Legoland with Toddlers

Legoland Entrance — First Time at Legoland

We had the opportunity to visit Legoland for the first time, and it was so much fun!

Legoland is a wonderful mixture of Disneyland-esque, County Fair, Amusement Park, Renaissance Fair, Lego-filled atmospheres for a day filled with family fun and adventure.

It was also the perfect experience to test out line waiting, kiddie rides, and being in a new, stimulating environment for my toddler. After all, our Disneyland trip is coming up quickly!

What do I mean by Disneyland Toddler Prep?

Well, I am fully expecting my little one to be tired, cranky, overstimulated, and potentially terrified on the kiddie rides. By pre-exposing her to such things, I am better prepared for how she might react and she is better prepared to have a good time!

1. Line Waiting: Our first line was a 1 hour wait for the Ninjago ride. She loved people watching and handled it much better than expected. Of course, it was the beginning of the day in a new, exciting environment. The closer we got to the front, the closer it got to snack time and nap time. We had to get out of line to go potty, grab a cutie (“baby orange”) for a snack, and pocket the pacifier for a “just in case it’s needed” moment. It was needed. She loved the 3-D glasses, but as soon as the ride started it was loud and dark and scary. She had to have her pacifier and cling to mommy. I am thinking Disneyland’s Astro Blasters will be a similar experience due to the dark space and loud noises, but there are key differences between the rides: she knows Buzz Lightyear better than legos, and it will be a few months later. Still good to know!

*Side note- the ride did say the recommended age was at least 3, but she had done well on rides at other parks so we decided to give it a try. As long as height and safety requirements are met, it’s up to the parents if they think their toddler can handle it or not- every child is different.

The LEGO submarine ride has a great area for kids to play with legos in the middle of the que – the line wraps around it!

2. Boat Ride: She loved the storybook boat ride which excites me since there are a lot of slow boat rides at Disneyland! She did get nervous in the dark tunnel, though, so I’m making notes of all the “could be scary because it’s dark” rides at Disneyland and preparing for either skipping them or being ok with her clinging to mommy. Disneyland’s website has a great guide to these aspects and height requirements for all of their rides!
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/

3. Food: She definitely needed snacks throughout the day (as did the adults). A mixture of snacks packed in the diaper bag and treats bought in the park worked well. For lunch, we at at the all you can eat pizza & pasta restaurant. She wanted the veggies and mac & cheese more so than pizza. This goes to remind us that although we may skip healthy food on vacation, little ones sometimes like and prefer their tomatoes and cucumbers. Don’t get me wrong, she has a big sweet tooth, but it’s good to remember to balance it out a bit.

4. Nap Time: Poor thing was in and out of half naps all day. She was in a good mood though, thankfully. Since she uses the pacifier still for naps and bedtime, it was a good way to let her rest in the stroller between attractions. This just reinforces booking that hotel for Disneyland so nap time can be taken when needed- which of course is in the middle of the day. I would definitely consider staying at the Legoland hotel on another trip, but Disneyland multi-day planning first!

5. The Little Things: She got most excited about the park- a normal, everyday park 😂 this just reminds me to take things slow, enjoy the little things, and be open minded as to what is going to catch a toddler’s eye- it’s not always what you think it should be! Oh, and she always has to stop and dance to music. Stop and dance to the music!

I would definitely go to Legoland again to explore more of the exciting adventures they have to offer: the aquarium, water park, rides our little one was still too little for, etc.

Summary: a successful line waiting, hardly any nap taking, all day outing at Legoland DEFINITELY psyched me up for our Disneyland trip this fall!!!

Thanks for a great family travel/family adventure day, Legoland! Shout out to @Lawrencethroughthelense for making this day possible, showing us around, and sharing in one of our little one’s first amusement park adventures!