alpengeist04 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 If non-park people want to cut down on the traffic wait time, they could also use Cypress Gardens Road to get around the park. ...Not to be confused with Cypress Gardens Blvd which is what Legoland is located on. The road is about halfway between route 27 and Legoland and brings you out on the other side of the park. You still have to go on Cypress Gardens Blvd for 2 miles, but it still beats having to go all the way up to the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexyhusband Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 We are BIG Lego fans and live in Florida so we visit all of the parks at least once every year; our visit to Legoland was aweful. This place is for children under 8 years old and it takes almost an hour to park. The customer service is terrible, they would not honor the ticket I bought online (because they have two different computer systems that are not connected?) The employees are extremely rude, we actually saw them enjoying pissing the guests off!! The tickets were expensive, the park was too small and the hours were limited from 10 to 5. They are so many other parks that provide a better experience- don't waste your time at Legoland Florida. This place has the worst employee attitudes ever, which is possibly due to where the locals have to live in order to work there- in the middle of trailer park hell! Please note I am not hiding behind my computer; In fact I am willing to speak in front of crowds up to 500 people about this topic (in exchange for expenses) and I am available for birthday parties and bar mitzvahs. Contact me via email to book my time. Take your kids anywhere but here. The Lego store in Downtown Disney is close in Orlando and absolutely awesome, the employees are friendly and they have all their teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 (edited) ^ I cannot tell if you're trolling or for real, but I'll respond as though you're for real... First off, I'm going to assume that you were probably at the park during Christmas week when they reported "record crowds" and had to close due to capacity. If that's the case, then all I have to say is, as a fellow Florida local that visits all the parks each year, what were you even doing there during this time of year?!?!? Honestly, what did you expect from a brand new park during their first ever packed Christmas, and one that across all of Central Florida has been reporting record crowds. IMO, locals either shouldn't be going to the parks this time of year, or, should know by now what to expect, and set those expectations accordingly. If you weren't visiting during these busy times, then I'm not sure what to tell you, as our personal experience during our two visits has been a complete 180 from what you're posting, as well as others who have posted trip reports from the park. I do agree that the park still has some growing and learning to do, but it's also brand new, the first Merlin has been in the Central Florida market, and it's a HELL OF A LOT BETTER than the park it replaced. Personally, I kind of think your post is made up, over-exaggerating, and a poor attempt at trolling, but I'm willing to give you somewhat of the benefit of the doubt. EDIT - Just did an IP Trace to see that you're actually not from Florida at all. Stupid troll. Account banned! Edited December 31, 2011 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster_Fanatic Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 don't waste your time at Legoland Florida. Do you seriously have to be THAT rude about it? What do you expect from the Holidays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalCoasters Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 don't waste your time at Legoland Florida. Do you seriously have to be THAT rude about it? What do you expect from the Holidays? DId you happen to read the last line of Robb's post? Annoying trolls will be annoying trolls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O-Town77 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I agree with coasterfreak101, this is good for the park. They're busy! Cypress Gardens was never exactly a booming park, definitely the opposite of Legoland. It is also pretty bad because people aren't patient enough to wait for anything. It's like, you're in Florida, get used to it... Well, attendance wasn't really the problem for Cypress Gardens Adventure Park. It was the owners racking up crazy levels of debt for the park's expansions/repairs/Starliner restoration that doomed it. CG hit capacity for most of its concert days. Even with the lousy weekday attendance, they were still hitting 1.2 to 1.4 million visitors a year. With Legoland's stated attendance goal of 2 million, they should be able to hit that goal eventually. I've been really impressed with everything Merlin has done so far and can't wait to see how they transform the water park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBparks57 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I was fortunate to visit this park my last week living in FL (January 2nd) and what an awesome time we had! My girlfriend bought tickets for us as a christmas present. I love all the Orlando parks, and I was afraid I wouldn't make it to this one. I'm so glad we did, and I hope to return at some point. My Granddad has lived in Winter Haven for the last 30 years, so I had visited Cypress several times growing up. I think it is excellent what they have done with the place! It was great seeing the Gardens and Mini Land was impressive as well. The atmosphere was fun, the park was beautiful and I personally enjoyed boating school. (Mainly due to the hilarity that ensued watching the adults trying to figure out how to drive a boat) I think it is for the best and I really hope it continues to draw the crowds and expand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 January 19, 2012 LEGOLAND Florida’s Response to President Obama’s Tourism Executive Order Attributed to Adrian Jones, General Manager - LEGOLAND Florida “This development is a major game-changer for Florida. An improved visa process helps us roll out the welcome mat to our friends in Brazil and will result in record numbers of young families visiting Florida. Cost and convenience historically are two of the biggest barriers in travel. By addressing the hassle factor and making the visa process less onerous, we’ve just substantially improved our chance of attracting additional guests. As a brand new theme park that caters to young families this is of course very welcome news for LEGOLAND Florida. The Brazilians’ affection for America, love of theme parks and their affinity for the LEGO brand present the perfect opportunity for us in that market. The fact that we’re already seeing large numbers from Latin America combined with today’s announcement is pushing us to seek out more Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking model citizens to better accommodate our guests from across this region.