Legoland Florida has beaten everyone to the punch this year, unveiling the first major new attraction of 2023 in just the second week.

And, after seeing the novel Pirate River Quest take to the high seas (well, the canals of the park’s Cypress Gardens area anyway!) on January 12, we’re ready to hail this fun new ride as the best for young kids this year.

True, Legoland is already a genuine haven for children 12 and under with its extensive spread of attractions exclusively geared for the younger age group, especially since the opening of 2022’s adjacent Peppa Pig theme park, which added an array of pre-school delights unlike anything else in the state.

But they definitely have a new hit on their hands with their latest offering. The Pirate River Quest is classic kiddie ride territory, and it utilises one of the most under-used spaces in the 150-acre park, namely the old Cypress Gardens section, which was the original attraction hereabouts until its demise in 2009 after a 73-year run as one of Florida’s prime tourist locations.

The end of Cypress Gardens was a terribly sad one, as it gradually drifted into a death spiral of poor upkeep from the early 2000s, but when Legoland owners Merlin Entertainments bought the partly derelict site and reopened it under their full branding in 2011, it promised to keep the Gardens memory alive.

True to their word, Legoland has gradually nursed the lovely-but-neglected botanical gardens back to life over the past 10 years or so, but this area remained something of a secret for many visitors, as it didn’t offer any of the park’s signature rides or shows.

With nothing to really draw people into this lush extent of tropical plants and foliage, the park’s gardeners were largely working for the general handful of people who made it to the rear section of Legoland. But not anymore.

With the advent of Pirate River Quest, all that will be truly ancient history as the ride is firmly geared towards providing some much-needed life and prominence to the park’s former crowning glory.

That was the main point made by Legoland’s North America managing director Rex Jackson during the attraction’s grand opening ceremony last week. He said: “What is significant about this ride is that we are bringing boats back to the original Cypress Gardens canals for the first time since we’ve been operating Legoland Florida Resort. It’s a phenomenal area of the resort.”

Cypress Gardens is a Phenomenal Area of the Resort

Indeed it is. That element of using the original park’s man-made canals and waterways is a true highlight. The Gardens section did also host a boat tour, of sorts, for many years, albeit the only real attraction was watching the plant life gently pass by. It is set on the edge of Lake Eliose, a tranquil 1,150-acre body of water that also provides the setting for Legoland’s water ski stunt show.

The park’s director of operations, Nick Miller, added: “This is a full restoration of the original canalways, which we were given in a state of disrepair, not because of any previous issues, but because this lake is about a foot and a half taller now than it was in the 1930s. So the original sea walls are just underwater and are no longer useful. We were able to put a new sea wall around, restore the canals, and restore the grasses and plants alongside the canals.”

Not only that, but the Pirate River Quest provides a new focal point for the park’s Pirate Cove section, next to the ski-show auditorium, generating additional life and excitement hereabouts.

That provides the perfect introduction to the new pontoon boat ride, which is a kind of scavenger hunt but is really an excuse to roll out some fun theming and unleash a barrage of bad jokes on guests!

It is not as heavily themed as Disney’s Jungle Cruise, but it still offers a lot of eye-catching man-made moments, we well as some entertaining interactive elements that are sure to keep the young ’uns amused.

Do You Dare to brave Pirate River Quest and face the Kraken?

The basic idea is that riders are on a quest to recover Captain Redbeard’s lost treasure and lift the curse of the Kraken, the story of which is narrated over the boat’s intercom.

There are a few watery explosions and other elements that threaten to get you wet, but it’s not a raft ride, so you don’t need to pack your waterproofs. There are also some mischievous Lego monkeys, alligators and skeletons, as well as the pretend menace of the Kraken, while riders need to look out for the “treasure” (a series of gold Lego bricks) along the way.

The final section of the 20-minute Quest skirts along the edge of Lake Eloise and provides a fitting overview of this truly picturesque location.

NB: Parents with really young children - and anyone with arachnophobia - may need to watch out for the overhead spider section as it may be just a touch too intense.

That apart, this is definitely a fun “voyage,” with bags of humour and lots of genuine Lego touches. The River Quest was originally due to open last year, but the torrential rains of Hurricane Ian in September raised the lake to record levels and made the final construction touches and the scheduled debut hard to complete.

Happily, all that is now in the past and visitors can definitely look forward to a fun excursion with Captain Redbeard’s hapless pirates, and more besides.

As Miller explained: “Guests who come and actually walk through the Gardens give us way more five-star reviews than guests who don’t. It is a pleasant surprise for guests who find the Gardens, and we want people to come back and take a walk because it’s a nice relaxing part of the day.”

“It’s a reason to bring a whole new generation into the Gardens,” added Kelly Hornick, head of marketing and communications. “It’s reintroducing kids with Lego humour, Lego pirates and the silliness that comes with that, to be able to experience the Gardens and really appreciate them.”

But don’t just take their word for it. Take a trip to Legoland Florida yourself - it’s only 25 miles from our Champions Gate villas - and discover this delightful part of the world for yourself.

PS: The history of Cypress Gardens is a long and proud one, dating back to 1939 and featuring the mega-celebrities of the day, like Esther Williams, Johnny Weismuller and Elvis Presley. You can read more about it on this Wikipedia link.

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