Every Black Friday, LEGOLAND Florida Resort rolls out fantastic annual pass deals for residents—and back in 2020, when our daughter was 6, we took advantage. As parents who never saw ourselves as “theme park people,” LEGOLAND Florida turned out to be the perfect fit: close enough for a day trip, budget-friendly, and surprisingly relaxing. Now that our daughter is older, I wondered if LEGOLAND Florida for older kids still held the same magic. Spoiler: it absolutely did.
Revisiting LEGOLAND Florida with an Older Kid
My daughter turned 11 in September, and I wondered how a day at LEGOLAND would hit now that she’s five years older. Would the mention of a day trip to the park still illicit squeals of joy? I decided to find out.
We planned to travel to Lakeland anyway on Oct. 31 for the state elementary school cross country race and stayed at a nearby Hampton Inn. Winnie was decidedly pumped to spend the day after the race at LEGOLAND when I confirmed the trip, but I was curious if many of the rides geared toward younger kids would still hold the same appeal for a fifth grader. Thankfully, a few other families from her school’s cross country team also decided to spend the day at the park.
Our hotel was about 10 minutes from LEGOLAND. Because of LEGOLAND’s special Halloween events, we decided to arrive 20 minutes before the park opened. We spent time taking selfies and enjoying a clear, crisp, very-Florida-cold morning.
Because I anticipated the park getting busier as the day progressed, we made a beeline for our favorite rides before sauntering around the park and taking in the scenery. At 10 a.m., after what felt like forever, the park opened, and we headed straight for our favorite ride: The Dragon. Set in LEGOLAND’s medieval-themed area, The Dragon is a short, fast entry-level roller coaster. We rode it three times in a row.
We progressed through all our favorite rides, running around the park and enjoying some time before the crowds arrived. The weather remained cold, but clear and sunny. Unfortunately, because of the weather, I knew we wouldn’t make it to the water park that day. Our blood is very thin and resists any activity that requires us to remove our sweatshirt layer when the temperature dips below 75 degrees.
Our favorite rides at LEGOLAND are what I would consider low-level roller coasters and are as follows:
- The Dragon
- Coastersaurus
- The Great LEGO Race
We rode these roller coasters so many times that I lost count. And Winnie continued to ride them with friends, without me. Even as the number of people in the park increased, these rides still boasted minimal wait times (10 minutes or less). LEGOLAND attracts families with young children who don’t necessarily enjoy fast and somewhat intense rides. On Feb. 27, LEGOLAND is introducing another ride geared towards older children called Galacticoaster – it’s an interactive, immersive experience, and I can’t wait to try it out with my kids.
Many of the rides geared toward smaller children listed wait times of 30 minutes or more. Thankfully, the actual wait times were often far less than advertised on the digital displays around the park. The rides designed for older children and adults, though, listed wait times of 15 minutes or less. For Disney-goers, 30 minutes is nothing. LEGOLAND enthusiasts, though, know that 30 minutes seems like an eternity.
Reasons I love LEGOLAND
- The park is absolutely doable in a day. You can get there in about 2½ hours, spend 5-7 hours at the park, and get home by 7:30 or 8 pm.
- You can walk from end to end in less than 10 minutes. If you want to go on a ride at the opposite end of the park – no big deal!
- Rides are happy and fun with low-ish wait times (depending on the day).
- The parking lot is relatively close to the entrance. Logistics at LEGOLAND are not an issue.
- The rides are enjoyable for a variety of ages.
Rides I would recommend for older children
- Merlin’s Challenge
- LEGO Movie Masters of Flight (simulator)
- Mia’s Riding Adventure
- Battle of Bricksburg
- LEGO Ninjago
- Battle of Bricksburg
- Unikitty’s Disco Drop
Winnie and I loved our day at LEGOLAND. I probably would not go two days in a row, but I would go with her again. For our family, fun with an older “tween-ager” is all about our own level of enthusiasm, even in the midst of various moods or whims. Regardless, Winnie had a blast – lots of squeals of delight! We are looking forward to going again soon.