Easter Bunny Photo Experience at Orland Square Mall to Delight Families

Simon®, a global leader in retail real estate, is hosting its annual Easter celebration festivities at Orland Square Mall, one of Chicagoland’s leading fashion destinations, offering families the chance to participate in traditional and unique seasonal events.

The Bunny Photo Experience is going on now through Saturday, March 26, on the lower level JCPenney Court near the Carousel. Kids have the chance to visit with the Bunny and take home a treasured snapshot of the fun occasion Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sundays, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. (hours are subject to change). Visits with the Easter bunny are complimentary; professional photo packages are available for purchase.

“We always look forward to watching Orland Park families interact with the Easter Bunny as part of this time-honored tradition. We are excited to welcome families to the center to capture their annual photo and to take part in our seasonal family-friendly events,” said Andrew Dunn, director of marketing and business development at Orland Square Mall.

In addition to regular visits with the Easter Bunny, Orland Square Mall is hosting several interactive bunny events:

Simon Kidgits Club’s Easter Egg Hunt

Families are invited to hop down to the Simon Kidgits Club’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 5, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Kids are sure to have an ‘egg’cellent time celebrating the arrival of spring and spending time with the much loved Easter Bunny. As part of the free event, children will enjoy an Easter egg hunt, arts and crafts, giveaways and more!

Caring Bunny

Orland Square Mall will once again host the Caring Bunny™ event, which offers families that have children with special needs a subdued environment to participate in the Bunny Photo Experience, on Sunday, March 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Caring Bunny has been developed by Simon and is guided by AbilityPath.org, a national online resource hub and special needs community. Over 90 Simon® properties will host the Caring Bunny this season. Promotional assistance for Caring Bunny has been provided by Autism Speaks.

Many steps will be taken to reduce sensory triggers, creating a more comforting environment for children’s cherished visit with the Bunny. The subdued environment is likely to include (specific elements or aesthetics may vary):

· Turning off in-mall music, stopping escalators located near the photo set, dimming the lights and shutting down fountains for the duration of the event.

· Eliminating queue lines through the use of a numbering system whereby guests approach the set when their number is called.

· Special activities geared toward the needs of the child during the ‘wait’ period to help the child understand what activities will occur during the visit.

The presenting sponsor for the 2016 Bunny Photo Experience is The Gymboree Corporation – including its Gymboree and Crazy 8 clothing brands. The experience is also sponsored locally by J&T.

For additional information, please contact Orland Square Mall at (708) 349-1646 or visit www.shoporlandsquare.com.