Mall of America Tips, Pleeze!!!

[Jimbo]

We're taking our granddaughter to Mall of America for her 12th birthday, and bringing her 8YO sister. We're not going for 5 weeks, so I've got time to plan. We're flying in Friday, arriving at 5:00 PM, and leaving about the same time on Sunday. And we're staying nearby at the Country Inn Suites.

I've got a few questions, but if you know your way around MofA, I'd welcome any and all tips!

How do you get from the airport to the Mall (actually, the hotel)?
Are there lockers to stash our coats in once we get there?
Should we go to the Mall Friday night, or just hang out at the hotel and wait until Saturday?
The place is so huge; is there some sort of attack plan that makes the most sense?

 

[dis ms.]

Well, I can't answer all of your questions but, yes, they do have lockers. They are by the Guest Services Desk (sorry, I can't remember exactly where GS is).

Also, be sure to ask at GS for a "special guest" sticker. They give them out to anyone. It gives you discounts to certain stores. The discounts aren't the greatest, but they're better than nothing.

Have a great trip. It really is a cool place. It's enormous!

 

[mickeyminnie]

the mall is right off the interstate, just follow the signs, the hotels that are close are "behind" the mall from the interstate, but it is easy to get there, and exits are well marked.

You can run over if you wish, the camp snoopy amusement park is open and your points don't expire so if you buy them Fri night they will be good the rest of the weekend.

You could eat at Rainforest Cafe, that is always fun, I can't remember if they take reservations or not, but you could call ahead and see.

If your hotel has pool that may be the best plan for that first night.

I would suggest getting map of the mall, circle the must go to stores, and then go by floor, it is huge, and the big stores in the mall are huge so you can really spend some time as well as cash. I usually skip the stores we have back home and hit the unusual ones.

Another tip is there is no sales tax on clothing in Minnesota.

 

[JuneChickie]

I live 8 miles from the Mall of America and go there often.
Depending on your hotel , there may be a Shuttle to the MOA.
I would go over the first nite and get the maps. You can also eat dinner
there,, The Rainforest doesn't take ressies,,its a first come , first serve basis
and is usually a very long wait during the dinner hour. That being said ::
THERE is a huge "food court" actually there are 2 and I'm sure you will
be able to find something there to satisfy everyone in your group ,, from
Hamburgers (mcdonalds, burger king) , tacos , arbys, pizza ,, etc etc.
There are also lots of nice sit downs Ruby Tuesdays,, Forest Gump,,
Rainforest Cafe,, etc etc . But the first nite ,, getting a map and the
guest service stickers and there is also a mini newpaper at all the entrances
for you to pick up and browse thru. Your hotel probably will have some
brochures too.
There is also the amusement park. and of course LOTs and LOts of stores.
oh and there is a movie theatre ,,,,
They do have an online site that can really tell you all about it. I don't
know how to post a link, but maybe doing a google search for Mall of America
will bring it up or another poster will be able to post it for you.
The mall is lots of fun and feel free to pm me if you have any more questions.
We also have whats called the "lightrail" and it goes from the airport
right to the MOA ,, but it might be better to go to the motel first and
get checked in. What time are you coming here ? The mall closes its
stores around 9 or 9:30. But checking on their site will give you more
accurate times.
Have fun and again pm me if I can be of any help.

June

 

[MOMOFMNM]

they have wristbands for 24.95 and I found a 7 dollar off coupon at my local (in Iowa) gorcery store.

I would say get the wristbands, all they can ride for the day...instead of points IMO...

ALSO you must visit underwater adventures and pet the eels!! Go through the Shark tunnel too!! VERY cool!!

Rainforest is a cool place to eat...

the girls can get their hair, make up and a bag of goodies at Libby Lu's!! My girls love that place but it is $$$$

get some dippin dots for snack!! and they have a coffee place and Starbucks right outside the amusement area.

we went to a fabulous Italian place there forgot the name...really good...sit down meal...right outside the Mighty Axe I think...

We did not like Buba Gump Shrimp Co....but you may

We like the family style sitdown place there in the park, forget the name but they have daily stage shows there while you eat...it is a steak/chicken/ not fancy place and reasonable in price...

yes they have lockers...I forget the cost to rent but maye a dollar?? Less than Disney!!!

