Legoland. HELP!! ME!! PLEASE!!

[chrissiecutie]

Going to Legoland for the very 1st time on Sun Sept 30th for one day. We are just doing Legoland, not the aquarium. We are staying offsite in Oceanside (possibly) and I have some questions.

How is parking set up? I know there's a $12 fee and I read somewhere that if you pay an extra $5, you can park closer. Do they not have trams??

Do I need a touring plan? The legoland website has a horrible interactive map and I can't seem to find much info on the rides, reviews, dining, shops, etc. DS likes rollercoasters and I don't want to get stuck waiting in a super long line for a super lame ride. Since I'm assuming the park will only be open from 10am-5pm, this gives us limited time to see & do everything. What should my priorities be??

Is Legoland stroller friendly? We take a stroller to Disney because DS always falls asleep on the walk back to the hotel. We tend to park the stroller in one area while visiting that land and then go back when we are all done & pick it up. DS doesn't need it for all day but because he was recently in a car accident, we will be taking it to Disney. What are your thoughts on a stroller & Legoland?

Can you take outside food & drinks into Legoland? While Disney officially says "NO", we all know that they allow it. Is Legoland the same way?

Where's the best place to eat in Legoland? I'm seeing alot of burgers & fries. What's a few food items that are unique or special to Legoland that we must try? Like Tigger Tails, Mint Juleps & Dole Whips at Disney....

And finally...does anyone know where I can get a GOOD printable Legoland map? I would love an actual park map but all I can find are FL park maps on ebay, no CA.

Thanks All!!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I can help with some of this.

Going to Legoland for the very 1st time on Sun Sept 30th for one day. We are just doing Legoland, not the aquarium. We are staying offsite in Oceanside (possibly) and I have some questions.

How is parking set up? I know there's a $12 fee and I read somewhere that if you pay an extra $5, you can park closer. Do they not have trams??

Parking is indeed $12. Preferred parking is $20. I guess it's closer; we have never used it. No idea if there are trams. The parking lot is just outside the park. We have always arrived before opening and been able to park very close to the park. If you arrive before opening, you will have no problem.

Do I need a touring plan? The legoland website has a horrible interactive map and I can't seem to find much info on the rides, reviews, dining, shops, etc. DS likes rollercoasters and I don't want to get stuck waiting in a super long line for a super lame ride. Since I'm assuming the park will only be open from 10am-5pm, this gives us limited time to see & do everything. What should my priorities be??

Our rule of thumb with Legoland is to head to the back first and work our way forward. Rides at Legoland are extremely slow loading. Also, this park is short on thrills. I'm guessing your DS will want to do the dino coaster and the dragon one. There's another one of two "thrill" rides, but that's about it. My boys always wanted to do the driving track, so that was a must. The human-powered rides are kind of unique, and their lines really build up.

Is Legoland stroller friendly? We take a stroller to Disney because DS always falls asleep on the walk back to the hotel. We tend to park the stroller in one area while visiting that land and then go back when we are all done & pick it up. DS doesn't need it for all day but because he was recently in a car accident, we will be taking it to Disney. What are your thoughts on a stroller & Legoland?

Yes, Legoland is stroller friendly. You will encounter many strollers in the park. If you need it, use it.

Can you take outside food & drinks into Legoland? While Disney officially says "NO", we all know that they allow it. Is Legoland the same way?

Legoland officially says no about food and drink, but they don't search your bags before you enter the park.

Where's the best place to eat in Legoland? I'm seeing alot of burgers & fries. What's a few food items that are unique or special to Legoland that we must try? Like Tigger Tails, Mint Juleps & Dole Whips at Disney....

We have never encountered any food in Legoland that we have enjoyed or wanted to try. We usually bring our own food on Legoland days. I have heard that some people like the apple fries or whatever those are that are sold in the knights' area of the park.

And finally...does anyone know where I can get a GOOD printable Legoland map? I would love an actual park map but all I can find are FL park maps on ebay, no CA.

Can't help you with this one sorry.

 

[erocrobro]

We were just there the first week of June and I can help with some of your questions. We went from open to close because of the short hours. I don't think there was a tram for parking, but it is a pretty small parking area, so we only walked about 2 minutes to the front gates.