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Legoland has sent us a press release regarding their calendar of events for 2012. Central Florida’s newest family theme park is gearing up for an action-packed 2012 with special events specifically geared towards families with children age 2 to 12. From LEGO® Friends Weekend to Kids’ New Year’s Eve the first full year of LEGOLAND® Florida is sure provide many reasons for guests to return again and again. The best way to participate in all the events at LEGOLAND Florida is with an Annual Pass – starting at just $99. LEGO® Friends Weekend is a daytime party for girls that includes a LEGO Friends building event, entertainment, games, activities and much more. This first-ever event celebrates girls and their personal individuality, just like the LEGO Group’s newest line of construction toys. March 24 & 25, 2012 Runners and walkers can play – or run – their part during the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation Citrus Classic 5K. This community-wide health event is designed for participants of all ages. April 14, 2012* Celebrate the 4th of July with a bang at LEGOLAND Florida’s first Independence Day event – Red, Brick & Boom. With special 3D glasses that turn ordinary fireworks into millions of exploding bricks, this July 4th celebration is sure to dazzle and delight. July 4, 2012 Brick-or-Treat comes to LEGOLAND Florida every Saturday and Sunday in October. This spooky, kooky event features themed treat stations with candy, snacks and a few surprises along the way. October 2012 Go LEGOLAND - it’s your birthday! Guests can celebrate LEGOLAND Florida’s first anniversary with a very special celebration. October 15, 2012 ‘Tis the season for Christmas Bricktacular at LEGOLAND Florida with a 270,000 brick Christmas tree and festive decorations. Santa Claus makes daily appearances in the park. Weekends in December Countdown to Kids’ New Year’s Eve features nightly fireworks over Lake Eloise. Watch the spectacular fireworks explode into millions of tiny LEGO bricks with special 3D viewing glasses. December 26-30, 2012 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Happy Kids’ New Year’s Eve at LEGOLAND Florida where the giant LEGO brick drops at a very kid-friendly midnight KST (Kid Standard Time) – otherwise known as 7 p.m. EST. Other event elements include fireworks and a dance party DJ. December 31, 2012 All events (*except Citrus Classic 5K) are included with park admission and subject to change without notice. For the most current information on LEGOLAND Florida special events, visit http://www.LEGOLAND.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) Today TPR took a tour of the new Legoland Florida Water Park. Some details to point out... - The water park will be a $12 upcharge to the main Legoland park. There will not be a separate gate. - This is the same way the California park works, which has done well for them, and helps keep the water park from over-crowding. - There will be upgrade options for annual passholders. - They ARE keeping all of the "bigger slides", and are working to lower the height restrictions for some of them to make them more "family friendly." - The waves in the wave pool will be "gentle." - Two new kids areas are being built. - The lazy river will have those awesome "Lego Tubes" so you can build stuff as you float. - Water park is scheduled to open "early summer", and I heard "May" being mentioned several times. On to some photos! The map of the new Legoland Waterpark! Lego Imagination Station is a brand new attraction at Legoland Florida Water Park! You can see the current wave pool in the background and the concept art to "Lego it up!" If they can make it look like the concept art, it will be really nice! Again you can see the "old" version and the re-themed version for the Legoland Florida water park. While the structure basically stays the same, the colors and additions are more in line with the "Legoland" look. We were told that Legoland Florida is working to lower the height restrictions for the Twin Chasers slide to make it more family friendly. Hooray!!! Lego tubes! These are seriously amazing fun! Robb Alvey checking out the Lego tubes with Legoland Florida General Manager Adrian Jones. These are really awesome, silly fun! Soon a path will be built from the Flight School roller coaster to the Legoland Florida water park. By early summer 2012 Lego tubes and bricks will be floating down the lazy river at Legoland Florida Water Park! Legoland will be keeping and re-theming the bigger slides for the older thrill seekers. While it's great to see them keeping all these slides, I *DO* hope future expansion brings in some more family friendly slides, like the great family raft ride at the Legoland California Water Park. This pile 'o dirt will soon be the new Duplo kids play area! (Note the shade that will be installed!) The Legoland Florida Water Park will use the existing entrance and infrastructure from the Cypress Gardens water park. The Legoland Florida Water Park will open early summer 2012! Looking forward to it! Here are the official concept art renderings from the park... Build-A-Raft River DUPLO Splash Safari. Imagination Station and Wave Pool. Joker Soaker Twin Chasers. Legoland Florida Water Park! POST YOUR COMMENTS! Edited January 24, 2012 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernierocker Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 It's amazing how fast Legoland has revitalized that area! Once the waterpark opens, they should really be able to draw a lot of the Orlando tourists away for a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazydaveh Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 The water area looks great! I was there last for the first time and was amazed at the park, the water area will be a great addition come summer! I'm excited to go play with the Lego tubes... They look pretty cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 They really are making great strides away from the old Cypress Gardens Adventure Park days. I hear they've been doing pretty well so far, and the water park should be a bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chargersmichael Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I thought they would add a new slide or something but still great for the water park!