Full tour of Legoland Florida – A look at all the attractions, stores and restaurants

Legoland Florida officially opens in a few days on Oct. 15, 2011, but a lucky few have been getting previews of the park. We went to the park yesterday as a guest for one of two AAA member previews. We took photos and videos of just about every ride, show, store and restaurant. Let’s start with our video compilation followed by more detailed photos and information.

Keep in mind this was a preview of the park and not everything was in working order and some final touches were not installed yet. But for the most part, the park is ready to go.

Full tour of Legoland Florida - A look at all the attractions, stores and restaurants

Here’s the entrance to the park. Legoland Florida is located in Winter Haven, about 50 minutes from Walt Disney World. Take I-4 West to U.S. 27 South, then turn on right on Cypress Gardens Boulevard. The park will also offer a shuttle from the Premium Outlets in Orlando off I-4 exit 68.

If you’re planning on going to the park on opening weekend, expect large crowds. I waited about a half-hour in line in the parking lot. Parking is $12 per car. They also offer preferred, closer parking for $20. Here’s a tip: stay in the right lane when approaching the parking attendants because it leads to more lanes.


Like most theme parks, “The Beginning” area of the park offers stroller rentals, customer service and a place to buy your photographs. I saw official photographers a few places in the park. You must buy your photos in the park since they’re not available online. I saw three photo packages available at $15, $20 and $25.


After entering the park, one of the first buildings you’ll come to is The Big Shop. This is their largest store in the park. Notice the Island in the Sky ride at the top of the photo. It’s a slow-moving rotating platform that rises and lowers to give you a look around.


Here’s a look inside The Big Shop. It’s about the same size as the Lego store at Downtown Disney and offers mostly the same products plus Legoland Florida branded clothing and souvenirs.


Across from The Big Shop is the main restaurant with a separate coffee shop inside.


The restaurant features different stations and is set up al-a-cart style. The stations are: Bakery, Asian Fusion, Rotisserie, Kids Choice and Soup and Salad. Most adult meals are $7 to $9 and the kids meals are $5.49.


What looks like a condiment table in the middle of the seating area is actually a place to play with Legos. I saw as many adults here as I did kids.


The Lego Factory Tour building was only one of a couple of things that wasn’t open yet. It should be open by Oct. 15.


The Lego Studio Store sells movie-related Lego sets such as Harry Potter and Star Wars. There’s a life-size Darth Vader and R2-D2 made of Legos outside the store.


Inside the Studio Store is a small theater.


A two-story Grand Carousel spins in the middle of the Fun Town area of the park. It’s here where you can choose to keep going straight into the Miniland area or turn right into the Duplo Village area.


Right by the carousel is Granny’s Apple Fries. I predict this will be a must have for each visit.


Apple slices are fried and dipped in cinnamon and sugar with a side of whip cream. It’s fruit but I’m not sure how good it is for you. It’s sort of like apple churros. They’re $5, or you can just buy a regular granny smith apple for $1.


Also in Fun Town is the Minifigure Market where kids can build three minifigures for $10.


You can also trade your minifigure with any employee that has one or more on their name tag. All your mini needs is a body, arms, legs and a head. You don’t necessarily need the accessories like Amber’s figures have to make a trade.


The garden shop was a bit sparse inside on my visit, They’re waiting on the supplies to be able to have a set-up for kids to make their own Lego flower and pot to buy.


The Fun Town 4D theater shows a few different 12-minute movies throughout the day.

I saw A Clutch Powers 4-D Adventure. It was great. The 3D was used well and it rained and snowed in the theater.


Another dining option near the front of the park is the Fun Town Pizza and Pasta Buffett. They offer five different kinds of pizza, two kinds of pasta, plus salad and drinks for $11 ($7 for kids).


The Miniland area is huge. There are a lot of details to see in the tiny buildings and more. Here’s our video of Miniland taken a few weeks ago:

Tour Miniland USA at Legoland Florida, construction is almost complete

The Duplo Farm offers a shady place for small kids to play.


This small kids play area wasn’t open yet. It wasn’t listed on the park map either, so it may be coming later than opening day.