I don't think a touring plan is necessary, the park is really pretty small. We only did the park, not the water park or aquarium. I don't know if we got lucky or if it was a normal day, but it was fairly uncrowded. We didn't wait longer than 15-20 minutes for anything. I don't know how old your son is, but if he is much older than 11 or so, the rides may seem babyish to him. My oldest son is 10 and he did enjoy it, but I think he was right at the top limit age wise so I'm glad we went when we did.

We didn't require a stroller, but I think Legoland would be easily accessible with one. I don't know about taking snacks in, we just ate in the park.

I don't remember the name of the place we ate but it was a large indoor market type place back by the driving school. It was pretty good and had a good selection.

Two last things I found out while we were there:
1. We always wait until the end of the day to buy souvenirs so we don't have to carry them around all day. The Big Store by the entrance was jam packed at the end of the day. Apparently everyone has the same idea. It was hard to shop at that time, so if you do buy things there you may want to do it earlier.

2. The water rides (The new pirate one, the one where the riders can shoot water at the people watching, and the log ride) will get you extremely wet. I was soooo happy that all of my boys were tall enough to ride without me!

 

[endy]

I've never seen a tram. Like PP said it's not a long walk.

Apple fries - yummy, you gotta try them.

We haven't been for a couple of years (ds is 15), he always wanted to eat in the sports place as they have a kids only buffet.

Like previously mentioned - the dragon ride and test track are big favorites, also the one where the kids drive.

The aquarium doesn't take very long if you have time. I think maybe half an hour.

And you can barely move in the Big Store at closing. Maybe Sep won't be bad, we've always been in Aug.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Thank You All! This really helps!

There's SO much info on Disney but almost NOTHING on Legoland. I definately feel like a fish out of water here...

I think we may pack in our lunches but give those apple fries a try for a mid-day snack. It's good to know they don't search your bags, so I can smuggle in some sandwiches and bottled water!

And we will definatly start in the back of the park and work our way front. If we get to the gates 15 mins or so before official opening time, how busy will it be? Is it like Disney where tons of folks get there early and long lines form at the gates? I would like to maybe hit the "Big Store" on our way to the back of the park since it seems to be so crowded at the end of the day. But will we loose too much time doing this and waste our morning hours??

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Thank You All! This really helps!

There's SO much info on Disney but almost NOTHING on Legoland. I definately feel like a fish out of water here...

I think we may pack in our lunches but give those apple fries a try for a mid-day snack. It's good to know they don't search your bags, so I can smuggle in some sandwiches and bottled water!

And we will definatly start in the back of the park and work our way front. If we get to the gates 15 mins or so before official opening time, how busy will it be? Is it like Disney where tons of folks get there early and long lines form at the gates? I would like to maybe hit the "Big Store" on our way to the back of the park since it seems to be so crowded at the end of the day. But will we loose too much time doing this and waste our morning hours??

We have never been earlier than 30 minutes before opening, and then we were about fourth in line. I think we were closer to 15 minutes early last time and didn't wait long to get in.

I wouldn't start the day in the Big Store. It is right at the front of the park, so you won't have seen or done anything before coming across it. If you want to avoid the end of the day crowds, maybe you could make that experience part of a mid-day break. The park isn't all that big; we found that we criss-crossed a couple of times each visit.

 

[erocrobro]

There are other stores in the park if you want to avoid the Big Store. I remember one by the theater and splash park area. Not as big and was mainly focused on movie themed items, but if that was what you were interested in. I also think there was a store in the back by the water park entrance.

 

[Spassvogel]

We were just there today. We visited the big shop about an hour before the park closed and were in and out of there in about 15 minutes.

After some of the horror stories, I was surprised it went so quickly. There were also several signs posted saying that you can buy throughout the day and they will hold your packages for you until you leave. Something to think about.

We had never been there and were able to make a progression around the park. Longest line was for the self-pedaled roller coaster thingy, but the kids at least could enjoy themselves in the play area building stuff. (having lego areas in the middle of long queues is actually the most innovative part of Legoland...it wouldn't work in a busier park like Disneyland, but it was perfect here...they go in near the beginning of the line and there's a gate for them to exit and you can see them throughout the whole wait.

