Brick or Treat

Poor Teague, he never gets to do anything. We really should take him places.
This kid has loved Legos for several years now, but after seeing Lego Movie (which is great, by the way), his love of Legos grew even more. He has been asking to go to Legoland for over a year, so we drove up last weekend and surprised him. 
                                                    His initial reaction:

A word of warning, the theme park is milking every last bit of the Lego Movie's success. This means that you will hear the movie theme song "Everything Is Awesome" approximately 1,231 times. But don't worry, it's not at all annoying, it's "awesome."

The park was once Cypress Gardens and is beautifully landscaped with lots of shade. We noticed the visitors were much less frantic than the Disney crowds; the overall vibe was laid-back and calm. There weren't long lines either, and every ride was specifically geared toward younger kids.

Ford sponsored a Driving School which Teague absolutely loved. The kids (age 6+) had to sit through a brief "Driver's Ed" class and then were able to drive on a course in mini electric cars. They received a mock license afterward, and seeing his picture on a license, fake or not, definitely freaked me out! Luckily, a real license is still many years away.

The park had a section with Lego-built mock ups of famous US cities that were amazingly detail-specific, like the Lego White House with Lego Obamas on the front step. 

                                              Lego snipers on the roof, too.

                                                                 Lego NYC

Having been to the theme parks in Orlando (many times), I think the biggest difference with Legoland is the lack of sensory overload. It's Legos but without shoving the Lego experience down your throat! It was enjoyable without the exhaustion of crowds and the time crunch that comes with extremely long ride lines.

It is important to note that Legoland is out in the middle of nowhere in Winter Haven, FL. There's not much else there. Afterward, we went to Yelp-endorsed dinner at a nearby bbq joint, and we definitely felt a bit out of place with the locals. Like those tv moments when people enter someplace and the record scratches.

Lego Pirates water ski show

                                                     Meeting Wildstyle

                                               

                                                    Lego gargoyles

                                                        

                                            Time for the feats of strength!