legoland Florida Question

[jjiillee]

Hi - Planning on going to LegoLand FL. in June 2012. We are driving up from Naples, where we will be staying with family first for a few days. Jsut thoughts on how many days to spend at legoland? Also is there other cool stuff to see in Tampa area or should we stay in Orlando? We might do a day at Seaworld as well or the Disney Water Parks. Still in the planning phase.
Any tips would be helpful!

 

[Upatnoon]

Hi - Planning on going to LegoLand FL. in June 2012. We are driving up from Naples, where we will be staying with family first for a few days. Jsut thoughts on how many days to spend at legoland? Also is there other cool stuff to see in Tampa area or should we stay in Orlando? We might do a day at Seaworld as well or the Disney Water Parks. Still in the planning phase.
Any tips would be helpful!

To do everything at Legoland, at a relaxed pace, would take a couple of days, depending on the crowds and how long the park is open.

Also in Tampa is Busch Gardens, and you can get a combo ticket for Sea World and Busch Gardens and Aquatica, if you want to do a great water park. This would be less expensive than doing a Disney water park.

 

[momto2js]

I would wait to see what the reviews are like for Legoland when the weather gets hot. You don't mention the ages of the folks in your party, but there are challenges at legoland for large families or single adults traveling with kids under 48".

I think it will be interesting to see how the park is precieved when the weather gets hot. There are very few places to get out of the heat. Most of the attractions are outside. Some of the lines have some shade but in the humid hot summer that shade tarp isn't going to be too helpful.

My kids spent a lot of time in the playground areas, and in the heat those will be miserable at best and dangerous at worst. The wisdom of arrive early and then leave and tour late isn't going to be overly helpful even if they extend hours to 9-7. They are opening a water park this spring so that might help.

We really like busch gardens, and if I had to choose between BG and LL, BG would win hands down every time.

I'm not really sure why, but I just really like BG. My 2 and 4 year old had a great time at LL but it was a lot of work for be because of the height and age restrictions. There is no way I would pay full price. Now the 2 day deal isn't bad but the one day price is steep for what is offered.

 

[jjiillee]

My kids will be 6,5 and 3 by June. My 3 year old is about 37 inches.
Do you have to be taller for most of the ride at LL?
I would love to include a waterpark since it will be HOT HOT HOT!

 

[momto2js]

Most of the rides you had to be 36" tall but the problem was each kid under 48 needed to have an adult. I took my kids alone and it was an issue all day. The ride cars are so small that only one adult and child will fit in each one. I spent most of the day looking for strangers that had older kids (who could ride alone) or more adults than kids and asking if they would ride with one of mine. The rides are "kiddie" type rides, fun but really there is no reason my 2.5 year old could not have ridden the jousting ride (minimum age is 4) or driven in the jr driving school (ninimum age is 3). Also my 5 year old could have easily riden the safari ride alone. Even the attractions in the duplo village had pretty tall height requirements. I'm all for safety but my 2.5 year old rode BTMR the day before he couldn't ride in the little car.

It will be interesting to see what the water park policies are. I have been to community water parks with very conservitive policies and had miserable days ( rules like touch supervision for each kid under 5 for example, just try to keep your hands on 2 kids in a pool that is 6 inches deep) It would not shock me to find the policies at the LL water park will present some problems for large families or at least situations where kids outnumber adults.

 

[EvoldicA]

Water Park... You could do Adventure Island which is next to Busch Gardens parking lot in Tampa.

~B

 

[limabeanmom2003]

We were at Legoland last Friday. It was not crowded and we were able to see and do everything. If it had been crowded, we would have needed another day to see and do everything because rides are very slow loading. Very very slow! Even if it had been crowded, I think I would have only been able to take one day there.

 

[darbykoby]

If you are going to be spending time in Orlando, Legoland is definitely an easy drive from there (less than an hour). We flew into Tampa and passed the exit to Legoland so I believe you could pick either Tampa or Orlando as a home base for Legoland.

