WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 15, 2016) – LEGOLAND Florida Resort announced an unprecedented slate of projects that will deliver additional on-site accommodations, an immersive new theme park land with a cutting-edge, interactive attraction, the first-ever expansion of its water park, a new, action-packed “4D” theatrical attraction and an all-new summertime event filled with fireworks and special entertainment, giving guests even more reasons to play – and stay – at the place #BuiltForKids:
In March 2016, LEGOLAND Florida Resort announced an ambitious slate of projects representing one of the largest single rounds of investment in the park’s history. The announcements covered new accommodation, a major new theme park land, and the first expansion of the water park — signaling Merlin Entertainments’ confidence in the Winter Haven property after years of steady growth since its 2011 opening.
NEW! LEGOLAND Beach Retreat – opening mid-2017
This whimsically themed vacation resort combines the fun of surf, sand and sun with the creativity of LEGO bricks on a picturesque site next to Lake Dexter, adjacent to the theme park. Distinguished by a colorful LEGO lighthouse, the village-style, lakefront resort will feature 83 single-story duplex units, offering 166 separate accommodations that sleep up to five.
Designed with the same combination of imagination and kid-centric detail that made the 10-month-old LEGOLAND Hotel an immediate hit, the all-new LEGOLAND Beach Retreat offers a great way for larger families and friends to vacation together. Amenities will include a themed pool, a sandy play area, a buffet-style restaurant and complimentary transportation to and from the theme park.
NEW! LEGO NINJAGO World – opening January 2017
Inspired by the popular series of LEGO building sets and the long-running TV show “LEGO NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu,” this all-new, fully immersive theme park land invites guests to step into a magical, martial arts kingdom where they’ll experience a first-of-its-kind attraction that blends eye-popping, 3D computer animation, “4D” atmospheric effects and groundbreaking technology by Montreal-based Triotech.
Visit our LEGO NINJANGO World page.
On LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, up to four guests per vehicle blast animated fireballs, lightning, shockwaves and ice using nothing more than their hands as they travel through dojos mastering their skills before teaming up to defeat a powerful villain. Riders collect points and scores are displayed when each quest is complete. The thrilling attraction is the epicenter of a new area featuring multiple hands-on, interactive experiences that will hone kids’ physical skills like NINJAGO heroes Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane and Nya, before their ultimate test on LEGO NINJAGO The Ride.
https://youtu.be/fGYvcbetDjU
NEW! Creative Cove featuring Build-A-Boat – now open
A fun expansion area at LEGOLAND Water Park adds a brand-new attraction, Build-A-Boat, where kids can create and race LEGO watercraft through fast-flowing rivers alongside cheering crowds in a setting inspired by the popular LEGO City Coast Guard sets. Nearby, the existing Imagination Station lets little ones build and play with colorful DUPLO bricks in a water-filled activity center. Additional dining offerings, increased seating capacity and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the entire water park round out the all-new offerings for 2016.
NEW! “LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS 4D: The Book of Creativity” – opening May 26, 2016
Set in the futuristic Kingdom of Knighton, this all-new theatrical attraction pits five young knights against the evil Jestro and his sidekick, the Book of Monsters, in a battle for control of a rare book of magic that gives its owner tremendous power. Based on the new LEGO series of building sets and the just-launched TV show, the 12½-minute, immersive experience combines 3D computer animation with “4D,” real-world effects that bring the high-tech action bursting off the screen and into the audience.
Elsewhere in the theme park, kids will discover six exclusive shields that unlock unique NEXO Powers within the LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS: Merlok 2.0 mobile app for iOS and Android devices.
NEW! LEGOLAND Night Lights – Summer 2016
The resort will debut its latest all-new event in June, a celebration of summertime fun featuring extended park hours, meet-and-greet opportunities with favorite LEGO characters, exclusive opportunities to build alongside LEGO Master Model Builders and a spectacular, brick-tacular NINJAGO fireworks display that will light the night above Lake Eloise with brilliant colors and triumphant music. Held exclusively at LEGOLAND Florida Resort, the party is included with park admission and will take place every Saturday and Sunday from June 18 to July 31.
The exciting new projects represent the largest period of growth in the nearly 4½-year history of LEGOLAND Florida Resort, a rapid trajectory of expansions that has included LEGOLAND Water Park (May 2012), LEGO STAR WARS Miniland Model Display (November 2012), LEGO World of Chima™ (July 2013), DUPLO Valley (May 2014), LEGOLAND Hotel (May 2015), Heartlake City (June 2015), and phased restorations of the historic Cypress Gardens botanical wonderland, which recently celebrated its 80th anniversary.
For more information about visiting LEGOLAND Florida Resort, including savings on advance purchase of admission tickets, multi-tier annual passes, special events, VIP experiences, educational programs, services for guests with disabilities and themed accommodations at LEGOLAND Hotel, visit www.LEGOLAND.com/florida.
Check out the video below for more details:
https://youtu.be/Ylk9b1159GM
PHOTOS: ©2016 LEGOLAND Florida/Chip Litherland Photography Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What These Announcements Meant for LEGOLAND Florida
The March 2016 announcements reflected a park in growth mode. By 2016, LEGOLAND Florida had established itself as a permanent fixture in Central Florida’s theme park landscape, competing not with Disney or Universal but as the region’s premier family-focused day park. The investments in accommodation, a new themed land, and water park expansion were designed to transform LEGOLAND Florida from a day-trip destination into a multi-day resort experience.
The Water Park expansion announcement was particularly significant — it marked the first time the water park had grown since its 2012 opening, acknowledging the popularity of the splash park and responding to guest demand for more water-based attractions. The new land announcement showed LEGOLAND was willing to invest in entirely new themed zones rather than just adding individual rides.
LEGOLAND Florida Today
All of the projects announced in 2016 have since been completed and remain operational. The water park additions, LEGO NINJAGO World expansion, and new themed rooms at LEGOLAND Hotel are now established parts of the resort experience. The 2016 announcements proved to be a precursor to even more aggressive expansion in subsequent years, including the addition of Peppa Pig Theme Park and the LEGO Castle Hotel.
This article covered LEGOLAND Florida’s March 2016 announcement of five major resort expansion projects. All projects described opened as announced.
