April is Autism Awareness month, and Theme Park Shark is proud to report that LEGOLAND Florida is a Certified Autism Center that has not only put their mission of making the resort sensory friendly a main goal year-round, but has exceeded with flying colors!
Anyone who has been to a theme park knows that they can be overwhelming. The crowd, the noise, the heat, the sheer stress of it all can make a simple day out a living nightmare under the right circumstances. When the whole point of themed entertainment is to get out there and have fun seeking thrills and new experiences with friends and family, sometimes it can feel like more of a chore than entertainment should.
The same can be said for individuals with exceptional sensory needs. Oftentimes, guests with sensory needs can be overwhelmed by theme parks without any underlying factors. The baseline of these environments can sometimes be enough to make navigating them difficult, painful experiences.
For families sensitive to sensory needs – whether they be grown individuals looking for a comfortable park experience or families with children who have sensory needs – finding a sensory friendly park that accommodates these types of needs can be difficult due to the very nature of the theme park.
At LEGOLAND Florida, steps have been taken to not only ensure that guests with exceptional sensory needs have a positive experience, but that these families and individuals needing unique environments and accommodations know that they are valued. For any theme park to actively work towards becoming a more accessible environment is perhaps one of the most welcoming gestures a venue can make, letting guests with exceptional needs know that they are not merely an afterthought in the operation of these parks visited by millions every year – that their experience in the parks is just as important as anyone else’s, and that their struggles in places like theme parks and other high-impact entertainment venues are seen and understood and validated by those with the power to change these experiences for the better.
What Makes a Park ‘Sensory Friendly’?
LEGOLAND Florida Resort has partnered with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (the IBCCES) to ensure that their parks meet certain standards which allow guests with unique sensory needs to safely enjoy the park and resort. The LEGOLAND Resort has earned its credentials as a Certified Autism Center, and has not only conducted an in-depth review of their attractions to help produce a helpful sensory guide, but has provided staff-wide autism sensitivity and awareness training, ensuring that autistic guests receive the best possible experience at this resort across the the theme parks, water parks, and on-site hotels.
In addition to engineering many sensory-friendly rides, attractions, and experiences, LEGOLAND Florida has released a useful infographic covering the sensory ratings of their attractions, allowing guests to make informed decisions on what rides and attractions they feel comfortable experiencing. It’s information like this that can turn a trip to a theme park from miserable to magnificent. By allowing guests agency over the sensory input they experience, parks like LEGOLAND Florida have shifted the power of determining the intensity of their experience back into the hands of those with sensory needs, rather than every attraction being a gamble.
While these accommodations may seem minor – and may not even be entirely noticeable to those without specific sensory needs – they can make a world of difference for those who truly need them, transforming an uncomfortable and cumbersome experience in the park into one that can actually be enjoyable without the stress of having to manage the delicate balancing act of avoiding sensory overload.
LEGOLAND Florida also offers a host of guest amenities that make managing your sensory needs or the sensory needs of a loved one a breeze! From disability parking to quieter dining environments to allergy-friendly food preparation, guests can rest easy knowing that LEGOLAND Florida is eager to help accommodate guests with special needs so that families across all level of need and ability can safely enjoy their park and resort.
LEGOLAND Florida’s Sensory Guide can be found [here] – a helpful tool that charts all of LEGOLAND’s rides and attractions in one convenient page. Guests can find even more about LEGOLAND’s Accessibility information [here]. Guests can register with LEGOLAND Florida at least seven days before their visit to get in touch with a specialist able to help families navigate the task of making the most out of their theme park experience.
To check out Theme Park Shark’s coverage of the LEGOLAND Florida Resort experience, as well as our breakdown of LEGOLAND’s sensory ratings, check out our continued coverage [here]. And don’t forget to check back soon, as Theme Park Shark will continue to cover LEGOLAND Florida Resort and other theme park news from Disney, Universal, and theme parks from all across the world!
