Several Macaroni Kid Publisher Moms were invited to attend a special Media Event prior to the Grand Opening of LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia and Gloucester Macaroni Kid made the cut! Keep reading to find out everything you need to know and for two chances to WIN a family four-pack of tickets so you can take your Macaroni Kids to this awesome attraction!
Location?
Plymouth Meeting Mall
500 W Germantown Pike
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
We were traveling from Mount Royal so we basically had two options: Walt Whitman Bridge to the Schuylkill Expressway or the Commodore Barry Bridge to 476 North. I chose the Commodore Barry- 476 route and was glad I did. It literally could not have been easier to get to even though we left during rush hour. Door to door was under 45 minutes even so it is a totally doable trip without investing a full day. LEGOLAND Discovery Center is located right in the Plymouth Meeting Mall, on the first floor near the food court. There is a huge Giraffe outside the closest entrance but we parked on the other side of the Mall and entered on the second floor and it was just a quick escalator ride away. The Mall isn't that big so I don't think you can go wrong no matter where you park.
How much time should we expect to spend?
LEGOLAND Discovery Center offers 2-3 hours of fun "repeatable play" depending on your children's interests. The 33,000 sq ft attraction features an interactive LEGO-themed ride, a 4D Cinema, and thousands of LEGO bricks in themed building areas making it the ultimate indoor LEGO playground. We spent over two hours when we visited. We would've spent at least another hour just playing with LEGO bricks but, unfortunately, our mommy-daughter day was cut short due to a call from the school nurse that my older daughter had a fever.
So, what is there to do?
So much! Let's start with the 10 Fun Family LEGO-themed Play Areas including MINILAND® Philadelphia.
MINILAND® Philadelphia is something you really must see for yourself. The LEGO Master Builders really out-did themselves with replicas of City Hall, Liberty Place, the Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Art Museum (of course, with Rocky running up the iconic stairs), Boathouse Row, Independence Mall, the Liberty Bell and even the Eagles Stadium. The lights change while you are in MINILAND® Philadelphia so you get incredible day and night views. Plus, everything is interactive so take a turn and row your boat down the Schuylkill River!
Of course, in addition to the exquisite models with interactive parts, you and your Macaroni Kids can spend time building your own masterpieces. My four year old daughter's favorite was the LEGO Friends area but there are also areas geared towards racers or even testing your building skills against an Earthquake Table. There are plenty of LEGO bricks and space to just sit and create for as long as you'd like. Much of the open play space is readily viewed from the Coffee Shop and Café if mom or dad want a hot beverage while the little ones create.
We were off next to Pirate Adventure Island for some swashbuckling climbing fun aboard a LEGO-themed pirate adventure. (Remember to bring socks!) There are also several small slides throughout for more fun and ... a LEGO bubble machine!
Next, we headed to the LEGO® 4D Cinema to see our favorite LEGO stars come to life in 4D! On the day we visited, the theater was showing two different 4D shows, The Legends of Chima 4D and LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS: The Book of Creativity. A third show featuring the lovable Emmet from The LEGO movie is due to arrive in June. We saw the Chima movie and, although I was concerned that it was a little intense for my four year old, she was riveted the whole time and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think she would have enjoyed it even more if she had been familiar with the Chima characters. We will definitely be returning in June to see Mr. Awesome himself. Note that although there is no minimum age posted, there is a warning that the 4D movies aren't suitable for babies due to the sudden noises, strobe lighting and wet effects. So, use your parental judgment if you have toddlers or babies.
Upon leaving the Cinema, we ran into Bertie and got a hive five and some pictures. (You can also pose against a green screen and be transplanted into several different LEGO scenes but the pictures are a separate purchase.)
Another not-to-be-missed activity is the Imagination Express Ride. If you have ever been on the Buzz Lightyear or Toy Story Midway Mania rides in Orlando, the Imagination Express ride is similar in that you have a special wand with a button that you point at a screen and collect points but on a smaller scale, making it perfect for your mini macaronis. I was amazed that such fun and interactive ride was part of the LEGOLAND Discovery Center experience. Had we not been called away, I'm sure we would have ridden several times.
So, what did we miss by having to leave early? A lot actually. We didn't have a chance to do the LEGO Ninjago Training Camp, a super cool laser maze, attend the LEGO Creative Workshop hosted by a Master Model Builder who teaches you insider tips and super tricks on building with LEGO bricks or see the second 4D movie. But, we certainly packed in a lot of activity while we were there.
Anything else we should know?
Yes, there are different ticket options available. Visit the LEGOLAND Discovery Philadelphia website to learn more about ticket options. You'll also find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about visiting LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia including information about the super-cute Birthday Party Rooms.
Oh, and there is a LEGOLAND Discovery Center Store on the way out so save up the birthday money! (There is also an unaffiliated carousel ride right near the entrance so plan accordingly.)
Didn't you mention a GIVEAWAY?
Sure did! Not just a GIVEAWAY but a contest too for two chances to win a 4-pack of passes to LEGOLAND Discovery Center.
First, the GIVEAWAY. All you need to do is enter the contest for a chance to win. If you like our Facebook page or share on Facebook, you can earn additional entries.
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Share on Facebook and earn 10 extra entries!
Contest Rules:
One entry per email address; email address provided must be a subscriber to our wonderful newsletter to be entered to win. Duplicate entries via the form will be deleted.Subscribers may enter multiple contests to win passes to LEGOLAND Discovery Center on Macaroni Kid but may only win once. No credit is given for subscriptions with an invalid email address or if new subscriber opts-out of the newsletter. Winners will have 24 hrs to claim the prize and will be notified via e-mail. By accepting prize, winner gives permission to have their name used in such announcements. Odds of winning depend on total number of entries. No purchase necessary; you must be 18 or older and a Macaroni Kid Gloucester newsletter subscriber to enter. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook. Complete contest rules available here.