All of the rides were extremely short. The laser game was probably our family's favorite.

For the wet rides, there were giant drying chambers that you can use to dry yourself for $5 or something like that. Kinda wacky. We didn't get wet though.

The biggest complaint from our family was the lousy food. It was a lot of greasy yuck and if I never see a theme park french fry it will be too soon. Also the costs to eat were $20 more than Disneyland for the four of us. (average about $10/ea at Disneyland, $13/ea at Sea World, and $15/each at Legoland). They also had the usual Coke products that we were also all sick of. We ended up leaving early to have a meal in a sit-down restaurant instead. We ended up at the TGIF built into the Carlsbad By the Sea hotel and the price for the four of us was $43!

Good news is that they didn't really check bags. You could probably bring in Subway or something and as long as you weren't flaunting it, could get in with it.

 

[FarFromHome]

And finally...does anyone know where I can get a GOOD printable Legoland map? I would love an actual park map but all I can find are FL park maps on ebay, no CA.

Thanks All!!

Last years (best I can do):
http://california.legoland.com/Documents/pdf/LEGOLAND_Park_Map_2011.pdf

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

The biggest complaint from our family was the lousy food. It was a lot of greasy yuck and if I never see a theme park french fry it will be too soon. Also the costs to eat were $20 more than Disneyland for the four of us. (average about $10/ea at Disneyland, $13/ea at Sea World, and $15/each at Legoland). They also had the usual Coke products that we were also all sick of. We ended up leaving early to have a meal in a sit-down restaurant instead. We ended up at the TGIF built into the Carlsbad By the Sea hotel and the price for the four of us was $43!

So it hasn't improved. We last ate Legoland food six or seven years ago. We didn't find it any good then, and we also noticed that it was more expensive than Disneyland food. We have taken lunch with us to Legoland ever since.

 

[woody73]

We went to Legoland last week. I'll try to help. See my comments in red.

Woody

Going to Legoland for the very 1st time on Sun Sept 30th for one day. We are just doing Legoland, not the aquarium. We are staying offsite in Oceanside (possibly) and I have some questions.
Since you are going September 30, it will be much less crowded than it currently is. After Labor Day, it's less crowded.

How is parking set up? I know there's a $12 fee and I read somewhere that if you pay an extra $5, you can park closer. Do they not have trams??
No trams, but IMO it's not worth paying extra to park closer.

Do I need a touring plan? The legoland website has a horrible interactive map and I can't seem to find much info on the rides, reviews, dining, shops, etc. DS likes rollercoasters and I don't want to get stuck waiting in a super long line for a super lame ride. Since I'm assuming the park will only be open from 10am-5pm, this gives us limited time to see & do everything. What should my priorities be??
Take a look at a map, select your top rides, then work your way around the park (so you don't backtrack). Note that some rides have minimum rider heights. Last week, they offered FastPasses at the Sky Cruiser (the ride you can pedal).

Is Legoland stroller friendly? We take a stroller to Disney because DS always falls asleep on the walk back to the hotel. We tend to park the stroller in one area while visiting that land and then go back when we are all done & pick it up. DS doesn't need it for all day but because he was recently in a car accident, we will be taking it to Disney. What are your thoughts on a stroller & Legoland?
Yes, it's stroller friendly.

Can you take outside food & drinks into Legoland? While Disney officially says "NO", we all know that they allow it. Is Legoland the same way?
According to the park map, outside food and beverage is not allowed. That said, security does not check purses, bags or backpacks.

Where's the best place to eat in Legoland? I'm seeing alot of burgers & fries. What's a few food items that are unique or special to Legoland that we must try? Like Tigger Tails, Mint Juleps & Dole Whips at Disney....
We avoided the burger, hot dog and pizza places. We were pleased with the Panini sandwiches at the Garden Restaurant (with terrific views of the New York skyline at Miniland USA). We were very pleased with the food at the Knights Table Barbecue (the barbecue chicken and barbecue ribs were very tender and not overcooked, the cornbread was moist and delicious, nice salad options, too). For a theme park, these two places offer surprisingly good food. Don't miss Granny's Apple Fries.