Regarding how much time to spend there, I would say 1 day would be sufficient if you do not mind skipping some of the lamer attractions. If you want to do and see everything at a more relaxed pace, then I would do 2 days. We went this past November and spent one full day there. We were able to ride all of the roller coasters and rides not tailored to very young kids, see a 4D show, see the water ski show, eat lunch, spend about an hour in Miniland and shop for Legos. I would describe it as moderately crowded (45 minute max wait).

We went to the water park at Legoland California and it was not near as good as the Disney water parks. The only Lego thing about the water park was floating big foam Legos in the lazy river. Also, the water wasn't heated so it was chilly! If it doesn't cost much more to do the water park and you plan on doing it as part of a 2 day trip to Legoland, then it may be worth it to try the Legoland one for a half day. If you want to dedicate a day to a water park, then I would go elsewhere if the one in Florida resembles the one in California.

 

[iluvtig2]

We've been a couple of times, as we live a bit south of Tampa. One time, which was the day before Thanksgiving, was very crowded and there were lots of long, slow moving lines. Once in January was better. Having been there when it was Cypress Gardens, I can tell you it will be VERY HOT in the summer. (We see herds of cows standing in ponds up to their shoulders to keep cool near there. It is weird, but that is how hot it is.) They currently do not have the little water park open either.

You can get really bogged down in some of the "create" areas, if your kids are Lego crazy. My son is 11 and can look at some of the exhibits over & over and do the build a race car thing forever.

The rides are totally geared for younger kids, though, which is very cool when you have younger kids. My son is out-growing them now, but up until now loved being able to ride most or all of the rides, hold his arms up on the roller coasters, etc. Don't know that I would spend more than a day, though. Just get there early!!! And, I do think it's easier to do from Orlando, rather than Tampa, but that's just my opinion. I am sure others feel the opposite.

The Disney water parks are the best small child friendly. The one at Busch Gardens and Wet n Wild are more about the big slides.

Hope this helps!

iluvtig

Love Busch Gardens, Sea World, and both Disney Water Parks. (Blizzard Beach is better liked by the kids than Typhoon Lagoon, but they like them both.)

 

[jjiillee]

Can you get just a pass to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon and not the other disney parks? Or is Aquatica better for smaller kids?

 

[snowy76]

Can you get just a pass to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon and not the other disney parks? Or is Aquatica better for smaller kids?

Both Disney wps sell single-day tickets at their gates. I've never been to Aquatica but I hear good things about it!

 

[mikehn]

I think one day at Legoland is plenty. Assuming you have young kids, I'd go to both Disney water parks, maybe Seaworld, but skip Busch Gardens. Im sure Busch Gardens has stuff for young kids, but is more geared to older kids. Aquatica is fun also, but not as fun as the two Disney water parks.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I would wait to see what the reviews are like for Legoland when the weather gets hot. You don't mention the ages of the folks in your party, but there are challenges at legoland for large families or single adults traveling with kids under 48".

I think it will be interesting to see how the park is precieved when the weather gets hot. There are very few places to get out of the heat. Most of the attractions are outside. Some of the lines have some shade but in the humid hot summer that shade tarp isn't going to be too helpful.

My kids spent a lot of time in the playground areas, and in the heat those will be miserable at best and dangerous at worst. The wisdom of arrive early and then leave and tour late isn't going to be overly helpful even if they extend hours to 9-7. They are opening a water park this spring so that might help.

We really like busch gardens, and if I had to choose between BG and LL, BG would win hands down every time.

I'm not really sure why, but I just really like BG. My 2 and 4 year old had a great time at LL but it was a lot of work for be because of the height and age restrictions. There is no way I would pay full price. Now the 2 day deal isn't bad but the one day price is steep for what is offered.

