Review: White House Easter Egg Roll 2009

---

This year's White House Easter Egg Roll wasn't all that it was cracked up to be (forgive the shameless pun).

I'm about to walk a delicate line here and attempt to give an honest review of the event without coming off whiny or ungrateful. But since I'm not that good of a writer, please read this review in the context of my travel blog; it's a planning resource for families who want to try what we do in the future. I'm not writing with a spirit of negativity, just trying to inform.

Let's talk about the basics:

1. Tickets- I wrote a lot about the ticket distribution in a previous entry. Tickets were distributed two weeks before the event online. To get tickets, camp out in front of your computer, log onto the White House website, and hit the refresh button all day long. Taking a potty break can hurt your chances of success because you will have a precious 30 second window to secure tickets when they're released.

2. Craigslist/Ebay- Don't risk buying tickets from anyone for this event. The print at home tickets can be easily duplicated and only the first person to use them will be admitted. They scan the tickets before you enter.

3. The Ellipse- The line to enter the event was *huge* and formed on the Ellipse. We arrived at 1:30 for our 3:00 entrance time. The tickets cautioned arriving before the doors opened at 2:00 was not necessary. If I do this next year, I'll believe them. We sat on the ground in the sun from 1:30-2:15ish, and found no added benefit to being towards the beginning of the line. At around 2:15 we went through security to another part of the Ellipse. I'm a big proponent of following the rules, and didn't bring a video camera with me or any food or drinks (both were supposed to be banned). I noticed later however, that people all around me successfully brought video cameras with them and some smart parents were able to keep sippy cups and juice boxes for their children. If I go next year, I will not be such a stickler for rules. If I hadn't thrown away the juice box I had in my purse before we got to security, our day would have run much smoother.

After we got through security, another *huge* line formed on the other side of the Ellipse which would lead us onto the White House lawn. We waited in that line for another hour. One of the highlights of the day was listening to the DJ they had playing music for the kids while we waited. My husband took my children over to the stage and they danced to songs like Michael Jackson's Thriller. The DJ said he was from Chicago, but I forget his name. He was very entertaining. Unfortunately, my kids worked up quite a sweat on that stage and there was no shade, and no water.

In previous years, there has been an entertainer on the Ellipse and free snacks and beverages offered. I didn't have to worry about bringing my own to offer thirsty children. As a mom of young kids (who tries to learn from her mistakes), I will definitely try to sneak juice boxes and Cheerios past security next year.

4. The Main Event- Our ticket time was for 3-5pm, but we didn't get admitted to the White House grounds until 3:23. Thankfully, they didn't make us wait longer than that, because the crowd was getting restless. I found the time delay surprising; usually the Egg Roll runs like a well oiled machine. By the time we got in there, my children were tired from all the walking and dying of thirst.

This event was mobbed. The kids grew crankier by the minute because I couldn't solve their thirst problem. I stood in line for the Egg Roll event while my husband watched them try yoga. By the time our turn came for the egg roll, my youngest was crying and refused to participate.

Two out of my three children rolled eggs. Then we took a picture in front of the White House and decided it was time to go. We were on our way towards the exit when we spotted someone holding a water bottle.

I made a comment to her about how lucky she was to be able to sneak in something to drink. She told me she got it from the First Aid station! Hallelujah! I sent my husband off to find the First Aid station where he was able to secure water to take the edge off my irritated kids. We still had to deal with the crowds though, and decided the remaining activities weren't worth it. That leads me to...

5. Entertainment- What can I say...it was just "meh." The main acts were Fergie and Ziggy Marley. We would have liked to have seen Fergie in person, but she was on earlier in the day and didn't make an appearance during our session (I did catch her on the news before we left). The White House didn't release an entertainment line-up until the day of the event, which is another departure from previous years. When I read the list of names this morning on the internet, I didn't recognize anyone other than the two I just mentioned. There was a notable absence of children's authors. As a teacher, I've always looked forward to which author would be there. I missed listening to the orchestra that used to play on the White House porch. Dressed in military uniforms, they always added a classy touch and made the event extra special.

