My trip to: LEGOLAND Florida
LEGOLAND Florida is a dream come true for three-year-old Austin, and fun for mum & dad too, discovers
We arrive at the LEGOLAND hotel just after dark and, much to my son Austin’s delight, are greeted by an enormous smoke-breathing dragon. After watching YOUTUBE videos of it on loop and hearing “are we going today?”– for two months – we had finally arrived!
We check in with an extremely friendly man (also called Austin) and after numerous high fives and a quick play in the giant LEGO pit, take the dance party elevator up to our Pirate room!
Absolutely everything in the hotel is built for kids. there are 152 rooms in four styles – Adventure, Pirates, Kingdom and Lego Friends – with Standard (partially-themed) or Premium (fully-themed) rooms and four VIP Suites with extras like an in-room character breakfast. All rooms have a separate children’s area with bunk beds and tv and a king-sized bed for adults, minifridge, coffee-maker, safe and free wifi.
With LEGO movies playing on repeat
24 hours and an in-room treasure hunt for LEGO treats, i think
Austin would have happily stayed in the room for three days! But the next morning we tempt him out with an epic breakfast at Bricks
Family Restaurant and the chance to meet some characters.
Park life
Fuelled up, we take the 130 ‘kid steps’ from the front door of the hotel into the park. Being pass holders at LEGOLAND Windsor we had expected it to be pretty much the same, with the added bonus of some Florida sunshine. We couldn’t have been more wrong! LEGOLAND Florida has several different rides and shows, including the recently-opened
Great LEGO Race, and being situated on the shores of beautiful lake eloise, this is the only LEGOLAND park to have a water ski show.
For those who don’t overindulge at breakfast, there are plenty of dining options in the park, including its famous Granny’s Apple Fries - I demolished two servings by myself! The hotel also serves lunch for families who want to pop back for some down time or a swim in the pool.
We spent a full day at the park and quickly realised that we hadn’t even seen half of it. Character appearances at dinner get the children ready for the evening entertainment at the
Kids Pyjama Dance Party. It’s strategically placed next to the Skyline lounge bar, so
adults can sit down and enjoy a cocktail or three while the kids run riot under the supervision of the wonderful entertainers, who tire them out with dancing, games and finally a bedtime story. This nightly event is the key to getting the kids to sleep after a day of excitement and Austin is no exception, falling asleep as soon as his head hits his pirate-themed pillow.
Splashing out
the next morning we are up early and head into the park to do our favourite rides and sights again (LEGO Ninjago the Ride, Pharaoh’s Revenge, MINILAND USA and the Ford® Driving School), before heading into the LEGOLAND Water Park. Unlike the splash zone at Windsor, this is a full park where you can easily spend a whole day. There are several water slides, the Build-a-Raft River (where you float round on an inflatable tube adding giant LEGO bricks to your raft as you go), LEGO Wave Pool, DUPLO Splash Safari and the Joker Soaker, an
interactive play area filled with slides, climbing frames, water spouts and a wading pool.
Best of all, there are sun loungers galore, so adults can take it in turns supervising the kids while the other gets to relax and soak up the sunshine in peace,
The highlight of the day is actually the Master Model Builder Workshop at the LEGOLAND Hotel, where Austin gets to build a LEGO model with a Master Model Builder and take it home as a souvenir. I’ve never seen him so enthralled.
Life’s a beach
For our final night we head to the LEGOLAND Beach Retreat across the street. The drive-through check in is genius - no kids running riot as you stand in line, you just drive up to a window to take your key and a map.
Located alongside Lake Dexter, this relaxed resort offers 83 brightly coloured beach-themed bungalows in a village-style layout. All 166 rooms have whimsical LEGO decor and feature the same amenities. each centres around an outdoor play area with fun and challenging elements, all within view of the shaded patios, where adults can put their feet up and relax or even enjoy a take-out dinner. There’s also a free shuttle service to the park.
the complimentary breakfast is buffet-style and dinner options include pizza, burgers, seafood and steaks, as well as a great cocktail menu (I can recommend the ‘fish in a bag’). there’s a large heated pool and man-made sandy beach which we have just enough time to enjoy before night falls and it’s time for dinner and s‘mores around the camp fire.
To say we are sad to leave in the morning is an understatement. For families with kids (especially young ones) it’s well worth the break away from the other theme parks that orlando has to offer and we will certainly be back to visit again soon!