Visit to Legoland FL

[bricklerbricklington]

Hello everyone,I'm headed to Legoland Florida this morning. I've heard that there are some good sets there, does anyone have any good suggestions?

I remember a post about there being some rare sets available there en mass. Is that still the case?

any handy pocket guides? TIA

I know this is a pretty vague request any help is appreciated.

 

 

 

 

[Kenxxx]

I'm planning on making my first visit to LEGOLAND FL here in mid-January.  2 adults and 1 child going. I have a coupon for "pay 1 adult admission / get 1 child in free"...that seems to be about the best deal, correct?  It looks like all three of us could buy advance tickets online for about $215 plus tax.... or we could use the coupon at the gate (cannot use for advance purchase), pay 2 adult tickets for $180 plus tax, and get our child in free. So that's the plan.  Anyone have any better advice?  Any other tips about visiting LEGOLAND? Weather forecasts say it may be about 70 degrees, and 40% chance of rain... will rain ruin our day?  Is there plenty to do inside? Any tips are appreciated.

[mudcatsfan]

7 minutes ago, Kenxxx said:

I'm planning on making my first visit to LEGOLAND FL here in mid-January.  2 adults and 1 child going. I have a coupon for "pay 1 adult admission / get 1 child in free"...that seems to be about the best deal, correct?  It looks like all three of us could buy advance tickets online for about $215 plus tax.... or we could use the coupon at the gate (cannot use for advance purchase), pay 2 adult tickets for $180 plus tax, and get our child in free. So that's the plan.  Anyone have any better advice?  Any other tips about visiting LEGOLAND? Weather forecasts say it may be about 70 degrees, and 40% chance of rain... will rain ruin our day?  Is there plenty to do inside? Any tips are appreciated.

Bring one of these for "souvenirs"

 

 

[Lordoflego]

By the way, can I buy at Fl legoland retail store without paying admission to the park? Kind of like Schaumburg discovery center? Thx 

[midbenne]

On 1/6/2016 at 0:37 PM, Lordoflego said:

By the way, can I buy at Fl legoland retail store without paying admission to the park? Kind of like Schaumburg discovery center? Thx 

I don't believe so, I just went 12/29 and in order to get into the park where the stores are, you have to enter through the gate where they take the tickets. Unless I missed a store on the way in/out, which from Google maps there appears to be 2 buildings before the main entrance gate. They appear to be bathrooms/phones from the map: http://florida.legoland.com/map-explore/park-map/ I doubt there's anything outside the gate like Schaumburg, which I went to last year and btw PALES in comparison but that's like comparing Legoland FL to Universal or DW, it's an AMAZING place for kids, and AFOLs per se but not on the same scale as DW or US. 

[exciter1]

8 minutes ago, midbenne said:

I don't believe so, I just went 12/29 and in order to get into the park where the stores are, you have to enter through the gate where they take the tickets. Unless I missed a store on the way in/out, which from Google maps there appears to be 2 buildings before the main entrance gate. They appear to be bathrooms/phones from the map: http://florida.legoland.com/map-explore/park-map/ I doubt there's anything outside the gate like Schaumburg, which I went to last year and btw PALES in comparison but that's like comparing Legoland FL to Universal or DW, it's an AMAZING place for kids, and AFOLs per se but not on the same scale as DW or US. 

Did you hit the discount/clearance store at the park?

I can think of at least 3 other stores inside the park too.

[Lordoflego]

Any suggestion on ticket purchase then? One adult, of course I can call or google admission prices but was wondering if there are some ways to lower regular (whatever it is) ticket price. Thx. 

[Lordoflego]

32 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

Did you hit the discount/clearance store at the park?

I can think of at least 3 other stores inside the park too.

Talk to me ;), discount/clearance store? Do they usually have nice sets there? Probably not.

do they have low prices? Probably not. 

[Kenxxx]

35 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

Did you hit the discount/clearance store at the park?

Definitely. Where is it? Looking at the map, I see "The Extreme Brick Bargain Shop" in the Technic area... might that be it?

[exciter1]

18 minutes ago, Lordoflego said:

Any suggestion on ticket purchase then? One adult, of course I can call or google admission prices but was wondering if there are some ways to lower regular (whatever it is) ticket price. Thx. 

Wear this

Use this and sneak in with an adult

 

[exciter1]

10 minutes ago, Kenxxx said:

Definitely. Where is it? Looking at the map, I see "The Extreme Brick Bargain Shop" in the Technic area... might that be it?

