I must admit when I received an email titled, “Hello from Toyota” I almost deleted it as my first thought was this is an ad.
But in my haste, I decided to go ahead and open the email. Wait! This email is really from Toyota!!! Toyota reached out to inquire my participation in working together for the #ToyotaDriveIn campaign here in Kansas City and drive the car for a full week to write about my personal experience. Now, you know, of course, I said – “Yes!”. I was unsure what car Toyota would allow me to drive, I was hoping for an SUV. But Toyota had another car in mind – I received the 2018 Toyota #Camry #Hybrid XLE. To my surprise, I was impressed as this car was fully loaded.
Toyota sponsored a Drive-in event at Boulevard Drive-In in Kansas City, Kansas. I could not believe in my all years of living in Kansas City, I never knew this Drive-In existed. As a matter of fact, Boulevard Drive-in is the only drive-in with a 4K screen – if you didn’t know that’s the highest quality digital image you can purchase.
I took my best friend and my girls to watch Incredibles 2. This was the first drive-in experience for girls, as we usually go into the movie theatres so I knew this would be a real treat for them. Boulevard’s concession stand was so nostalgic similar to an old school cafeteria. You should know that my girls loved it, they were like a kid in a candy store – as they picked up nachos, cotton candy, pop (yes, it’s called pop in the Midwest), pickles and more. I believed we left looking as if we just went grocery shopping. I also brought the girls outdoor chairs so they can sit and enjoy the movie.
So how did the Toyota Camry save my evening…
One evening, I decided that I wanted to practice on my photography skills. So I took the girls out to local conservation park to take a few photos. As we took photos and laughed which seemed like forever, but it was really only 30 minutes. But as a parent, you know 30 minutes can look like forever. All of a sudden, the girls and I heard a massive boom like a double barrel shotgun. I yelled out, “Was that a gun!?!”. The girls immediately fell to the ground, and so did I, we stayed on the ground for about two minutes before we got back up. So after we came to a conclusion this was not a gun, we went ahead and took more pictures.
After another 30 more minutes of what felt like glamour shots session, we decided to call it a quits and leave the park. As we drove up to the exit, THE GATE WAS CLOSED. I thought, oh let me get out and open the gate as I pushed it would not open. Then my worst fear had come into reality, we were indeed locked in a park. But not just any park a conservation park. I regain my composure as I walked back to the car. “Are we locked in, Mom?” my daughter asked. “Yes,” I replied. But then I noticed there was a number to call if you are in the park after hours. And that number was to the local police… yep – The police!
I sent up a prayer before I called as I did not want to get a ticket, the operator was really nice as she laughed and said people get locked into the park every day. I’ll send a car over to you now. As we waited, I remembered that my phone was fully charged thanks to the wireless charger feature in the car. “What are we going to do, Mom?” – my daughter asked. Thanks to Toyota’s built-in WIFI we enjoyed a show on Netflix for at least a half hour asked we waited for the police. If it weren’t for the Toyota Camry, I would not have had a charged phone or have the ability to watch Netflix to keep my children, and I entertained as we waited.
The new Toyota Camry is not just a car, it’s a lifesaver! From the 360 camera that detects people and objects close to your vehicle. The wireless charger came in the clutch when I left my charger at home, and the built-in Wi-Fi allowed my daughters and I to access the internet and stream shows seamlessly. Do I miss the car? YES!!! I miss the car so much so, I believe my next car will be a Toyota.
