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Lions and Tents and Bloggers… Oh My!

Posted on October 6, 2011

Sometimes this blogging gig really pays off. When I got an email from Porter Novelli asking if I’d like to join them to celebrate the release of The Lion King on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD, (available in shops from 12 October) by camping overnight at the Melbourne Zoo, I knew I’d hit pay dirt!

Taking my girls to see one of their favourite movies, in a fancy cinema, in 3D, and they were allowed to get their faces painted AND drink lemonade… I was “the best mum ever” before we even got close to the zoo, but the best was yet to come.

lion king Toushka and Yay For Home

Combining seven Melbourne bloggers (Yay For Home, Touska Lee, Planning With Kids, Diary of a Mad Cow, The Diary of Joni and Anya, Stuff With Thing and me!) and their families, good food, tents and a crisp night at the zoo made for lots of great conversation, fun and we learned stuff too. My girls both currently aspire to be zoo keepers so they were in heaven.

During our night walk around the zoo…

  • We were mildly freaked out by the tigers (my girls swear that the roar we heard was real).
  • We thanked Bong Su the elephant for letting us sleep in his old house.
  • We checked out the smaller wild cats and listened to the creepy cry of the Murder Bird.
  • We went behind the scenes and met the cutest animal in the whole wide world.
  • We patted a snake, or two and even saw what they ate.
  • We met a Tapir who is never on display during the day because the UV light in Australia is too bright for her and caused her to loose an eye.
  • We discovered that Peccaries are a lot scarier than they look – google ‘peccary verses jaguar’ and find out.

After a chilly night in the tent listening to the penguins and various other nocturnal animal, and several trips to the toilet (curse those huge cups of free lemonade) we were up early, fed and ready for another special zoo tour.

roar n snore

We trotted off to feed some carrots to the giraffes, then we headed off for a special behind the scenes visit to a Tree Kangaroo called Timmy.

roar n snore melbourne zoo

We learnt about where Timmy comes from, why he is endangered and what was being done to save him. My girls learnt that not only do zoo keepers look after animals, they can also take a leading role in helping save them in the wild, and helping the people who live in and around the animal’s habitat.

roar n snore

Then there was just time to see the penguins being fed before we headed back to pick up our Lion King show bags and head on out of the zoo… only to go back in by the regular entrance to check it all out again in the day time!

My girls were glowing with excitement after our night at the zoo, and I must confess, so was I! There is something very strange and magical about being in the zoo when it is empty…. of people that is!

Roar n Snore at Melbourne zoo is incredibly well organised. Our guides, Michelle and Jackie were fabulous. Their commentary was clever and interesting and they knew what they were talking about. They handled even the most curly questions we crazy bloggers could throw at them. They handled both excited kids and silly adults with good humour and patience. It was obvious that they both loved their jobs and of course my girls are now more determined than ever to become zoo keepers.

If you would like to attend a Roar N Snore at Melbourne Zoo you can find out more here.

My girls and I would like to say a public thank you to Mandy from Porter Novelli for organising such a fun, family friendly and unique bloggers PR event. She even remembered that there were some of us with kids at home who weren’t old enough to attend Roar N Snore and made sure their were goodie bags for them too…. that thoughtfulness made my big boy missing out just a little easier for him to swallow.

Thanks to Porter Novelli I also have a Lion King goodie bag to share with one of Picklebum’s readers.

This competition is now closed. The winner, Amanda from Creativity Every Day, has been notified.

Lion King Prize pack

The bag contains lots of Lion King loot including a puzzle, books, the soundtrack and the Lion King Diamond Edition on blu-ray and DVD.

To win just leave a comment on this post before next Thursday October 13, it’s as easy as that. A random winner will be drawn and notified by email. Winners must be Australian residents and must contact me within 14 days of being notified.

