Great Lakes Mall - Black Friday VIP

So back in the beginning of November, I posted about a VIP shopping pass for the Great Lakes Mall on Black Friday from LivingSocial. The VIP package included a VIP parking spot, access to the VIP lounge which would have refreshments and a restroom, and a goody bag with coupons. They set the value at $20 and it cost $10 on LivingSocial. I had a $5 credit for signing up for LivingSocial, so I paid $5 for the pass. I debated over this pass at first because I remember past Black Fridays and how I was so tired after the first store and just didn't see the point, but I got it anyway. While waiting for the Toys R Us line to recede, we drove over to the mall at around 9pm. People were already gathered outside of the food court entrance anticipating their midnight opening, we then drove around and found the VIP parking roped off by the employee entrance by Dillard's. We returned to the mall after Toys R Us around midnight and pulled right into our VIP parking spot, the area was EMPTY! We really did feel like VIP at this point especially since it seemed that many people didn't take advantage of their pass, forgot about it? We went directly to the lounge and checked our coats and got some free coffee and the goody bag of coupons. We quickly headed toward the stores that interested us. This is were some disappointment was found...Victoria's Secret (who had an opening time of midnight) failed to open! People waited outside and inside for their chance to grab the free bag with purchase and then it was said that they would open at 4am so many people walked away empty handed. Next I headed to the Disney Store and got some AWESOME deals! Disney had door busters and then everything in the store was a percentage off, maybe 40, I can't remember but even the door busters were part of the discount! Disney had a line inside the mall to get into their store, I didn't realize this until I was leaving and had purchased all my items but I feel it is very responsible of the stores to do. I then headed down to Hollister and was met with more disappointment. The store was PACKED solid with people and around 80 degrees inside! In the back of my head, I remembered that Aeropostale was also on the want list so I got out of there! Opps, I almost forgot to mention the 15 year old boys in underwear greeting customers out front of Hollister!!! I have a feeling that if it had been girls, the police would have shut it down.... I headed to Aeropostale and received some good deals but the discount there was VERY confusing. Everything in the store was 50% off and then you could take an additional 20% off. So basically it was 60% off but even the employees were confused as they told us several different things. The line there was long but it was definitely better than sweating for over an hour in Hollister! We headed over to Bath and Body Works to spend $40 and buy the goody bag for $20 (retail value of $103.50.) The gal who met us at the door informed me that "today only, you can use all the coupons you have as long as you meet the coupon requirements" with a wink.) I had lots of coupons from random places and ended up purchasing $40 of merchandise on sale, plus the bag for $20 and paid around $31 with tax! It was an amazing chance to use all the coupons I saved up and one of those Black Friday deals that you just don't get online! We then dropped our bags off at the car, which took a few minutes and went back to the lounge to use the restroom and get some water and snacks. This is when I noticed Great Lakes Mall's biggest fail of the day, they had a radio station blasting rap music by Hollister and THOUSANDS of teenagers NOT SHOPPING! Don't get me wrong, I realize that teenagers drive retail but not on Black Friday. And where were their parents? It was 2 am! I was in my early 20's and having difficulty at home coming in after midnight, let alone after 2 am! (Anything a lady can do after midnight, she can do before! My poor daughters! LOL) We made a quick lap of the mall and decided that we weren't comfortable with all the loitering and foul language (yes, I know it's hard to believe but I can't stand teenagers cussing to look "cool"), so we left. The VIP lounge was a GREAT EXPERIENCE! I enjoyed it and would LOVE to do it again, if the mall decides to forgo gangster rap and basically welcoming loitering. I did make it back to the mall in the afternoon of Black Friday with my hubby and baby, and decided that although most of the door busters were over it was much more comfortable to shop when the teenagers were sleeping off their night of energy drinks!