As a mom of five boys currently under the age of 10, you know I’ve been to LEGOLAND in Orlando. In fact, we’ve stayed at the LEGOLAND Hotel twice in the last couple of years.
Normally if I’m visiting central Florida, I’m going to Disney World.
However, we opted to try LEGOLAND during fall break recently and were pleasantly surprised by our experience. In fact, we booked another vacation package for the following summer!
And, if you want to do multiple attractions, LEGOLAND is also available on the Orlando CityPass.
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What is so great about LEGOLAND?
LEGOLAND Florida’s slogan is “Built For Kids”, and we found that to be so true.
Here’s the thing, though. When something is designed for kids, that can also mean it’s super convenient and enjoyable for parents.
The park also feels a lot smaller than Disney – in a good way! It has quite a few small-scale yet thrilling roller coasters, plenty of kiddie rides and even a water park.
Employees of the park are known as “Model Citizens.”
One of my kids’ favorite LEGOLAND attractions is the Ford Driving School. Perhaps what they love most about it is that adults can’t do this one – they can only watch. Meanwhile, the kids get a chance to drive little low-speed go-karts.
The course consists of a small maze of streets. It’s hilarious to watch the kids attempt to navigate intersections and traffic. Since the wait times were so short, we let our kids do this ride 5-6 times in a row.
Meanwhile, we sat in the shade and drank our coffee while we watched them. They had so much fun, we opted to purchase the customized souvenir driver’s licenses for them.
Another LEGOLAND attraction that we love is Miniland USA. It’s a huge outdoor exhibit that features iconic landmarks from famous U.S. cities constructed from over 32 million LEGO bricks.
For example, you can check out the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center, watch the miniature stock cars zoom around Daytona Motor Speedway, spot the Empire State Building in New York City or visit the Las Vegas Strip!
The park also recently added huge shades to Miniland USA. This makes it a great spot to hide from the Florida sunshine on a hot day or wait out an afternoon shower.
LEGOLAND’s historical significance
LEGOLAND also has some interesting historical significance. The park is situated in Central Florida’s first theme park, Cypress Gardens.
The original botanical gardens date back to 1936 and have been preserved within a nature trail section of the park.
Cypress Gardens made Winter Haven the Water Ski Capital of the World. In fact, there are still LEGO-themed shows at the lakeside amphitheater that showcased water skiing.
Is Disney or LEGOLAND better?
Even though I love LEGOLAND, I think Disney is stil better. Disney theme parks provide a premium experience with incredible entertainment and cutting-edge ride technology.
LEGOLAND has smaller-scale thrills and shorter park hours with a lesser price tag. That being said, LEGOLAND is absolutely worth a visit for families. It’s also far less crowded.
Is LEGOLAND as busy as Disney World?
In our experience, LEGOLAND is much less busy than Disney World. Actually, it’s a dramatic difference if you’re accustomed to visiting larger theme parks.
We visited in September and June, and the crowds were low during both months. Wait times were minimal to non-existent. In fact, we were able to walk right on most rides. Additionally, LEGOLAND is more affordable than visiting other major Orlando theme parks like Universal or Disney.
Read Also: Do You Need a Child To Go to LEGOLAND Florida? Is There an Age Limit?
What age is best for LEGOLAND?
Younger school-age kids (5-8 years old) are the perfect age for visiting LEGOLAND. Kids in this age range will meet most of the minimum height requirements. Plus, this is the age in which interest in LEGOs tends to be high.
However, we visited with babies and toddlers and there were suitable attractions for them, too. There are several playgrounds throughout the park designed with little brothers or sisters in mind.
This worked out great for our family because one parent could take the older kids on a ride while the other parent stayed with the little ones. Plus, rides like Safari Trek or The Joust are ideal for preschoolers.
Is it enough to go to LEGOLAND for one day?
You could probably see most of the main LEGOLAND Florida park in one day. However, if possible, I would recommend adding a second day and including admission to the LEGOLAND water park.
If you want to visit the water park, it’s a good idea to go ahead and purchase two-day tickets. The water park includes a lazy river and a wave pool. It also has a variety of slides and play areas for smaller kids.
Like other Orlando theme parks, LEGOLAND’s ticket pricing is structured so that guests can get discounted tickets when they visit for multiple days.
Read Also: LEGOLAND Family Shirts: What Kind of Matching Shirts Can Groups Wear?
