Legoland Florida

[loribelle]

hi everyone! sorry if i'm a little behind and any of this stuff is actually confirmed, but just thought i'd throw out a few of the rumors that i've picked up at the hotel i work at, which is right across the street.

supposedly a few people i work with have seen the plans and they say there will be a hotel built, and i've heard it will be built on the land where the parking lot is. and they're going to keep the waterpark and somehow the ski show. also, i was told there's going to be a castle.

just thought i'd share what i've heard :)

really excited about this, it will be good for me where i work that's for sure. even thought i don't know much about the size of the other legoland's, i can't possibly see how this is going to be the biggest legoland one, unless they're counting the lake. cypress gardens was fairly small and there's not much surrounding land for them to build on.

[friscojacks]

I'm a 5 minute drive from Legoland Windsor, and its a great little park. I'm very interested to see what they do in Florida, I've got to say its a brillliant idea; and I'm surprised its not happened before now.

[Fun]

No jobs available yet of course, but the jobsite is already mentioning Winter Haven Florida

https://suite.agile1.com/JBLegoland/...d/default.aspx

[Samuele]

hi everyone! sorry if i'm a little behind and any of this stuff is actually confirmed, but just thought i'd throw out a few of the rumors that i've picked up at the hotel i work at, which is right across the street.

supposedly a few people i work with have seen the plans and they say there will be a hotel built, and i've heard it will be built on the land where the parking lot is. and they're going to keep the waterpark and somehow the ski show. also, i was told there's going to be a castle.

just thought i'd share what i've heard :)

really excited about this, it will be good for me where i work that's for sure. even thought i don't know much about the size of the other legoland's, i can't possibly see how this is going to be the biggest legoland one, unless they're counting the lake. cypress gardens was fairly small and there's not much surrounding land for them to build on.

Thanks for sharing your informations!
I am surprised about the hotel you were talking about, while I know that the castle will be the Dragons' castle (there's one in every Legoland park).
I was surprised also when I heard that it'll be the biggest Legoland in the world, since the space is very limited, and there's NO SPACE AT ALL for a future expansion...

[Tbad556]

Details on Legoland including FAQ and pictures: http://www.attractionsmagazine.com/b...-in-late-2011/

Today Merlin Entertainments announced a multi-million dollar investment for its biggest family tourist center in the world with the planned opening of Legoland Florida.

Merlin purchased the historical Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Fla. from property investment company Land South Group and will open Legoland Florida on the site at the end of 2011. The deal to buy the 145-acre site includes the current theme park and waterpark as well as an operating lease in perpetuity on the historic botanical gardens. Merlin plans a significant multi-million dollar investment over a number of years, up to and beyond opening, in what will be the biggest Legoland to date. In line with the group’s “resort” strategy for its theme parks, this is likely to include both accommodation and the addition of further branded attractions from the Merlin portfolio. This will build on the $100 million invested over the last few years in improved infrastructure on the site.
The Florida development will be Merlin’s second Legoland Park in North America. It will provide a full-day, year round, theme park experience geared towards families with children between the ages of two and 12. Its design will mirror the successful concept of the four existing Legoland Parks in Denmark, Germany, U.K. and California. However, as with the other four, it will also have its own unique “twist” reflecting its stunning location and adding a Florida flavour.

The decision to open a Legoland Park in Florida follows considerable research in the area by Merlin over a number of years. This indicated a high recognition of the Legoland Park brand and a 90 percent plus intention to visit by families in this target market. The issue has been to find the ideal site. Cypress Gardens has long been a popular location for millions of visitors. Merlin believes its Central Florida location, approximately 50 minutes from Orlando and also close to Tampa, is the perfect site for Legoland.

The development follows the success of Legoland California which opened in 1999. Legoland California was recently voted the country’s best children’s theme park by “Amusement Today” for the sixth year running. It is also recognized as the fastest growing theme park in the U.S., enjoying an increase in visitor numbers year-on-year, including six percent in 2009.

Legoland Florida will be the biggest Legoland Park ever opened and will offer a unique mix of more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, including spectacular Lego models and other interactive elements for the whole family to enjoy together.

This keeps sounding better and better. More than 50 rides, shows and attractions?! Awesome. The FAQ says they hope to keep the ski show. It also says they plan to build an onsite resort.

[Fun]

I just love those little details that makes the themepark business great.
As also found on http://www.attractionsmagazine.com/b...-in-late-2011/

[loribelle]

just saw a copy of plans.... you can't see it in the photo i took, but there was a small date on the bottom that says june 3, 2009



also, just for fun, here's a pic of the lego orange's they handed out at the press conference :)

[Tbad556]

Thanks for the pictures! It's great that they have a lot of room saved for expansion. It looks a lot bigger in the plans than I remember Cypress Gardens being.

Just a question, what are the orange lines and arrows for on the plans?

[Samuele]

Wow, thanks Loribelle for the pictures! Do you have by the way other pics of the park map? Thanks again!

EDIT: By the way, in the picture I see that they will not keep the Starliner, but the other coaster...

[loribelle]

that was the only pic i could get. i believe it was in some sort of packet that was given out to attendees at the conference, and one of the people who went from our hotel showed it to me, knowing i'm a theme park nut :) so i just sneaked a quick pic with the cell, lol.

there were a few other pics of lego displays attached with the map, but i'm pretty sure they were just pics from the other legoland's.

oh, and no idea what the orange lines are... maybe new walkways?

[Disneyhead]

this is likely to include both accommodation and the addition of further branded attractions from the Merlin portfolio.

Hmmm, I wonder what this means. In California they just opened a SeaLife Aquarium next to Legoland California. There is also a SeaLife Aquarium in Phoenix, AZ. I don't see any other brands in their portfolio that would really apply. I don't see them putting in a Madam Tussaud's.

http://www.sealifeus.com/front

[snoman]

An aquarium could be cool but isn't there a pretty big aquarium already in Tampa?

[TheDecemberists]

An aquarium could be cool but isn't there a pretty big aquarium already in Tampa?

uhm... Sea World?

[BriMan]

I demand a lego water ski show!

From the articles I read, you may get your wish.

[Jmaff]

This is some cool news. I wouldn't be interested myself, but for family purposes...I'd definitely check this out.

Nice orange by the way, they look better than real oranges lol.