Legoland Florida: Central Florida’s Overlooked Attraction

When people think of East Coast theme parks, the first city that comes to mind is Orlando. With Sea World, Disney World, Universal Studios all within a driving distance, it is a more likely getaway for those who want to make that plane fare or car fill-ups worth their while.

But just another hour away from from Orlando is Winter Haven–the home of Bok Tower Gardens and the ultimate atttraction for anyone who is crazy about those multi-colored bricks, Legoland!

On its 12th year of operation at this location, Legoland is a great park for kids under 12. With the addition of Peppa Pig Theme Park early last year, it has solidified its market with the younger-kids age group.

If you are pondering a trip to Legoland, here are some tips to make the trip fit your budget and to squeeze the most fun out of this fun adventure (2023 edition).

1. Black Friday Deal (That’s how we got ours!) – For just a little over $1,500, we got a 5-day, 4-night stay at the Beach Retreat with free breakfast included every day, and 2-day park tickets to any of the three parks: Legoland, Peppa Pig Theme Park, and the Water Park. It comes with a free shuttle service as the parks are right across the “beach” houses. When you need a break from catching rides at the theme park, you can easily spend a day or two at their on-site pool with its own patch of sand for you to make sand castles.
2. Parking Perk – If you opt to drive your own vehicle, you can use the parking pass they issue you to stay at the Beach Retreat to park in the PREFERRED parking area at the park. This is big if you do not enjoy walking towards your car at the end of a long day of walking the theme parks (another advantage of staying at one of their hotels).
3. Water Park Start – When we went, the park opened at 10 a.m. and the Water Park opened at 11 .m. Since the Water Park was the farthest from the entrance, start your trek to this area. If you get there with enough time to spare, you can catch the nearby Flying School ride which is one of the few thrill rides and the only suspended coaster in the park. For the littles, you can always do the Ford Jr. Driving School and its counterpart for the older kids. By the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to get wet at the water park. Being one of the first to enter means no lines so check out the slides first as the lines for these can get long.
4. Food Optons – Theme park food has its ups and downs. You will get the usual burger-and-fries options at Legoland but you can also opt to have their chicken sandwiches and fries at the Kick’n Chicken Co. near the driving school area and next to the Firehouse Ice Cream. Another great lunch option (if you are avoiding the burger route) is the Deli Takeover. We didn’t mind the wait for our paninis to come out as we preferred hot lunches. We liked everything we ordered from here. For a refreshing treat, you have to go for the pineapple soft serve found at one of the refreshment stands across the “Royal Joust” in The Land of Adventure.
5. Rating the Rides – As far as my kids are concerned, they loved the coaster rides, especially “The Dragon,” which is a steel roller coaster. We also loved the shooting games–the “Ninjago Ride” was different as it does not use a laser gun; rather, you use your hand in sweeping motions pretending to throw fire balls at your enemy. If you want to get soaked, do the “Battle of Bricksburg” ride where you will shoot water guns at targets, and at the end, you will get the real soaking from other riders while waiting to unload and from those on the walkway where there are handy water guns ready to be aimed at you. Their newest ride is the “Pirate River Quest.” The waits are long, and you don’t get wet on this slow boat ride. It may not sound like much but we did see a live gator in the water and the sweet part of this ride is that you actually go out into the open water towards the end, and you get to see wonderful Florida wildlife. Now that’s cool!
6. Spectacular Shows – Right beside the river ride is where you can catch the stuntmen on their water skis in “Brickbeard’s Watersports Stunt Show.” There is a splash zone so you could get wet on this show. Makre sure to catch the 4D movies that can be found at the various theaters and you are sure to get some sprinkling of water (among other things). It’s a good way to get out of the heat.
7. Long-Line Legos – For rides that typically have longer lines than usual, there are brick stations where the little ones can spend their time building rather than spend their time whining. You can’t beat that!
8. Sensory Breaks – Every once in a while, children (as well as most adults) may need a break from the noise, the music that go with the rides, or the multimedia screens that may overwhelm and inundate. There are various quieter places where you can go into an airconditioned room: children may work on some Duplo bricks at the “Florida Prepaid Schoolhouse” in Duplo Valley or head on over to the “Build-Your-Art Gallery by Lego DOTS” near “The Grand Carousel.”
9. Cypress Garden Stroll – Legoland is built around Cypress Gardens which closed its doors in 2009. Thankfully, they preserved what they could of the garden including one of its main attractions which is a gigantic banyan tree. Enjoy the walk through its floral displays of hibiscuses and anthuriums as well as the shade offered by the many different trees that grow on its land. You will come across the Chapel Gazebo (built in 1969) and a life-size Southern Belle figurine made out of Lego bricks.
10. Travel Time – Best time to travel to Florida is Spring–when the heat is not muggy and overwhelming, and the rates will not be the kind you may have to pay if you visited in the winter. Also, if you are on the road driving hours and hours to get to your destination, have your kids check out license plates and see how many states they can find. On this trip, we found 45 states’ license plates. Guess which ones we didn’t find?

If you need a mini-break from the multi-colored bricks and theme park attractions, there are some homegrown industries that offer free tours and free samples. Grab some sweet treats from the Davidson’s of Dundees which specializes in old-fashioned citrus candies made from the fruits they grow themselves, then wash it off at Florida’s Natural Visitor Center. Watch how oranges are produced, picked, and packed ready to be sold at your favorite grocery stores. You can also sample a variety of juices that they offer. It’s a refreshing way to stay cool in the nice mild Spring heat. All these places are FREE to visit.

Central Florida is a great place for families who want a more low-key, laidback vacation. One that creates just as great happy family memories without really breaking the bank.