Tuesday, June 9, 2015

LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort - Well Worth A Year's Wait!

Over a year ago, we visited LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort for the first time last May with the free tickets we won. As we walk out of the theme park at the end of the day, Leroy noticed and asked why we were not walking towards the tall colorful building like some of the happy families. That was when Steffi interjected and said that it was because daddy had no money for the hotel stay. I must admit that although that was often my standard reply to their persistent requests, it also hit me hard seeing the kiddos looking so dejected and resigned to their fate. In my heart then, I knew that one day I would be back to this place with the kiddos, it was only a matter of when.

I would probably be able to afford the kiddos whatever they ask for now, but at what cost, if I constantly accede to their whims and fancies? I would rather save the extra money for their education or rainy days, then risk the chance of the kiddos growing up as spoilt, demanding and self-centered persons. They need to understand and learn that in life, they will NOT get whatever they want, whenever they want. Moreover, one year is not exactly that long a wait and Leroy hardly grew any taller!

Cannot resist a photo at the awesome LEGO Minifig wall behind the counters!
That's a lot of minifigs there!
Take part in the daily build contest and the best model of the day will win a prize!
Anyway with special thanks to LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort, we finally secured our tickets to BOTH the LEGOLAND Theme Park, as well as LEGOLAND Water Park, with a discounted one-night LEGOLAND hotel stay thrown in as well. The kiddos were so happy to finally be able to re-visit the theme park, after having constantly asking about it whenever they come across any advertisement. This time round we decided to ask along our family friend, Wen Shing along again, for she was the one who accompanied us during our first visit too! All I needed to do was only to get the family across the causeway, for our transport in JB will be taken care by her.

The lift lobby with the wonderful lifts with disco lights and music! The kids groove along without fail every time they take the lifts

The kiddos went ballistic the moment they stepped into LEGOLAND Hotel lobby and zoomed off immediately when they saw the pirate ship and medieval castle, as well as the ENORMOUS amount of LEGO bricks to play with! In short, we were all in bricks heaven. I tried to do a check-in at around 12pm, even though the official check-in timing was 4pm and was told that we can wait at the lobby for the next available room when it becomes available, which was like less than 30mins later. If one cannot wait for the late check-in, you can always drop off all your luggage at the concierge and visit the parks first before coming back in the evening to get the key cards to your room.

Look! There's an activity sheet for the kiddos and they get to win some prizes in the treasure box too!
There was no stopping them from monkeying around the moment we checked in!
And here's our nice big bed in our pirate-themed room!
Day 1 – LEGOLAND Water Park

The first impression I got when we entered the park, was that it was rather like our very own Wild, Wild, Wet or Adventure Cove Water Park. They follow the same format of having a lazy river around the park with the rest of the slides near it. The one big difference would of course be the LEGO elements all over the entire place which the kiddos loved and we had awesome fun building rafts from the oversized foam bricks at the Build-A-Raft River.

Our first time at LEGOLAND Water Park!
One can find the baby care room near the entrance of the water park on the left. Great respite from the heat when one needs to nurse the baby.
Hi-tech lockers near the entrance are also readily available for guests to use.
We try to save a little and would leave all our belongings somewhere where we can keep our eyes on them and it helps that we are a small group. For those who would like to have the peace of mind, there are lockers right at the entrance where you can deposit your belongings and these can be opened and relocked multiple times during your visit. There is also a nursing room beside the lockers for families with young kids.

It is all colorful and cheerful at the water park and the kids dove into the first pool they saw!
The staff also had fun at work shooting the kiddos with cold water.
Stacci cooling off with giraffe spit?
And then it's back to elephant splashing.
Our take on the water park is that the slides are all on the mild side and that was what Steffi commented. Having said that though, Leroy who is a little more on the timid side, would rather have fun soaking up at the LEGO wave pool with Stacci. He was also below the height for most of the slides lor. The little ones will definitely enjoy the DUPLO Splash Safari which is located near the entrance. I know, because it took us more almost an hour trying to cajole all the kids out of that kiddy wading pool to explore the rest of the park! You may wish to check out this page for the height requirement for all the slides!

