Is Legoland, Florida Worth the Trip?
After Hurricane Dorian derailed our Kennedy Space Center plans, we found some open days in south Florida. As I scrolled through my Instagram feed I saw several posts about a Hurricane Relief Day at Legoland. It was a chance to visit Legoland at a discounted rate that would benefit Hurricane Relief efforts. Seemed like a win-win. That is exactly how we ended up at Legoland with zero plans, having done no research on a crowded and hot day. It is not exactly our typical travel style, but we made the very best of it.
Several years ago we made a visit to the original Legoland in Denmark. We found the park to be completely charming. Legoland, Florida lacks some of that charm. We didn’t visit on the park’s best day either. It was hot. It was crowded. There was lots of construction going on. Despite all that the kids had a marvelous time and would jump at a chance to go back. (Jeff and I however consider it checked off and are not likely to go again. Never say never though!) Jeff and I have also been to Legoland California and felt that it was a nicer visit too.
When headed to Legoland make sure you pack plenty of water and sun protection. The place is largely exposed to the sun and we had a hard time finding shade. We also packed our own snacks, most of which we ate waiting in line for tickets. Food at the park is standard and largely disappointing. The ice cream, though nothing special, really helped us beat the heat!
Also, if you have a Lego lover in your family bring along a mini-figure. Employees have mini-figures on their badges and will trade any part of their mini-figure with any part of yours. It’s a fun way to walk away with a souvenir from your day.
Despite largely feeling underwhelmed by Legoland Florida, here is a run down of our visit.
The Lego Displays in MiniWorld
The best parts of any Legoland property, for me, are the elaborate Lego displays. (Our favorite little amusement part in the Netherlands, Madurodam, was nothing but miniature versions of things in the country!)
The Lego displays at Legoland, Florida do not disappoint. These amazing dioramas, built entirely from Legos, have parts that move and parts that the kids get to interact with.
Places from all around the United States are represented. It’s super fun to take a look at them all. The kids actually remember quite a few places they’ve been. They also picked out a few “scenes” they would like to visit.
We would love to see a scavenger hunt in this area! It would be a great way to have kids (and adults) look a little closer at all the things happening in this area.
Legos You Can Play With
There is a small section of the park where you can build with Legos in really fun ways. Our favorite area was the flying racks where the Lego creations hung from ball bearings that could be placed on these courses to race down. I wish this section was larger because it was so much fun, and my Lego loving kids were in heaven. I actually didn’t take many photos because we were too busy playing.
I would love to see more areas where the kids could play with Legos in fun ways like boats and race tracks with things they built themselves.
Legos You Take Photos With
Our next favorite thing to do was to take photos with all the Lego creations around the park. There are so many large l=Lego structures. We enjoyed finding them and taking photos with them.
The different Legoland areas are all themed after your favorite Lego collections. It was fun to discover some of our favorite pieces larger than life.
There is also a character “meet and greet” with a Lego guy, but we were largely unimpressed. We went in because there wasn’t a line, but I wouldn’t wait to meet the Lego guy. The room doesn’t make for great photos and the kids preferred the outdoor Lego statues to take photos with anyway.
The Water Ski Show
Legoland Florida has a water ski show that beckons back to the park’s days as Cyprus Gardens. The show is now Lego pirate themed, which drew the kids in. We really enjoyed the nostalgia of a water ski show and the tricks were really fun to watch. We’ve certainly gone places to see less, so this is a must for any Legoland visit. Be advised that the “Lego cannons” up front shoot water at the crowd. If you don’t want to be sprayed, sit up high.
The Rides
We were largely unimpressed with the rides. As I mentioned previously the lines were super long on the day of our visit, so the payoff of the ride was often not worth the wait. Legoland has a few rollercoasters that get good reviews, but our Littles are not big fans of rollercoasters.
Instead, we stuck to your typical theme park vehicle rides. The boat ride was novel in that the boats are not on a track. The water has a bit of a current propelling you forward, but otherwise you are able to drive the boat anywhere on the pond. Jeff let the two littles drive and they took a LONG time on the ride, which is likely also why we had to wait so long for the ride.
The boys really loved being able to drive cars, planes and boats so they were trilled with the offerings. If your goal is to please the little ones, the transportation area of Legoland is sure to please.
Should you visit Legoland?
If you have Lego loving littles they are sure to love Legoland, Florida. If you set your expectations to low then your visit will be a success. As I’m writing this our Littles keep asking if they can go back – so clearly it’s a yes vote in their book.
If you are already in the area it would be a fun adventure for the day, particular if you love amusement park rides. Come for the Lego theme, don’t expect a Disney level of cleanliness, service or enthusiasm and you’ll have a great day.