If I remember correctly, you might be able to walk from the Country Inn if it is not toooooo cold or rainy 5 weeks will put you in March so chances are it will probably be cold still...

We love it there and we make a trip for 3 days there every year..I hope we make it again this year...waiting to figure out taxes first....

have fun it is a great place!!!

 

[trip]

We usually do a "back to school" shopping trip every year and stay at the Country Inn & Suites. The weather is nice then so we walk. Don't forget they have an Ikea right in the same area.

Here are some links for you
http://www.mallofamerica.com/
http://www.bloomingtonmn.org/mallofamerica.asp

Have fun!!!

 

[crz4mm2]

Cold Stone Creamery ice cream!!! That's a don't miss. Delicious!
It is a huge HUGE place. I agree with getting a map ahead of time and circling what you want to see most. You'll never get through all the stores in two days.

Have a great time.
We loved eating at Bubba Gump's!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I used to live in MN and did all my Christmas shopping in one trip the the MoA each year with my brother - it became an annual tradition even after I moved away!

One of the best ways to keep yourself from getting too lost is to remember that each hallway has its own theme: I can't remember the names for each of them, but North is supposed to be like a garden or park (lots of park benches, plants), West is like a European market with little carts and kiosks, South is all peach and carpet and boutique-y, and East is modern, metallic. I sometimes got confused between North and West, but the others are very distinctive and it helps to figure out where you are.

Also, find several landmarks as you come in the building so you can remember which door you entered, which locker you used, etc. Write these down!! It's easy to get turned around on your first visit.

Pick one of the larger, easy-to-spot rides in Camp Snoopy to be a designated meeting place if you get separated or decide to split up. Since CS is in the middle of the MoA, it's easy to find it and easy to get to no matter where you are. Once you are in CS, however, it can feel a little like a maze of trees and pathways. So pick something large and close to the outside to be a meeting spot, and each time you get a chance, look over CS and find the spot again to reinforce it in your mind (and the kids' minds, too!).

Wear good walking shoes! Just like at WDW, you'll be doing a lot of walking and standing.

It's helpful to make a plan in advance so you don't do a lot of backtracking. "We'll come back to that store later" may mean a 15 minute walk to get back there, so plan accordingly. Remind yourselves that you can't stop in every store, so try to just get to the ones that sound/look interesting that you don't have at home.

And most of all, set a spending budget for everyone! It is a shopping mall, after all...

Have fun!

 

[Laurajean1014]

Bring lots of cash and a caddy to help you haul it all!

 

[MNSusan]

Hi! Its amazing that you're coming to Minnesota in the winter. Brave souls!

The Mall of America is a great place. Its basically across the freeway from the airport. Follow the signs for 494 out of the airport and then the signs for the MOA. Its maybe ten minutes away at the most.

The above recommendations are all good ones. I would also check into the hotel and then go over to the Mall to check it out, grab something to eat and get maps, etc. Our grandkids love the food courts instead of the restaurants because you can overlook the amusement park while you eat. There's a diner kind of place called Johnny Rockets at the food court that has great hamburgers and malts, etc.

When the mall first opened, we got a map, circled all of our "must see" places and then planned a route around the mall. Its like four suburban malls connected in a square with the amusement park in the middle.

We tend to go all the way around one floor and then go around the next floor up, etc.

The deal with the Peanuts characters expired so its not called Camp Snoopy anymore and all those references are gone, but the same rides are still there. Its fun to ride the indoor rollercoaster! Getting wristbands for the kids is the way to go.

My 12 yo granddaughter did Libby Lu's last summer. She was right on the edge of being too old. The 8 yo would love it for sure.

Depending on the weather, expect the weekend to be a bit crowded. The worse the weather, the bigger the crowd. That said, the place is huge and can absorb a lot of people.

There are 14 or 16 theaters there, too. They don't have stadium seating though so we usually go elsewhere for movies.

There's a huge IKEA store right across the street from the MOA. If you have never been in that store, its kind of cool.

There are tons of other cool things to do in the metro area, especially in the winter. One of our favorites with the grandkids (12,8,4) is the Children's Theater. It won a Tony Award as the best regional theater. Tickets aren't too bad and the productions are excellent. Check out www.childrenstheater.org if you're interested.

The Science Museum in St. Paul is also a great place. www.smm.org

If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.