Is Legoland Florida Preferred Over Disney World Theme Parks?

For decades, Florida’s Disney theme parks drew generations of families to Orlando, Florida, but many believe their magic has dulled. 

Richard Campbell, a frequent traveler and theme park visitor, visited international and U.S. Disney and Legoland amusement parks nine times in the past five years. 

“I never liked Disney until I had kids, and the first family trip to Disney in 2014 changed my mind, as it was such a wholesome family trip. But, over the last ten years, the experience has changed and, unfortunately, become worse,” he says. “We worked hard to use crowd calendars and travel weird weeks when no schools are off, but still, it's always packed.”

“Overall, Legoland is a clear winner with younger children due to price, experience, and ease. I don't know when we will go to Disneyland or Disney World next as it's simply too crowded,” Campbell continues. 

He’s not the only one to think this way. 

Even Disney’s CEO Thinks It Costs Too Much

“I always believed that Disney was a brand that needs to be accessible,” said Bog Iger, CEO of Disney, at a March Morgan Stanley media conference. “And I think that in our zeal to grow profits, we may have been a little bit too aggressive about some of our pricing.” 

With admission prices that change based on demand, a one-day, one-park base ticket for Disney World costs $141.74 on average, according to a LendingTree analysis. However, purchasing tickets during popular travel periods, park hopping, or reserving ride times to skip crowds can double the cost of tickets. 

“Our Spring Break Disney World tickets were $1,646 for two days of park hopper passes and ride reservations for two adults and two kids,” says Daniel, a dad from New Jersey. “Our per-person cost was almost double the average ticket price at $205.75. Given the exorbitant cost, huge crowds, and chaotic park experience, I don’t see our family returning to Disney anytime soon.”

Unlike other theme parks, Disney doesn’t offer discounts for one or two-day park tickets, only slightly discounting three or more-day bundles.

But Legoland Florida tickets start at $84 on their website, with an offer to add on on-site water park admission for $5 more. Additionally, AAA, Undercover Tourist, and Working Advantage all offer discounted Legoland tickets in the ballpark of 35% off. Legoland’s previous Black Friday sales included large discounts such as $59.50 park tickets and half-price hotel stays.

Low-Key, Low-Level Crowds at Legoland Florida

Legoland Florida is significantly less crowded by design. Even though it is 50% larger than Magic Kingdom, with 150 acres of land, its capacity is 12,000 people or 12% of Magic Kingdom. The difference in crowd levels between the two theme parks was echoed by every family interviewed.

Photo from Planner At Heart blog

“Our Spring Break at Legoland Florida was a night and day difference to Disney,” continues Daniel. “Our Disney days were spent waiting in lines, and in the end, we didn’t even experience that many attractions. For example, the line for Frozen Ever After, one of the most popular Epcot rides, was two hours long. On the contrary, most ride lines at Legoland were 15-30 minutes long.”

"Overall, it’s just a lot more relaxed and low-key. We actually went to Legoland Florida first before Disney World, and we all felt like it spoiled us," says Shelley Marmor, a travel blogger. "The huge crowds and lines at Disney compared to Legoland were not fun."

"I prefer taking my kiddos to Legoland because the park tends to be less crowded than Disney World. I'm sure I'm not the only parent whose kids aren't exactly superstars when it comes to waiting in line, especially when it's hot out," admits Larry Snider of Redwood Vacation Rentals.  "This is a huge advantage because we enjoy the park without spending half our time in lines."

Legoland Puts the Leisure Back into a Vacation

With an on-site hotel, a large water park, and the new addition of Peppa Pig Land, Legoland Florida offers an all-in-one experience without needing a bus, monorail, gondola, or taxi to enter a park.

"We love staying at the Legoland Hotel. It’s fun, has a great breakfast, and it’s so close to the park, you walk right in," says Katie Clark of Magical Family Travel Guide. “When you go to Disney, most resorts are far from the park.”

Located 130 steps from Legoland’s gate,  Pirate Island Hotel offers nightly entertainment, a heated outdoor pool, restaurants and bars with built-in LEGO play places and elevated food beyond typical resort offerings. 

Unique Attractions For Kids, Parents, and Grandparents

Legoland Florida was built on the site of the state’s first theme park, Cypress Gardens. Twenty years after it closed, the historical canal boats returned with a LEGO twist. The park's newest ride, Pirate River Quest, uses much of the same canal route as the original attraction, with the finale taking guests out onto Lake Eloise for a view of the rarely seen gardens.

Additionally, those who enjoyed the world-renowned Cypress Gardens Ski Show of the past will get a kick out of the new Lego-themed one in the same waters.

With more than 50 rides, live shows, and themed attractions inspired by popular LEGO sets and characters, there’s a ride or activity appropriate for each family member.

For older kids, Legoland Florida has four roller coasters, just as many as Magic Kingdom. Younger kids have many options to enjoy a ride alone or with a parent. 

And for kids who don’t like rides, Legoland has enough to entertain builders and makers for more than one day. There are activities spread throughout the park, plus the newly expanded Imagination Zone with five different activities areas, thousands of LEGO bricks, and a restaurant all in one building. 

Travelers Can Find Legoland Theme Parks Throughout the World

With two more amusement parks in America and seven international locations, you can combine a trip to Denmark, Dubai, Korea, England, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, San Diego, California, or New York with a fun-filled day or two at a Legoland theme park.

“Legoland in England is 15 minutes from Heathrow airport. It is a beautiful resort that’s easy to get to. Additionally, it's 10 minutes to Windsor, which is really fun for the family, and our tour of Windsor Castle was spectacular,” shares Campbell, Founder of 10Adventures. 

This article was produced by Planner at Heart and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.