6. Parting gifts- The goody bag this year was mostly bag and very little goody. We received a bag with the offical egg, a commemorative ticket, and a small event program. This also was scaled down from previous years. 2008's goody bag contained a t-shirt, a poster, presidential book marks, stickers, postcards, White House coloring book, a hard cover children's book, a full sized event program, and a Paus egg coloring kit...that's just what I can remember off the top of my head.

7. Bathrooms- Mothers; you will appreciate knowing there were bathrooms everywhere. Port a potties were located on the Ellipse, both before and after security. There were also regular bathrooms located on the White House grounds.

8. Ways this year was better- When we arrived, we were given a schedule that showed exactly what was happening during our session and when. I found that very convenient. We were also given wrist bands this year which showed our exit time. In order to receive our commemorative egg, we needed to leave within 15 minutes of our exit time. I thought it was a great idea to encourage people to leave the grounds.

When we left the grounds, we stopped at McDonald's for dinner. It was packed with people from the egg roll. I asked one mother sitting next to me what she thought of the event and she summed it up perfectly. She said it was "her first and her last." It was nice to do once, but she didn't plan on coming back.

If this was my first year at the event, I would have said the same thing. It's neat to be that close to the White House, but it's a very draining experience. It was historic, and I'm well aware of how fortunate we were to be able to go, but the kids didn't have as much fun this time. If it hadn't been so crowded, we would have tried some more activities.

If you don't get a ticket for the egg roll next year, you might try visiting the White House Visitor's Center. They had an egg rolling activity set up in there with no line at all.

I hope that this information helps families who might try this event next year. I still believe all American children should go once to see what it's all about. And I'm interested in hearing reviews from others who went today. Did you find the process smooth? If it was your first time, did you enjoy it? Leave some comments and let me know...

---

Photos

The White House Blues
Hopefully we'll look back on this picture one day and smile even if we weren't smiling when I took it.

The White House Easter Egg Roll
Waiting in line for security. The kids sat in the grass and played Rocks, Paper, Scissors.

Waiting for Dad to bring water.
I'm a little like the neighbor Wilson on the show Home Improvement. I'm not a fan of posting my picture online.

My son and his cousin at the Metro station.
He was happy at the beginning of the day.

Comments

[ASM]

5 hours without food and water
We, too, experienced delays getting in during our ticket time (9:45-11:45). In fact -- we never made it in. A large portion of our ticket group got locked outside the gates when the Obamas came out -- and they never let us in or explained why. We stood outside the gate of the lawn, past the initial security checks, from 9:45 - 11:45 without food, water, or bathrooms (after arriving at 8:45 and standing in the security line). Kids were crying and hungry. They finally let us in two hours later with the next group (making it even MORE crowded) -- but there was no food or water inside either - for a total of 5 hours without food or water (not counting your commute time). We missed the Obamas, we missed Fergie, and the volunteers on the lawn seemed as cranky as we were. Lots of good ideas, VERY poorly executed. I hope that's not a sign of the next four years.

[K]

Way too crowded
I agree...it was way too crowded. We are a military family that is stationed locally and were able to get tickets online this year. I would have been very unhappy if I would have been a family that would have traveled from another state just for this event. We were only able to do one thing (colored an egg). We stood in a line to stand in a line to stand in lines to stand in a line to leave. :) I hate to complain about a free event, but our expectations were just so much higher than what we experienced. I hope others had a better experience and were able to catch a glimps of the Obamas.

