Syracuse, NY- Whether you’re a veteran Black Friday deal-snagger, or a shopper uncertain about venturing into the chaos after Thanksgiving dinner, every consumer could use a survival guide to Black Friday. After releasing a “5-Step Survival Guide” last year, Destiny USA in Syracuse, NY has added new items to its survival guide – and to its facility – to help make Black Friday safer, easier, and more enjoyable.
Destiny USA sees thousands of shoppers between the evening of Thanksgiving, through the early hours of Black Friday and well into the rest of that day. Visitors travel from all over the U.S. and Canada to take advantage of the exclusive Black Friday deals and savings from the luxury outlets, restaurants and entertainment venues at Destiny USA.
Here’s the NEW Black Friday Survival Guide, still in an easy-to-follow 5-step format:
Step One: Select your top priority stores and research their deals in advance
The most popular choices typically include Apple, Best Buy, Microsoft, Disney, Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th, Michael Kors, Victoria’s Secret and more. And at Destiny USA, they’re all under one roof.
Destiny USA also offers “Shop & Stay Packages” with Syracuse hotels that include overnight accommodations, a $25 Gift Card to Destiny USA and a Passport of Savings full of coupons for many of the stores.
Step Two: Map out your itinerary based on location and opening times
The easiest way to hit the most stores is to create a map of your target retailers and identify the most efficient route between them. This includes scoping out the parking situation in advance and remembering to utilize Destiny USA’s back exits onto Solar Street to get to major highways and avoid the traffic. Check out this video with parking tips. Because all of the retailers and venues at Destiny USA are under one roof, it’s easy to get everything done in one location.
The times, they are a-changing… Not all stores open at midnight anymore. Be sure to check when each store opens. This may determine the order of the stores that you visit. Details for each store’s specific hours are available at www.destinyusa.com.
Step Three: Divide and conquer
Once you have your plan, arrive in a group and designate who will shop at each store. Share your lists so that one person can get everyone’s wish list items at each specific retailer.
This means that Black Friday shoppers accumulate a lot of stuff, however, in a very short period of time. Shoppers may need to make several trips out to the car to drop off packages. A great parking spot will make this easy; but if the car is parked far away, then another option is to use valet service. Shoppers at Destiny USA can enjoy valet parking at the Saks OFF 5th entrance for only $5 a day, which includes bag delivery to your car.
Step Four: Make time for food, beverages, and bathroom breaks
Even after a Thanksgiving feast, shoppers will get hungry and thirsty again – and food isn’t always convenient or even available at 2 a.m. It’s also important to know where bathrooms will be available to you.
There are a handful of restaurants inside Destiny USA that are open until late in the evening on Thanksgiving Day and opening early on Black Friday, so that visitors can take breaks and enjoy the facility as they prepare for the most important shopping day of the year. Shoppers may even want to make reservations in advance, to avoid waiting in yet another line.
Step Five: Bring your family, and help other families
The adventure of Black Friday does not need to be rushed or stressful. While shopping at luxury brand outlets, you can blow off steam by racing an electric go kart at speeds up to 45 mph at Pole Position Raceway, test yourself on the largest indoor ropes challenge course in the world at WonderWorks, play arcade games built for kids and adults at Dave & Buster’s, or go bowling at Revolutions. And a stunning three-story glass atrium provides perfect weather year round.
NEW this year: Take time on this busy day to find ways to help the children and animals in our communities who may be less fortunate. Destiny USA is accepting donations of unwrapped new clothes, toys and pet supplies, as part of Stuff the Truck, presented by Coca-Cola. All items will be given to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ronald McDonald House and the Humane Association. Other charities that will be on-site at Destiny USA throughout the holidays include the Salvation Army Red Kettles, United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots, and free gift wrapping by “Wrapsody” (starting on December 6) – donations will benefit Vera House, Hope for Bereaved and the National Council for Negro Women.
