How to LEGOLAND Florida with a Toddler
I've never been a LEGO gal myself, so it's been wild to witness my toddler man's obsession with these tiny plastic bricks. If you are looking for the ultimate immersive family getaway, look no further than LEGOLAND Florida Resort and the incredible LEGO Pirate Island Hotel! We recently packed up our bags for a fantastic "local" adventure with our three-year-old, we had non-stop toddler-friendly fun.
Stay at the LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel - staying onsite made the experience truly immersive from the moment we checked in. There are LEGO mini-figurines and thousands upon thousands of bricks everywhere you look! I've never been to a hotel lobby that basically has a giant vat of toys for your kid to explore. Our room was fully steeped in pirate paraphernalia with a working LEGO wall and the stay included complimentary breakfast.
2. Enjoy festive themed meals at the Shipwreck Restaurant - you won't find much green on the menu and most Europeans would be disgusted to know this place exists, but your little human will love it. Think cast iron skillets filled with unlimited chicken nuggets for dinner and French Toast sticks for breakfast. It was definitely tough to "eat clean" on this trip, but the chef provided several gluten-free eats for Josh. They even have LEGO brick head shaped pancakes and a separate room with LEGO for playtime while you wait for your food! Arrghhh!
Build LEGOs with your little one - can you believe I had never built anything with LEGO before? My brother Michael was the LEGO expert in our household and I've never had much interest in them. But a sweet scavenger hunt in our hotel room led to the discovery of a complimentary set (and juice boxes!) and I'm proud to share that I built my very first LEGO with my son proudly watching as momma built this tiny orange feline.
It probably took me longer than most child builders, but I did it. This is my first ever LEGO project! Watch the evening LEGO "show" and have dinner at the Skyline Lounge - Don't let the bougie name fool you. There's no skyline and it's not really a lounge. But it's a casual dining establishment where you can get some food while the kids are entertained. There's a cute nightly interactive show for the kids in the LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel's lobby hosted by LEGOLAND children's entertainers, which parents can watch easily from the Skyline Lounge. Sometimes a LEGO character will come out too for photo opportunities. Our little guy watched the show with some other kids, while Josh and I shared the actually delicious Hustle and Brussel Salad and a side of crispy sweet potato fries.
The cuddliest brick I've ever seen! Do all the rides and all the builds at LEGOLand - this is self-explanatory. Ride the rides with your kid! Build LEGO whenever you get the chance. Let your inner child scream and squeal and shout unabashedly. It melted my heart to see my two favorite guys hard at work building their LEGO projects side by side at building areas throughout the park. A highlight was exploring LEGOLAND Florida Resort by train with Conductor Sundquist. Don't mind my offensively neon green UV protective shirt with matching old lady sun hat!
Walk in the historic Cypress Gardens - Originally opened in 1936 by Dick and Julie Pope as Florida's first commercial theme park, famous for its water ski shows and Southern Belles, these historic gardens are truly underrated. I didn't see another human in here during our visit! Although our little guy found these gardens extremely "scary", we did manage to enjoy a moderately pleasant family walk. There are hidden LEGO elements throughout, so keep your eyes peeled. It's a nice organic break on the eyes from consuming visual plastic technicolor everywhere.
From pirate-themed rooms to skillet dinners, this epic family getaway to LEGOLAND Florida Resort introduced me to a whole new world with our best little guy. It's another example of a place I never would have been if it weren't for motherhood and I feel thankful for that. I'm excited to go back again soon! And we're definitely bringing Uncle Michael next time.
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