Does anyone else’s kids know every single line from The LEGO Movie
Here’s our review of Legoland Florida
When thinking about Christmas and the load of items the children receive and then lose interest in, we decided that we would rather DO something with them- create family memories. One of these memories would be a stay at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort in Winter Haven, Florida. I’m so glad we choose to stay on-site at the resort, and I can’t wait to tell you why!
Why we chose to stay at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort
When visiting LEGOLAND Florida, parents have the option of booking either the LEGOLAND Hotel or the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort. The LEGOLAND Hotel is right next door to the park, I assume some rooms would have a view. The LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort is across the road from the park (not really within walking distance) but offers a free shuttle to and from LEGOLAND (check Groupon for Legoland deals)! Theming at the resorts is different – at the LEGOLAND Hotel they offer Pirate, Adventure, Friends, or Kingdom rooms, while at the Beach Resort, all rooms have the LEGO Beach theme.
We chose the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort because I knew that both my sons and daughter would like the style of the room. I also liked the idea of having a colorful home and pool. I’m always drawn to more of an Airbnb-style accommodation and the Beach Retreat Resort seemed to fit the bill.
Here is a list of all the things I enjoyed about Florida’s LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort, along with those things I didn’t like.
Things we liked about the resort
The property is very family-friendly. In the room, the bathroom has a toilet seat with the child’s potty seat attached
The bunk bed has a trundle underneath so the room will sleep 5 (a rarity in the hotel world).
In the center of each cove is a small playground. In the mornings, while we packed up things for our day at LEGOLAND, the kids played on the playground and we watched them from the window in the room.
The pool is heated and has large, floating LEGO! The zero-entry kid’s section is perfect for little ones. There were 3 lifeguards on duty and a supply of life jackets
Room tour at LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort
The Resort restaurant, Sandy’s Castle Restaurant, offered meal deals! These may change seasonally, but we took advantage of both nights of our stay. The first night we were able to get 2 appetizers, 2 adult entrees, 3 kids’ meals, and Coke products for $50. The second night the deal was 1 appetizer, 2 pizzas, and Cokes for $40. We found these deals to be very helpful with our trip budget. I will say, the food was average. The kids loved it (who doesn’t love pizza and cheeseburgers?), and at the price, I could not complain. The nachos were our favorite- definitely try them!
While the adults appreciate the affordable dinner, the kids LOVED the visits from the LEGO character “Max.” The appearance is included in the cost of the dinner and you don’t have to make a reservation. I researched getting breakfast with some silly-speaking yellow men at another resort, and the cost for our family would have been over $130! For breakfast!?! LEGO creates so much value for the on-site stay.
A buffet breakfast is included for resort guests. From hot items like sausage and eggs to cold cereals and yogurts, the variety was appreciated. I found this to be a value-added item as most similar resorts will charge an arm and a leg for breakfast. Also, during breakfast, the servers tried to sit families close to the large sandcastle building area. This gave parents some time to actually eat their breakfast.
Things we didn’t like about the Beach Retreat Resort
The room felt small. Even though it was half of a cottage, it was no bigger than a standard hotel room. I liked that the kids had a separate space, but because the room is separated by a curtain, not a door, light and noise were an issue. Mr. YT and I tried to stay up and watch TV, but Olen could see and hear it, so we had to just turn everything off and try to sleep. This isn’t a huge deal, but I definitely prefer a true suite.
The bathroom layout and potty seat were a hit, but for all the thoughtful things they provided, a stool for the sink and a soap dish would be so helpful. I know that’s a little nit-picky.
As mentioned above, the dinner items (esp steak and the pizza) were just okay. The buffet breakfast, however, was ample and tasty.
Should you stay at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat?
I’d definitely recommend a stay at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort, Florida. Our kids were immersed in the LEGO culture for 2 days and they loved every moment. The shuttle to and from the parks is convenient and easy. A resort stay also includes free parking at LEGOLAND which we used on the last day after check-out.
The LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort offered so many on-site benefits – the meal deals, free breakfast, free LEGOLAND parking (normally $17), and the character dinners. Our kids are already asking to go back and it’s not something that my husband nor I oppose!
Have you been to LEGOLAND? Would you consider staying on-site?
** I was given a press rate for our stay. All opinions are my own **
More links for visiting Central Florida – Check out this Monster Truck tour through a citrus farm and stay close to Disney World at the Sheraton Vistana in Lake Buena Vista.
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Great information! I wonder – at what age do you think kids are getting a little too old to enjoy Legoland? My boys are 15 and almost 10 – and though they LOVED legos when they were younger (we still have a house full of them!), they seem to have abandoned them for any and every kind of sport! Thanks for all the great tips!
LEGOLAND says ages 2-12, but I’d go further and say that the best ages would be 3-9. The rollercoasters are made for young ones, our 5 yr old could ride everything and he’s not a tall kid! You may have missed the window. 🙁
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I’m having a really hard time deciding between the hotel and the Beach Retreat. Any thoughts? The hotel is walking distance to the park, has an in-room treasure hunt, cool elevator, lego castle and “pit… but the beach resort seems to have more of a “vacation” vibe and I like that my husband and I could sit outside and chat after the kids go to bed. Plus it’s a little cheaper. Thoughts?
That is a really hard pick! When are you going?? If you’re going during the peak season, I could see the benefits of staying within walking distance to the entrance. We had no issues with the shuttle to and from the parks, but the shuttle driver did say it gets very busy during peak times. The beach retreat is pretty much across the street from Legoland – but not really walkable. A friend just stayed at the Lego hotel and one thing I noticed is that the kids’ room has their own TV. This was not the case at the Beach Retreat. I did like having the greenspace right outside the door and a place for the kids to play while we finished collecting our things! It’s a tough decision!!! Not sure if this helps or not.