Two years ago, my oldest son, then five, gently took my hand, looked me in the eyes and desperately asked "Mommy, can we please sleep at LEGOLAND?"
He already knew that LEGOLAND existed as an amusement park with rides and entertainment, but finding out that you could sleep in a LEGO room complete with a real-life treasure chest? Well, that just blew his mind.
And so we did.
During our recent Florida family vacation, we spent two days exploring LEGOLAND Florida Resort and two nights fulfilling my son's dream of sleeping at the LEGOLAND Hotel. And yes, everything was awesome!
Here are some tips to keep in mind if you'll be vacationing at the LEGOLAND Hotel.
Let your kids pick the room. The first decision you'll need to make at the Hotel is which fun themed-room to sleep in -- Pirate, Adventure, Kindgom, or LEGO friends. Each one offers different decor with LEGO details that will delight all ages. In our Kingdom room, for example, we felt like royalty in a castle with shields on the wall, regal red bedding and a happy knight greeting us on the wall. But no matter which room you choose, each one has its own kids’ sleeping area with bunk bed, pull out trundle bed, and entertainment unit, and each one comes with a treasure hunt (and treasure!) for the kiddos.
Join the evening entertainment. After the park closes (at 5pm most days), families spending the evening at the Hotel can head back to enjoy dinner and entertainment. Each night, two characters entertain the kids from 6-9pm with games, LEGO building contests, and a Pajama dance party while the parents watch and relax -- many with a drink in hand.
Sign up for the Master Model Builders class. This is a free class that's included with your Hotel stay, and it's a must do! Your children will get to build a creation with one of the resort's Master Builders, the creative, talented team behind every single LEGO display in the park. Be sure to sign up right when you arrive because it tends to fill up fast.
Bring your minifigures. Every LEGOLAND staff member wears a brick badge (aka name tag) that's home to at least one mini figure, and they'll happily trade them with your kids! This was one of the highlights for my boys who would carefully examine every employee's name tag until they found "the one!"
Take the elevator. Just trust me on this one. Everything is better with disco music and strobe lights!
LEGOLAND is a destination that's truly built for kids, and it shows. From the hotel pool filled with oversized LEGO bricks to the giant castle in the lobby, your kids will be entertained from the moment they wake up to the minute they fall asleep, completely exhausted, in their LEGO-themed bed. If you're looking for a relaxing vacation, this probably isn't the place for you. But if you're looking for fun and adventure and lots of laughs, put LEGOLAND Hotel on your travel bucket list.
----
The author received complimentary park tickets to facilitate this review. However, all opinions are her own.
