**Disclosure: Complimentary tickets to Legoland Discovery Center Chicago were received for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.
A few years ago, my husband spent Wednesday afternoons with our daughter while I was at work. Often, he would take her to Legoland for a fun {easy} afternoon. This was their time together, so I never really pushed to go. Fast forward a little and I still had not visited Legoland----until last weekend that is.
My daughter is getting older--much too quickly for my comfort. Before we know it, her days enjoying some of her childhood pleasures will be waning. So, I was excited to spend this time with her at
Legoland last Sunday.
Before you enter Legoland, you are immediately greeted by a lego giraffe. There is no way any little ones will miss this! Legoland is comprised of two floors that are easily navigated. Your kids may see the store right as you enter, so you may want to steer them away until you are finished with your visit.
Amazing Lego Displays
The first room we entered contained an amazing miniature display of Chicago. You will be impressed by all of the details. I have to say that this may have been my favorite room in the entire attraction. Who can't smile when admiring so many landmarks crafted by gifted builders?
After visiting Chicago for a little bit, we swung on a vine into the jungle. Well, not exactly. However, you will enjoy a stroll through Legoland's whimsical and brightly colored jungle area. The displays in the jungle room were very amusing. We were also challenged to count the number of spiders in the room. {Halloween is here, so the room was practically overrun!} A challenge is always fun! There were also a few trivia questions for those inquisitive kiddos!
Of course, we had to stop and see the ever popular Star Wars exhibits! My daughter is totally into the Star Wars movies right now so this room was a quick favorite!
I am a sucker for shooting games at amusement parks. Love them--love friendly competition with the fam! We enjoyed this ride but thought there could have been a few more targets. We are experts, after all..........
Hands-on Fun and More
Upstairs, there is a room ripe for imaginative play. Kids can create, partake in building challenges, craft and test cars, climb in a jungle gym and more. This room does get pretty chaotic. However, kids do love creating! You will also find a pedal ride in this room which is fun and a small cafe with a few food and beverage options. The family meals and kids' meals come with minfigures--a nice touch.
Tip: Legoland Discovery Center is in an outdoor mall, so there are other food options around. If the cafe does not fit your needs, you will be able to find something nearby.
Also, upstairs you will find a 4D movie theater running two short movies (about 15 minutes each) as well as a mini factory tour and a master builder academy. If your children would like to partake in the Master Builder Academy, I recommend signing up for a time at the beginning of your visit so that you do not have to wait too long. {By the end of the day, the last thing you want to do is to have to wait some more.}
We enjoyed our visit to Legoland Discovery Center Chicago. We were amazed by the lego creations on the first floor. Beautiful! However, at 8-years-old, I do fear that my daughter is beginning to get a little old for it. She still enjoyed it--but I feel that her time is borrowed. I would say that the attraction is best suited for those 9 and under.
Tip: Legoland Discovery Center has
Toddler Tuesdays when the second floor opens early for the toddler set at a special rate. Definitely, check this out if you have some wee ones!
Legoland Discovery Center Chicago is located at Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173.
**Our readers can receive a
free children's admission with a full paid $20 Adult Admission through 12/31/13.
This past weekend, my daughter attended a FireZone party in Schaumburg. Surprisingly, this is the first time that we have been to FireZone. It has always been on my list, but we never seemed to make it to their drop-in events. I am glad that this birthday party finally prompted us to visit!
Every building seemed to have something holiday-themed going on. My daughter was eager to decorate and eat a sugar cookie. The reindeer were certainly happy with the special reindeer food she concocted. She also helped make some traditional Springerle cookies. (We even left with the recipe--maybe I should whip it out?) We made a visit to the farmhouse to take in the smells of traditional German food and to sing carols. We watched a toy maker whittle some toys. Then, we took a haywagon shuttle to the Merkle cabin. The cabin greeted us with more holiday cheer. Mini-Mel made a pine cone ornament and met Father Christmas by the fire. Fun and holiday cheer all over!
For dinner, I had the Caramelized Grilled Sea Scallops. The dish included asparagus and a sun-dried tomato-mushroom pearl pasta along with the scallops. I felt that the portions were perfect and I was actually surprised to find six scallops on my plate. The pasta was excellent--I could have eaten more (but shouldn't have!). The flavors were enhanced by a splash of lemon. The only real issue I had with the dish is that the asparagus was a little thick for my liking. Yes, we are asparagus snobs in my house and prefer the super-thin variety. However, the dish was excellent and I was glad that I ordered it!