I’ve had a number of questions recently about the Legoland Hotel in Florida. When we were there last, they were building the Beach Retreat. That’s completed now, and apparently they are really pushing it. I can’t really address the questions about the Beach Retreat fully since we stayed at the Legoland Hotel, but I do know a few reasons why I would choose to stay at Legoland Hotel again.

1. It’s right at the front gate to the park, and the Beach Retreat is a half mile away by shuttle bus.
2.  There is a castle in the lobby.
3.  The elevator turns into a mini disco club when the doors close.
4.  There are Master Builder classes right off the lobby, and they are free! You just have to sign your child up for a time slot. These may eventually be offered at the Beach Retreat, but I haven’t heard.
5.  Beach Retreat is a spread-out village of cottages. At Legoland Hotel, though, everything is in one building. There’s no trek to get something to eat. It’s just downstairs.

 

The picture above is the hallway outside our room. I have to say that I was a little concerned that our son would think this was all too young for him, since he was turning 9 the weekend we were there. I was dead wrong. He loved it.

LEGOLAND Hotel is a child’s dream of a hotel. The decor is over the top, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Everything is LEGO’d out, and the children love it! Even the lowest category of room is a suite of sorts, with the children having their own area with bunk beds and a TV by the door. The bathroom comes next, followed by the parents’ area, which includes a king sized bed. The parents’ area is a little more toned down (notice I said “a little”) with fun LEGO accents hanging here and there on the wall. The children’s sleeping area, however, is decked out in its theme.

Here is a picture of the wall opposite the bunk bed in the children’s room:

Even the specially ordered carpet gives you something to ponder. I wondered whether I would be able to sleep restfully with this much stimulation all around. This was one reason I only booked one night. However, I found that, as Emmett says in the LEGO movie, everything was AWESOME. One night, though, and I was thankful to move on to a more sedate and less ornate environment.

Room themes include Kingdom (medieval castle), Adventure (Egyptian/archaeologist), Pirate (self-explanatory), and Friends(the pink and purple girly LEGO characters). My son chose Kingdom theme, so the pictures you see here from our room reflect that theme. Each floor has one theme, so that from the time you step off the elevator, you are in Kingdom mode, or Adventure mode, or whatever.

And the elevator is an attraction all by itself, as I mentioned above. When the doors open, you notice that there is wallpaper of LEGO figures dancing and doing different activities. There is typical elevator music playing, such as “The Girl From Ipanema.” But as soon as the doors slide closed, the party begins! Disco strobe lights flash and songs like “Do the Hustle” or “YMCA” accompany you up or down. You can’t be in a bad mood in this elevator. You must dance, sing, or both. It’s an involuntary reaction. As soon as you reach your floor, the doors open, the overhead light comes on, and the tamer music selection begins again.  It made me laugh every time I rode in it. Best elevator ever.

The Bricks Family Restaurant, adjacent to the lobby, offers a great variety of options on a buffet. Your breakfast buffet is usually included with the price of your stay. The dinner buffet is about $20 per adult and $13 per child, which is a really good value for people who like an “all you can eat” situation. You don’t have to go anywhere, and the food is good. I had a smoked brisket, among other things. The children’s buffet is out in the middle where kiddos can get a plate and serve themselves, while adults can hover around the perimeter and find selections to suit the more grown up palate.

The Skyline Lounge is actually right in the lobby (the lobby being pictured above), and it offers a spot for parents to sit with an adult beverage and watch the children enjoying all that the giant castle has to offer. You can also order from a menu and enjoy table service in this restaurant.

The included activities make this hotel an enormous value. Between being 150 steps from the entrance to the park, having close parking, included breakfast, early entry to the park, and these classes and activities, it doesn’t make sense to NOT stay there for at least the first night. There are Master Builder Classes, a pajama dance party, and other design/build activities going on in the lobby per the schedule for the day.

The employees are so nice and friendly that you will find yourself comparing them to Disney cast members.  The restaurant staff, bellmen/valets, and front desk folks are hard to beat. The characters walking around in the hotel lobby make the experience even more special and fun for the kids.

Your children will be really bummed when it’s time to check out.

Contact Azalea Travel to book your LEGOLAND vacation, and be on the lookout for another post about the LEGOLAND park.

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