^^^ yep, #33, that's it

They had a bunch of Thanksgiving Turkeys, trinkets, old t-shirts, mugs, Mixels series 3, some Chima, and a bunch of Jedi Cruisers at 20% - 30% off then.  If it tells you anything, all I think I left the park with was an A-Wing poly, t-shirts, and stuff for the kids.

[midbenne]

39 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

Did you hit the discount/clearance store at the park?

I can think of at least 3 other stores inside the park too.

Yes, there are several stores. The discount/clearance store had all chima mostly. I was hoping for something a little more worthwhile but fwiw they did actually have stock on SW sets which unlike any current retailer might be worth something. 

10 minutes ago, Lordoflego said:

Talk to me ;), discount/clearance store? Do they usually have nice sets there? Probably not.

do they have low prices? Probably not. 

You are correct on the first and if you like the not nice sets then the prices are nothing more than an average discount, NOTHING like deals that come around here. 

9 minutes ago, Kenxxx said:

Definitely. Where is it? Looking at the map, I see "The Extreme Brick Bargain Shop" in the Technic area... might that be it?

That's it! 

 

HTH guys...I am new to the BP world and have been dumped back into the world of legos with my 5 yo and we have been building like crazy. I am now beginning to think about helping him start to invest by buying small sets, selling them and going through the whole process. I'm a business guy and I know he'll appreciate the whole buying/selling process along w/building the new sets from money earned....might be a slow rode mostly done by me, but he'll learn the art and I hope that now since I have found BP I can really drill in....

I've really started to enjoy the architecture sets immensely. I am just having trouble not buying too quickly b/c I like new bright and shiny objects. So I am trying to use some self control and wait till they go on sale so I can pu a few....I have to really restrain myself b/c when I was down there I grabbed Venice and built it last night, and for $30 yes, retail GASP! I wanted it so I got it...I just hope that this year I can get a few solid deals so I can pu a few awesome sets like GBHQ, Brick Bank, the Millennium Falcon and what not...guess I have to sell some Jordans from my previous obsession to fund my new one! 

[Alpinemaps]

Don't know about LEGOLAND Florida but at LEGOLAND California you can buy a full prices ticket, and as long as you come out within an hour, they will give you a full refund.

If you spend $20 while you are there, you can get your parking fee refunded too.

[midbenne]

7 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

Don't know about LEGOLAND Florida but at LEGOLAND California you can buy a full prices ticket, and as long as you come out within an hour, they will give you a full refund.

If you spend $20 while you are there, you can get your parking fee refunded too.

That's great to know. I wouldn't have thought about doing that b/c we actually wanted to go in and do the park. It's nice they cover parking too...thanks for the HU!

[Alpinemaps]

Don't know about LEGOLAND Florida but at LEGOLAND California you can buy a full prices ticket, and as long as you come out within an hour, they will give you a full refund.

If you spend $20 while you are there, you can get your parking fee refunded too.

That's great to know. I wouldn't have thought about doing that b/c we actually wanted to go in and do the park. It's nice they cover parking too...thanks for the HU!

Sorry if I wasn't clear. They only refund the parking if you are less than an hour and have spent $20. If you're there all day, they are still keeping your parking money.

[Lordoflego]

28 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

Don't know about LEGOLAND Florida but at LEGOLAND California you can buy a full prices ticket, and as long as you come out within an hour, they will give you a full refund.

If you spend $20 while you are there, you can get your parking fee refunded too.

Yes, thank u, I'll check if FL does it too. 

[Curtis]

We were there Dec. 3rd 2015.  Stayed at the LEGO hotel.  Bought our park entry tickets through Costco.  I'm very disciplined and won't buy a set on vacation that I can get at home so I hunted for the "Legoland only" sets.  I bought nothing.  There is some Legoland only stuff, but mostly things like apparel and other goods.  There are a couple sets I saw, one that was the standard Legoland set, but isn't that special really and there was a sewing promo that my wife really liked, but it was store specific and she couldn't find anything she wanted to buy to get the promo.  The whole family really enjoyed the minifigure trading that you can do in the park.

[Dr. Brick]

Got an annual pass tonthis park to get the 10% merchandise discount

[bricklerbricklington]

FYI, I found nothing useful. The whole park was basically one big store. Very meh even for my 3 year old. She did like driving the cars though.

