If you’ve got a kid between the ages of 5-12 and at some point in their lives have liked LEGO. Legoland Florida is the place to take them. We recently took the 10 hour trip from New Orleans to Winter Haven, Florida. Just for reference, “we” is referring to me, my husband, our kids (7,5, and 3) and my parents. In the van. For 10 hours. Let’s be honest, it was more like 12 hours with stops. HOWEVER, it was TOTALLY worth the trip and it’s great alternative to Walt Disney World. Here are my 10 amazing things you need to know before visiting Legoland Florida.
Save Money On Legoland Florida Tickets
You know the Gieco commercial, “I just saved a bunch of money on car insurance.” Well, you can say that, “I just saved a bunch of money on entrance fees.”
If I bought two adult and three kids tickets at the gate, it would have cost me more money But instead, I found a BOGO coupon on the back of a LEGO package for 3 adults. This allowed my kids to go for free and saved us over $150!
You can also buy discounted tickets at Undercover Tourist .
Save Money on Food and Drinks at Legoland Florida
To save money, you can bring a bag with snacks and water. We did this and honestly didn’t even get a chance to eat the snacks because we were so busy at the park.
You can also get the Coca-cola Freestyle souvenir cup and unlimited refills for the day. There are stations across the park and came in handy when we were thirsty from the Florida heat. I think we drank about $100 worth of beverages that day.
Bring Ponchos With You To Legoland Florida
Bring ponchos. You can set a clock by Florida weather. In the afternoons it rains, heavily. Plan accordingly. Get the ones for .96 at Walmart ahead of time and stuff them in your travel bag with your snacks. In case it rains, or in case of a ride that might get you a little wet, you’ll have protections against wet clothes.
Plan Your Day at Legoland Florida
Plan before you go. I googled “Legoland Florida park map” then spent roughly 2 hours circling the rides all kids to ride or putting initials next to rides with restricted height. I hate just roaming around amusement parks and want to get to the nitty gritty. It saved us a ton of time asking, “where do we want to go next”.
You can also download the Legoland App which gives you showtimes, wait times, a map and more to help you plan you day.
Check Out Legoland Rides Before You Go
Check out YouTube videos of Legoland Florida. About a week before we left, I pulled up YouTube videos of the rides in Legoland. It helped my anxious son see what the rides were like before he went on them. He knew before we arrived at the park which rides he wanted to go on. This also saved time and temper tantrums. I highly recommend for an easy-going time at the park.
Stroller Rentals At Legoland Florida
Don’t worry about lugging your stroller all the way to Florida. Legoland has strollers to rent (first come first served) and were a Godsend when the younger kids got tired of walking. It’ll cost you about $22 for a double, but worth the cost in trunk space for your ride home. There are also lockers for rent in case you don’t want to lug around your belongings or purchases all day long.
Play While You Wait At Legoland Florida
Every line has a play while you wait area. Boy, did this come in handy! While the adults were waiting in line for the ride, the kids played with LEGO in a safe area. Then when it was our turn to board the ride, they just jumped in line with us.
Also, almost every line area was under shade and had ample fans. We were incredibly thankful for airflow.
Lego Minifigures Exchange
Bring your LEGO minifigures. Your kid can exchange, at most, 3 minifigures to their liking. All they need to do is go up to a Legoland employee and ask to switch. Each minifigure has to have legs, a tourso, a head, and some sort of accessory (like a hat). I have to be honest, some of the employees had the most adorable minifigures. I saw a cowboy, a unicorn, and minifigure dressed as a LEGO.
Add on the Legoland Water Park
If you want to add the water park, do it with your Legoland ticket. It is way cheaper to add on, then to buy separately. The water park is located at the very back of the park. We didn’t go during this trip, but heard nothing but good reviews about it.
Stay At The Legoland Hotel
If you can, stay in a Legoland hotel. They have one on the premises and a beach retreat, right across the street alongside a lake. The kids were in awe of the beach retreat. It looked as if it were built of LEGO and there were characters who visited the area. There’s a pajama dance party, a smores bonfire, and a pool with giant floating LEGO.
We definitely plan on going back, but probably not for another year when our two youngest grow tall enough to ride the bigger rides. If your kids are tall enough to ride most of the rides, then I’d suggest taking the trip to Legoland Florida. You won’t regret it.
