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DefaultSubsAreTerrib t1_iucz58p wrote

Took my son to the zombie walk yesterday and I think he enjoyed it. Took both kids to the maymont light thing last night and although the kids liked it, to me it just felt like waiting in a long line in the cold.

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cleverocks OP t1_iud25cr wrote

Wow we loved it last Friday night. It was a great time and didn’t even notice queuing.

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donniedarkhair t1_iud759p wrote

It sounds like you had your hands full watching the kids and you did not get to enjoy looking at the lights themselves - I'm sorry for that and I hope you get a break soon.

I loved it; I often look back at photos from last year just to remind myself that it was real and not some fever dream, but I also don't mind the cold and have no one to look after.

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Pale-Temperature6442 t1_iud8iaz wrote

I took 2 littles age 5 and 9 and we had a great time..they energetically but safely threw glow balls, drummed on the colored boxes, did the s’mores and in general enjoyed I’ve been without them and liked getting there later and just wandering.. different experiences for sure!

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Stitchmond t1_iud314g wrote

I have never been to Maymont's light festival. They say it's their busiest event of the year, but I dunno, I feel like I'd just be disappointed.

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thephartmacist t1_iudkzq4 wrote

It's a nice walk. Nothing amazing, very pretty. They rotate the route every year or so to a diff part of the park. Great for "stay up late" exciting evening for young kids or good for a small date.

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Stitchmond t1_iudm48o wrote

Thanks, I'll have to check with my people on the inside for a good time with not a lot of reserved tickets so it won't be so busy.

I'm more of a fan of InLight, which seems to me to have more artistic and creative value than the "pretty lights in the forest" events like Lewis Ginter's et al.

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thephartmacist t1_iudnqpr wrote

I will say, last year it was at the Japanese Garden - quite a hike for elderly and handicapped not expecting the steep up and downhill hike.

The year prior it was around the Mansion and was a very easy, level walk.

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Stitchmond t1_iudqibq wrote

I worked at Maymont for a time this year, doing their best to ensure accessibility for their light show was important, I feel they really try. Accessibility in the park in general is a constant struggle for them.

I think a lot of visitors really don't grasp how big and hilly the property is, they bring the young and old who just can't enjoy the place to its full extent. It's nobody's fault really, people should just consider a visit to Maymont on par with a light to moderate hike.

I gather they used to have trolleys or trains or carriages or whatever and they went out of style or demand fell or something. In my visits over the last 15 years, I've never seen an in-park transport method like that, save for special events. I think a recent article said they had transport driver positions that were ended during the pandemic and weren't rehired.

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DefaultSubsAreTerrib t1_iudps7p wrote

This year was also in the Japanese Garden, though they provide little TukTuks to help shuttle people with mobility issues.

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pchnboo t1_iue8gys wrote

My husband drives one of the Tuk Tuks. He loves it but doesn’t love the folks that insist on a ride when they don’t have mobility issues. It makes the wait extra long for people that do 😞.

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GaimanitePkat t1_iudg266 wrote

We went last year. It was kind of fun but way too crowded, felt like being shuffled in a cattle line past some nice lights that you couldn't fully appreciate.

Then again we did go on a very busy weekend night - I heard it was nicer on weekdays.

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