{Disclosure : My girls and I were guests of Porter Novelli Melbourne and attended the screening of the Lion King in 3D and Roar N Snore at Melbourne Zoo free of charge. We were also given Lion King Show bags, similar to the one I am giving away. No other compensation was sought or offered. I was not obligated to write this post and the opinions expressed are purely my own… and those of my girls!}

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Filed Under: Activities for kids, Activities for School Kids Tagged With: activities for school kids, family

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. TheEMM says

    Simply amazing. I remember being amazed by Melbourne zoo as a 9 year old and that was simply in the day time!

    Can’t wait to show it to my little girl one day too (we’re from QLD).

  2. Sarah says

    Wow, is about all I can say.
    It sounds like such a fantastic experience. So glad you all had a great time.

  3. Jo says

    So jealous! The Roar and Snore is something I have always wanted to do! We got to feed the lions at Werribee Zoo a couple of years ago, was an awesome experience.

  4. Louisa says

    It sounds like the most fabulous time! Bliss LOVES the Lion King at the moment, what a great treat for your girls!

  5. Alicia says

    It looks like you all had a fantastic time. I’m sure your kids will remember it for a long time to come. :)

  6. Annie says

    I don’t really ‘do’ camping, but camping at the zoo sounds too good to pass up! What an amazing experience that I’ll bet the girls will never forget.

    I like the picture with the giraffe – the girls look like they can hardly believe they are getting to feed and touch the animals!

  7. Bec says

    Wow, looks like fun!

  8. Katy says

    It’s a great idea! I’d love to go at Taronga one day. Kids haven’t seen Lion King yet, must show them!

  9. veggie mama says

    Murder Bird! HOW creepy! I love the Lion King… such a favourite. And how nice was the goodie bag idea for those that couldn’t go!

  10. ClaireyH says

    Sure looks like you had a fun time. Would you consider this a glamping thing, or is the camping still pretty much camping? I am not much of a camper. But I love the lion king and actually would keep this one all to myself, in the grown ups drawer so toddler fingers wouldnt be touching it!!!

  11. Suzy says

    We’d love, love, love the Lion King goodie bag – looks wonderful!! Roar n Snore sounds amazing!!!

  12. Zoey @ Good Googs says

    So jealous, I look an awesome shade of green. It looks like you and the girls had so much fun.

  13. AmberB says

    What an awesome giveaway. I remember seeing The Lion King at the cinema the first time round and I LOVED it!

  14. Jodie Van Der Zwan says

    What a wonderful experience!! Two of my favourite things!
    I just LOVE visiting the Zoo -both here in Perth and wherever we go travelling. The “Lion King” is one of my all time favourite movies – I’m a big kid at heart. The musical was amazing too!

  15. Rhi @ Hummingbird's Song says

    I still remember vividly going to the cinema with my friends in Year 9 to watch The Lion King, and I can’t wait to watch it for the first time with my little boy (who I’ve nicknamed the Little Lion on my blog!)

    What an amazing time your kids had at the zoo. Such special memories for them to look back on xx

  16. Kyla says

    Hi Kate
    Found your blog a few weeks ago and love it! Roar n Snore sounds great. We are all singing Lion King songs at our house as our new baby is fascinated with the Lion King toys we purchased when we saw the musical
    Kyla

  17. Loupe says

    Woo! the Lion King is a favorite around here, mostly with my husband.

  18. Nicole says

    Sounds like amazing fun, I love the Lion King. The Third Lion King (the prequel) is also rather funny.

  19. Donna @ NappyDaze says

    This type of thing is on my husband’s wish list – must save up and do the Taronga version one time! Not sure how I’d fare sleeping out overnight in a zoo though just quietly!

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  1. Hakuna Matata! Ain’t no passing craze… and a huge Lion King 3D Giveaway says:
    October 7, 2011 at 11:16 am

    […] and sleepover, pictures of which I will post tomorrow. For more recaps please visit Joni, Nicole, Kate, Toushka, Amanda and […]

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