[Megan]

ditto
I was also in the 9:45 to 11:45 group that had to wait. The kids made the best of the event, but having to wait that long really put a damper on everything. They were ready to go by the time we got in. I think the most fun they had was with the Yoga. They were so excited to get their faces painted, but my daughter ended up crying about hers because she thought it was ugly.... I have to agree, it was the first time the volunteer had ever painted faces. Also as we got past the security, there were a couple of security guards standing there with children all around them having a personal conversation and used the DB word. I was shocked!! I almost told them to watch their language but I was too busy keeping track of the 4 kids by myself since we only had one adult ticket. It seemed that the area around the egg roll, yoga, and stage was not as crowded as everything else, so perhaps it was poor lay out. We skipped most of the smaller activities because there were too many people. I would go again, but really hope that it runs smoother next time.

[P05]

What's the DB word? Can I buy a vowel? LOL.

[ziggy]

overcrowded
Posted comment on earlier blog line as it was an update to view while trying to get tickets all day. As most know, expectations sometimes lead to disappointment. Hopefully the planners for this event will find out what worked and what didn't in an effort to make it better for next year, as this tradition will continue on. Inaugural events (logistic problems as well) only happen every 4 years. We definitely had problems in our Easter Egg afternoon time slot, but I was really shocked to learn that the time period where the First Family entered left a majority of the ticket holders waiting outside the gates during their entire time period - that, along with the poorly regulated way to get group's to exit after their group's "time slot" - I am positive the group that missed their time period stayed, what else were they going to do. I don't think anyone could bring their children- wait in the lines to get in, followed their ticket rules and said 'Well kids, we have 10 minutes, here's the grass in their backyard, roll down the hill - no line, let's leave.' I can see how the traditional commemorative poster could be missed - I can't imagine them running out - it was cute, but not a keepsake for most families. The poster was not given away at the exit, there was a table set up that was handing them out and we just ran into it, easily missed as it was amongst the myriad of fences set-up, the crowds and lines could have easily blocked the table. When the few acts the children recognized were listed in the program it provided a glimmer of hope only then dashed when realized they couldn't see them during our time period. It is always good to try and improve things and I think not having a frenzied crowd anxious to see head-lining entertainment like the Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana was a great idea. Afterall it is not a teen concert tradition, I am sure that caused some of the hype over trying to get tickets, but it needs to be more organized. Maybe this is a transition year and it will be realized that not as many tickets need to be given out and not as many people will want to travel by plane for the event. We sadly ran into a family who after leaving the event went to get a snack from the vending vans on their way to the airport (came just for the event), the meltdown poored out of the child when it was realized they were out of a favorite snack. Well it is always good to know that we are lucky enough to be near the Nation's Capitol and can come to visit when the crowds aren't as bad.

[Kia]

First 8AM session and First Time
First I want to say thank you for the blog, it was my support group from waiting on how the tickets would get distributed to this point. I was blessed enough to get the 8AM session and 6 tickets for my entire family. We were in line by 7:00AM and did not have to wait long, we were on the Lawn by 8:15AM. There was a brief moment that the line was still because The President and his family came out to do the Opening Ceremony. We did hear Fergie sing the National Anthem. Once on the Lawn we found the lines were short so the kids got to do all the activities. Fergie's husband read a book at the story activity we listen to that and to my surprise Fergie was sitting down in the front. It looked like no one knew who she was so I jumped at the chance to and ask her if I could take pictures with her and my kids. She walked around for about an hour. We watched her concert and she was entertaining. We were all so tired from waking up at the crack of dawn and cold from the morning air, we decided to leave once our session was over. Not to mention and not a complaint but there was nothing to drink and my kids were getting thirsty and hungry. I know this was a big problem for the other sessions among other issues. I feel fortunate that we were able to get in the first session. It looks like the other sessions had long waits and could not get their kids to all activities due to overcrowding. All this to say I'm glad my kids had a chance to experience history but I'm not sure you will see me next year!

[P05]

Kia, I'm glad my blog has been a help to you. :) Sounds like you had a good experience overall. Meeting Fergie would have made me forget all about those lines. Ziggy- Yup we missed the posters. They used to hand them to you at the exit with the eggs. I also wondered if this being a transitional year affected things. We started going to the roll during the last 3 years of the Bush presidency. They had lots of time to work out the kinks. I have high hopes that next year will be smoother for the Obama administration.

