CA Legoland Hotel Opens

[Legogal]

Just saw this article on NBCNews.com and thought you'd find it interesting.

http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/legoland-hotel-clicks-open-1C9221379

Sounds like a really cool hotel...if you are a boy.

My question is if a girl does not want to stay in a knight, pirate or adventurer room, why is there no Friends or City room? Do they really intend to ignore half of the market that is female? Hmmmm....

[Darkdragon]

At least a City room would have been nice. I'd imagine that they initially designed the hotel before the explosion of new female fans though, so I won't fault them too much right now. If in two years there still isn't a female-friendly (City or Friends) room, then perhaps I'll take more issue with it. I do love the castle room though

[Legogal]

DD, that makes sense as the planning had to have been done several years ago....long before Friends arrived.

Still for around 200usd per night with tax, it would be great to have more options for girls of all ages.

That said, the rooms do sound fabulous. And we have yet to visit any Legoland, so this one will have to go on our list even though it is 2500 miles from the East Coast. Maybe there can be an EB/AB event there next year. Cheers!

[Darkdragon]

I think LegoLand Florida is closer! They are planning the hotel, hopefully they'll have a Friends room! That would be cool.

[Aanchir]

Just saw this article on NBCNews.com and thought you'd find it interesting.

http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/legoland-hotel-clicks-open-1C9221379

Sounds like a really cool hotel...if you are a boy.

My question is if a girl does not want to stay in a knight, pirate or adventurer room, why is there no Friends or City room? Do they really intend to ignore half of the market that is female? Hmmmm....

I think a big reason for the hotel rooms being themed like they are is because they're meant to tie in with some of the park's major theme areas: Pirate Shores, Castle Hill, and the Land of Adventure. Thus a Friends room would not really achieve the same goal unless a LEGO Friends section of the park were introduced.

As for why no LEGO City room is included, perhaps they wanted the rooms to feel more exotic on the whole, and since LEGO City is commonly regarded as TLG's "real life" theme, they were afraid kids might be bored with that kind of theme. It doesn't help that LEGO City is incredibly diverse in its subject matter compared to these other themes, so it would be hard to emulate all the things that make LEGO City distinctive without the decor becoming disjointed.

Finally, let's not forget that kids going to an amusement park or hotel often want something different than those buying a toy. While LEGO Friends might be some girls' favorite theme, again, it doesn't necessarily have the same exotic and whimsical appeal as many of the other themes represented in the park and hotel. A big part of theme parks' appeal comes from escapism, so a kid might not be seeking something comfortable and familiar.

Overall, what I've seen of the hotel looks like it offers a very fun experience. I don't know if I'd get as much out of the experience today as I would have as a kid, but it's sure to make kids' time at the park that much more magical for them.

[Legogal]

Aanchir,

Good points....theme parks definitely are designed for escapism, so this sounds right on.

And the rooms described and shown in the article do look so cool!

Does anyone know if the FL Legoland Park has areas for City or Friends themes? Glad they are planning a hotel for FL, too, because staying overnight in the Park does make a more lasting experience. I had forgotten that I took my almost 3 year old son to Disney Paris when the Park was a couple of years old, and we stayed in an Indian themed room sleeping in bunk beds. As an intl marketing professor, I wanted to see how they adapted the US Disney park to the French market. My main memory besides the high prices (I shared a kids meal hot dog and drink with my son for lunch and paid over 150USD for one night back in 1990), was that there was no dry and warm place to stand in line for rides in the cold late November rain.

Let's hope that LEGOLAND does a better job of making guests feel comfortable, warm or cool and dry.

[Flying Ace]

Legogal,

My family visited LEGOLAND FL just under a year ago. It has a large City-themed area with both junior and regular driving schools (the "normal" driving school has a very long wait). They also have a ride/game which involves being a firefighter or police officer, a show that did we not see, the Flying School coaster, and the Boating School ride. There is no dedicated Friends area, but there is a Friends shop. I didn't see any large Friends LEGO sculptures when I was there but maybe they have added some. Also, the 4D Clutch Powers ride has lot of LEGO City elements (police, firefighters, vehicles, etc).

A Legends of Chima themed area is opening this year.

I should add that LEGOLAND FL also has a pirate water-ski show with a human female lead character (which my wife and daughter really appreciated) and the original Cypress Gardens (which we did not have time to tour as a family, but I have seen them before, they are beautiful).

The overall ride experience is good, queues are covered. The Boating School and Joust rides both have a very long wait time. The biggest disappointment is that they close pretty early for a theme park in FL. If you plan to go to the water park, definitely plan for two days at least.

What I personally love most about LEGOLAND is the pervasive sense of humor and whimsy. Unlike other parks that need to take certain themes seriously and create an illusion of reality (superheroes, the old west, Harry Potter, etc), here it's all made of out LEGO (or looks like it is), so it's really all connected to one big joke that everyone is "in on." They don't have to convince anyone that a LEGO car, dinosaur, octopus, giraffe, dragon, person, etc is real, so they can spend their creative energy on just making it all fun. It's hard to describe, it really has to be experienced. Especially Miniland, it will blow your mind.

Hope you can make it down to FL!

Regards - Greg

[Legogal]

Ace, Thanks for the info about Legoland FL. We do go to FL on business several times a year, so I should be able to visit fall or spring. But I would never go during the summer....it is just like an oven there most of the summer.

Miniland is our favorite part of these parks, so that should be lots of fun.

Your observation that there is a" pervasive sense of humor and whimsy" tying it all together is first rate. We noticed that at Gunzburg, also. If an adult does not have a well developed sense of humor, he or she may not fully appreciate the Park. These Parks are totally based on the imagination....the freer ones imagination is, the more he/she can enjoy and get into visiting the Park. We have a wonderful time playing with our toys and love being surrounded by fantasy themes; many of our friends would not.

Thanks again for the helpful info about Legoland Florida!

[Legopast]

I think the rooms are wonderful Any information on the gifts in premium rooms?

The rooms have a great vibe to them and I would love to stay in them as a Kid! I feel sorry for the parent who has to take their child home to a normal room after staying in one of these!

I love the pillow covers

[Legogal]

I have not been in a Legoland Hotel yet…it was not yet open in Malaysia, I was too busy to see the one in California while in the Park, and I don't remember one at Gunzburg. There is one in the FL park, but we think that the prices are too high for one or two adults.

Next comes number four on my bucket list, FL in January I hope. Any tips for visiting that Park?

I will make it a point to go inside the Hotel at the FL Park just to see what it looks like.