Granny’s Jalopies ride in Duplo Village.


The Junior Fire Academy ride in Duplo Village wasn’t open yet.


Big Rig Rally ride in Duplo Village.


The entrance to the Lego Kingdoms area of the park.


Merlin’s Challenge.


Entrance to The Dragon roller coaster. The wait was posted at 60 minutes in the morning but was down to 15 minutes by the afternoon.


The Dragon ride starts out slowly moving through the castle.

Then after passing a large red dragon, you head outside for the traditional roller coaster part.


The Princess Palace store.


There are a couple of different locations in the park for these carnival type games.


The Royal Joust ride.


The Forestmen’s Hideout is a climbing play area.


Heading into the Land of Adventure area.


I believe this will be the most popular ride in Land of Adventure and maybe the whole park. It’s Lost Kingdom Adventure. Here’s a video ride-through of the indoor shooting ride:

Lost Kingdom Adventure dark ride at Legoland Florida - Full ride-through

Next to Lost Kingdom Aventure is Beetle Bounce.


Pharaoh’s Revenge is a play area where you can shoot soft balls through the air and at targets. It’s similar to the area in the back of Curious George Goes to Town at Universal Studios.


This wooden coaster was at the park when it was Cypress Gardens. Legoland has dubbed it Coastersaurus.


Take a Safari Trek through a jungle filled with Lego animals. Watch out for the squirting elephant.


Next up is the Lego City area. Here’s a show called The Big Test.


The road leading to the Boating, Driving and Flying School rides is paved like a real road.


Boating School has no tracks to follow. Neither do the Driving School rides.


The Jr. Driving School track.


Part of the track at the Driving School for older kids. It’s set up just like a real road with stop signs, turns and lanes.


A life-size Lego Ford Explorer. Here’s a video of it rolling off the assembly line at a real Ford plant and being shipped to Legoland:

Lego Ford Explorer rolls off the assembly line - headed to Legoland Florida

The entrance to Rescue Academy. It’s the same experience on both sides.


At Rescue Academy, parents and kids race to put out the “fire”.


The entrance to the Flying School ride.


Flying School is a roller coaster that used to also be in Cypress Gardens.


The big ride in the Lego Technic area is the Technic Test Track. It’s scarier than it looks. See The Show host Lulu take a ride in episode 44.


Mechanics were still working on the Technicycle ride yesterday.


Aquazone Wave Racers may get you wet. There are red buttons around the ride for guests to push and produce big blasts of water.


Entrance to Imagination Zone.


You can build and race Lego vehicles in the Build and Test area of the Imagination Zone. There are also other build areas in here.


Kid Power Towers allows you to pull a rope to climb the tower then slowly come down.


Just behind the Imagination Zone is Pirates’ Cove, the water ski show stadium.


A Lego soldier on skis. Here’s a short video showing the beginning of the Pirates’ Cove water ski show, The Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty:

Legoland Florida Water Ski Show Preview - The Battle for Brickbeard's Bounty

If the water ski show stadium is full, you can watch from the grassy hillside or even get a good view from the Lakeside Sandwich Company restaurant.


Next to the ski stadium is Capt. Brickbeard’s Burgers.


There was no sign yet, but this unassuming area leads to the Cypress Gardens area, an tribute to the old name of the park.


The gardens are beautiful and are great for a relaxing stroll.


Head to the lakeside area of the gardens while the ski show is going on …


… for a backstage view. Here Capt. Brickbeard awaits his cue to come riding out on his personal watercraft.


An old Cypress Gardens sign warning of aligators. It may be an old sign but it’s still a good warning, although I didn’t see any.


I believe this statue was in the gardens when the park was known as Cypress Gardens. Much of the gardens seems unchanged.


This banyon tree is one of the largest I’ve ever seen. It was planted in 1936 by Cypress Gardens’ founder Dick Pope Sr. It’s a sight to behold.


We’ll end this long tour with a look at what may be the first expansion of Legoland Florida sometime in the future. It’s the old Cypress Gardens’ water park.


Here’s our full photo gallery:


Click Here to see the Photo Gallery page.

MouseFanTravel

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