Legoland Florida: Expansion

[Earthwürm]

I have to say, despite being in Florida shortly after Legoland opened, having a couple of weeks to fill and owning a Merlin Magic Pass, I still didn't bother to visit. Granted my wife and I probably aren't their target market, but I really can't fault them on this move and hope they continue to roll out more of the park over the next few years. I think they need to draw all of the hype and attention they can get for as long as they can to bring people this far out of the way.

 

[BigAl]

From Orlando Theme Park News:

New 4-D Movie coming to LEGOLAND This Spring

Many rumors floating around the web state that quite a few new attractions should make their way into LEGOLAND Florida in 2013, but now there is one addition confirmed to be coming soon: a new 4-D movie.

This news comes directly from the latest edition of the free LEGO Club Magazine, which has an ad for both LEGOLAND Florida and California. The ad includes the Star Wars Miniland (which opened in 2012 in both parks) and the announcement of a new 4-D movie (which will obviously be coming to both parks, as the insert doesn't specify the park). This movie will be based on one of the newest LEGO themes known as "Legends of Chima." This new addition will debut this spring.

We expect an official announcement coming from LEGOLAND Florida in the next few weeks.

 

[BigAl]

Screamscape has found that Legoland Florida have launched a new ticket offer for those booking in-advance:

Park News - (2/14/13) Legoland Florida has launched an interesting new online ticket sale program called Pick-A-Date. The idea is to reward those who buy tickets to the park several days in advance of their visit. Families who purchase tickets online at the official Legoland Florida website at least 8 or more days in advance will be given a savings of $15 per person. Buy a ticket from 2 to 7 days in advance and you will save $10 a ticket.

 

[Rob]

That's the same system used for ticket bookings at Towers. I'd imagine it either is or will become a standard Merlin revenue management model, I've not looked into if other Merlin parks use it or not.

 

[thefatone]

All the merlin uk parks use it! Imagine it'll appear at all the merlin theme parks eventually.

 

[BigAl]

A new residents Annual Pass is now available for $99, according to this article. Residents get the typical food and merchandise discounts as well as free parking, etc...

 

[BigAl]

Orlando Theme Parks has been following construction of a new land at Legoland Florida here.

 

[BigAl]

An update from Screamscape today:

2013 - New Land / Legends of Chima - (3/7/13) I’m not sure if this is a tie into the themed world of Chima or not, but Legoland Florida put out a video showing off an unexpected energy surge blasting out from a hole being dug at the construction site. Could they have uncovered a Chi Orb? Check out the video below.
Oh... and regarding that pirate flag spotted last week? Pay no attention to it... it’s apparently a red herring.

Energy Source at LEGOLAND Florida Construction Site


I love it when theme parks dig weird things up whilst building something or carrying out routine maintenance!

 

[Islander]

Lol, that's awesome . Certainly very different from any publicity I've seen from Legoland in the past. Very interested to see this one develop...

 

[Tim]

Does anyone else find it odd that they are (supposedly) basing an area of the park off a themed set that is relatively new? I thought Legoland themes tended to stick to their standard sets that are proven to be popular and re-released in another form every 5 years or so.

 

[BigAl]

Screamscape are reporting that the scale of the 2013 pirate plans may have been reduced:

2013 - New Land / Legends of Chima - (3/14/13) Legoland Florida has sent word that they will make their announcement regarding the park’s new expansion on March 19th. With that said… I’m hearing that the plans for the new land have been shrunk back quite a bit since the early plans with the pirate theme were first leaked months ago. While the park will get the same Legends of Chima 4D film as the other Legoland parks, the new “land” is now rumored to really be just one new attraction… a themed splash battle style ride. If true, the themed Rocking Tug ride, splash-ground area and new merchandise shop were either cut or pushed back into a Phase 2 expansion instead.

 

[Tim]

Wouldn't surprise me, Windsor did the same with Viking River Splash, the Viking land was meant to open all at once but as VRS wasn't ready until summer they held of the Rocking Tug ride until the next year (although there might have been other reasons as well).

Not that Screamscape seem to know what's really going on as one moment they are saying it won't be Pirates now they're saying it will but it'll be cut down :/

 

[Adam James]

Legoland Florida have revealed details of the expansion, based around the LEGO Chima product line which is currently being rolled out.

Whilst the park will receive the same 4D film that is now at Manchester and Windsor, there will also be a 'Speedorx Arena' (interactive building area), walkabout characters and 'The Quest for Chi' splash battle ride.

The following concepts have been released..

'The Quest for Chi'

'The Quest for Chi' ride vehicle

'The Quest for Chi' building exterior

Speedorz Arena interior

 

[LiamC]

A splash battle built in an appropriate climate. That's not right :/

 

[Islander]

That's actually some very impressive looking concept art... if it ends up looking anything like that (especially the floating island with water pouring out it) I'll be impressed

 

[BigAl]

Screamscape have uploaded four photos of the floating Chima island being brought in by a crane here. I do like the idea of the floating island, and this is looking really nice (when are we getting something like this for the Windsor park? )! The piece will stand 55 feet above the attractions, pump 1000 gallons of water per minute and it weighs 7500 lbs.

Floating pieces of theming with the water spraying out of them in general are really quite cool (the Flume taps spring to mind) and I've always wanted to see a new theme park use the concept as a centrepiece for the entire park (instead of a Disney style castle, IoA lake or Paramount mountain, etc...).

 

[siralgenon]

Merlin do realize that painting a building to look like the sky doesn't actually make it blend in don't they? They did the same on Zufari!

 

[Benzin]

You mean the blue pole which will be covered by water because that 'floaty' rock random spews out water (I do not get the Chima series)...

How else are they meant to support the rock? Mag-Lev?

 

[DiogoJ42]

I don't "get" Chima either, but at least it has given us a whole load of bricks in the new olive green colour, including a boat hull. Anyone who builds military MOCs must love it!

 

[Dave]

Merlin do realize that painting a building to look like the sky doesn't actually make it blend in don't they? They did the same on Zufari!

It's quite an old effect really, (I swear the had a version with a huge floating tap at Towers many moons ago). But as said the whole of the blue support has a cascade of water pouring down it. This makes it look a bit like the rock is floating.

Simple but effective.