Travel insights from Jenna Buege, senior editor of The Compass
Located in Winter Haven, Florida, LEGOLAND Florida Resort is one of the best U.S. theme parks for family travelers. With rides, waterslides, kid-friendly activities, and of course, millions, and millions of colorful and iconic LEGO blocks, this unique resort is truly a place for vacationers of all ages to let their imaginations run wild.
Interested in learning more? Here’s what you need to know about LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s hotels, Theme Park, Water Park and status as a Certified Autism Center.
Where to Stay
LEGOLAND Hotel
Located just 130 “kid-steps” from LEGOLAND Theme Park, LEGOLAND Hotel is every youngster’s (and young-at-heart travelers’) dream lodging option. From pirates and ponies to mummies and knights, guests will appreciate creative attention to detail throughout the resort. As for the accommodations, each room features a separate kid’s sleeping area where visitors can choose from a variety of themes. And to top it off, the hotel hosts in-room scavenger hunts every day where visitors can compete to win epic LEGO prizes.
As far as activities go, travelers can look forward to free creative workshops, nightly kid’s entertainment, a heated resort-style pool and delicious dinner options served at Shipwreck Restaurant and the Skyline Lounge.
Pirate Island Hotel
Ahoy there, mateys! Travelers are in for a swashbuckling good time when they book a stay at LEGOLAND’s Pirate Island Hotel. Located just 130 “pirate steps” from LEGOLAND Theme Park, upon stepping foot on this unique property, landlubbers are instantly transported to a place worthy of the finest crew that’s ever sailed the seven seas. Sailors will enjoy free breakfast each day, free self-parking, nightly kid’s pirate-themed entertainment, free creative workshops and more.
Like LEGOLAND Hotel, each room at Pirate Island Hotel is intricately themed and includes a separate sleeping space for aspiring Blackbeards, complete with bunk beds. Additionally, guests can look forward to a daily in-room treasure hunt where they can scour their quarters in search of a bounty of LEGO treasure.
LEGOLAND Beach Retreat
Travelers looking for picturesque views in addition to some LEGO action might consider booking a stay at LEGOLAND Beach Retreat. Located off the LEGOLAND grounds, guests at this resort will enjoy free self-parking and complimentary transportation to LEGOLAND Theme Park and Water Park. Additionally, travelers can look forward to free breakfast each morning, a resort-style pool with lakeside scenery and an abundance of kid’s outdoor play areas. When their stomachs start to growl, families can fill up on delicious eats at Sandy’s Castle Restaurant for lunch and dinner, and parents can always grab a drink at Bricks Beach Bar.
Just like LEGOLAND Hotel and Pirate Island Hotel, each colorful room at LEGOLAND Beach Retreat includes a separate kid’s sleeping area where kiddos’ imaginations can run wild.
What to Do
LEGOLAND Theme Park
Home to over 55 rides and attractions, LEGOLAND Theme Park has something fun for travelers of all ages. From splash pads and playgrounds to roller coasters and recreations of scenes from the LEGO Movie, the whole family will love spending a day exploring this one-of-a-kind theme park. One unique attraction to LEGOLAND Florida Resort is MINILAND USA where visitors can travel to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, NYC and Washington D.C. in a matter of minutes as they marvel at miniature replicas of some of the nation’s most iconic destinations. MINILAND USA was recently renovated to include a new shade structure and the attraction contains over 32 million LEGO bricks.
The newest attraction at LEGOLAND Theme Park is Pirate River Quest, a one-of-a-kind ride set on LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s beautiful Lake Eloise. On this ride, park-goers set sail in a free-floating pirate ship, guided by a knowledgeable driver as they float past colorful foliage and encounter native Florida wildlife, searching for Captain Redbeard and his treasure along the way. Pirate River Quest is accessible for pirates (aka guests) of all ages and two of the 10 boats are ADA-accessible.
Read about all of LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s Theme Park rides and attractions here.
LEGOLAND Water Park
Travelers looking to cool down from the Florida heat will be happy to learn that LEGOLAND Florida Resort is home to an impressive waterpark. Guests can kick back and relax on the winding Build-a-Raft Lazy River, create their own LEGO vessel at the Build-A-Boat station, enjoy kid-friendly waves at the LEGO Wave Pool or catch some thrills on one of the park’s two waterslides.
Read about all of LEGOLAND Florida Resort’s Water Park rides and attractions here.
Certified Autism Center Designation
In early April 2022, LEGOLAND Florida Resort became the first theme park resort to become a Certified Autism Center (CAC). The Resort-wide designation includes LEGOLAND Theme Park, LEGOLAND Water Park, LEGOLAND Hotel, LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel, LEGOLAND Beach Retreat and Peppa Pig Theme Park.
To obtain certification, LEGOLAND Florida Resort as an organization and guest-facing staff completed training, certification and additional requirements to accommodate visitors with cognitive differences. Additionally, The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) conducted an onsite review of the Resort to provide recommendations for autistic park-goers and their families including sensory guides to help guests understand the impact of each ride and attraction.
“We are proud that LEGOLAND Florida Resort has partnered with The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to earn our designation as a Certified Autism Center across LEGOLAND Florida Theme Park, Water Park, three on-site hotels and the all-new Peppa Pig Theme Park,” said Kelly Hornick, head of marketing and communications for LEGOLAND Florida Resort and Peppa Pig Theme Park. “We are passionate about being the Resort for families to build awesome vacation memories, and we are thankful to our partners at IBCCES for helping us be more welcoming and more inclusive to more families, including those with sensory needs.”
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About the Author
Senior Editor for VAX VacationAccess and world explorer, Jenna loves writing about all things travel. When she’s not busy creating content, she spends her time exploring the great outdoors, cuddling with her two black cats and researching her next big (sometimes strange) adventure.