*** The giveaway for Legoland passes is now over. Keep watching the blog, because we may have more in the future!
Location: Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Phone: 847-592-9700
Hours:
Monday – Friday 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday 10:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Check out the detailed weekly opening hours on the website because they often open at 10 am instead of 12:00.
Admission: $19 for adults, $15 for children, and children 2 and under are free.
Tickets can be purchased online at a discount – adult tickets for $15 and children’s tickets for $12.00. Midweek tickets are available online for $10/person, or midweek after 3pm for $8.50/person.
LDC Unlimited Annual Passes are $40 per person ($35/pp online) and members receive discounts and additional benefits.
Oaklee’s Guide has coupons for weekday admission for one adult and one child for $14, valid until May 31, 2011.
Parking: Free parking.
Bathrooms: There is a private family bathroom available on the first floor near the entrance. The second floor has public bathrooms as well as a private bathroom. There are changing tables in the bathrooms.
Nursing: There are no nursing areas. There are chairs and some comfortable seating, especially on the second floor.
Handicapped/stroller accessibility: Legoland is very accessible. The walkways are wide and there is an elevator to the second floor. I brought my double stroller in a couple times and I’ve had no problems getting around.
Other amenities: There are pegs for hanging coats and lockers available, but you probably wouldn’t notice them until you’re leaving. When you head in, turn left before going into Miniland, pass the store (which is where you exit), and just to your right, near the stairs, you’ll find coat racks and lockers.
There is a gift shop. Birthday parties, field trips for pre-schools, schools, homeschoolers, and other groups, and educational workshops can be arranged. There are celebration rooms available for parties and groups.
You can sign your child up for LEGO Club for free and they will receive a magazine subscription, email newsletter, access to the Lego Club website, and information about exclusive special events.
Food/eating area: There is a Cafe that sells food and drinks. It’s a little pricier than a fast food restaurant, but not outrageous. There are lots of tables, but no high chairs. They do not allow you to bring in outside food. There are restaurants of every kind nearby, and there are a couple outdoor tables nearby if the weather is nice.
Special events:
April 30 – May 1 Lego Club Weekend with Hero Factory themed activities
June 24 – 26 Lego Star Wars Days
August 13 – 14 Lego Club Weekend with Alien Conquest themed activities
Activities/Exhibits:
– Miniland – Nearly 1.5 MILLION blocks make up this tiny version of downtown Chicago, which includes Buckingham Fountain, Sears Tower, the El, and tons of other places you’ll recognize. Some of the pieces move and there are interactive parts, like the fire engine that pulls out (complete with lights) when you push a button, and a construction site where kids can control the crane. Nighttime comes and the lights in the room go down as the lights in the city come on. This is one of my favorite parts of Legoland. The kids love it, but are ready to move on pretty quickly, while I could spend an hour just looking over all the details.
– Jungle Adventure – This is a jungle scene with life-sizish animals made of Legos. It’s a little dark in the jungle area and the animals are large and some of them move, like the swinging monkey. My kids are a bit hesitant entering the jungle, but not scared. After walking through the jungle, there’s a hallway with glow-in-the-dark paint, followed by a room with a giant spider. Both of these were pretty scary to Cooper so we tend to move a little faster through that part.
– Hall of Fame – The Hall of Fame has life-size characters like Batman, Harry Potter, and President Obama. The characters sometimes change. Most recently, they were celebrating President’s Day with a Presidential portrait made from Legos. There’s an opportunity to purchase a photo of you with a Lego character or scene. Legos are available for building.
– Dragon Quest – Ride in a green dragon through medieval castle scenes! Kids must be able to stand in order to ride, and only two people are allowed in each seat (four people in each car). This might be a problem if you’re visiting alone with two kids because one has to ride in a seat alone. The ride can be a little scary so we would skip this ride if I took the kids by myself; I’m sure Cooper wouldn’t want to sit alone. The ride operators did notice Cooper’s reluctance and offered him a shield carry during the ride, which made a huge difference.
The Dragon Quest Ride has been replaced by the Kingdom Quest Laser Ride! Check out the full post about the Kingdom Quest Laser Ride for information, pictures, and a video.
– Master Model Builder – Workshops are available to learn from a Master Builder how to make certain projects. We haven’t tried any of the workshops yet because I think my kids are still a little young to enjoy it.
– Lego Factory Tour – Receive a tour of the “Lego Factory” with animated workers and sounds. Kids get to press buttons to help “make” a Lego block. At the end of the tour they receive a souvenir Legoland block.