Steffi and Leroy going down some kiddy slides.
And then Leroy failed the height limit for most of the other rides!
That left Steffi enjoying the rest of the fun rides!
Steffi had the entire family tube to herself.... for photo that is.
Little speed demon giving her widest grin!
The little kiddos will of course have other stuff to play with.
This is what matters doesn't it? Stacci having a blast at the Build-A-Raft River.
Leroy just floating along.
The kids love the hardworking wave pool that NEVER stops! 
And when they got hungry, food can be found just beside the pool! Thanks for the treat LEGOLAND!

Day 2 - LEGOLAND Theme Park

After a not so restful night because the kids couldn't decide on where exactly they would like to sleep and from watching late night cartoons, we had to wake them up and go for breakfast in two batches. We looked out from our hotel windows and know instantly that we all NEED to apply sunblock before we make our way to the theme park. It was really HOT, even though it was only around 10am. We had to check-out the very morning because hello, it was only a one-night stay leh. But no worries, for we could leave our luggage with the concierge and return for it after having our fun at the park.

Met a giant Red LEGO brick while we made our way to the theme park!
We are finally back here after a year! Woohoo!
If you need to deposit your valuables because there are no one to help look after them, these lockers would come in really handy!
The kiddos could still remember the place well and this time round, we went for the rides that we didn't get to try out the first time we were here. Unfortunately Leroy didn't seem to grow much over the 12 months and continued being unable to get onto many rides, not that he is complaining though. The sun was scorching and we sought air-con comfort in the rather new Star Wars Miniland where master builders re-created the various scenes in Star Wars movies. Do not miss the introductory video at the beginning of the tour too!

It was in May and Star Wars month!
Beautiful recreations of scenes from Star Wars using LEGO bricks in the Star Wars Miniland.
The attention to detail was amazing and the kiddos were amazed by the size of the armies. 
An animated fight scene between Anakin and Obi-Wan with glowing lava flow.
The Millennium Falcon replica in LEGO! 
Princess Leia and the rest of the gang! Damn cute lor!
We were also given a "passport" when we first took our ride at Project X to collect all stamps from all the 21 rides / activities spread round the park. Once it is completed, drop it off at The Big Shop and you may stand to win a 1-night stay at LEGOLAND hotel or other attractive prizes. I personally feel that it would be way too ambitious to try to complete the "passport" within a day which we failed to do as anyway. With the kids requesting to get on their favorite rides multiple times and still having to fit in the various show timings, it is really not an easy task to fulfil. Hence I guess you would need the two-day pass instead? Smart move.

Collect stamps from all 21 stations and enter the lucky draw!
Not so scary Dracula but Leroy was still apprehensive.
The queen for the day!
The kids wished that I got them these but.... well... some other days perhaps.
They also had fun assembling minifig in the shop.
Wide grin for her driving license photo!
Junior Driving School: Starting Stacci young! 
With the rest of her classmates.
Driving School: The older kiddos got to ride in a much bigger circuit!
LEGO MINDSTORMS: Steffi getting onto Technic ride!
Merlin's Challenge: Leroy got to take his not-so-scary train ride and went a couple of rounds as we were the only ones onboard! 
Kid Power Tower: I don't think this is for kids leh, my arms ached like crazy of pulling us up! 
LEGO® Friends: Seffi catching the musical performance which will only last till 28 Jun 15.
Got on stage to take part in the musical performance too!
And lastly the kids took a photo on stage with all the five girls!
The kiddos were not happy to leave the place after 2 days of fun but I dread the return journey back home even more, for it meant getting across the causeway on public transport once again, with the possibility of 3 sleeping kiddos and a luggage. You can find out more about the buses that goes to LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort here, if you do not drive. So would we do it again? Hell yes! But perhaps with a 2-night hotel stay the next time round!

P/S: LEGOLAND Malaysia sponsored park tickets and meal coupons for our family and offered a discount on the 1-night hotel stay, but all opinions and photos are mine and mine alone. 

1 comment :

  1. We also visited the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort. Of the two kids, my younger is the taller one. The eldest complained because - though she is five - she still cannot ride the rides but her brother can. I stayed with her, but we had such a blast in the water park. Just like your kids, mine wouldn't stop going around!

    Marci Deegan @ Twin Pine

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