Spoken like someone who has never been to a Legoland park before.
I've been to Legoland California about four times; visiting every three or four years since the park opened 60 minutes south of Disneyland in 1999. It wasn't a threat to anyone then, and after a decade of heavy investment and expansion including hundreds of time-share condos and a luxury hotel attached to the park, it's still not a threat to any other theme park in entertainment-heavy Southern California.
Legoland California Resort Map
Legoland California is only open 5 days a week most of the year. It's only open from 10AM to 5PM the days it is open. It has hokey carny rides lightly themed with legos. It has employees who range from bored and disinterested teens who couldn't get a job at the Carlsbad Mall to downright surly and slobby adults who couldn't get a job anywhere but Legoland. The park has poor maintenance standards, and no real interest in showmanship. The entire facilities have taken a beating in the mild, salty sea air of Carlsbad, and won't stand up much better in the far more severe climate of central Florida. Again, maintenance is not its strong point, and it shows.
Legoland California has a neat hook with the brand recognition of Legos, and their new Sea Life Park aquarium they just opened next door is the biggest hit that property has had in its entire decade of additions and expansion. Their miniland area is always fun to stroll through however. It also has a built-in audience of upper-middle class and well-educated folks living in affluent North San Diego County along the ocean, a far more affluent demographic than central Florida. But as a standalone theme park held up to Disneyland standards, even WDW standards, it still pales cheaply in comparison.
The opening day version of Legoland Florida in 2011 will be even paler than the California version was in '99. And the built-out version of Legoland Florida in 2021 will not fare a whole lot better. Legoland California is a short stroll from the picturesque beaches of Carlsbad in North San Diego County, and that at least keeps a small stream of tourists passing through the gates, once they have sat on the beach for a couple of days.
Lovely Carlsband, California - Home of Legoland
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Legoland Florida go the same way as Cypress Gardens before it, and close around 2016 after five years of trying to turn a profit in the shadow of WDW and USF, far off the beaten path. And yes, that includes the option of taking a 30 minute long free shuttle ride from the Lakeland high speed rail station.
In short, in my opinion Legoland Florida will siphon off more attendance from Legoland California 2,500 miles away than it will from Walt Disney World.
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