Photo Update: LEGOLand Florida Open House and Cypress Gardens Current Look

[Chris]

Today AI ventured out to Winter Haven to check out the LEGOLAND Florida open house media event, as well as check out the current state of the closed Cypress Gardens theme park.





First up, here's what we learned about LEGOLAND Florida:


It has been 100% confirmed that the Starliner wooden coaster is being removed. The folks at LEGOLAND tell us that they've already received an offer to purchase it. The representatives were not certain as to what park(s) has shown interest.





The Castle Hill section of the park will take over this current space, including the park's Dragon Coaster.



There is some speculation that Okechobee Rampage, Cypress Gardens' existing Vekoma family coaster, will be repurposed into this new ride. While we did see the coaster in the process of being removed while at the park today, its pieces stored in the parking lot were somewhat peculiar - in that track was still attached to supports standing in sections in the lot. This leads us to believe that it is being taken apart to be moved and rethemed, presumably with some new track for the indoor dark ride section that many of the other LEGOLAND Dragon Coasters are known for.




Triple Hurricane stays. It will be receiving a dinosaur theme.




No decision has been made yet on whether or not to remove Swamp Thing, though earlier reports had suggested it may have been sold. It is still fully assembled onsite.



The ferris wheel, drop tower, disk'o and everything else around the central portion of the rides park were already removed. Of course we know Galaxy Spin is on site at Fun Spot USA to be installed soon.




LEGOLAND tells us that Island in the Sky, the park's old observation tower, might end up staying if they can find the proper parts required to get it up to operational safety standards. Older reports have indicated that this ride had been sold, but this is not what LEGOLAND has directly told us.

A LEGO waterpark is being considered, possibly for as soon as 2012. It has not been decided if it will be a clone of the newly opened LEGOLAND California waterpark. Either way, the feeling is that the current waterpark on site at Cypress Gardens is deemed too aggressive for LEGOLAND's 2-12 target audience so whatever comes will be far more tame.

LEGOLAND tells us that the spinning raft ride in the main park will be removed soon. It's currently still standing on site.



No secret here, LEGOLAND confirms the park's famed ski show will remain. Also remaining will be the park's gardens - and they will be pretty much untouched. The gardens will NOT be the site of Miniland; that will be located in a totally different section of the theme park. On the subject of the gardens, LEGOLAND tells us they are in surprisingly good condition given how long the park has sat virtually untouched. They wanted to stress that the famous Banyon Tree still looks fantastic.

Apparently there have been rumors circulating that LEGOLAND will be buying land accross the street from the park to build an official on-site hotel. This is nothing more than rumor, as LEGOLAND brought it up to us themselves stressing that while a hotel could happen in the future, it's just not under consideration at the immediate time.

LEGOLAND tells us that while the infastructure of the park will remain, it will "feel like an entirely different place." They stress that while buildings will not be moved around, all the park's paths will to better suit the flow through the lands. LEGOLAND puts a lot of thought into their park design to make it kid friendly - to make children feel like they already know their way around and make things very easy for them to find, as well as very easy to find *them* if they get separated from their parents.

LEGOLAND was able to be a bit more specific with us in their opening timetable: November 2011.


Be sure to check out the full gallery of higher resolution pictures from today's LEGOLAND Florida open house as well as the current state of Cypress Gardens as it transitions into this new park in our gallery.

[Chris]

Hey gang, it looks like a lot of you may have missed this post when it was updated last night. Be sure to check it out! Lots of LEGOLAND Florida / Cypress Gardens info here.

[Ben]

So I really wasn't excited at all for this, but after seeing all those concept pictures I am quite excited. I really hope that they are able to do a good marketing campaign to get people out there to see the park.

The news about keeping all of the gardens in tact is great. I wonder if they are going to keep the boat tour that goes through the gardens?

Thanks for going out there Chris to get all of these pictures.

[Chris]

So I really wasn't excited at all for this, but after seeing all those concept pictures I am quite excited. I really hope that they are able to do a good marketing campaign to get people out there to see the park.

Honestly the art is pretty standard LEGOLAND park fair - to be honest they all sort of feel the same architecturally. LEGOLAND California is really beautifully landscaped though. LEGOLAND Windor wasn't so bad either. Those are the only two I've been to. They're not joking when they say it's geared to ages 2-12. It's a very kiddie park, but it's nice to see at least once, walk around, take pictures, etc.

The news about keeping all of the gardens in tact is great. I wonder if they are going to keep the boat tour that goes through the gardens?

Did they ever even bring the boat back when the park reopened? It was never running in the like two times I went.

Thanks for going out there Chris to get all of these pictures.

No prob! It was cool to go "reporting" for the site.

Plus I found a new way to get there that's slightly *less* a pain in the ass than going all the way down 27.

[Ben]

Did they ever even bring the boat back when the park reopened? It was never running in the like two times I went.

No idea, I never went after the park got bought up. The boat ride was really great though, it was the only way to see a lot of the gardens.

Plus I found a new way to get there that's slightly *less* a pain in the ass than going all the way down 27.

What is this magical new way?

[Chris]

No idea, I never went after the park got bought up. The boat ride was really great though, it was the only way to see a lot of the gardens.


What is this magical new way?

Continue further west down I-4 to exit 48, and basically follow that road straight until it hits Cypress Gardens Blvd, then make a left. The park will be three miles down on your right. While it's still a lot of surface streets, a good ten miles of it is through middle of nowhere fields with a 55mph speed limit. You make MUCH better time than staying on 27 with its traffic signals and intersections every six inches.

[Ben]

Interesting, I've taken that way before coming home. That puts you through downtown though, lots of stop lights. I guess I just like taking 27 better.

[Chris]

Interesting, I've taken that way before coming home. That puts you through downtown though, lots of stop lights. I guess I just like taking 27 better.

Coming home from.... where?

There's a ton of road work over there expanding to multiple lanes of traffic in each direction, and like I said, most of it is totally middle of no where. It was slightly more tolerable.

[Tomas]

This will be my first Legoland!...still a lot of waiting to be done though

[Ben]

Coming home from.... where?

My grandparents use to live out there. I'd go to Winter Haven every month or so.