Legoland Coming to Central Florida

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

The owner of the company that owns Legoland theme parks has purchased Cypress Gardens!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/os-cypress-gardens-merlin-20100115,0,1252259.story

Seems quite likely that this place will reopen as some sort of Legoland theme park. And that's great for Central Florida!

BobK/Orlando

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Seems quite likely that this place will reopen as some sort of Legoland theme park. And that's great for Central Florida!

I agree that's is "quite likely" that Merlin will use the site and its infrastructure for a Legoland-branded park.

But I don't agree with the subject line of this thread. "Legoland Coming to Central Florida" makes it sound as if this is the only possible outcome of Merlin's acquisition of the property.

Merlin runs many parks and attractions that are not Legoland parks. They may have other ideas for the property, even though a Legoland would seem most likely.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Irrelevent. The park is too far from the Orlando theme park belt to be significant and anything short of a new Disney Park in this location is meaningless...

I think the ORIGINAL Cypress Gardens was GREAT (really great) and should have held it's own ... but it didn't. Because of the make of up of the "theme park" demographic, a truly unspoiled and natural themepark stands no chance. Therefore, this incarnation of CG will fail as well. Too bad, but it's due to the morons in which we share space on this planet with ... Nothing more, nothing less. Just lemmings and so called entitleists...No real thinkers.

 

[doconeill]

Maybe the could buy Splendid China and redo everything in Legos? It would at least be closer...

 

[anthony2k7]

Irrelevent. The park is too far from the Orlando theme park belt to be significant and anything short of a new Disney Park in this location is meaningless...

I think the ORIGINAL Cypress Gardens was GREAT (really great) and should have held it's own ... but it didn't. Because of the make of up of the "theme park" demographic, a truly unspoiled and natural themepark stands no chance. Therefore, this incarnation of CG will fail as well. Too bad, but it's due to the morons in which we share space on this planet with ... Nothing more, nothing less. Just lemmings and so called entitleists...No real thinkers.

I cant see how its location can be too much of a problem. A good percentage of visitors to orlando are willing to drive all the way over to Tampa to visit busch gardens. Maybe its something mainly international visitors do who are there for longer? I dunno, but a lot of people I know have been to BG whilst visiting Orlando.

If its marketed well enough and has enough attractions then it should work I think.

Maybe if they were to build a Lego themed hotel as well that would help with its location issue.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I cant see how its location can be too much of a problem. A good percentage of visitors to orlando are willing to drive all the way over to Tampa to visit busch gardens. Maybe its something mainly international visitors do who are there for longer? I dunno, but a lot of people I know have been to BG whilst visiting Orlando.

If its marketed well enough and has enough attractions then it should work I think.

Maybe if they were to build a Lego themed hotel as well that would help with its location issue.

Perhaps you're right but it seems the drive in that direction just isn't that easy AND don't you think the dollar amount of the investment necessary to make it truly enticing is just too large of a gamble? That's why I said Disney could pull it off because of their deep pockets AND built in PR machine but anyone else? I just don't know.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

From where I live it is shorter than the distance to most of WDW and takes a lot longer to get there, even without heavy traffic. If I go to Winter Haven and will be going anywhere near Cypress Gardens I make sure that I do not do it on a weekend, as traffic is a total mess. It is over four miles, mostly through winding streets, from US 27 and over two miles from US 17 which is definitely not a good road.

If you go to a mapping program, put in Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, FL and look at it, especially from an aerial view.

 

[anthony2k7]

Is the 25/27 that bad down from I4? Looks like I would go I4, 27 onto Cypress Gardens Blvd and you're there? Never driven it, but it doesnt look that bad?

That news article does say Merlin are working with "Polk County and Florida officials on new business plans" so maybe there will be some kind of transport investment as well? Guess we'll find out on thursday.

It also doesnt look any further or difficult to get to than KSC is.

 

[anthony2k7]

Perhaps you're right but it seems the drive in that direction just isn't that easy AND don't you think the dollar amount of the investment necessary to make it truly enticing is just too large of a gamble? That's why I said Disney could pull it off because of their deep pockets AND built in PR machine but anyone else? I just don't know.