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Stupid question of the day- I was looking at the twin chasers pic. They can paint waterslides? I always thought the color was built into the fiberglass/plastic that made up the slide. On another note: From a young family's perspective, Legoland Orlando has become one of our "must do" things when we travel to Orlando together. While I haven't visited it yet, I think they've nailed it. I'm sure there are many other families that feel the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRACHEN_FIRE_FAN-BOY Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I am very glad to see and hear this great news. I have a five year old cousin down there who LOVES Legos and water parks (kill two birds with one stone there). It will be great if they can lower the height requirements for the twin racers slide, more things for kids to do, the faster they fall asleep on the car ride home seriously though, very glad to hear this. ^as for your question, I am under the impression that it is a specialized paint.... kinda like grill paint or car paint. I am certain they can be painted (not 100% sure) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drwpweb Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Stupid question of the day- I was looking at the twin chasers pic. They can paint waterslides? I always thought the color was built into the fiberglass/plastic that made up the slide. They make paint for the outside, non-rideable part of a water slide. Yes, it is possible to change the color of the rideable part you have to re-gelcoat the slide. It's tedious work and requires a lot of sanding to get it all nice and smooth! There are a few companies who specialize in it, traveling all over re-surfacing slides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chargersmichael Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Cedar Point must be paying a lot of money then since they are repainting all of their slides...inside and out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Cedar Point must be paying a lot of money then since they are repainting all of their slides...inside and out! Cedar Point (or their parent company, Cedar Fair) are in no way involved with Legoland Florida or any Legoland property for that matter. Legoland Florida is managed and owned by Merlin. That being said, it is a great sign to see Merlin investing in the former Cypress Gardens remnants to better mesh them into the new Legoland environment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drwpweb Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Cedar Point must be paying a lot of money then since they are repainting all of their slides...inside and out! It's not as expensive as you think. I mean don't get me wrong it costs a lot of money but not as much as you would think. Plus it's obviously MUCH cheaper then building a new slide. Cedar Point (or their parent company, Cedar Fair) are in no way involved with Legoland Florida or any Legoland property for that matter. Legoland Florida is managed and owned by Merlin. That being said, it is a great sign to see Merlin investing in the former Cypress Gardens remnants to better mesh them into the new Legoland environment. Although off-topic, I believe he was referring to Cedar Point as they been working on re-surfacing their slides. But yes certainly great to see them investing in this park. I was really impressed with the park when I toured it at IAAPA this year. Hearing them talk about all the repairs/investments they did to rehab rides was certainly interesting. I'm glad to see they are having great success there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Today, LEGOLAND Florida officials announced the opening date for LEGOLAND Water Park. Central Florida’s newest theme park, will open the gates to its latest addition on Saturday, May 26, 2012. Guests can purchase annual passes that include the attraction online at http://www.LEGOLAND.com and at AAA Auto Club South locations. Premium Pass includes unlimited admission to both LEGOLAND Florida and LEGOLAND Water Park, free parking and discounts within the park and is $179 for adults and $149 for children 3-12 and seniors 60 and older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XYZ Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Why does Florida always get the good stuff? Though, I'm suprised to the scale of this waterpark, I expected a very compact one like the one in CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueerRudie Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Legoland seems to have the right recipe to revitalize the park: Making it family friendly, showing some TLC to the different rides/attractions, and generally showing care is a good thing. Very often, parks will move in and 'try' to revitalize a park and fail. This I think will be the exception to the rule- and not the norm. Seeing so many changes is a good thing, as my last trip to CG was, well, bland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Edge of Beast- Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 That is quite a large water park. Definitely different from the Legoland I always thought of... Some of those slides look rather intense too. The kids are sure gonna have a fun time going up those stairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighRoller Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Not that I was one of those who opted for it, but is there any word on how the change to the annual pass structure will affect those who bought Lifetime Passes? While I realize that it's probably a significantly small population, I think it's probably an important question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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