Visiting LEGOLAND Florida was something my kids had been begging to do for MONTHS. When we thought about Christmas presents, we remembered that we hated seeing a pile of toys that would later be unused. Then we thought about turning a trip to LEGOLAND Florida theme park into our Christmas gift for the kids, and it made much more sense! We couldn’t be happier with our choice! Our kids loved their LEGOLAND visit, and we appreciated that it was the perfect getaway from the dreary Ohio January.
LEGOLAND says it’s geared for kids ages 2-12, but I’d say that it’s best for ages 3-9. Here are some of our favorite parts of LEGOLAND Florida.
Visiting LEGOLAND Florida
Miniland USA
Miniland USA is where great cities of the United States are built out of LEGO. Not only is this fun for adults, but there are also interactive buttons for the kids! We had fun pointing out some of our favorite landmarks to the kids. Since we visited LEGOLAND on a 2-day ticket, this is one place we visited on both days. We didn’t realize how much we missed on our first walk-through.
LEGO City
If you were transported to LEGO City, this is what you’d find. The boys received their driving license at Ford Driving School, then helped fight a fire at Rescue Academy. Our favorite part of LEGO City wasn’t a ride, but Firehouse ice cream! For $15, our family purchased a giant sundae in a reusable LEGO container. After a full breakfast buffet at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat, this was what we shared for lunch! And hey, that’s a pretty affordable theme park lunch!
Character Meet & Greet
Upon entering the park, you’ll pick up a small brochure of the day’s activities. Make sure you reference the park map and figure out where you need to be at each showtime. We chose to hang out near the front of the park so we could meet Mr. Business! We were able to watch the 4D Nexo Knights movie in the Wells Fargo 4D Theatre, then come out in time to line up for Mr. Business. I appreciated that the LEGOLAND employees took a photo with my phone and didn’t expect us to buy their park photo at a later time.
Rollercoasters
LEGOLAND has three roller coasters- Coastersaurus in Land of Adventure, The Dragon in Kingdoms and Project X in LEGO Technic. All of the rollercoasters are rated for 40″ or 42″ and above, so our 5-year-old was able to ride all three (with dad)! I found The Dragon to be the most exhilarating and modern, what I don’t recommend is eating a giant ice cream cone at Kingdom Cones before you ride. #iturnedgreen
Olen & Brian rode Project X on our first day in the park, and the next day they closed the ride to begin it’s transition to The Great LEGO Race- a Virtual Reality coaster. Here’s the video of what to expect:
Water show
One hit with the whole family was the Pirates’ Cove WaterSki Show! I can hardly get up on water skis, but this show involved guys in full LEGO costume doing tricks on skis! If you’re visiting LEGOLAND on a hot day, this would be a good way to get some shade and (possibly) get wet!
Cypress Gardens
This was not the favorite area for our kids, but a must-visit for the adults.? Cypress Gardens is a 75- year old botanical garden that has been integrated into the grounds of LEGOLAND. The sweeping oak trees, native bird life, and the site of a LEGO pirate ship made for a relaxing getaway from the busy lands of the park. If you’re traveling with children that get over-stimulated OR a nursing baby, this is the place to find a shaded park bench.
Shopping
LEGOLAND Florida has plenty of shopping opportunities throughout the theme park. Before leaving the park we let our kids each pick out a small LEGO set. I love that the LEGO souvenirs aren’t something that will just sit on a shelf, but they continue to be played with (and then entertained the kids on our next Florida stop).
While pin trading is a cornerstone of the Disney parks, LEGOLAND offers Minifigure trading! If you haven’t found a Minifigure you’d like to trade with a park employee, you can go to the Big Shop’s check-out where there are trading boards to consider.
LEGO NINJAGO WORLD
LEGOLAND’s newest attraction is NINJAGO WORLD. The centerpiece of this land is LEGO NINJAGO The Ride. This is a 3D coaster in which riders must do their best ninja moves to throw fireballs and ward off villains. The ride a little scary for our 4-year-old daughter, and the first time I ended up holding her in my lap with my hands over her eyes #momfail. So, think about how sensitive children might react. However, our boys adored the ride, as it scores your effectiveness in beating the “bad guys.” Spoiler alert: I lost.
In NINJAGO WORLD, there are other active playground-like attractions to burn off steam, such as Kai’s Spinners, Cole’s Climbing Wall, and Jay’s Lightning Drill.
Tips for your visit to LEGOLAND
Thinking of staying on-site? If your family loves LEGO, you shouldn’t miss a stay at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort. Our family had a fantastic time and I found value in the on-site perks.
LEGOLAND allows you to bring snacks and plastic bottles into the park. Lucky for guests, there is a Dollar Tree located just outside the park entrance. We stopped here one morning and purchased cheap snacks and soda.
We visited LEGOLAND the second week of January. The park was practically a ghost town– It was amazing. If able, I recommend visiting in the off-season. The theme park doesn’t seem that spacious, so I can’t imagine it packed to capacity.
Groupon is the place to look for package deals or discount tickets.
If you’re located near a LEGO store, you may also get a B1G1 coupon in the store. I think upgrading to the 2-day ticket is worth it. Our children were 7, 5, and 4 during a visit and there were things we missed on the first day that we’re glad we went back on the second day. The kids were also able to ride their favorite rides for the second time.
That’s a recap of our favorite rides and attractions at LEGOLAND Florida theme park. Have you been to LEGOLAND?? What was your favorite ride?
** Our family was provided 2-day press passes. All opinions are my own.**
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So I wanted to know what area should I stay at to visit LEGO land and what?s the best airport to land at???
We stayed at the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat Resort and were happy with our stay. It’s located just across the main road from LEGOLAND and they provide a free shuttle.
The closest airport would be Orlando, but Tampa could also work. We flew into Tampa and it was less than 90 minutes of driving to the park. I recommend renting a car.