Today we visited the New Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, TX.
I went on this field trip thinking we'd have a fine time but wondering if it was worth the money I paid for the tickets. Here's my opinion:
First you should know that neither one of my children have ever really been too much into Legos. A spark of interest here and there but it never stuck for too long. Until...possibly... THE DAY WE VISITED LEGOLAND.
Upon entering Legoland- Professor Brick Brack shows the kids how Legos are made in the factory. This session time is short and very interactive. The kids LOVED it and got a free Lego (yep one block) after the short session)
When Prof. Brick Brack finishes- you go on your first ride and laser guns are involved. Need I say more here? I mean COME ON...you get to shoot stuff on a fun little ride..kids are having crazy fun and we'd only been there 10 min. Okay..this is a good sign. (Note: One adult must ride with children.)
Our kids head to the next ride- it was a magic bike/harry potter looking ride. They loved it! They buckled in..the ride started spinning and they peddled to get their car to go higher.
There is a 2 story playplace right in the middle that is pretty amazing to the kids. They spent a lot of time in there in between the various play stations and rides. It's soft and netted, lots of climbing, sliding, jumping over stuff...you know..crazy kid fun. NOTE: kids need socks to play on the playplace...so stuff some socks in your purse, bra whatever..the kids will need them.
There is a special place...that the girls loved....
simply because it was pink! And well- the Karaoke stage was a nice bonus. The girls spent quite a bit of time in here building.
They had some fun little vehicles for the kids to "pose" on.
If your child is of the rowdier (aka destructive ) type...I'm not judging don't get defensive... be of good cheer.. these are not fragile Lego Bikes/figurines that they'll destroy. These are sturdy and made for rowdy kids to play on.
The 4D cinema was a lot of fun. They play 3 rotating movies that last about 10 to 15 min each so you can go more than once and we most certainly did!
Then there is Miniland...Don't skip it... we almost did because well..we almost overlooked it..oops. Miniland is the city of Dallas- key sights- built in legos and it is amazing. When you go in..find the little TV screen (we almost missed that part too...we are so observant!) On it there are 4 or 5 buttons on the right ...each button will display a different Lego character on the screen for the kids to find in the Miniland display. This was a really fun way for the kids to stay entertained while the adults simply admired the handiwork.
Legoland has a cafe inside the attraction so you can get a snack or eat lunch if you so choose. But if you are going and want to eat out in the mall ..remember to hold on to your tickets for reentry.
Bottomline-
1. Yes it's worth the money you pay for the ticket. (and- if you go and love it and want an annual pass- you can apply the amount you paid for that days tickets to your annual pass if you purchase it the same day of your visit.)
2. Plan at least 2 hours. We were there 3 1/2 and my kids were still not ready to leave.
3. Bring a light sweater/jacket...the adults did get a bit chilly because we were not running around like the kiddos. (well some were just not us.)
4. Go in the morning if you can- it gets a lot busier after lunch.
5. It gets loud in the main area- very loud- so if you or your child are sensitive to a lot of noise, proceed with caution.
6. Adults can ride the rides and just be a kid here if they want...or you can grab a seat and watch all the fun from the sidelines..whichever strikes your fancy.
7. You exit - through the LEGO STORE- just saying..prepare yourself and your children for exiting through the store on a LEGO HIGH.
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Great info, thanks for posting this! I've been wondering. This is when home schooling comes in handy- I can't even imagine what this place is like on the weekends!
ReplyDeleteHope it helps! I had no idea what to expect..thought this might help others decide. :)
ReplyDeleteI had read other reviews and there are many mixed opinions. I almost decided against it but I think you helped me make up my mind. Thanks for the info and pics. My 6 and 7 year old boy and girl will love it. :)
ReplyDeleteGood to hear it was worth it. I am taking my 8-year-old son who is Lego obsessed and his friend today. This was more helpful than the actual website. THANKS!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a kid too. I think I went to the same exact place right after I left Great Wolf Lodge. My cousin rode with me and it was a blast! There is a giant what seems like a jungle-gym inside for the kids, they enjoyed it. After that I strolled off to look around. They also have a big shop you can buy all kinds of lego's to the mechanical, and back to the original lego pieces. If your kids like to play with legos and love making cars, there is a part inside where you can make your cars and compete them against others to see whos the fastest and coolest. This is coming from a 14 year old's opinion. OH! I almost forgot to mention the 4-D movie! They have a bob the builder movie and a cool lego movie! It's really cool because when the people are flying in the air you can feel the air! When it's like raining, you can feel rain drops! and then it looks like snow, don't try to eat it, it's soap. Lol, I nearly gagged when I ate it. But when we got there it looked like a huge line. So if you really want to go and you think it would be a cool experience, buy the tickets ahead of time. It saves time. But from my choice, it was EPIC! and the kids loved it too! I'm sure they would to. If you go to the one near dallas they have a huge room full of the city in a mini version called mini world. I suggest going your kids would love it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review. I am reading a lot of negative comments about it being overpriced with not enough to do. I think my 5 and 7 year old boys will love it from what you've described and the pics you put up! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThey shouldn't charge adults $19, that is ridiculous. My 3 kids enjoyed the place but were ready to go after about 1 hour. So the $60 we paid was not really worth it. I think they would have enjoyed going to the store,playing with the lego's and each bringing home a new set of lego's to going to a legoland. I wouldn't go again.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT plan your child's Birthday Party here!!! They took our party in 30 minutes late into the venue. There was no communication on what to expect and what their services included. We were let in the party room 15 minutes late and then not allowed to open gifts for the party child because our time was up. After complaining they promised a discount and instead overcharged us. The 2 hosts were very boring and hardly talked the entire time. They were very slow at passing out the pizza and juice.
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