[Takiesha]

Egg Roll
You summed it up perfectly! I told my husband who worked so hard to get those ticket from work, that I appreciated his work, but I will not go back again. I too followed the rules. I was in Group A. We had to get up so early to get there at 7 am. I three all of my snack away walking from the Metro and when I got there, tons of people had both food and drinks. My daughter was so hungry and in such a funk, she would not get out of the stroller. It was also freezing at that time. Once we got in there, it was so beyond crowded, the lines were so long that we didn't do one activity. I did see Fergie and the Imagination Movers, but since my daughter was in a mood, she missed out on the dancing. I tired make a jumprope with her but again it was packed. I was getting stepped on. My son slept through most of the event. When it was time to leave, I was able to stay in longer since my husband works there. I just wanted to see the Obama's They didn't say what time they were coming out officially, but I knew it was going to be at 10. They announce VP Biden and Dr. Biden then the Obama's come out. I was standing next to the story station and my husband takes of running to film. He tosses me his camera. He is a videographer/photographer for the White House. I was able to get awesome pics with that professional grade camera. So then a guys who works for my husband who was filming the story station told me to take my daughter to the front row to hear the story from the President. They would only allow the kids. She is 3 and she cried because she wanted me with her. She wouldn't go. So he let her stand next to him in a press box. They Obama's come out to read and I got mobbed by the parents. I swear the parents were worse than the kids. It was TERRIBLE!!!! I finally left at about 11-1130ish. I did get my eggs even though I was late leaving. The worst part is now I can't find my camera. I am in Ohio now, but when I get back home to MD, I'll post the pics to my travel blog (twaitesthierry). The two hours was not nearly enough time to participate in all activites, they need to make a lot of changes for next year. Also I think there should be a minimun age. I saw so many people they with newborns and no other children. That is ridiculous.

[P05]

Takiesha, I was hoping you'd log on to leave a comment. :) I'm glad you were able to see the Obamas. That stinks about your camera. I hope it turns up.

[megan]

re:ditto
LOL! Well two words technically db = douche bag

[ann]

my son was happy
My 5.5 yr old son is a HUGE Obama fan. I took him to see the inauguration and was lucky enough to get the tickets for this egg roll. The things a conservative republican ma-ma will do for the love of her son. We were group B, but we came early to be the first few in line for our time slot. We were up front when the Bidens came out and also when the Obamas made their apearance followed by Fergie's nathional anthem on the balcony. We saw Obama read the "where the wild things are". He then walked about 5 feet away from us, and my son was estastic. The kids got a chance to do the egg hunt, color on head bands, draw on the veterans sheet/quilt, made a jump rope, and got the easter egg. The other booths available we did not wait in line, but watched from a distance. I was one of the moms that brought snacks and drinks and willing to throw it out as we reached the gate. Took about 175+ photos. Would do it again if given the chance.

[Alexandria Mom]

Group C review
We were new to the Egg Roll this year and it the C group. I'm not sure I'll do it again next year, but if I do, I'll be better prepared. We had to wait one hour into our two hour time (our time: 11:30-1:30), were told we'd get our full two hours, and then were told to leave after being inside only 45 minutes. I didn't get a poster and was very, very bummed about that. We did get some character pictures (smaller lines, but lines nonetheless), but that was all. We were standing in line for the egg roll when they booted us out. When I asked my 5 year old daughter if she had a good day, she said, "Yes, but I was very sad not to get to do the egg roll." In retrospect, the most exciting part of their day was the metro ride to the WH.

