10/14/2016 10:00:00 AM
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Oct. 14, 2016) — Starting Jan. 12, 2017, kids are invited to enter a magical martial arts kingdom where you become the ninja in your very own LEGO® NINJAGO® [NIN-JAH-GO] adventure when a whole new theme park land opens at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort.
LEGO NINJAGO World will add an immersive area filled with several hands-on, outdoor activities where kids can sharpen their ninja skills before the ultimate showdown on LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, a dazzling new attraction that blends 3D computer animation, “4D” effects and groundbreaking technology never seen outside a LEGOLAND theme park.
Inspired by the popular LEGO building sets and the “LEGO NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu” TV show, LEGO NINJAGO World puts guests at the center of the action in lots of fun ways
LEGO NINJAGO The Ride – a state-of-the-art “dark ride” where guests score points using ninja hand moves to blast animated fireballs, lightning and more at waves of 3D villains
Zane’s Temple Build – a giant LEGO building experience where kids can contribute to a model of a mountaintop NINJAGO monastery
Kai’s Spinners – master the ancient art of Spinjitzu at these twirling, whirling, single-person platforms
Cole’s Rock Climb – an outdoor climbing wall to test kids’ balance and endurance
Jay’s Lightning Drill – measure your reflexes with these “lightning fast” light-up targets
The lushly landscaped area also will feature daily meet-and-greet opportunities with sibling ninjas Kai and Nya [NEE-AH], and Wu’s Warehouse, a themed retail shop stuffed with LEGO NINJAGO building sets, clothing, souvenirs and more.
Assisted by Kai and Nya, LEGOLAND Florida Resort General Manager Adrian Jones announced the land’s grand opening date on the eve of the resort’s fifth birthday, continuing the largest period of growth and expansion in its history.
Since opening Oct. 15, 2011, the place #BuiltForKids has added LEGOLAND Water Park (May 2012), LEGO Star Wars™ Miniland Model Display (November 2012), LEGO World of Chima™ (July 2013), DUPLO® Valley (May 2014), LEGOLAND Hotel (May 2015) and Heartlake City (June 2015). In addition, the resort has unveiled several phased restorations of the historic Cypress Gardens, which celebrated its 80th anniversary earlier this year.
Along with LEGO NINJAGO World, construction continues on LEGOLAND Beach Retreat, which will more than double the resort’s on-site accommodations when its whimsically themed bungalows open in mid-2017. Guests currently can make reservations for stays from June 1-Sept. 4, 2017, with rates starting at $182 per night. A grand opening date and associated festivities will be announced at a later date, along with additional amenities.
Jones announced that according to an economic impact analysis prepared earlier this year, LEGOLAND Florida Resort has generated nearly $1 billion of total economic activity from 2010 through 2015.
The research was conducted on the resort’s behalf by James W. Farrell, Ph.D., associate professor of finance and economics at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla., who concluded:
“It is expected that [LEGOLAND Florida Resort] will continue to have a significant impact on the region as it draws visitors from around the globe to the resort. Based on anticipated construction activity over the next few years, [the resort] is expected to generate over $200 million of economic activity. As the attractions and accommodations continue to expand, it is anticipated the impact will expand as well. It is estimated that the ongoing operations will generate an average of 3,000 jobs and $271 million of economic activity per year for the next five years.”
Millions of guests from around the world have already enjoyed the fun of LEGOLAND Florida Resort, with much more planned for the years ahead. Its swift success and steady growth drew strong praise from The Ledger in an Aug. 20 editorial published by the Lakeland, Fla., newspaper:
“What tourists need, obviously, is a place to go and something to do. And it’s becoming clearer that within Central Florida [LEGOLAND] has carved out a nice niche for itself.”
“Given where [LEGOLAND] was when it opened five years ago, and especially sitting in the shadows of some of the best known theme parks and tourist magnets in the world, the transformation of the old Cypress Gardens property under [parent company] Merlin Entertainments’ guidance has been nothing short of astonishing.”
For more information about visiting LEGOLAND Florida Resort, including savings on advance purchase of admission tickets, multi-tier annual passes, special events, VIP experiences, educational programs, services for guests with disabilities, on-site accommodations and much more, visit www.LEGOLAND.com/florida.
