Five theme-park resorts to satisfy your lust for LEGO
| 9th December 2022
By Richard Jones
Although trends change, and toy fads come and go, one word appears on no end of wish lists year after year – LEGO!
The Danish bricks are once again expected to be one of the top-selling gifts this year, as youngsters beg their parents for the latest sets and old-school collections.
As well as the toys themselves, the toy brick company also has a number of themed resorts and leisure parks around the world as well Manchester where holidaymakers can indulge in their love of the colourful plastic shapes.
So, if you or your kids are loopy about LEGO, here are five theme-park travel & leisure locations around the globe where everything is awesome.
1. Dubai
The resort in Dubai.
Home to 2,146 models made from 4.5 million bricks, Dubai’s newest hotel encourages families to allow their imaginations to go wild and build their own adventure. You can choose from 250 themed rooms (Pirate, Adventure, LEGO Friends, LEGO NINJAGO and Kingdom), each with different wall graphics and carpets.
There is also fun during mealtimes, with the fully themed Bricks Family Restaurant offering a kid-friendly buffet and the Skyline Lounge serving an extensive drinks menu. When you’ve finished having a blast at the new hotel, explore the water park which features 20 themed water slides and attractions, themed cabanas, and DUPLO play and splash areas for toddlers.
Last but not least, at Dubai theme park, there are 40 interactive indoor and outdoor rides across six themed lands: Factory, City, Kingdoms, Imagination, Adventure and Miniland.
Five nights at the five-star LEGOLAND Hotel, Dubai, costs from £1,319 per person. Price is based on two adults and one child up to 12 years sharing a themed room on a bed-and-breakfast basis and includes free access to its water park and theme park with return flights from Manchester with Emirates.
2. Windsor Resort in the UK
Boat ride % lifeguards at the Windsor Resort in the UK.
New for 2022 at the UK’s only LEGOLAND resort is Mythica’s Magical Forest where you can walk among the trees, encountering mythical species that call the utopia home. You may stumble upon the legendary Lava Dragon’s cave, while the most exhilarating ride is the Flight of the Sky Lion, the UK’s first ever flying theatre in which Maximus takes you on a thrilling expedition through the realms.
There’s a City Driving School, where young drivers can take the wheel of their very own electric car and work their way around the roads encountering traffic lights, roundabouts, policemen and even a speed camera.
Right in the heart of the resort is its own hotel which is brimming with brick features and has a mix of mixture of themed rooms. Alternatively, there’s the Castle Hotel, bursting with magic and captivating tales of knights, wizards and kingdoms from distant lands.
A short break at the company’s UK Windsor Resort costs from £377 for a family of four. Price includes overnight stay in a themed room, park tickets, breakfast in Bricks Family Restaurant, parking, a gift in your room, evening entertainment, and access to the pirate-themed indoor water play area and pool.
3. Tampa Resort in Florida
Racing on track at the Tampa resort in Florida.
It’s where princesses, knights and adventurers roam, dragons soar, castles are stormed, and pirates sail the seven seas. With over 50 rides, shows and attractions, 14 water slides in the water park, and unique hotels, its Florida Resort is the latest addition to the Sunshine State’s impressive roster of theme parks.
Take a stroll through Bricksburg in the LEGO Movie World, Chow Down on Granny’s Apple Fries, and conquer the iconic Dragon roller coaster. If you’re playing for the day or staying overnight at the greatest slumber party of all time, there are endless shows, character interactions and special events. Finally, you can shop until you drop with all your favourite toys and apparel available in the many shops.
Looking to build the tallest tower, a flying pig on an airplane, or simply get the newest building set? Then, its Florida Resort has thousands of colourful bricks awaiting assembly.
A one-day admission ticket costs from £59 and allows guests a day’s access to the Florida Resort, Miniland USA and LEGO NINJAGO. A two-night all-inclusive stay in the Pirate Island Hotel, including theme-park tickets, entertainment and dining, costs from £1700 for a family of four.
Virgin Atlantic now flies direct to Tampa in Florida from the UK daily with fares from £465 return.
4. Billund, Denmark
The Billund theme park in Denmark.
Eight new attractions have recently opened in the toy maker’s home in Denmark, to go with the fantastic sculptures all around the world’s first park. You can sail past spectacular models in the mini boats, where a majestic Colosseum, stunning Taj Mahal, the iconic Sydney Opera House and other magnificent structures are all part of the voyage.
Plus, sit down in Emmet’s couch and get sucked into the franchise’s Movie universe as you float in front of a giant screen in Scandinavia’s first ride of its kind in Emmet’s Flying Adventure – Masters of Flight.
Meanwhile, in the Great LEGO Reef, kids can discover an underwater world full of colourful animals and build their own subsea creations, whether it be giant octopus, yellow ducks and retiring clams.
There are three choices of accommodation – plus, the park is located next to the original factory where the bricks are made and Billund Airport, Denmark’s second busiest.
A one-night stay at Wilderness Barrels & Cabins in the Holiday Village in Billund, costs from £140 for a family of four, including breakfast. There are cheap flights from Manchester to Billund available from with Ryanair & British Airways.
5. Discovery Centre Manchester
Lego Manchester
Located in Barton Square in the Trafford Centre, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is perfect for a weekend treat or day out in the school holidays.
In MINILAND, there is an interactive city made up of over 1.5 million bricks, while you can also recreate some of the city’s iconic buildings, like Manchester central Library or the Victoria Baths.
Elsewhere, the captured Princess needs your help, so hop aboard your chariot on the Kingdom Quest ride to help her. But be warned – there are beastly trolls and sneaky skeletons lurking…
You can also channel your inner ninja and take part in a number of obstacle course challenges alongside their favourite characters like Kai, Jay, Cole, Lloyd, Zane and Nya in the LEGO Ninjago city adventure play area. Will you become a Spinjitzu Master?
Finally, kick back in the LEGO 4D Cinema for the ultimate cinematic experience. Encounter rain, wind, and even snow, while watching the latest Lego blockbuster films.
Pre-booked, standard day tickets for LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester available from £17.50 per person. Go to legolanddiscoverycentre.com