What is the LEGOLAND Hotel like?
If you stay at the LEGOLAND Hotel, you’ll be just a few steps from the park entrance.
You can also book the hotel with trusted sites like Booking.com or Kayak.
We’ve stayed at the LEGOLAND Hotel twice and really enjoyed our experience. Each room includes a King size bed plus a separate sleeping area for the kids.
This area has its own television, bunk bed and a trundle for families with a third kid. You can choose between themed rooms such as Pirate, Friends, Adventure, Kingdom, Ninjago or LEGO Movie.
Also, the hotel has two pools and a kingdom-themed play area in the lobby. There are also daily entertainment offerings for hotel guests. These include daily activities like bingo, trivia, interactive storytime or a pajama dance party.
You can also sign up for Master Model Builder Workshops throughout the day. This is a guided LEGO-building activity in which participants can build a small LEGO figure. We made a dragon one day and a platypus another.
Whether you’re looking for a slower-paced theme park vacation or just want to explore this park for a day or two, the LEGOLAND Resort is definitely worth a visit.
Have you been to LEGOLAND? Let us know in the comments!
Let me start by saying this was the WORST Birthday trip and experience my son has ever had in his 9 years. I paid $3,386.69 on 5/18/23 for an All-Inclusive package and experience trip for 7/16/23 – 7/19/23. All items included in the package I purchased are listed below. We got the furthest thing from that on this trip.
Lack of/Poor Customer Service
From check-in to check-out, there was a lack of clear and thorough communication, no professionalism, and definitely NO Customer Service!!! Whenever myself, husband or son asked for any assistance in any regard to the services/experiences included in our package, we were passed off to someone else, and each time we were told, “I’m not sure,” or “See guest services” or “See hotel’s front desk” and every time sent around in circles with no resolution.
Waterpark
Our stay was for 4 days and 3 nights, and throughout the entire time, we could not enjoy the experience of the Waterpark or Legoland itself, either due to weather or not being told the correct way in which our All-Inclusive experience is meant to work. While I understand having a rainy-day policy, we received vouchers that we were unable to use because of conflicting information on how they can be used. This factored in my decision to never return to this park again!!!
Photo Package
Included in our package was a “DigiPass Photo Package”, another item not explained how it works, at least not until the end.
Master Model Builders Workshop
My son was supposed to experience a Master Model Builders Workshop, but every time I asked if we needed to sign him up or register him for this workshop, I was told, “Oh no, it will be announced, or someone would contact us for him to attend.” It wasn’t until the 3rd day of our trip that another guest informed and directed me to a scan code for me to register/schedule him for the workshop. By this time, it was too late, and they were all filled up!!
Gift Card Policy
My son had a $50 Lego gift card that he tried to use at the Ninjago store and was told they don’t accept it there and he could only use it at the Big Lego store at the entrance of the park. He then tried to use it at the Big Lego store and was told he can’t use it at Legoland at all, that it “could only be used at the Lego store in Orlando because Legoland is run by a 3rd party company”. To be fair, this is not common knowledge, even more so for a child.
Dinner Reservation
I made dinner reservations to celebrate his birthday at Skyline Lounge and the Shipwreck restaurant, but only the SkyLounge restaurant made any acknowledgment of it.
Various Managers
Prior to leaving the property, I voiced my complaints to the LEGOLAND Guest Services Manager, who then advised me to bring these matters to the Hotel Manager. I then spoke with Lilith and Manager, who offered me a $70 refund for the Master Builder Workshop and $30 for the Photo Package; however, she didn’t ask for any of my information nor provided me with any references/confirmation numbers where I could redeem this offer. I expressed to her my complete dissatisfaction, the poor service received, as well as the lack of fulfillment of the activities I already paid for, and I was simply dismissed and advised there was nothing she could do.
Acknowledgment
On another note, I would like to commend and give a special thank you to the individuals below who were kind and provided exceptional service and who I know would have done more to assist if they could. They went above and beyond to try to right the wrongs so many times to help put a smile on my son’s face for his special day!!
Sky Lounge (Alyssa)
Shipwreck (Jacqueline, Melissa)
In closing, it is an ABSOLUTE DISGRACE for families to pay so much for an experience and be treated so POORLY. This was our first and will be our last experience at your property! We will never return, nor would I recommend this park for a special occasion or a 1-day visit.