and his new friend playing on the swings.

    Besides the Reading Road trip, there are many other ways travellers can help out including purchasing items from the gift shops at the resorts and participating in the Pack for a Purpose program. The program asks charities like the Sandals Foundation to list their projects and needs on the website. Then, travellers headed to the resorts can pack up to 5 pounds of supplies that are in need, like school supplies or clothing, and donate them at the resort. Since we had a washer and dryer in our room, see earlier Key West Village review, I was able to wash all the clothes my children would have outgrown by summer time here in Toronto and donate them to local children on the island. 

     Other even easier ways to donate include the option to give a donation of any monetary amount offered to each guest upon check-in at the resorts as well as the option to give through the Sandals Foundation website. 

    The most remarkable feature of the Sandals Foundation is that all administrative and management costs associated with the foundation are supported by Sandals Resorts International, meaning 100% of all the money raised goes directly into the schools, environmental projects and communities. 

     After having spent the day with Elanor, I can attest that the people I met or communicated with at the Sandals Foundation, including Heidi Clarke the Director of Programs at the Foundation and Adam Stewart, the CEO of Beaches and Sandals, are people who love what they do and are appreciated by the community. If you are headed to Sandals or Beaches in the near future, want to donate or just want to find out more, please visit www.sandalsfoundation.org for more information. 

Beaches Day 2: The People

     I thought quite a bit about what to tell you about today's adventures at Beaches Turks and Caicos before deciding on this evening's blog post. It could have be an easy account of what we did today from our early morning beach visit to the many hours spent at the water park or an account of where we  ate on the premises but the thing that rang clear were the people here at the resort.

     Having visited Beaches both here in Turks and Caicos and in Ochos Rios, Jamaica, I have now encountered many staff members. They weren't all extremely pleasant or noteworthy but on the whole the people who work here are fantastic.

     What strikes me most about the staff here is that the people who are worthy of mention are not necessarily who you would imagine. My brief encounters with the day camp staff here today left a lot to be desired and management of the hotel completely ignored a reasonably query I had last night. Still, its the many other people that in fact have such an impact on your stay here.

Charlie wanted a little girl to dance with her who said no.
This woman watched it happened and then went to ask Charlie if she would be her dance partner. 

     Throughout three different stays in Beaches resorts I have yet to encounter a disgruntle cleaning lady. Today was no different. Although our room was a mess and I needed a lot of extra linen, the woman who helped us was a ray of sunshine. We arrived just as she was finishing cleaning the room and she made sure our every wish was complete. When we returned to the room, the kids things were in very tidy piles with their beds ready and made for each of them. She really had no reason to be extra nice to them but she had a great conversation with each of them and really made them feel at home.

    Another equally impressive moment occurred this morning when Charlie, who is 3, picked a flower to give to me. A gardener called her over immediately and I thought he would discipline her for picking the flower off the bush as I often do. Instead, he took her hand and led her to a section of the garden which had at least 5 different types of flowers. He patiently waited as she picked her favourite and then assembled the bouquet for her and wished her a great day.

Charlie and her freshly assembled bouquet

    Later in the day when the kids were exhausted we decided to take a ride on the train that tours the resort. I feared a major meltdown from both kids was about to ensue but the conductor of the tiny train made sure that they had the time of their  lives. She spoke to each of them as they got on the train and throughout the ride never forgot their names. As we were pulling into a stop, Will began dancing to one of his favourite songs and she immediately noticed, stopped the train and asked him if he would like to start a dance party. She then let every child out of the train and led them in an incredible dance routine making sure even the youngest guests knew the moves.

Dance party with the train conductor, Onica

     Although these situations deserved a write-up, there are so many more moments here that make you realise that you and your children are welcome and cared about here. Each time I think of the Beaches Ochos Rios, I can't help but miss the incredible lifeguards there that made our vacation what it was. From engaging the kids in activities and conversations to helping them get over their fears of water slides, I still wish I could properly thank the young men who take care of us at this time last year.

One of our favourite lifeguards at Beaches Ochos Rios 

     Across the company, the wait staff and bartenders we have encountered have also been fantastic. I've never been made to feel like my food substitutions were annoying or that my children had made too big of a mess and have always found a helping hand when I needed someone to help me watch one child while the other needed something. This is especially remarkable seeing you are not allowed to tip them.

    If you are considering a Beaches vacation, I can tell you that years from now you may not remember their names but you will remember the people who made your children smile.

Beaches Turks & Caicos- Key West Village

     We arrived at the Beaches Turks and Caicos earlier today and once again were blown away by the resort. I would like to make clear before you read this review of their new hotel that I was in no way compensated for this blog and that these are my true impressions. The new resort is absolutely amazing.

Key West Village- Beaches Turks & Caicos

     

     Located in what used to be a neighbouring hotel, the Key West Village is designed to impress. From the moment you arrive you are treated as an important guest and handed fresh drinks and hot towels upon arrival. Check-in is incredibly fast and easy even with two excited kids running around the property.

A wonderful employee helping Charlie enjoy her welcome drink 

The concierge lounge in Key West Village 

     

    Once we headed to our room, we were even more impressed. We are staying in a one bedroom concierge suite on the second floor and the amenities in the room are quite remarkable. Upon entering the room, I was shocked by the size of it. The room features a full kitchen, two bathrooms, a trundle bed for the kids and a king size bed in a separate room for me.

Kitchen in the Key West Village one bedroom suite

Kids trundle bed and dining table 

Separate Bedroom

      

     Upon entering the room I thought the most remarkable feature was clearly the gigantic balcony that was accessible from every room of the suite. I realised I was in fact clearly mistaken when I opened what I believed to be an extra closet and found a full washer/dryer. I immediately threw our travel stained clothes in the wash and felt an odd sense of relief.

Wrap-around balcony 

Washer and Dryer!

    Once we were done exploring the room, we headed toward the beach and pool. The beach is quickly accessible from anywhere in the Key West Village and less than a 2 minute walk from our room. There are multiple pools in the new development including some suites that feature private pools. The restaurants are also quite nice looking although we have yet to eat there.

One of the pools near our room in Key West Village

Walkway to the gorgeous beach

A four-bedroom villa with private pool 

    

     Although the new village is near perfect there are a few things to consider when booking here. Key West Village is on the farthest edge of the property which means that if you have much smaller children it is quite a hike to activities like the Sesame Street show. Also, although the village features multiple pools, there isn't a dedicated kids' pool like the other villages meaning if you have a child like I do that is out of water wings but not quite an independent swimmer, pool time will be a lot more challenging. That being said the pools besides the private pools are all beach entry pools which makes it a little easier.

     Key West Village certainly feels like an entirely different resort at times than the rest of the Beaches Turks and Caicos which is both a blessing and a curse. I tend to enjoy a quieter atmosphere on vacation and am thankful to be away from the main pool and action of the stage although I do dread the long walks back from the Sesame Street show with two very exhausted children. Somehow I know we will make do.

*UPDATE*-- I wanted to update this blog to say that we ended up loving the Key West location and the distance to the room from the main area was quite a bit closer than I originally thought. The village has large lawns that all the kids gathered on each morning to play together while parents could safely watch from balconies enjoying a coffee. If we are able to return at some point, we will book again in Key West Village.