Wilson Family Firsts in the 2016 Mazda 6 Grand Touring #DriveMazda

We were provided the Mazda 6 Grand touring to facilitate this review. No compensation was received and all opinions expressed are 100% our own. Thank You Mazda & Drive Shop USA!

We've been aiming to plan out local day trips as a family at least one Saturday a month as it's the only day a week we are all home together. With Six Flag's Great Adventures open for the first time over the holidays we figured testing out the  2016 Mazda 6 Grand Touring would be perfect. As a family of 4 we had such a great ride driving to New Jersey to check out Holiday in the Park and really loved a lot of features in this mid-size car that's also top 3 of mid-sized cars for affordability.

If you saw our post on the Mazda CX-5 then you know the boys were loving the solar red color that definitely stands out on this sleek car. They thought the pop of color on the Mazda 6 made it look like a cool sports car so to them it would be worth the extra on the price tag. The lean design and color of the car make it resemble a sportier vehicle but it's still perfect for families.

The Mazda 6 was named a top safety pick which was what made me the happiest about driving it around and named Driver 10 Best of the Year. In addition to those awards Here's a few things we thought were most impressive about this car: 

• An estimated 40 mpg on the highway - hubby only had to fill the tank once and he drove it almost daily over a course of 10 days for local errands and our drive to Jersey.
• Mazda advanced key-less entry means no digging  through the over-sized tote!
• Heated front seats - although it was unseasonably warm for December this feature of course comes in handy once the temperature drops at night or during season changes.
• Blind spot monitoring system, Rear cross traffic alert and Electronic parking brake// Smart City Break Support won me over in regards to keeping the family safe while traveling. If the Mazda 6 detects an impending collision it activates the break automatically, which is pretty amazing technology.
• The active driving display pictured below allows for the driver's eyes to stay on the road while glancing at the speed being driven.

                     

The boys had plenty of room in the back and were comfortable for the nearly 2 hour drive.

The holiday lights show was fantastic in it's first year and it had such a great turn out., we really loved the holiday themed food and shows. We couldn't have asked for better weather to ride around in the Mazda 6 Grand Touring. For more information on price points, specs and more head to MazdaUSA.com and make sure you watch our video and mark The Holiday Lights in the Park at Six Flags on your calendar for next year!

Wilson Family Firsts: New Holiday In The Park Festival at Six Flags Great Adventures #HolidayinthePark

Tis' the season for creating new traditions with the entire family at Six Flags Great Adventures. For the first time ever the theme park debuted it's annual Holiday in the Park, this year - which runs through January 3rd, 2016. We couldn't wait for our day trip in the Mazda 6 to see the millions of glittering lights, dazzling entertaining holiday shows and our favorite Looney Tunes characters to get in the holiday spirit. It was pretty cool to see that this summer destination was transformed into a winter wonderland and I'm sure has been an enjoyable way to spend time with friends and family with the unseasonable warm weather we've been having lately. What better way to spend 70 degree temperatures in December right?

During this visit, since we'd been to Six Flags twice already this year we decided to visit as an escape from the hustle and bustle and just leisurely checked out a few of the 10 new themed areas and enjoyed tasty, seasonal goodies.

Signature Holiday in the Park attractions (included with all season passes and active memberships) include: 

·         Holiday Magic: A Celebration of the Season ─ Spectacular light show on a 52-foot-tall tree in the heart of the park that dazzles nightly every 30 minutes through eye-popping effects and classic holiday music.

·         Jack Frost’s Magical Christmas ─ Jack Frost’s evil plot to steal Christmas is reversed by the warmth and magic of the holiday season in this live stage show filled with acrobatics, illusions and surprise guests. 

·         Gingerbread Junction ─ Features peppermint swirl-wrapped trees, dancing lights around the carousel pavilion, the Gumdrop Hop dance party and a giant gingerbread man towering above.

·         Joy to the World ─ Tranquil pathway of lit trees, luminaries and stained glass showcasing religious holidays from around the world.

·         North Pole ─ Guests are welcomed into the warmth of Santa’s home for a meet-and-greet and holiday photos by Kodak, plus kids can write letters to Santa, meet a reindeer and build a stuffed toy.

·         Poinsettia Peak ─ Skull Mountain roller coaster has been transformed into a mountain of dazzling red lights with a crimson beauty, the Poinsettia Princess, greeting guests nearby.

·         Treetop Summit ─ Parachute Tower transforms into one of the world’s tallest light trees.

·         Polar Point ─ Stunning, ice-blue trees twinkle with the illusion of falling snow up above, while the towering, larger-than-life Snow Queen meets guests below.

·         Storytime with Mrs. Claus ─ Kids can hear one of Santa’s favorite stories in Whimsical Wonderland.

·         Holiday Memories ─ Green, red and gold brighten this section filled with special photo opportunities like Mistletoe Moments, Wishing Tree and With Love giant greeting card, while nearby the Jingle Jammers sing holiday tunes by the fire pits as guests toast s’mores.

·         Stewie the Snowman ─ Guests can pass through a jolly, three-story inflatable in Snowman City.

There's nothing like the smell of sweet and savory tastes of the holiday season filling the air that can be found throughout the park. The holiday menu will bring a smile to your face and ill have your tummy rejoice over the Spiked egg nog, holiday-flavored coffee and hot chocolate, peppermint and mocha fudge, holiday beers, festive funnel cakes with peppermint eggnog and caramel pecan bacon toppings, specialty holiday platters of sliced turkey, smoked turkey leg and chicken platters with cranberry sauce, chili bowls, harvest salads and flatbreads and hot soups that are available in various restaurants. My mouth is watering all over again just thinking about it.

Holiday in the Park also features nearly 30 thrilling rides such as SkyScreamer, Carousel, Big Wheel and Tea Cups. Children can enjoy 11 pint-sized thrills in Whimsical Wonderland. Coaster fans can challenge world-class rides like Nitro, BATMAN™: The Ride, THE GREEN LANTERN and SUPERMAN – Ultimate Flight, THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster and Poinsettia Peak. All rides and entertainment are weather permitting. Frontier Adventures including Safari Off Road Adventure, Bugs Bunny National Park and Plaza del Carnaval will not operate during the festival.

 Check out our Video to get a peak at all the fun we had and for more information about Holiday in the Park is available at www.sixflags.com/greatadventure