Legoland Florida

[TheDecemberists]

Ah, ok. The last time I've been to Cypress Gardens I was 8... So it was before it closed the first time, before it became an "adventure park."

 

[rewster]

Cranes have begun the disassembling of the Starliner today, sadly.

RIP Starliner. It's going to be weird driving by without it there

 

[EPCOTcenter]

Cranes have begun the disassembling of the Starliner today, sadly.

RIP Starliner. It's going to be weird driving by without it there

Thanks for the update. It's sad to see it go, but IMHO it has to be like this. I wouldn't like to see two wooden coasters near to each other (unless they're dueling wooden coasters, of course)...

 

[Tbad556]

Thanks for the update, Rewster! I'll hate to see it go but it's worth it for a whole new park.

It sounds like the water park may not open until 2012:

Legoland Florida is rising from theme park property that had an established water park, but that doesn't mean a water park will be immediately available to guests upon Legoland's expected opening in late 2011.


"The first priority is getting Legoland Florida open and running in 2011 and then, hopefully, working on the water park the following year," Legoland media relations specialist Julie Estrada said Monday. "The overall goal for Legoland is to have the ultimate resort park for visitors."

Legoland officials confirmed during Thursday's preview at the Orange Dome in Winter Haven that a water park will be part of Legoland Florida on the site of the former Cypress Gardens theme park. Plans for a Legoland hotel resort were confirmed last month by Mark Jackson, director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing.

Estrada said having a water park already on the site of Cypress Gardens was a selling point for Merlin Entertainments Group, which operates Legoland parks worldwide.

"I would think that it helped to have the infrastructure there already," Estrada said. "It helps to have the land there so that we aren't building from scratch."

Estrada said there hasn't been any discussion about Legoland admission prices in Winter Haven or whether there will be separate charges for Legoland Florida and the water park. Legoland California has a water park and charges $12 for water park admission, which is an addition to the price of admission to Legoland California.

Estrada said Legoland Florida would not use the admission prices of Legoland California as a model.

http://www.newschief.com/article/20100713/NEWS/7135039/1021?p=2&tc=pg

 

[EPCOTcenter]

Yes, I asked to Legoland's officials about the water park, and they told me it's not going to open at least until 2012...

 

[jj3352]

what do yall think the legoland cabins will be? they are inside the park?

 

[paintervision]

Cabins are likely cabanas, like the Six Flags parks have been trying out lately. Most water parks have them, but the new trend is for dry parks to get them as well.. we'll see if that works out for them. I know a guy who works for Great Adventure, and he said the cabanas didn't really work out for them last year (though, they weren't in a central location like these, and that's a much different clientèle...). SF's cabanas came with TV's and lockers, but I don't know what a Legoland one will look like. If it doesn't work out, I guess they could just move them into the water park...

Thorpe Park in England is set to get Storm Surge (WhiteWater West spinning rapids ride) in 2011, so that's something else that's shown on that blueprint that won't be there on opening day.

 

[rewster]

Best part of this video news story:

"If you think Harry Potter is big, watch out."

:look:

 

[jj3352]

they wanna make a lego city! thts pretty cool id def stay a few nights!

 

[Tbad556]

The GM for Legoland Florida has been announced:

Legoland Fla. names GM: Adrian Jones, Merlin exec in charge of Legoland Discovery Center in Illinois, Madame Tussauds in Vegas & Hollywood

 

[EPCOTcenter]

The GM for Legoland Florida has been announced:

Thanks for the news, Tbad! :rep:

 

[Tbad556]

The builder of Legoland Florida has been announced. From Screamscape:

Legoland Florida has announced the selection of PCL Construction Services, Inc. (PCL) as the builder of the new 145 acre theme park. “Merlin Entertainments Group is confident that PCL is the right company for this enormous job,” said John Ussher, LEGOLAND General Manager of Development. “PCL’s quality standards, along with their attention to detail and incredible safety record make them our company of choice.”

 

[loribelle]

So, just thought I'd post a small update...

The Starliner is completely gone and the disassembled parts are in the parking lot

They seem to be doing lots of work over there today, and possibly bringing things in? I can't tell exactly but there are several multi-colored buildings that weren't there this weekend, kinda like the size of a tool shed, I'm wondering if this has something to do with the 'Town' part (I've never been to a Legoland, so I'm just guessing here). Or they could simply be trailers for the workers, I don't know
I'd take a pic but it's hard to see, I can just definitely tell it's something new from the bright green and pink colored buildings!

They've removed the 'Cypress Gardens' lettering from the sign on the street

 

[EPCOTcenter]

So, just thought I'd post a small update...

The Starliner is completely gone and the disassembled parts are in the parking lot

They seem to be doing lots of work over there today, and possibly bringing things in? I can't tell exactly but there are several multi-colored buildings that weren't there this weekend, kinda like the size of a tool shed, I'm wondering if this has something to do with the 'Town' part (I've never been to a Legoland, so I'm just guessing here). Or they could simply be trailers for the workers, I don't know
I'd take a pic but it's hard to see, I can just definitely tell it's something new from the bright green and pink colored buildings!

They've removed the 'Cypress Gardens' lettering from the sign on the street

Thank you so much, Loribelle!!:rep: Your update is great! They finally took away the Cypress Gardens logo.....
That's a bit sad, but I can't wait for Legoland!!!

 

[rewster]

It's so so weird driving by the site now with Starliner being gone.

 

[Tbad556]

Thanks for the update, Loribelle! It's nice to see the progress of the park. :thumbs:

 

[grizzlybarely]

Man, that is sad. My home park was Miracle Strip Amusement Park so I care quite a bit about the Starliner.

 

[StarTrekGeek]

From Screamscape:

Late 2011 - New Park - (10/2/10) According to this article a few Florida business owners have purchased the Starliner from Legoland Florida with the plan to move it all back to Panama City, FL. They’ve launched a Facebook page to help with the project. One big way you can help is the Pepsi Refresh project. Remember how everyone helped the Conneaut Lake Blue Streak win a $50,000 grant last month? The Starliner is now up for voting for a $250,000 grant from Pepsi to rebuild it. Vote here today and every day!
(9/2/10) For anyone interested, here is the official For Sale page for the Starliner at Ital. Unfortunately, if you look at these pictures taken by JohnnyUpsidedown not too long ago, the pieces of the Starliner look morelike they’ve been just cut up and thrown in a big pile, with little care taken to stack them or label them for any kind of reassembly in the future. For comparisons sake, check out how the Starliner was taken apart and put into neat piles when it was shipped down to Cypress Gardens in the first place back in 2005. A big difference from this taken in August 2010. Somehow I think this Lincoln Log has seen it’s last functional days.

 

[Kraken&Manta]

Well, sad it's leaving the Florida Peninsula, but it's better than being destroyed. So everyone, vote for it's survival :thumbs:

 

[rewster]

More to come tomorrow, but here's a little something :thumbs:

This is in place of the old Cypress Gardens sign, at the entrance...