[b0bby]

First 8AM -10AM session and First Time
Overall it was great experience for the kids, (twins boy/girls) first time to see WH up close and a draining experience for parents. There was a lot of kids in groups of 8-10 with only one or maybe two teachers supervising. The lines for Egg roll were very long, as many people skipped ahead. It was quite difficult to tell who was in a line, as one person would stand in for a group of 8-10 kids. Others were just milling around waiting to jump the queue. We did egg roll twice. Fortunately, there were two different stations setup (didn't know that earlier). Kids enjoyed the most where there was no line, for WH basketball court, jump rope, hands on science. Cannot comment about staged entertainment, we didn't wake up at 0500AM in the morning to see fergie. As a note to future parents attending, there is a LOT of walking and LOT of standing around, maybe bring a lightweight stroller for smaller kids up to security, then fold away or carry on your back to stand in line for various activities. We were able to get posters (just sitting on a table?), easter eggs, small items. This WH easter blog was very helpful. Was experience worth it ? Priceless, this the administration's "first WH Easter "

[CC]

We had fun! Are we the only ones???
Thanks again for this blog...I was anxious to hear about everyone's experiences. We were in group B. We got in at about 10:15, instead of 9:45. We were in line earlier than the 8:45 suggested time...probably at about 8:20. We went right to the egg roll, and then the Bidens and Obamas came out and Fergie sang the anthem. I was right up front and got great pictures. Then I followed the president over and we watched him read to the kids. A kind stranger pulled me from the back of the crowd to the front, so I got amazing pictures of him reading; and of Michelle, Sasha, and Malia reading. We got to do the egg roll, egg hunt, face-painting, soccer, and yoga- plus a bunch of pictures with characters. We watched Fergie's concert as we stood in line for the kid's kitchen, but weren't able to ever get into that. We did pretty much everything we wanted and we were so thankful for seeing the Obamas so closely. We took turns waiting in line and taking the kids to activities. I found the volunteers and fellow attendees to be really friendly. The kids loved it, although my 3 year old was a little disappointed because, "Rock Obama didn't hug me." =) Just before leaving, we took a group picture right next to the White House, looked around, soaked everything up, and tried to capture the moment. We left happy, and I hope others have some happy memories, too.

[Janis]

THE DJ
The Dj, is my son! Ryan knows how to rock a party!

[P05]

Well we thought Ryan was great. Does he have a website he wants to post here? Maybe it could lead to more bookings.

[Mom]

Reply
Thank goodness for those DJ/entertainers outside at the Ellipse where everybody had to wait. There were 2 young guys who really made my kids excited while they had to await a 1.5 hour line in the freezing cold with no food or drink, those guys were a big contribution of the day.

[J. Johnson]

The DJ
The DJ's name is Ryan he runs a company called 4 sure entertaintment. His email is [e-mail]

[Momof4]

Group C : Memorable Short Timer
Awesome blog...Our trip started out with the metro ride from Springfield, VA to the Ellipse. It was my 4yr old and nephew's first metro train ride. They were so excited about going to see President Barack Obama and his family at the WH. We got off the metro at Federal Triangle and walked from 12th street to the Ellipse. Thank God, I brought my daughter's stroller. We were suppose to be on the Ellipse at 10:30 am, with a 11:30-1:30 pm entry/play time. Needless to say, we were running a tad bit late (LOL) and didn't arrive until 11:15am. My sister and I new we had missed our opportunity to be a part of history, but for some reason there was some sort of delay, Group C was still waiting in this long line for the previous group to be processed in. With the delay, we were still able to take part in this historical day. Once we were on the grounds of the WH (apprx 12:45 pm), we went directly to the egg roll line, which was long but well worth it, since it was a WH tradition. My daughter fell asleep while we were waiting. Finally, we were getting near to the front of the line, so I started to wake her. She was not a happy camper. I told her it was her time to roll the egg. She got out of the stroller and said, I don't know how to do it. I told her that someone would show her. She had a blue egg and asked for a pink one. The volunteer was so helpful, she gave her a pink egg. The announcer told all of the kids to get ready. I helped her with the first roll of the egg. Then my daughter all of a sudden declared that, "I don't want to do this and I want to go home". I guess, I should not have awaken her. I should have allowed her to sleep. The kids had to go to the bathroom, we found plenty of those. After the bathroom break, we got water from the First Aid station, because the kids were so thirty and hungry. We then stopped to watch Ziggy Marley, took and couple of pictures. Then proceeded to find the Kids Korner. On our way, we stopped at the Egg Station, then got our posters. My nephew did the basketball thing, then we heard an announcement, that the C Group had to exit. The kids got their eggs and we left. We were only there for approx. 45-50 minutes. In closing, we were happy for the delay, because we were still able to participate, but we weren't able to spend much time on the lawn, because our time was cut short. I would do it all over again, if I had the chance.