And finally...does anyone know where I can get a GOOD printable Legoland map? I would love an actual park map but all I can find are FL park maps on ebay, no CA.
I have an extra Legoland park map I can send you. Send me by PM your mailing info.

If you have Lego Mini Figures, bring some along to trade. It's like pin trading at the Disney parks.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Alright- so now I'm totally confused as to the food issue....seems that 7 or 8 years ago the food was terrible. But now there's comments that some places have decent/good food. Perhaps it was because those places were BBQ and not the standard theme park food??

We enjoy eating out while on vacay but it's hard to justify $15/person. Especially when DH eats twice the amount that most folks do....so his alone would be roughly $30!

I've heard there's a good pizza place here, has anyone tried it??

As far as The Big Store, well...I'm just looking for a store that has a wide variety for DS. He LOVES legos and will want to drop some serious cash money! But I want to try and find something unique that you cant get anywhere else. Would any of the stores here sell something out of the ordinary? We do plan on hitting up the Lego store in DTD too, so I'm looking for something special to Legoland.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Alright- so now I'm totally confused as to the food issue....seems that 7 or 8 years ago the food was terrible. But now there's comments that some places have decent/good food. Perhaps it was because those places were BBQ and not the standard theme park food??

We enjoy eating out while on vacay but it's hard to justify $15/person. Especially when DH eats twice the amount that most folks do....so his alone would be roughly $30!

I've heard there's a good pizza place here, has anyone tried it??

As far as The Big Store, well...I'm just looking for a store that has a wide variety for DS. He LOVES legos and will want to drop some serious cash money! But I want to try and find something unique that you cant get anywhere else. Would any of the stores here sell something out of the ordinary? We do plan on hitting up the Lego store in DTD too, so I'm looking for something special to Legoland.

Well, food is obviously one of those things that will garner a range of opinions. We last ate at the pizza place in Legoland several years ago (at least 5). The pizza was better than at Pizza Port in Disneyland, but not by much. I can't even remember what the food was that we tried the other time at LL. We've been to LL at least a half dozen times and after our two experiences just don't feel the food is a good value to us. We did not try the BBQ place, and we didn't even try a wide range of choices. We would rather eat our own food or go to an outside restaurant. Personal choice.

If you're looking for unique Lego kits, you're not going to find anything at Legoland that isn't sold at a Lego store or Lego online. Even the Lego stores have added the pick a brick stations. I guess you might find a few random pieces that you might not find at the pick a brick stations elsewhere. There are some cute Lego themed souvenirs and some t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc. that are Legoland themed.

 

[erocrobro]

If you're looking for unique Lego kits, you're not going to find anything at Legoland that isn't sold at a Lego store or Lego online. Even the Lego stores have added the pick a brick stations. I guess you might find a few random pieces that you might not find at the pick a brick stations elsewhere. There are some cute Lego themed souvenirs and some t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc. that are Legoland themed.

Agreed. We were looking for some unusual kits, but it was all of the same ones they sell online or even at Target or Walmart. My kids were really wanting to just buy bulk bricks and they didn't have the pick a brick places, unless we just didn't see them.

 

[woody73]

. . . My kids were really wanting to just buy bulk bricks and they didn't have the pick a brick places, unless we just didn't see them.

Bulk bricks are sold in Fun Town at the Lego Club House, to the left of the Lego Factory Tour.

Woody

 

[chrissiecutie]

Hmm...I guess we'll just have to go for a Legoland t-shirt then and maybe a little set or pick a bricks thing...I don't want to spend a ton of money and then lug it all home when I can just get it at home, most likely for cheaper!

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

Thanks for all of the touring plan/good food/parking help, everyone! We are heading to Legoland next Friday (Oct. 12) for our 2nd time--we 1st went about 3 years ago.
We remember the food not being all that great...glad to hear some more tips on that.
Does anyone have any other solid touring plan/misc. helpful hints?

And my biggest question is this:How long should it take us to travel from Disneyland to Legoland on a Friday morning? (around 8 AM departure from DL)...? Traveling on the I5 for about 60 miles, it looks like...but how LONG will that take us? (with morning traffic!) eek!

TIA!