With a house full of Lego Fans we had to visit Legoland FL during our visit to Orlando. You might wonder why we would do that since we have Legoland right here in SoCal. First of all my kids love LEGOs and second we wanted to see the differences between the two. So, we took a trip out to Winter Haven, FL about 45 mins away from Orlando to visit this 150 acre theme park for a day.
Along the way we learn some interesting things to keep in mind when visiting Legoland Florida during the summer months.
1. Always check the weather forecast before going - During the summer months, Florida has major thunderstorms and showers. Always stay on top of the time when it may rain in the park and try work around it. When thunderstorms hit, all outside rides and attractions are stopped or closed. If you plan accordingly, you can visit all the indoor activities when rides are closed due to rain. Here are some you can visit: Ninjago Ride, Lego Mindstorm (sign up at the beginning of the day for a class later in the day), 4D movies, Hero Factory build, and the Warner Brothers Video Game Center are perfect for bad weather conditions.
Image by: Shirley C. - Ninjago
2. Go before any major holidays or on a weekday - Like any theme park, it is nice if you can visit it during the off season months but in case you are visiting during the summer months, try to hit the park during the weekdays. They may have days that are not open during the year, so don't forget to check on this,
By: Shirley C. - Driving School
3. Purchase ahead online - You will avoid having to wait in line at the park. Their website normally lists deals. Always follow them on FACEBOOK, Twitter or Instagram for the most up to date deals. Or visit the local AAA for special discount tickets.
Image By: Shirley C. - Miniland USA - NASA Kennedy Space Center
4. Be prepared before you go - When traveling with kids don't forget to bring your essentials for a day at a theme park. Bring water, snacks, sunscreens, hats, stroller, and if you are visiting the Waterpark as well don't forget your swim gear and towel. Plus a Water Proof phone pouch/case, I was able to put my smartphone inside the pouch and take pictures under water of the kids playing.
Image by: Shirley C. - Heartlake City
5. Bring your minifigures to trade - Ask your kids to bring their least favorite minifigures so they can trade them with Lego employees. All employees have minifigures pinned on them or at the mini figure trading stations. They are all very friendly and willing to trade on the spot. There is also a “Minifigure Ambassador”. This employee can be hard to track down, but they have almost 100 minifigures pinned to them ready to trade.
6. Get there when the park opens - That allows you to plan your day and ride those amazing crowded rides first. My suggestions is to head to the Chima ride, the driving school and the roller coasters as early in the day as possible before the lines get too long.
Image by: Shirley C. - Driving School and a Model of a Ford Mustang
7. WaterPark - Hey it's summer and we had to visit the WaterPark. It's hard to have to load all the towels and clothes etc. So, we opted to have them wear their swim suit to the park and head to the waterpark as soon as we could and let it dry out throughout the day. Unlike Legoland CA WaterPark, which is somewhere in the middle. The Florida one is all the way on the back of the park, so it is a bit out of the way. But, if you choose not to do the waterpark, kids won't even notice it's there at all.
Image by: Chip Litherland - Legoland WaterPark
8. Take a lunch Break before the lunch crowd - I try to feed the kids before they get too hungry and it's not fun when we are waiting too long in line for our food. There are plenty of options in Legoland. Always check if they have all-you-can eat deals or kids eat free. They may offer specials from time to time.
9. Visit the Lego store on your way out (the store always closes a bit later than the park hours, so that's a plus) – But if you buy the items throughout the day and do not want to carry all your items throughout the park, you can request for "package pick up" in every store or artwork kiosk. Then at the end of the day, you can pick up all the items at the Package Pick up Area by the Locker and Stroller Rental.
Image by: Shirley C. - Lego Factory
10. Save all your photo cards from your photo sessions throughout the day. Remember to visit the photo shop in guest services before you leave the park. Keep in mind there are photographers all around the park, especially when there is a character.
Compare to the California one, this park is situated on a very long property and partially hilly. So, many of the areas are very concise and somewhat cozier than Legoland California. We still had an amazing time at this theme park. We would go back again if we visit Florida but for the next time, we will probably take the option of buying a 2-day pass instead. It was too rush having to visit both the theme park and the Waterpark on the same day.
Location:
LEGOLAND FLORIDA
1 Legoland Way
Winter Haven, FL 33884
For tickets and info:
https://www.legoland.com/florida/
* We received tickets to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own