[ICA09]

need a poster...
We did make it with the help of friends in high places. The clicking away was very frustrating to say the least. Your blog and reading the comments was very entertaining! We did have fun, we love PBS Kids programs and were able to get pictures with the characters and see The Electric Company. Everything was definately different and not necessarily better. Spending the night on the Ellipse in the cold and snow, then coming home like a true warrior with tickets in hand was a triumphant feeling (and great story to tell). We were in the last group and didn't get a poster. If anyone knows how to get one, the space on my son's wall has 3 previous posters and was waiting for 2009.

[Liz Christianson]

Not worth it!
Everything you wrote was exactly our experience. We were at the same time frame, and on of my girls with autism had a really hard time with the constant lines. It seems like too many people were allowed in this year and all semblance of class was removed.

[ECMom in MD]

First Time - Group C - Disappointed
Alexandria Mom (above) had almost the same experience I was going to describe. My kids - 5 and 3, were exhausted from the walk from Metro to the Ellipse. We didn't sneak food/drink in so my kids were thirsty and hungry. We didn't appreciate watching other kids eat food smuggles past security either. Once on the WH grounds, we used the potty, decorated and Egg carton, and had our picture taken with the Easter Bunny on the way to the Egg Roll line. We weren't far from the front when the Egg Roll was shut down around 1:15pm. Needless to say, I was disappointed. However, we did manage to get a poster on our way out after I pleaded with the woman that we didn't even get to do the Egg Roll. I'm hoping that it's better organized and less crowded in the years to come, but I can't see myself trying to go back.

[adrienne holtzman]

DJ was Ryan Levin
The DJ was Ryan Levin...I will forward him your compliment!

[JenB]

Thank you so much for this blog!
We have tickets to the 2010 egg roll this year, and I just want to thank you SO much for this blog. It is exactly what I was looking for - a real person's experience with the event. I entered the online lottery for tickets on a whim, never expecting to get in, but I did (at one of my last time choices though, 3:45-5:45). I have a 3 1/2 year old and a 15 month old. I don't expect that they are going to care about doing the activities or anything, but I thought it could be an interesting experience just to be able to run around on the White House Lawn. I am concerned about all the waiting around though, that could be rough. So we'll just hope for the best!

[P05]

Congrats on the tickets. We didn't get picked in the lottery this year, so I'll have to live vicariously through all of you going. Please make sure to pop by and leave a comment to let me know how it went.

[Geri]

In for 2010
We are first timers going to the 3:45 too. I cant thank you enough for the blog... hopefully the experience is a good one. We are so excited! Will check back in and let you know if the event has improved over last year!

[P05]

Have fun! Let us know how it goes! :)

[BP]

