The Latest from the FlipKey Blog

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 01:00 AM PST

by Traci L. Suppa

As the first major theme park to be built in Central Florida in a decade, LEGOLAND Florida opened in October to great anticipation. When I visited the new park in Winter Haven, FL with my 11-year old son, – a fervent LEGO aficionado since toddlerhood – it was nothing short of a pilgrimage.

I’m glad we had two full days to explore the park, because at 150 acres, the world’s largest LEGOLAND offers too much to do and see in just one day. Depending on the time of year, the hours of operation here may limit you to just seven hours in which to cover ten distinct sections.

What did we enjoy most about the park? Here are our top picks:

Miniland

At the top of our list was Miniland. You’ll need at least an hour to stroll through the eight geographical areas with LEGO replicas of skylines, landmarks, and city scenes. We were amazed by the clever details which elevate these creations from plaything to art. Water features, sound, moving pieces and vehicles add to the realism. There are several buttons kids can push to make fountains gush, soldiers march, and D.J.’s play.

Unique Rides & Coasters

Being a "tween," my son was eager to try out the rides. We found several that are unique to LEGOLAND. I enjoyed the 360° view when we ascended 150 feet in the air on Island in the Sky. It’s the perfect vista of the entire park, as well as Lake Eloise. His favorite was the Aqua Zone Wave Racers. We raced jet skis around a central dock, while steering to avoid – or in his case, hit head on – fountains shooting water 15 feet high.

The four roller coasters don’t break any size or speed records, which is why we enjoyed them. This is a park targeting kids 2-12 years old, and even the coasters are sized appropriately. Coastersaurous is the first wooden coaster within any LEGOLAND park, and Flying School is the first suspended coaster. LEGO Technic is designed in a Mouse Trap style. The longest lines stood outside for the Dragon coaster, a hybrid of a dark indoor journey through a dragon’s lair and an outdoor ride offering spin, turn, and drop thrills.

Cypress Gardens

LEGOLAND purchased the land of what was once the Cypress Gardens attraction, and responsibly preserved and restored the lush gardens with species from around the world, as well as the cove for water ski shows. The gardens are lush, shady, and quiet, with the perfect trail to walk along if you have a youngster in need of a stroller nap.

Neither of us had ever seen a water ski show before, and we both did a lot of "oohing" and "ahhing." During "The Battle for Brickbeard's Bounty," the brave Imperial Soldiers fight Brickbeard the Pirate. The ski stunts are impressive, and the cast engages the audience in water cannon play and pirate talk.

Lots for Little Ones

LEGOLAND excels in catering to the pre-school set, so I almost regretted not bringing my 4-year old daughter along on this trip. DUPLO Land is an entire section dedicated to children five and under, with indoor and outdoor play spaces. There are multi-level playgrounds and play spaces in the Land of Adventure and LEGO Kingdom sections. Several rides allow children at the height of just 36" to ride by themselves, including Royal Joust, Beetle Bounce, and the Junior Driving School. All the other elements are in place to facilitate young families, such as a Baby Care Center, stroller rentals, and healthy food options.

Water Park

Actually, the water park hasn’t opened yet. But knowing my son and how he loves swimming, I’m adding it to this list of highlights. The water park will open this summer, and will feature a wave pool, water slides, a super soaker area, a toddler play area, and a special Build-a-Raft River, which allows families to design and build a raft out of LEGO before floating down a lazy river.

Traci L. Suppa drags her small-town family to see a quirky array of the world's largest, longest, or tallest things, and blogs about it at Go BIG or Go Home.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2012