By early spring, Kim was realizing that the annual passes for Legoland Florida were about to expire. We had a great time last year, and it was time to plan a return trip for Kim and E--you know, we could not just let the passes go without a repeat visit and taking advantage of this great "sunk" cost. As a reminder, we got our annual passes on a special email deal for just $99 each--admission to Legoland Florida and the associated water park (usually separately ticketed) for one year + park perks like an extra 30 minutes of play, a 10% purchase discount, and free parking. What a deal! If you are interested in going, comb their website and Google for deals and sign up for email alerts. The park has been know to have whole months when, say, professional emergency responders enter free--so you never know what great find you'll get! While we're not yet Florida park connoisseurs, we think this one is a gem--good value and no complex trip planning involved. This year, we met up with friends in the park and let our kids explore together--a great way to spend time with friends in Florida and also a perfect park for kids to enjoy on a playdate.
Again this year, we thoroughly enjoyed the park's family coasters, and this time, E was tall enough (44 in. +) to ride all four. These coasters are magic for thrill seekers ages 5 - 9ish...they are not "baby" coasters but are not huge screamers, either. Also on the "have to visit" list were Ford Driving School, a driving range of small cars kids really control and drive, and Lost Kingdom Adventure, a "dark" ride with only pleasant, gentle surprise elements that allows you to "shoot" light targets for points in a Egyptian-esque setting. Kim also recommends some truly unique rides like the double-decker carousel, Quest for Chi water ride, Boating School where kids can pilot their own boats, and Island in the Sky, a sightseeing throwback to the previous Cypress Gardens park. If in the park on a busy day, start at Driving School and Boating School first--these rides are worth it but are slow loaders, and you want to go when the lines are not tremendous. Check out information about the rides here.
The waterpark is small--and separately ticketed unless part of your pass (it was part of ours). We might take a pass on it if here on just a day trip, but for cooling off in the afternoon on a multi-day trip, it's a good stop. E's picks were the wave pool, lazy river, and large sprayground full of slides. There are also tube slides, speed slides, and a small children's area. Near the wave pool, you'll find some pretty fantastic water tables--including an amazing "build a boat" course that will delight anyone who enjoys Amazement Square's canal system water tables. If you don't want to do the waterpark, it's fairly simple not to--the park is in the very back of the Legoland expanse. Here's a link to the information on waterpark features.
While in the park, don't forget to take in Miniland USA, a wonderful set of Lego models of famed places with the footprint of a football field. There's also an adjacent Star Wars set of Lego models that is quite impressively animated. We suggest ending a day in the park in this area--at quitting time, you can amble out and enjoy the displays as the rides close down. In other park tips, don't miss shopping at the small store by the Lego Factory. You can buy Legos by the pound--and there's quite a variety of pieces and colors, all neatly organized like a candy store. Remember, you can bring in your own food here (only small coolers)--and there's a Publix grocery store very nearby. Our experience of travelling in the spring has been if the park is a bit crowded, the waterpark is not...and vise versa. We have not stayed at the Legoland Hotel, but someday, we might take an extra day, get a room, and just hang out there and enjoy the setting. We tend to be tired after a day at Legoland, so simply stopping for fast food and heading back to sit in a hotel room and watch a little TV works for us, particularly given that we've had some odd timing on arriving/departing flights when coming in and out of Florida. The Shergill Grand Hotel in Winter Haven is very close by, reasonably priced, and safe--but it doesn't fall in any luxury category if that is what you are going for. Read reviews first and make sure it is a fit for you. Yes, you could walk to the park from this hotel if you don't have passes that would comp your parking--but you will also walk a lot in the park, so keep this in mind. For more on our trip in this area in 2016, please check out our blog entry on Clearwater Beach.
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