– Lego Studios 4D Cinema – This is the highlight of the day for Cooper. There are three different movies available – Bob the Builder, The Adventures of Clutch Powers, and Spellbreaker – that are about 15 minutes long each. All are in 3D and have extra “4D” effects: wind, snow, and water (just a mist). Movies play one after another so when it’s not busy you’re invited to stay in the theatre to watch the next movie, but even on the weekends I’ve never seen the theatre full, so there’s really no wait to see the movies.
– Technicycle – Fly through the air using pedal power in these two-seater bikes, and the faster you pedal the faster and higher you climb. Cooper’s tall enough to ride this one, but not tall enough to reach the pedals, and Dexter is too short to ride. This one is definitely impossible if you don’t have an adult for each kid, unless the kids are much older than mine, but it’s a lot of fun if you can ride.
– Princess Palace – This is a small play area with a castle entrance, pink table, and pink castle blocks mixed in with the regular Legos.
– Lego Racers Build & Test Zone – This is the biggest portion of the upstairs, made up of building areas to build race cars and racetracks to race them. There are also challenges, such as “build your favorite animal”, that kids can receive a small prize for completing.
– Soft Play Zone – This is Dexter’s favorite area – a giant jungle gym with slides. It’s located just across from the Cafe, with seating nearby so parents can relax while watching the kids play.
The Soft Play Zone has been improved and expanded into the LEGO City Construction Site Play Zone. Read more about it and see picture in my Toddler Tuesday post.
– Duplo Village – This is great for babies or toddlers because the blocks are huge and soft. From what I’ve seen, older kids (including adults!) seem to enjoy them too, because they’re large enough for them to make a house they can fit inside.
– Earthquake – Build a tower on these special pads, then turn the dial to see if it can survive an earthquake.
We paid: Nothing. John and I have LDC Unlimited Passes we purchased for $35 each. We purchased an Unlimited Pass for Cooper shortly after his third birthday (kids under 3 are free) on Groupon for $22. Dexter is free. We visited with my friend Joslyn, and her daughters who are 3 and 1, and they paid $14, using the coupon available from Oaklee’s Guide.
Our experience:
We were curious about Legoland for a long time before visiting, but the prices always scared us away. We finally decided to take a gamble and purchase the LDC Unlimited Passes online. We’ve been several times since then, and purchased an Unlimited Pass for Cooper once he was old enough to have to pay admission. We’ve been very pleased with our membership. Cooper loves Legoland and asks to go there any time we go to Schaumburg.
Not being able to bring food in is a big drawback for me and I don’t like that you have to walk through the gift shop to exit, but I have no major complaints.
There are a couple things that my kids are too young for, but we have plenty to do to fill a morning there, and they don’t seem to get bored when we visit regularly. I was concerned that our boys would be too young to enjoy it, but I think they’re actually just the right age. I think Legoland is a really great place for toddlers and younger elementary school children; pre-teens would probably move through the place pretty quickly and be bored.
Legoland Discovery Center has given me free passes to giveaway! These passes can be used for adult or child admission to the Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg, IL.
To enter:
- Comment on this post. Let me know what you like or don’t like about my blog, or a place you’d like to see me post about. Please be sure there’s some way I can contact you if you win; if you’re not a Facebook fan please be sure you include your email address in your comment or that it’s in your profile.
Extra entries (must complete above entry first):
- Follow my blog (& comment letting me know)
- “Like” Toddling Around Chicagoland on Facebook (& comment here letting me know)
- Post on Facebook about this giveaway (& comment with a link to your post)
- Blog about this giveaway (& comment with a link to your post)
Please leave me a comment for EACH entry and your email address if it is not in your profile for each entry that you complete above so I can accurately pick a winner. This contest ends March 18, 2011. Thanks everyone and good luck! Any comments that do not meet the requirements will be disqualified! This contest is only open to US residents.
Sarah,
I am SHOCKED that I didn't hear about Lego land earlier! Our sone (7) is a SUPER HUGE LEGO fan. Thanks for the info!
-Alex C.
Would love to go!!! Thank you for all the good destinations!
I follow your blog! And I am always so intrigued to read how much information you give us readers!! I can't wait to go to some of the places you've suggested!
I am a liker on Facebook!!
I would love to take the boys to Legoland!
Shared the link on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/tanya.gaughan
This is a great blog Sarah, thanks for spending the time to do this and help us moms out. It makes me really want to get out there once the weather gets nicer. It's great living in Chicago! How about doing a library review. . . just a thought.
