We actually went to Reilly's last Easter and decided we were going to try Traxx this Easter. Reilly's last year was ok for our 1.5 year old, but he wouldn't have enjoyed it this year. At Reilly's, you take a hay ride to the top of the hill (you buy a ticket for the child for $6.75 and then have to buy a ticket for each parent to ride the hay ride for $3/ea) -oh and bring rainboots! Its muddy!- They take you up to the top of the hill and they have an area cleared out where the bunny is and then have piles of hay around. They had the child a plastic bag and tell them to find 10 eggs in the hay piles. Now, my son didn't really like touching the hay so we had to get them out for him. They take them to the bunny and then get a coupon they can redeem back at the bottom. The hayride takes you back down and you go into the greenhouse where they have an area for the kids to color a picture. You submit your ticket and get a prize. The prize last year was a few candies and chocolates (like halloween candy) in a small green container that you would buy strawberries in. It was filled with colored straw filler and had some small chocolate bars, some starburst and a small chocolate foil wrapped bunny....hardly worth the almost $13.00 it cost to do this. We weren't expecting much when we went, so we weren't really disappointed because it is the first time we ever were at something like that. My husband and I did comment to each other that it was a bit lame...but our son was not even 2 at the time.
Now this year, we decided that because our son is older and we didn't think we should take our infant on the hay ride, that we were going to try Traxx. Well, my son had the time of his life! We bought our ticket and walked up to the top of the hill. They had 4 different roped off areas according to age. My son is 2 so he was in the 2-3 group. They handed baskets to each child and then explained the rules. They said that they aren't going to be counting eggs this year and that the kids were to fill up their baskets and then bring them back and dump them in the big bin, then return to get more eggs. The child that brings the most baskets up wins a special prize. The parents were allowed to help them. It was a big field on the side of the hill, and the eggs were not hidden, but my son didn't mind. It didn't look like any of the kids minded. They all seemed to be having a great time. When all the eggs were collected, they gave each child a grab bag full of fun things. My son got a box of peeps, a tiger blow up ball, fruit snacks, a capri sun, and three other kids party favors. He was very excited with the gift bag and I was happy that it wasn't full of chocolate and junk.
After the egg hunt, he went on the "Thomas the train" ride that cost $2.50. He thought it was great! We also looked at the goats, chicks, bunnies, horses, and saw the easter bunny wandering around. We had some kettle corn, he bobbed for a duck, and we left. He was more than satisfied with the day and we thought it was really well done. I guess maybe it is because I didn't have any expectations going into it, and as long as he had fun...thats all that matters.
I am glad that we tried Traxx this year. I feel that it was a better set up than Reilly's. Reilly's is close to home, but we had a fun day out in the sun and wandering around Traxx. Comparing the two I would pick Traxx, but I have no idea if Reilly's is the same way this year. They may have made improvements this year.
I hope that this helps! As parents we worry that it won't be fun or will be 'lame', but the joke is that our kids will probably still have fun! Have a great weekend and I hope you enjoy your egg hunt!
Kim