Toyota pulled out all of the stops when it came to safety in their cars as well as making sure we had a blast at the Season Home Opener for the Philadelphia Eagles game was unmatched. So for my first NFL experience the bar is set high. The experience allowed me to have the car for a week, tailgating experience, attend the Philadelphia Eagles and accomodations at Live Casino so I wouldn’t have to drive home after the game. So what happened and how was my experience?
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE
The car that I was given to drive for the week is the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid XSE. This car has one of the most unique color to it. I was amazed at first glance. It came fully loaded and here are some of the features that mattered to me the most:
- Sleep display: there’s no mistaking that you didn’t see a safety hazard or warning like pedestrian crossing. The display tells you right off the bat what to look for
- Unlike other cars this one make sure to give you warnings as it also prevents you from crashing. This is Toyota Driver focused driving
- Hands free and cord free phone charging. Count your cord days short with the Corolla Cross Hybrid and most of their newer cars. I forgot to transfer my cord from my car to Toyota but was relieved not to have to worry with the Qi wireless charging pad.
- Switching my music was easy. There is a large display that makes seeing it easier but again I never had to take my eyes off the road as it allowed me to switch from driver’s display with no issues
- Front and rear parking assist. It illuminates in a way that makes sure that you do not hit anything from all sides of the car. Living in Philadelphia that is extremely important.
- Blind Spot and Rear Cross Traffic Alert-again city living you need that to help you to keep yourself and others safe
I could go on and on about the ways that Toyota blew me away with their Cross Hybrid. It being a hybrid means I am using less gas and less emissions. I have had the car this week and I haven’t had to fill the tank yet. In this economy that says a lot. Also those who are skeptical on getting a Hybrid remember that they require less maintenance so you are free to drive more but also spend less.
Tailgating Experience with Toyota
They made everything seamless. When I checked into Live Casino all we had to do was provide my identification and check in took less than 2 minutes. Even though Live Casino is a mere minutes from my house, I was still concerned about the tailgating traffic. However true to fashion it only took less than 15 minutes to get there. After we got cozy in the hotel room we walked over a short distance to the tailgating experience.
Toyota Sequoia
They had two other Toyota vehicles available for us to check out. Both of them were hybrid and beautiful. The one that caught my eyes as it mirrors my own Traverse in size was the Toyota Sequoia. This car is stunning with its moon roof, attractive features, and safety feature that Toyota prides itself on. It was white, had a red interior which if you know me you know red is my favorite color. In addition to how beautiful it was I didn’t feel intimidated to get inside of it. It seats 7 with trunk space.
Tro Pro Series: Tundra
The other car/truck that was featured at the tailgating experience was the TRO Pro Tundra. This truck seats up to 5 people comfortably. I sat in the back to get a sense of the seating since 2 of my 3 kids are taller than me. It felt comfortable. The truck was massive but Toyota thought of the less than tall by having handles, and step to aid you in getting into the car. When you think about Hybrid cars you don’t think about SUVs or Trucks.
However this truck is definitely worth looking into. For those who need this powerful truck keep in mind it can also tow 12000 pounds in addition to being hybrid. This turns other trucks on its head just with that feature alone.
What’s Tailgating without Games, Food and Drinks?
Of course Toyota took care of us. We had plenty of eat with a private chef on deck to take care of our needs. Instead of mass producing food that could have possibly sat out all day, they cooked our food made to order. From chicken sandwiches, sausages, and much more including a seafood boil. We had plenty of drinks and they had corn hall. We danced, interacted with one another, even got a chance to see the Philadelphia Drumline practice a mere feet away. The energy tailgating reminds me of my days at Penn State University.
What I loved about the tailgating was that it was casual enough for us to have a good time but intimate for us to really talk and learn about everyone there. There wasn’t an Influencer present that wasn’t the most gracious. Keep in mind I attend a lot of events and sometimes the influencing space is coupled with some characters. I really enjoyed the presence of everyone.
Game Time: Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0
I loved attending my first NFL game at the Philadelphia Eagles home opener. Everytime I have these VIP experiences it makes me struggle to go to things as a regular sports fan. However I love that for me. We had fun doing a few more activations as well as learning about other cars too that Toyota had on display at the Pepsi Plaza.
Once inside you have to understand the power of Eagles fans. They are one of the most unique set of fans that there are. The Eagles chants are going at every second. People embraces you no matter if they know you or not. Our seats were impeccable. I loved then. It allowed me to see the game without anyone in front of us. In addition, the Philadelphia Eagles knows how to throw a party. From the Green light show, to Dj Diamondkuts we had a blast. The game was intense and if you saw you saw that it was a close game. I kept praying the whole time that we would leave with the W on my first game. Thankfully those prayers were answered and Eagles kept the W at home.
Live Casino Philadelphia
If you ever are looking for a place to stay while in Philadelphia I can now add Live Casino Philadelphia to the list. Now you can either gamble while there or enjoy some of the amazing food/eateries too. In addition, even you aren’t the gambling type and need a place to rest and reset. Add them to you staycation list. The room that we had was spacious. It was one of the best sleeps that I have had in a long time. They have a Nespresso machine in the room and it was delicious for those who love a good cup of coffee. We had a great breakfast at Prime Rib which I also would highlight that you attend for lunch or dinner too.
The water pressure in Live Casino deserves is own award. It was absolutely amazing. The service was impeccable. Keep in mind we had a water leak in our room and they let us know that they would be behind in solving it. When they said behind guest services said it would be a long 5 minutes. They were in my room before the 5 minutes. FYI there is no parking charge while staying and that helped as we were able to come and go as we needed during our overnight stay.
Wellness Check while with Toyota
Here’s the thing, you know if you have been following me for a while that I deal with social anxiety. It sounds as if with almost 9 years under my belt that I shouldn’t still deal with these levels of feelings. However the reality is that I still do. One of the things that triggers my anxiety in new spaces is new spaces. Not knowing what to expect is one of the things that I don’t deal well with. I like to be prepared as much as possible. Toyota had no idea that this was my issues but the executives made sure that we were prepared for anything and everything at the same time.
If I had a question, they answered it for me without making me feel a way to do so. Also I felt as if I had already knew everyone as the communication with Toyota was stellar. I could write whole books on brands knowing how to not just do things to wow an influencer/blogger but to make them feel important. Toyota must have taken a read from a few of those chapters. What makes a collaboration special isn’t about the perks. They are nice though. However, is the way you feel while in their presence and when you leave. I may not have played in the game but I felt like a superstar.
So will you see me in more Toyotas? Absolutely. How you travel matters. Traveling safe and in class is always a great thing. So when I say, Let’s go places, it will be with Toyota! Thank you to the entire team for making this an amazing time.
