Easter Bunny Arrives at Orland Square Mall This Weekend

Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG), a global leader in retail real estate, is hosting its annual Easter celebration festivities at Orland Square, Chicagoland’s leading fashion destination, offering families the chance to participate in both traditional and unique seasonal events.

The Bunny Photo Experience begins on Saturday, March 15, and runs through Saturday, April 19. Kids will have the chance to visit with the Bunny in his special home located on the lower level Carson’s court across from the newly remodeled food court, and take home a treasured snapshot of the fun occasion. The presenting sponsor for the 2014 Bunny Photo Experience is Gymboree.

“We love to hold family-friendly events at Orland Square and we always look forward to watching children interact with the Bunny at Easter,” said Gayle Gleespen, director of marketing and business development at Orland Square.

To celebrate the occasion, Orland Square invites families to hop on down to the center for the Simon Kidgits Club Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, April 12, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. As part of the ‘egg’stravagza, kids will enjoy festive interactive activities including an Easter egg hunt, breakfast provided by Subway, arts and crafts and more! Members will receive a Kidgits® Easter bucket and Kidgits bunny ears as a keepsake to take home. Not a Simon Kidgits Club member? Families can sign-up for an annual membership at Guest Services for $5 during mall hours. Visit www.simon.com/kidgits for more information.

In addition, on Sunday, April 13, beginning at 8 a.m., Orland Square will host the Caring Bunny™ event, offering families with special needs a subdued environment to participate in the Bunny Photo Experience. Caring Bunny has been developed by SPG and is guided by AbilityPath.org, a national online resource hub and special needs community. Over 80 Simon® properties will host the Caring Bunny this season.

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.

For more information about Orland Square’s Easter events or for a full schedule of Bunny hours, please call (708) 349-1646 or visitwww.simon.com/mall/orland-square-mall,www.facebook.com/OrlandSquareMall orwww.twitter.com/OrlandSquare.