This is what concerns me as well. We were considering a Sea World/Legoland trip for this summer (went to WDW last year), but we may very well skip Legoland for the reasons mentioned in the above post. We have also heard that the rides are slow loading and the queues are primarily outdoors and move slowly even when the crowds are low. Doesn't seem to be very ideal for the very hot and busy summer months. We are looking into visiting Sea World and Aquatica, but are now considering a Disney water park instead of Aquatica as I've heard Disney's water parks are more kid friendly.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Found out that Legoland will be open daily (7 days a week) from 10am-8pm during the summer months (June-August) based on the operating calendar on their website. I'm still trying to figure out how to plan a summer day there since the location would not afford us the option of retreating back to the hotel for an afternoon break out of the heat; and even if we were to take advantage of their water park for a couple hours in the afternoon, there is still the question of how to retreat from the summer afternoon rainstorms when there isn't much indoor stuff there and how that would affect the operation of the water park area. So, I am still trying to figure out if a visit to Legoland is going to be worth the cost and effort in the summer

 

[mrsklamc]

Be aware that the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon is not small child friendly. The waves will knock you on your rear and the bottom will cause scrapes! They use it for surfing lessons before the parks open- they are "real" waves!

 

[jjiillee]

Be aware that the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon is not small child friendly. The waves will knock you on your rear and the bottom will cause scrapes! They use it for surfing lessons before the parks open- they are "real" waves!

Is there a wave pool at Aquatica or Blizzard Beach that is child friendly.


I think I might forget about legoland this summer. not sure how a family of 6 would ride most of the rides b/c my kids are all under 48 inches right now.
we are thinking of going to San digeo next summer so we may just go to legoland there. Has anyone been to that one?

 

[mrsklamc]

Is there a wave pool at Aquatica or Blizzard Beach that is child friendly.

Meltaway Bay at Blizzard Beach sounds like it's tamer from the description, but I haven't been there.

 

[darbykoby]

We have been to the Legoland in California as well as the one in Florida. The rides in both parks are very similar except that the Florida park has more roller coasters and a water ski show. We went to the California park in late June and the weather was perfect! The lines in the California park were not nearly as long as what we encountered in Florida. The California park also has a water park and an aquarium (both extra charges). If you are going to be in California, I would go to Legoland there as opposed to the one in Florida due to the better weather and shorter lines.

 

[jjiillee]

We have been to the Legoland in California as well as the one in Florida. The rides in both parks are very similar except that the Florida park has more roller coasters and a water ski show. We went to the California park in late June and the weather was perfect! The lines in the California park were not nearly as long as what we encountered in Florida. The California park also has a water park and an aquarium (both extra charges). If you are going to be in California, I would go to Legoland there as opposed to the one in Florida due to the better weather and shorter lines.

Thanks for the tip! I think we will wait and go to legland in California then.we are planning a trip to DL and San Diego June 2013. I think we might try Sea World Orlando this June instead. Are there lots of shaded areas there?

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Thanks for the tip! I think we will wait and go to legland in California then.we are planning a trip to DL and San Diego June 2013. I think we might try Sea World Orlando this June instead. Are there lots of shaded areas there?

We are on the fence about visiting Legoland in the summer too. We plan on going to Sea World and have heard that it is a nice park to visit in the summer months. A lot of the exhibits have indoor viewing areas which would provide a nice a/c break out of the heat and the Shamu's Happy Harbor children's area has a splash area and the large net climb/climbing structure is covered with a sand pit play area underneath and seating areas, so that would also be a nice break in the shade. Sea World just looks like it was designed to be more accommodating in the summer climate and there wouldn't be the issue of the long lines and slow loading rides that a lot of people have described is the case at Legoland. Legoland looks like a cute, fun park and I know my kids would be thrilled to go there, but it is seems like it is much better suited to visitors who are local to that region who can take a day to go there in the off season. So we are also leaning more towards a couple days at Sea World and maybe a day at Aquatica since we would most likely be staying within the vicinity of Sea World.