[Gaboni] Stimulating Childlike Wonder by Stacking Blocks... A 'Hotel Vacation' Perfectly Suited to Kids' Tastes

Review of Staying at Legoland Hotel Chuncheon, Gangwon-do
Rooms Filled with Lego and Contest Participation
Satisfaction with Adventure Playground and Water Play

On the 13th, crossing the Chuncheon Bridge in Gangwon and entering Jungdo, colorful angular buildings caught the eye. This is Legoland Korea Resort, built on an 80,000㎡ (about 84,900 pyeong) site in Jungdo-dong, Chuncheon City. It is the 10th Legoland in the world. It was completed after more than 10 years since the investment memorandum of understanding was signed in September 2011. It is the first global theme park established in South Korea.

Exterior view of Legoland Hotel.
[Photo by Legohotel]

From the Lobby to the Rooms, a World of Lego

Legoland is divided into the amusement park 'Park' and the 'Hotel.' The hotel captivates children’s attention with Lego mascots assisting check-in in the lobby, Brick Pit filled with countless Lego bricks, the ‘Lego Dragon,’ and the ‘Minifigure Wall’ made up of over 4,000 figures. The path to the hotel rooms also includes elements designed for children. The ‘Disco Elevator’ is filled with dazzling Lego backgrounds and colorful lights. The background music, ‘Y.M.C.A’ by the American disco group Village People, evokes nostalgia for the parents’ generation as well.

On one side of the lobby, there is a space where children’s creations can be displayed. Those who participate in the Lego Brick Contest and are selected as outstanding works have the honor of having their creations exhibited in this space. The Brick Contest is open only to hotel guests, and the best Lego creations are sometimes featured on Legoland’s official Instagram account. A Legoland representative said, "It’s a fun event to check Lego building skills, and most guests participate." The reporter also participated but unfortunately did not receive any award news.

The Legoland Hotel rooms are decorated with four popular Lego series themes: ▲Friends ▲Ninjago ▲Pirates ▲Kingdom. The photo shows a suite room with the Pirates theme. Photo by Seongpil Jo gatozz@

The Legoland Hotel is a four-story building with a total of 154 rooms. The rooms are decorated in four popular Lego series themes: Friends, Ninjago, Pirates, and Kingdom. Depending on size and location, rooms are categorized as Premium, Suite, and Deluxe Suite. The room the reporter stayed in was a Pirates-themed suite. As the theme name suggests, the room was decorated with a pirate concept. The walls were covered with wood reminiscent of a pirate ship, and the bed featured red and white striped bedding, a symbol of pirates. The sofa table was designed as a pirate ship item drum barrel.

The content decorated in the rooms also attracts children’s attention. Lego animations for children are broadcast on the TV. There was a separate English channel for foreign visitors. Various animations such as Lego City and Ninjago were continuously shown, leaving no room for boredom. The Treasure Hunt event inside the room was also an essential fun element. The treasure hunt involves finding several clues hidden in the room and solving quizzes; by unlocking the password of the treasure chest placed in the room with the correct answers, guests can obtain Lego gifts prepared inside the chest. It is available in all rooms and is a popular program loved by Legoland hotels worldwide. The treasure chest in the room contained two Lego products sold on the market, including Ninjago.

LegoLand Room Treasure Hunt Event. The treasure hunt event involves finding various hidden clues inside the room and solving quizzes. By entering the correct password for the treasure chest placed in the room, participants can receive Lego gifts prepared inside the chest. Photo by Seongpil Jo @gatozz

Abundant Activities from Lego Building Classes to Kids’ Pool Parties

The first place guests visit after check-in is the Adventure Play Playground located on the hotel’s second floor. The Adventure Play Playground is a pirate ship-themed kids’ playground, designed as a pirate ship sailing over a pool filled with bricks. It is located right next to the Brick Family Restaurant, the Legoland Hotel’s dining area, making it a space where children can play before and after meals.

The Adventure Play Playground is also used as a waiting area for kids’ educational programs such as the Creative Workshop. The Creative Workshop is a hands-on class with professional Lego builders where children can learn how to assemble Lego bricks. The class lasts about 30 to 50 minutes and operates on a same-day on-site reservation basis. The programs specifically include ‘Lego Basketball Game,’ ‘Shuttle Bus,’ ‘Hockey Game,’ and ‘Toddler.’ Except for the Toddler program for infants and toddlers, parents cannot join the other programs, and children participate alone. The satisfaction level of children who participated in the Shuttle Bus and Toddler programs was quite high.

Adventure Play Playground on the 2nd floor of Legoland Hotel. The Adventure Play Playground is a pirate ship-themed kids' playground, designed with a pirate ship concept sailing over a pool filled with bricks. Photo by Seongpil Jo @gatozz

In addition to the Creative Workshop, there is also a Kids Ground program for children. It consists of experiential learning programs such as making sun catchers and coloring eco-bags. Six different programs are held daily, divided by age groups. Classes last about 30 to 40 minutes and also operate on a same-day on-site reservation basis.

On that day, the temperature in Chuncheon exceeded 30 degrees Celsius. Due to the hot weather, the most popular space among children at Legoland was the ‘Water Play.’ Water Play is an indoor pool for toddlers with a depth of 0.6 meters, where water play can be enjoyed all year round. It also operates on a reservation basis and has a usage time limit of two hours. On Friday and Saturday evenings, kids’ pool parties are held at Water Play.

On that day, a ‘Musical with Characters’ was being held at the Adventure Play Playground. The musical features Lego characters and is held monthly with new themes. A Legoland representative said, "It is a performance with lively music and exciting dance that children and families can enjoy together, and all guests can watch it without a reservation."

The hotel buffet 'Brick Family Restaurant' located on the 2nd floor of Legoland Hotel. Breakfast and dinner are served. Photo by Seongpil Jo @gatozz

Prices Are High... Package Deals Recommended

The Brick Family Restaurant buffet on the second floor of the Legoland Hotel offers breakfast and dinner. Considering that Legoland Hotel is a 3-star hotel, the prices were not satisfactory. An adult needs to spend about 40,000 KRW for dinner. It is recommended to purchase package deals that include dinner or breakfast.

The Legoland Hotel has a separate passage leading to the amusement park ‘Park.’ Most guests who visited on the same day as the reporter entered Legoland Park the next morning. However, to enter Legoland Park, a separate ticket must be purchased, or a hotel stay package including a park ticket must be bought. Ticket prices are 65,000 KRW for adults and 55,000 KRW for children, which is not cost-effective. Although the hot weather was a factor, the smaller scale compared to Everland or Lotte World left some disappointment.

Jungdo, where Legoland is located, is virtually a barren land except for Legoland-related facilities. Bronze Age artifacts were excavated during Legoland’s construction, which delayed surrounding development. A Legoland representative said, "The situation will improve once the surrounding area is developed."

LegoLand Park panorama. There were no visitors on the day the reporter visited as it was a closed day. / Photo by Seongpil Jo gatozz@