LegoLand Florida Resort Reopens To Guests On June 1

 Family Theme Park is Ready to Play in the Safest Way

WINTER HAVEN, FL – LEGOLAND® Florida Resort will officially reopen on June 1. The Resort’s extensive plan of enhanced health and safety measures have been endorsed by the Polk County Commission and Winter Haven Mayor Bradley T. Dantzler and now fully comply with Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 2020-123.  As the health and safety of guests and employees at LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort continues to be paramount, the plan includes reduced capacity, cashless payments, social distancing practices and enhanced cleaning regimes.

The plan has been developed with measures based on government advice and the requirements of health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“As part of Merlin Entertainments, our leaders across the globe have been sharing best practices daily, and we’ve been able to apply what we’ve learned from other successful Merlin attraction reopenings to be confident with our Resort’s reopening plan. In addition, we have also sought guidance from our partners at AdventHealth,” said General Manager of LEGOLAND Florida Resort Rex Jackson. “We’re ready to play, and we look forward to reopening LEGOLAND Florida Resort as a safe and memorable place for families to play again.”

Here is a look at what guests can expect with the reopening of LEGOLAND Florida Resort on June 1:

PLANNING

Guests are encouraged to download the LEGOLAND mobile app, and review the website in advance of their arrival, for a full outline of the parks’ new arrival and attractions procedures, as well as details on the enhanced cleaning measures. Tickets and vacations should be booked in advance online, when possible.

Guests should be prepared to make on-site payments using a credit or debit card as cash will no longer be accepted on property. Guests experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19 should refrain from visiting the Resort.

ARRIVAL

At the time of reopening, the Park will operate at 50 percent of its capacity. If guests are arriving by car, they should expect to leave spaces in between vehicles and follow additional spacing instructions. All park employees and guests will be required to undergo non-invasive temperature checks. Those with a temperature of 100.4 F will not be allowed entry, nor will those in their party.

THROUGH THE RESORT

Every employee at LEGOLAND will wear a facial covering, and we will provide complimentary masks to encourage all our guests, ages three and above, to do the same. Brick-themed spatial markers and kid-friendly, parkwide signage will help remind guests of social distancing recommendations and hygiene practices. More than 200 hand sanitizing stations have been added throughout the park. Guests can view these locations on the LEGOLAND mobile app while traversing the park. Character meet and greets and other select attractions will be suspended at the time of reopening. Enhanced cleaning measures throughout the day will disinfect high frequency touch points, including ride restraints, tables and chairs, service counters, handles and door handles. Guests will also see enhancements in our mobile app over the coming weeks that will allow them to reserve their spot in queue lines for major attractions directly from their own devices.

Along with the park and waterpark’s reopening, the all-new LEGOLAND® Pirate Island Hotel will debut on June 1. Reservations are available for travel dates June 1 or later for both LEGOLAND® Pirate Island Hotel and LEGOLAND® Hotel.

The Resort will initially open with adjusted operating hours. LEGOLAND Theme Park will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and LEGOLAND Waterpark will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guests can stay up-to-date, with operational changes, as well as health and safety enhancements online by visiting: legoland.com/operations-update        

Ashford Castle Awarded Top Honor In New Issue Of Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report

Readers of Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report have selected luxury Irish hotel Ashford Castle as one of their "Top 20 Family Resorts" around the world in the September 2015 issue of this exclusive resource for unbiased travel information.  The Andrew Harper recognition comes on the heels of last month's designation by Virtuoso, the highly respected grouping of America's leading travel agents, of Ashford Castle as "Hotel of the Year" for 2015. Castle adventures abound for children of all ages at Ashford Castle, with activities such as Ireland's first falconry school, riding at the equestrian center, visiting the games room, tennis, archery, clay pigeon shooting, tree-climbing, zip-lining and bike riding.  Fluffy bathrobes and slippers await the little ones and knights-in-training will receive a sword and sheath for swashbuckling, while aspiring fairies and princesses will be gifted with a tiara or fairy wings.  A new, 32-seat cinema that shows family films and a Lego room service menu are additional entertainment options.  Top quality babysitters are always available. "We are so pleased to have received this recognition," said Niall Rochford, General Manager of Ashford Castle.  "The hotel has long been a favorite of American travelers and known for being family-friendly. Our warm, welcoming staff works to make sure that even the littlest guest has a memorable experience and we take delight in seeing little faces light up at some of the extras we offer, such as both personalized cookies and story books at bedtime.  We continually strive to come up with creative and fun ideas for families."  Andrew Harper's Reader's Choice awards showcase subscribers' favorite hotels and resorts worldwide.  The results are based on the annual independent Reader Survey in which Andrew Harper's discerning readers vote for the best hotels, resorts, safari lodges and cruise ships around the world. Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report is a leading source of information about luxury travel, having provided candid and insightful reviews to its subscribers for more than 35 years.  For a full list of winning properties, visit https://www.andrewharper.com/readers-choice/. For more information about Ashford Castle, please visit: www.ashfordcastle.com.

ABOUT ASHFORD CASTLE: Ashford Castle is set on 350 acres in County Mayo, on the shores of Lough Corrib and the River Cong, with a spectacular backdrop of woodlands, lake, river, and mountains. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, it features 82 guestrooms and is renowned for a range of country sports including an equestrian centre, fly fishing, an exclusive nine-hole golf course and Ireland's first school of falconry. Several dining rooms and bars, along with a gracious afternoon tea service are among the amenities. For more information please visit www.ashfordcastle.com. ABOUT THE RED CARNATION HOTEL COLLECTION: The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is an award-winning collection of five and four star family-run boutique hotels in London, Dorset, Guernsey, Geneva, Florida, South Africa and now Ireland. Each property has its own individual character and unique location that reflects the local environment, culture and cuisine. They all share the qualities that win Red Carnation so many prestigious awards - splendid luxury, generous hospitality, inventive and traditional cuisine, private art collections, passionate service and loyal staff committed to creating richly rewarding experiences for all their guests.  Red Carnation Hotels was listed as number 3 in the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 2015, having debuted at 72 just three years previously. For more information about these award-winning hotels and the rest of the Red Carnation Collection, please go to www.redcarnationhotels.com.