buying LEGO from legoland or DD

[nonzerosum]

My almost 4 year son is just getting into lego after loving megablocks since the age of 1. We're doing both DLR and LL (DLR first) and am wondering where is the best place to purchase LEGO? Does Legoland have a good selection of LEGO bricks and kits for purchase in the gift shops, or would we be better off purchasing in the DD LEGO shop? He's getting the Woody's Round-Up kit for his birthday in a few weeks. I'm very exciting!

 

[Howry]

This is my opinion but I would buy them from Walmart. Still cheaper for the same thing you can get at the Lego store. The Lego store does have more selection but a 4 year old wont care and you still save money.

Well atleast my 4 year old didnt care, he was just happy to have new Legos. =)

 

[nonzerosum]

Is there anything different that Walmart or TRU won't carry? I've heard you can buy brick by the pound, selecting your own color and size.

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

Whatever is most convenient.....there aren't really any deals (except Walmart might be a bit cheaper, like the pp said), and the selection at Legoland is pretty much the same as any Lego store.

There is a big Lego store near the Legoland entrance/exit, and it might be easiest to wait until the park is closed (the store seemed to stay open later so accomadate shoppers) and shop at the very end of your trip. That way you aren't having to haul anything around, and he'll have plenty of time to make up his mind as far as what he wants. But my kids would have a hard time waiting until the end.

I love the Toy Story legos! They are too cute. My son was obsessed with Buzz Lightyear for a good 3 years....but now he is nearly 9 and has moved on to other things. It makes me kind of sad that we won't be buying any Toy Story sets - the mini figures are adorable.

Have a great trip!

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

Is there anything different that Walmart or TRU won't carry? I've heard you can buy brick by the pound, selecting your own color and size.

You can buy Legos by picking your pieces at DTD. At my local Lego store you stuff as much as you can into a plastic container for a fixed price, and I know the DTD Lego store has a corner like that. Not sure if it is the same "stuff a container" method or sold by the pound.

There is another big place to buy Legos in the back of Legoland, and they had build a mini-figure and I think bricks in bulk. Maybe that is where you can buy by the pound. But we didn't buy anything there or shop around much. We never have enough of the bigger bricks, so one of these days we need to buy a bunch of those.

I do seem to recall that they had some sets at Legoland and the DTD Lego store that you wouldn't find at Walmart or TRU. They had some of the bigger sets, and the more advanced robotic type sets. But I think these are at the Lego store in our local mall. I don't think you would find any Toy Story sets that you couldn't find locally.

But shopping at Legoland was really fun for my kids. We got our stuff in cute Legoland bags, which we still use (just plastic bags, but different than the normal Target bags we usually have). Plus you have to buy a souvenier anyway....

 

[bumbershoot]

In October, Lego Store's back area was the "stuff a container" type, not a weight based thing. And it was mainly small things...chairs, fun clear colored things that can be used as knobs, clocks, just all sorts of adorable little things that you could jam into one of their containers.

I am constantly checking Lego prices, and the prices and availability at the lego store was right in line with what they have on lego.com (though .com has more stuff sometimes), which is generally the same (or less) as they have at ToysRUs, etc. Sometimes I can find stuff at Target or my local Fred Meyers (a Kroger store) for less but that does require going often (which generally means spending money on things I don't need, which negates any savings on the Lego, LOL).


Now, if you have a Disney Visa or Disney Debit Card, you can get a discount at the Lego Store, so that's nice (and unexpected).

I know nothing about Legoland, though!

Biggest thing to know about going to Lego Store is that you have to invest some *time*, not just money there. It's great fun for kids to play at the tables.

 

[deejdigsdis]

We were just there (both places) in Nov. My 3 boys really liked the idea of actually buying Legos AT Legoland. They felt the selection at the big store near the entrance of Legoland was better than Walmart, TRU, or DTD. I don't pay as close attention to the prices, but my boys do (since they save their $ and buy them), and they said the prices were the same at DTD and Legoland as they are at the other stores. The other stores have the occasional sale, though. Like TRU this week...buy 1, get 1 for 50% off. Like a PP said, we waited until the end of our LL day to go to the store near the entrance. We browsed on our way into the park, then shopped when the park was closed. The store stays open later than the park.

And how cute is this... This is what my kids did while waiting in line for a ride at LL. Actually there wasn't a line, but they wanted to build anyway. I thought it was a cute idea to have these building stations along the way in the line.

 

[PinkBudgie]

It is worth buying Legos at the Lego store if you find the ones that they don't sell anywhere else. Belleville (pink) Legos are very hard to find and the store has a good amount of them. Also sometimes they have clearance section with good deals. And the bins are fun for picking out different pieces in colors you don't have.

 

[jessica52877]

As the others have said, the prices are about the same. The lego store at legoland becomes a zoo once the park is closed. At the back of legoland there was a place (oct 08) to buy by the pound.

DTD lego store has the containers, not a good deal in my opinion and not always good options. Just depends.

I had no idea you got a discount with the disney visa there! Yikes! We spent a ton at DL. I assume WDW does NOT offer the discount though. No one has ever mentioned it to me. And we spend even more $ there. We also have a local lego store and the selection is much better then walmart, if walmart has the item though it is usually a little cheaper, but not even by much anymore.

 

[MAH4546]

The LEGO store prices everything at retail. It is always cheaper than Toys "R" Us and most retailers, and the price difference between the LEGO Store and Wal-Mart is usually only $1 or a few cents (i.e. a set that retails for $49.99 at the LEGO Store might be $48.88 at Wal-Mart).

Don't be concerned about the LEGO Store prices - absent sales, prices are near identical to everywhere else.

 

[nunzia]

I did like the stuff a container thing at DTD Lego store..my DGS is into dolphins and loves making lego dolphins, so I stuffed a little container with all the gray/blue ones I could find and he really liked it. He's also into Star Wars so we may have to go that route..the little figures are what's hard to find, so the place where you can make your own figure might be fun. We plan on going to LegoLand and San Diego in June so we'll see how that goes

 

[Amommy21]

Legos are NOT CHEAPER at TRU.. for the last year or so they mark them UP!

We have a locall lego store and LOVE buying legos from them. the seletion is not matched. And the pick a brick is totally fun for kids, as well as the build a minifig. Definatley plan on that at legoland or DTD.

You can shop at TRU or other places anytime... plan to see what DTD and Legoland offer. We have been to both in the last year and even though we have a a great legostore locally we spend money at both DTD and Legoland buying sale things and hard to find.

Legoland also has great costumes.... keep a look out! DS already had the knights costumes, but got some great mission to mars stuff..

 

[lisadave4]

I didn't know this until I was purchasing the legos at DTD, but they give you a discount if you are a season pass holder! I think it was 10 or 15%. At least it was something.