Legoland, Central Florida’s newest theme, park officially opened last week, giving a second life to a former Central Florida landmark.
Merlin Entertainment built the theme park on a 150-acre tract of land formerly occupied by Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven. The park features more than 50 attractions and is the second Legoland in North America – a California location opened in 1999. There are also Legoland parks in Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.
“In essence, we’re establishing an entirely new visitation category in this market because every ride, show and attraction within Legoland Florida has been designed exclusively with kids ages 2 to 12 in mind,” Nick Varney, CEO for Merlin Entertainments Group, said in a news release.
“It’s a real game-changer for Central Florida because young families can finally plan that first theme park vacation assured that even their youngest child will enjoy a memorable experience, and that they’ll be able to optimize their vacation budget,” Varney added.
The park’s Miniland USA will feature scaled down version of various cities, including Las Vegas, Washington and New York.
Adult tickets for the new Legoland start at $65 while children’s and senior’s tickets will cost $55; children under 3 years old can enter the park free of charge.
Cypress Gardens opened in 1936 and closed in 2009.
“Legoland Florida is the brilliant blend of two of the world’s most powerful family brands – Lego and the Florida vacation,” Chris Thompson, CEO of Visit Florida, said in a news release. “Together they create the next generation of family entertainment and cement this region’s status as the Vacation Capital of the World.”
