LEGOLAND® Florida
My son Leo is among the legions of children worldwide who adore LEGO®. For him, our trip to the new LEGOLAND® Florida theme park in Winter Haven was nothing short of a pilgrimage. At 11 years old, he’s at the older range for many of the attractions, but we easily filled two full days with fun.
Worth It
If you have pre-school children, LEGOLAND is worth the trip from anywhere. This park caters to kids ages 2-12 and even the coasters are sized appropriately. DUPLO Village is an entire section dedicated to children 5 and under, featuring indoor and outdoor play spaces. There are multi-level playgrounds and play spaces in the Land of Adventure and LEGO Kingdom sections. Several rides allow children at the height of just 36” to ride by themselves, including Royal Joust, Beetle Bounce, and the Junior Driving School.
Beginning at the main entrance and throughout the park, there are several hands-on areas where LEGO pieces are out and available for recharging moments of creative play. The best of these is the indoor Racers Build and Test area, where kids build vehicles of their own design, then run them down ramps to test their fortitude and speed.
Rides and Shows
Being a tween Leo was more interested in the rides and shows. We found several fun rides and attractions at LEGOLAND. I enjoyed the 360° view when we ascended 150 feet in the air on Island in the Sky. Leo’s favorite was the Aqua Zone Wave Racers.
We really enjoyed the water ski show in Pirate’s Cove. During The Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty, the brave Imperial Soldiers fight Brickbeard the Pirate. The ski stunts are impressive and the cast engages the audience in water cannon play and pirate talk.
At the top of our list of favorites was Miniland. You’ll need at least an hour to stroll through the eight distinct geographical areas with LEGO replicas of skylines, landmarks, and city scenes.
After two full days covering LEGOLAND, we came away with these insights and suggestions:
• Shade – You’ll need to find shady spots for occasional relief from the Florida sun. Most of the queues for the popular rides, like Pharoah’s Revenge, are shaded. Cypress Gardens provides a shady and quiet trail to walk when it’s time for a nap in the stroller. There’s cool comfort in the Fun Town Theater, which shows three different 4-D movies with water, snow, and wind effects.
• Shopping – There are several shops across the park, with hard-to-find LEGO sets and souvenirs. You can have your purchases sent to the main gate, and you can pick them up as you leave.
• Snacks – The food options throughout the park are generally healthy; everything is trans-fat free. You can find fruit cups, yogurt, and other kid-friendly options. We did, however, indulge Granny’s Apple Fries, a LEGOLAND specialty.
• Strollers – There are two sizes available for rent, at $9 or $14, plus tax. Lockers are also available. These are both near the main entrance, close to the Big Shop. Because this store gets crowded at the end of the day as people leave, I recommend shopping there early and storing your stash in a locker for the day.
Traci L. Suppa blogs at www.GoBIGorGoHomeBlog.com
When You Go:
LEGOLAND® Florida. One LEGOLAND Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884. 877-350-LEGO (5346); http://florida.legoland.com. Admission: Adults and Children 13 and up : $75/day. Children 3-12 years: $65/day. Hours: See website for hours of operation.