[Lordoflego]

19 minutes ago, Wijnmaalen said:

Got an annual pass tonthis park to get the 10% merchandise discount

While ago, discovery center told me that my annual pass will get me %10 off on sets numbered with 4 digits only, that was about 1.5-2 years ago, and it was IL discovery center, not legoland, of course some employees didn't know it so I got 2 SSDs for $360 plus Tax but most of the time, they knew about that limit/restriction....

anyway, most sets worth anything to me r numbered with 5 digits, especially now, so I'd check if I was u.

[Dr. Brick]

All lego sets these days have 5 digits...

[Kenxxx]

Thanks to all for the tips on Legoland Florida.  We just got back from our trip, and had a good (not great) time.  The highlight was probably the main Lego store near the front gate of the park.  We enjoyed shopping there and saw a few new polybags we hadn’t seen before. I was surprised to find that the store does not participate in the VIP program – can’t use VIP points, can’t earn any either.  We looked for the other “clearance” store that was supposed to be in the Technic area of the park, but couldn’t find it. There was some sort of “conference center” there, but no store – maybe it has been closed? Outside of the stores, the park was a bit disappointing.  The rides were OK. We have a large amusement park (Carowinds) near our home which we go to a couple times a year, so amusement park rides aren’t so “magical” for us anymore.  The main unique features of the park are all the large Lego sculptures everywhere you look. These would be amazing, but unfortunately, ALL of them appear old, ragged, and faded from the weather. You look at them and, sure, it’s an impressive model, but the faded colors, missing pieces, peeling, flaking varnish,...really takes away from the effect.  You feel like you’re walking around an old abandoned amusement park.

That was my take-away on it… the store was nice. But the Lego store in Disney Springs was better.  The Disney store does participate in VIP program and had a 10% off any item coupon in one of the local travelers’ “coupon books”(not valid on big exclusives).

[exciter1]

9 minutes ago, Kenxxx said:

 

Thanks to all for the tips on Legoland Florida.  We just got back from our trip, and had a good (not great) time.  The highlight was probably the main Lego store near the front gate of the park.  We enjoyed shopping there and saw a few new polybags we hadn’t seen before. I was surprised to find that the store does not participate in the VIP program – can’t use VIP points, can’t earn any either.  We looked for the other “clearance” store that was supposed to be in the Technic area of the park, but couldn’t find it. There was some sort of “conference center” there, but no store – maybe it has been closed? Outside of the stores, the park was a bit disappointing.  The rides were OK. We have a large amusement park (Carowinds) near our home which we go to a couple times a year, so amusement park rides aren’t so “magical” for us anymore.  The main unique features of the park are all the large Lego sculptures everywhere you look. These would be amazing, but unfortunately, ALL of them appear old, ragged, and faded from the weather. You look at them and, sure, it’s an impressive model, but the faded colors, missing pieces, peeling, flaking varnish,...really takes away from the effect.  You feel like you’re walking around an old abandoned amusement park.

That was my take-away on it… the store was nice. But the Lego store in Disney Springs was better.  The Disney store does participate in VIP program and had a 10% off any item coupon in one of the local travelers’ “coupon books”(not valid on big exclusives).

They did have apple fries, which my wife and sister-in-law devoured multiple times throughout the park and refillable Slush Puppies.  I didn't leave with any LEGO either, even after visiting the clearance store.

[minicoopers11]

36 minutes ago, Kenxxx said:

 

Thanks to all for the tips on Legoland Florida.  We just got back from our trip, and had a good (not great) time.  The highlight was probably the main Lego store near the front gate of the park.  We enjoyed shopping there and saw a few new polybags we hadn’t seen before. I was surprised to find that the store does not participate in the VIP program – can’t use VIP points, can’t earn any either.  We looked for the other “clearance” store that was supposed to be in the Technic area of the park, but couldn’t find it. There was some sort of “conference center” there, but no store – maybe it has been closed? Outside of the stores, the park was a bit disappointing.  The rides were OK. We have a large amusement park (Carowinds) near our home which we go to a couple times a year, so amusement park rides aren’t so “magical” for us anymore.  The main unique features of the park are all the large Lego sculptures everywhere you look. These would be amazing, but unfortunately, ALL of them appear old, ragged, and faded from the weather. You look at them and, sure, it’s an impressive model, but the faded colors, missing pieces, peeling, flaking varnish,...really takes away from the effect.  You feel like you’re walking around an old abandoned amusement park.

That was my take-away on it… the store was nice. But the Lego store in Disney Springs was better.  The Disney store does participate in VIP program and had a 10% off any item coupon in one of the local travelers’ “coupon books”(not valid on big exclusives).

Did you get the 40166 Legoland train set?