It will no doubt cost a huge amount to make it enticing, but it is merlin we're talking about "the second busiest amusement company in the world" who also lets not forget are part owned by Blackstone. Plus, many think now is the right time to be taking a gamble on big investments like this with construction costs being low.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Maybe the could buy Splendid China and redo everything in Legos? It would at least be closer...

When first-rumored in the press that Merlin was scouting around Orlando for a site, the Slendid China site was mentioned. My guess is that location was just too small for all that a Legoland would need.

I agree that's is "quite likely" that Merlin will use the site and its infrastructure for a Legoland-branded park.
But I don't agree with the subject line of this thread. "Legoland Coming to Central Florida" makes it sound as if this is the only possible outcome of Merlin's acquisition of the property.

I agree and sorry about that. I meant to put a '?' into the title when I wrote it but forgot to and once the title is inputted, it can't be changed. But I think we can all be pretty certain this will be rebranded into a Legoland. It's the only possible way to get sufficient numbers off of I-4 and into their park to make it a success.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Hazelrah]

it does seem like a strange purchase. As everyone has mentioned, Cypress Gardens is not very easy to get to. It could succeed as a local park, but I don't see national tourists veering away from the I-4 line of Universal/SeaWorld/Disney/BuschGardens.

 

[sters]

We loved Legoland in California! I hope it comes to Florida.

 

[Magalex]

That would be great about Lego land. I wonder want the time frame would be for an opening, if true? My DS loves Legos but he is already 9 yrs old.

 

[Dznefreek]

from the Sentinel . . . .
Looks like Cypress Gardens will become a Legoland theme park.

Though Merlin Entertainments Group hasn't yet publicly revealed its plans for the venerable Polk County attraction, which it purchased earlier this month, an email sent yesterday from a Polk tourism official to local elected officials indicates that the company plans to make Cypress Gardens its second Legoland in the U.S.

"Legoland Florida will be the fifth Legoland attraction worldwide," Mark Jackson, director with sports marketing Central Florida Tourism & Sports Marketing, writes in the email.

"Merlin's massive research in the area already indicated that the Legoland brand already has high recognition and a 90 percent intention to visit by families in their target market," Jackson added.

The existence of the email was first reported by the Lakeland Ledger.

Merlin, which owns Legoland, has scheduled a news conference for tomorrow morning to discuss its plans for Cypress Gardens
Copyright © 2010, Orlando Sentinel

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I'm sure that's what the announcement is going to be and this is a HUGE win for Central Florida tourism! Thanks for sharing.

BobK/Orlando

 

[crazy4wdw]

From ScreamScape:

(1/21/10) According to this news article an e-mail was sent to various county commissioners, inviting them to attend Merlin’s announcement today about the transformation of Cypress Gardens into “Legoland Florida”. We’ve also got a price tag for the purchase of Cypress Gardens… $22.3 million. For that much I can only hope that Legoland Florida is planning on keeping the Starliner at the very least.
We’ll know more about the future of the park very soon I guess, but I’ll leave you with this thought. If anyone can make parents drive out of the way to Cypress Gardens, then Legoland is the site’s best hope. I think it is a safe bet to say that Legoland Florida will not open for 2010, but I’m hoping they can work some magic and get it up and running by Spring 2011.

Link:http://www.theledger.com/article/20...il-Reveals-Legoland-Is-Coming-to-Winter-Haven

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

For news about the official announcement today (Thursday), see Legoland Florida to replace Cypress Gardens in October 2011, By TED JACKOVICS, The Tampa Tribune, January 21, 2010.

 

[yaytezIOA]

Yes, it is official, Legoland is coming to Florida in 2011. Cypress Gardens however may be disappearing, though they are keeping the gardens, they may lose the name. More information and photos can be seen here.

 

[crazy4wdw]

The Orlando Sentinel has an article here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/os-legoland-florida-park-20100121,0,1659229.story

 

[anthony2k7]

cool, so road link improvements are in the planning stage.

$5mil per year from polk county as well - seems like polk county really want this to work.

Also its going to be the biggest legoland in the world.

Only negative I've seen is that the Hotel wont be built until phase 2 though