2010 was a repeat of 09
We had a group of 1st graders for a Field Trip in slot C. It took fifty minutes to make it in. I want to clarify something, we didn't stand in line, we walked for fifty minutes to get in. We had been told no open containers, so we kept the bottled water closed. At the security gates, they were removed. Once we actually arrived inside, we were immediately looking to get the kids water. The only place was the nursing station, and the line was another 40 minutes long. The only other choices were the smoothie samples (not exactly hydrating), or the fruit juce lines which were even longer. After getting the kids water there was time for one activity, the Easter Egg Hunt. We were in line for 30 minutes at one of the sports zones when we ran out of time. After another long walk to the exit and the receiving the wooden eggs, the volunteers asked the kids if they liked it and wanted to come back again next year. To a child, the entire class yelled "NO!" At the exit, we were two blocks from the staging area for buses, but that way was closed off. The alternate route they told us we had to take required us walking eighteen 1st graders over ten city blocks in a very crowded Washington, DC. In total, these children had to walk 2-3 miles in that kind of heat with little or no water. Not only was that uncomfortable, it was downright dangerous. Several of the children were ill on the bus, my son suffered from cramps in the evening as I'm sure many of the other children did, and all so they could collect one poster and one comemorative egg. Perhaps it was better in the first session, but later sessions were horrible. The worst part was while waiting for the water we had to experience the entire 30 minutes of Justin Bieber's caterwailing. That was almost a highpoint of the day, until he actually started singing. Oh well, at least it was educational for the kids, as we got to explain to them how recording studios could make somebody sound ok, when in person they couldn't hit a not to save their life. He went from hero to goat with those kids in about 3 minutes.

[P05]

I can't imagine what you mean when you said you were walking for 50 minutes. Does that include the walk from the Metro to/across the Ellipse? Once you made it to the Ellipse did you have to wait very long to get on the WH grounds? Did they offer anything to drink on the Ellipse this year? Before passing security? Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I would love to hear reviews from other people who attended this year.

[Nicole]

2010 egg roll
BP, that sounds horrendous. We were able to keep all of our closed beverages. I wonder if they were more cautious since you were with a group? I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. Our experience was similarly exhausting and we only had a 4 and 6 year old. The kids were very hot from all the walking and sun. I think the weather was beautiful but made the day harder. There were beverages and snack bars on the Ellipse. They also had various groups performing while you waited. Our wait was not very long. We arrived at the line up area right about 9 for our 9:45 slot. We didn't find the wait unbearable as it was still cooler out. We became overwhelmed and tired once in the actual event area. There were just so many people. The crowds were intense. We went straight to the egg hunt and were disappointed to find real hard boiled eggs. We had heard that in the past they were signed faux eggs and that some were signed by famous people. Hard boiled eggs sitting in the sun were not appealing to me or the kids. Face painting was a big hit and the line moved quickly. My kids also like the hula hooping/dancing area. They had many costumed characters but it seemed once you waited in line to see them the characters were escorted away by their handlers. Again, I'm guessing the heat had something to do with that. Many disappointed little kids. We were lucky enough to have the president come out to speak while we were there. It was exciting for sure. We were very far from the WH at this point but thanks to zoom on our camera we got some good pictures. All in all we would go again, but I would go in to training 2 months before. The heat, distance for walking and lack of food and drink is something we wish we could have prepared for. We were all flat out beat.

[P05]

In the four years I went they used real eggs. The only artificial one was the souvenir at the end. I've always wanted to see the president, never got to do that. Thanks for the review!

[JenB]

2010 Egg Roll Review
Despite the late entry time (3:45) we had a GREAT time. They opened our line to start waiting at about 230, so we went ahead and got in line. This was in the blazing sun with no shade so it was pretty miserable, but we had some water bottles with us. We waited about an hour before they started checking people through - first they scanned tickets and gave the kids wristbands, and then we went through security. You could have your open bottles of water and whatever else all the way through to security and then they had plenty of trash cans to ditch them. Right after going through security, they had volunteers handing out Vitamin Water. After about a half hour of more waiting (with some cheesy kids' entertainment), we finally got in. Once on the grounds, they had more volunteers handing out water all over the place. Because we had been at the head of the line, we were able to do a couple things with little to no wait. The egg roll itself was a little anticlimatic (yes, they used real eggs) but overall I thought it was a very well run event. Because we were the last group of the day, the hula hoopers let the audience take home the hula hoops they used to participate. Yes, it was very crowded, and b/c my kids are so young we didn't really try to do a whole lot, so I can't speak to the long waits to do the various activities. I'd say the worst part was the walking to and from Metro - especially b/c we used Metro Center which is on the east side of the WH, and our line entrance and the only exit were both on the west side.