"We're at LEGOLAND, Sister!"
It seems like we go to Florida every year, now. Not only does Hubby do projects for LEGOLAND Florida and currently worked on their new hotel, but some of his family members live just under a couple hours away from the theme park. This year we spent a couple days at LEGOLAND and I had to find things to do with both a preschooler and a baby.
My son is 3 1/2 years and my little girl is just two months. We went mid-May 2015 and spent two days exploring the LEGOLAND park. One afternoon we did with Daddy, the other day was just me and the kids.
LEGOLAND parks can be a little trickier for one adult to navigate with two little ones. The height restrictions on some rides cancel out the baby AND insist that preschoolers have to ride with an adult. LEGOLAND Florida has limited number of attractions that you can do with more than one kid in these age ranges, but the good news is that there is more than enough to do in a day.
Trying to keep cool in a patch of shade next to a play area.
Here are all the things you can do at LEGOLAND Florida when you have a preschooler and a baby. I tried to put them in a logical order to plan out a day. You just have to make sure to check show times.
1. Island in the Sky - Everyone can get on this one and see stunning 360 views of the entire park.
LEGOLAND Hotel view from the Island in the Sky
3. 4D Theatre - Check for showtimes for several 3D shows with water, air, and various effects. My baby was fine for the 15 minute show, although my 3 year old was a little scared but enjoyed it for the most part.
This is a play area in the DUPLO Valley that my son was particularly fond of. I NEED this giant brick bin for home!
4. DUPLO Farm - This is an indoor, air-conditioned playground with a baby care center and a toddler room. You just won't get your money's worth from the rides and shows if they refuse to leave, but the air-conditioned DUPLO Farm makes it worthwhile, especially with an infant.
5. DUPLO Train - If your toddler is over 34" he can ride this one alone! Note that the rides in this area will not allow a held infant.
6. DUPLO Splash and Play area - There is a splash pad in the Chima area but we prefer the one in the DUPLO Valley because it is geared more toward the little kids. The preschooler gets wet while the baby catches a little shade with Momma!
7. Miniland - Walk around here, and let the preschooler push all the buttons to trigger effects. LEGO Master Model Builders visit to answer questions once in a while.
8. Royal Joust - Above 36" gets the little one on this ride alone!
9. Forestman's Hideout - This is basically a medieval theme playground. I don't do this one with my little guy because I don't want to have to climb around with him with the baby, but if your preschooler does well on his own, without mom-interventions, this could be a great place to spend some time.
Hubby and the boy on the lawn watching the ski show. We decided not to take the baby out of the stroller to go into the stands and I stayed back in the shade with her.
10. Pirate's Cove Ski Show - The show is fantastic. If you don't want to pull the baby out of the stroller, go over to the left side of the seating structure and park at one of the benches to watch or sit on the lawn.
11. Ford Jr. Driving School - If the preschooler is over 3 years old, he can ride without a grown-up. Watch your kid showcase their driving skills or lack-of.
12. Big Test Live Show - This LEGO City show is fun for all ages.
My beloved Banyan Tree!
13. Cypress Gardens and the Banyan Tree - Ok, so this area might be more geared toward Mommy, but it is a really beautiful meandering walk through a botanical garden that was part of the original and historic Cypress Gardens. There is an enormous, iconic Banyan tree located here that is magical.
14. Imagination Zone - Build and Test is where your little kid can build a car and race it while the baby gets to cheer him on.
TIPS:
This is a BIG park. If you want to get all the way over to Cypress Gardens and the Banyan Tree, I would absolutely recommend a stroller.
A baby carrier is great for the little ones but can be extremely HOT for the them to stay in. I preferred putting the baby in the travel stroller. The walk can be hard on a preschooler, too, during the hot months, so I would definitely consider traveling with a double stroller if we were here again with two at these ages.
I also recommend a good travel stroller that can take the weight of a diaper bag. Again, because of the heat in this area, carrying a bag or backpack could be extremely uncomfortable. My old travel stroller has duct tape on it, but it just ROCKS, so as long as the wheels don't fall off we are traveling with this.
*These were all the rides and attractions we did with our kids at the time this article was written. For current information on these and all other attractions, go to LEGOLAND.com
What a fabulous list of fun things to do with the littles. I have a good friend who took her daughter here but I haven't had the chance to visit yet. I know they would love this!
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