I follow your blog!
Iam a liker on Facebook.
Never been yet would love to check it out!
I love all of the real life photos that accompany your blog and posts~
Following your blog~
Liked Toddling Around on FB and added it to my business' favorites~
Posted on FB
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toddling-Around-Chicagoland/177403375635667?ref=ts&sk=wall#!/skyyogastudio
I love that you're doing this blog – I have been looking and wishing for something like it for years! I can't believe we haven't been to Legoland but would love to go. I would like to see posts about outings in the suburbs, esp. the western suburbs (Naperville area)
And i'm following!
Liked on Facebook! now, if I can figure out how to link to a facebook, I'll post about this giveaway…
we are thinking about going this summer would love to come and check it out
we are also a facwbook follower
Love the great details you give about place to go around Chicago. kspaletto at yahoo dot com
I follow your blog.
I “Liked” you on fb
Thanks for a great contest and write up about your time at Lego Land. I like how you break things down into “normal” speak without all the travel agent jargon, keep up the good work!
Oh, and thanks for the chance, we're headed to Chicago in 2 weeks and winning these tickets would be fantastic! However… I never win anything 😉 However, just in case I do, my email is tracy1878@yahoo.com
Thanks again!
I've “liked” you on facebook
I shared a link to your blog/contest on facebook. Since I'm not sure how to link to just that post, the link to my facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/#!/greatestmommyever sorry… i'm not the most techy person 😉
and now I'm following…. Thanks again for the opportunity!
This is a wonderful post. My wife and I have been looking for something to take our 5 year old to over spring break, and this seems like a wonderful place to visit.
I really like all the information on all the pricing tiers as well as the “action” pictures.
Thank you for your dedication.
I'm a follower of your blog.
I shared this on FB: http://www.facebook.com/nottawd
I've “liked” you on Facebook…Thank you for this contest.
I love your Blog. It is so nice to see what is fun to do when you are stuck in the house during the cold winter days and I can't wait to see what you come up with for spring and summer. Thanks so much for taking the time out to do this for us
Hi, I am just going to say what I said before…this sight is awesome and there is no need to change a thing! One place that I don't see, which you, John and family may have been to, is the Center in Palos. Fun times! Love your site!
This is a great site. I especially like the tab “Places we have explored.” I would second the idea of more places in the western 'burbs.. Keep up the great work!
Thanks!
angiedkelly at gmail dot com
New follower of your blog (AEK)
angiedkelly at gmail dot com
I just found your blog this evening, and I think you are doing a great job! Please enter me in this fantastic giveaway!
onepilgrim86[at]yahoo.com
I'm a new GFC follower!
onepilgrim86[at]yahoo.com
Wow – I didn't know there was a LEGOland around here! Thanks for the great review – it was very honest 🙂 taleah AT roknor DOT com
I'm a follower on GFC
LOVE the blog and glad someone's doing coverage of local things! I'd love if you did something on Lincoln Park Zoo!
Like on Facebook!
http://www.thepeanutsgang.com
samantha.a.schultz@gmail.com
Blogged on my blog about your awesome giveaway
http://www.thepeanutsgang.com/2011/03/legoland-giveaway.html
samantha.a.schultz@gmail.com
Like your review. We want to go to lego land for the first time at the end of the month for our sins birthday and you gave me two pieces of info that I didnt know and will be really helpful (the online ticket purchases and the no outside food) thanks, and thanks for posting it to the facebook page. On facebook im carrie jo godsoe
Sarah, you are awesome & I love your new blog! I have taken the girls to LegoLand & managed to miss half of what you've got in your post!
I love how in depth your review is – and I also adore the pics.
I like you on facebook
I posted a link https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1327818609 – not sure if this is the right link, but am on the new netbook at the hotel sitting in the dark while all are asleep.
With this post specifically, I loved that you posted so many personal snapshots of the location! It's nice to see REAL pictures of a place and not just the commercialized ones.
Thanks! 🙂
crystal@averyjamesphotography.com
A winner was chosen! Thanks to all who entered!
Wanted to mention that I was there on 3/25/2012 and they did have high chairs for young ones. I also noticed that some people did bring in outside food; no one checks bags or patrols the cafe area. My parents walked in with a Trader Joe’s bag (filled with nothing edible) and no one said anything.
Thanks for the tips Linda!
It looks to me that this site doesnt load in a Motorola Droid. Are other people having the same issue? I enjoy this webpage and dont want to have to miss it whenever Im gone from my computer.