Hi Readers! Just found out that you can visit the amazing Legoland Discovery Center if you are an adult…so long as you have a child with you. Otherwise, no dice. (And no Legos, either, it seems.) As the Discovery Center states on its Web site:
Can parents visit the attractions, too?
Of course – The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a family attraction, so it’s great fun for everybody. However, adults can not visit the LEGOLAND Discovery Center unless they are accompanied by a child/children.
Because, of course, any OTHER grownups who wanted to visit couldn’t possibly be interested in the toys of their youth. No, they’re probably really only there to maul or snatch some kid…even though all the kids have to be accompanied by adults.
Seems like Legoland has decided to treat all child-free adults as potential pedophiles. How wholesome! — L.
96 Comments
They do something similar for our Children’s Museum here. At one point, they even were suspicious of my parents because they arrived before we did and were sort of hanging out sans children. Now, I will say there is nothing in there of any interest to an adult, so it makes . . . a little . . . more sense. But at LEGOLAND? That doesn’t make much sense. The first time I went to a LEGOLAND, I had no kids with me. Of course, I was also in Denmark, so the rules were probably different (and it was pre-2000 – a time when I think we were all a little less hysterical).
I had a similar experience a couple weeks ago at the Boston Children’s Museum. It was very windy and chilly, so I dropped my husband and children at the door so I could circle the city looking for a meter spot to park in. It would take me 30 minutes or so, and I would have to walk a great number of blocks, so I told them to go right in and start having fun and I would pay separately and meet them in the toddler area. 45 minutes later I was finally back at the museum and was told at the desk that I would not be able to enter the museum without a child. I told her that my husband and 2 year olds were already there and I went to park the car and was going to meet them. No dice! I had to call my husband (who couldn’t hear his phone in the loud toddler area) who had to tear the children away from the sing long to come down 3 flights to verify, that I did in fact, give birth to 2 children, and that they were, in fact, in the museum. Very annoying!!
What about grandparents or aunts and uncles who want to buy a gift?! Or my adult male friend who loves Legos and always has, without managing to commit pedophilia? Ridiculous.
This confuses me.
I use to be a supervisor at a science museum and when I travelled I always liked to check out the local museums, including kids because that was a target audience, to get ideas and see how others operated. I was never denied entry but I looked young… I just can’t imagine being told I couldn’t go into a public place like a museum or an amusement park because I didn’t have kids with me. Is the childrens section of the library next? It boggles my mind.
Is this something they are actually enforcing? I read it as being a bit tongue-in-cheek since kids usually can’t go somewhere without an adult.
What’s incredible about this is that there are a huge number of passionate “Adult Lego Fans”, who hold conventions all over the country, and spend crazy amounts of money buying Lego (and never knock-offs). Man, if one of them was turned away and he posted about it?! Holy PR disaster.
A message I sent to them:
“I just wanted to let you know that my family will not, at any point in the foreseeable future, be visiting Legoland. Since you choose to have a policy that does not trust adults if they are not accompanied by children, my children and I will not be wasting our time with you. Not all adults are pedophiles and not all pedophiles leave the kids at home. Until you inject sanity into your policy I’ll take my money and children elsewhere.”
I’m confused, won’t this just lead to more child abductions? Now a childless adult wanting to visit Legoland will have to grab a kid off the street to get in the front door 🙂
@Nanci
That was a ‘COTK’ comment. (Coffee on the Keyboard, although in my case it’s tea).
At http://www.fairytaletown.org/ there’s a sign outside that cites a city ordinance banning adults unaccompanied by children.
Meanwhile, I’ve heard that the largest group of people attending Disneyland is adults indulging their nostalgia. Someone tell me–has Disneyland been inundated with child abductions and attacks by pedophiles?
The Children’s Museum in Atlanta does the same thing. Again, like someone above stated, there’s really not anything in there that would interest an adult, so I guess it is a ‘harmless’ rule where harmless = nobody is probably inconvenienced much but it. (The story about the wife dropping off the kids and husband…that’s just ridiculous, I hope you demanded a refund!!!) But Legoland…really?! I know more adults than children who have Lego addictions severe enough to warrant a trip to Legoland.
The part about it being the perfect place for Dad to entertain the kids while Mum shops is friggin sexist too.
why would any parent want to take the kids to a place where they have to have a kid in order to be there? Especially when they pay full price as adults! Bring a kid, parent should get in free. 😛 what about 2 parents 1 kid – does that mean the second parent has to forgo the visit?
Universal Studios Islands of Adventures in Florida had a similar policy on one (only one) of their rides when the park first opened. I ran afoul of it and was very annoyed, especially since it was nonsensical: adults without kids were allowed on the ride until 11 a.m. On the day I was there, the park was completely dead, no one was in line, and they still wouldn’t let me ride. I really wanted to see it, too, so it was pretty annoying that they couldn’t be the tiniest bit flexible.
I wonder if this “no adult without kid” rule is because the place seems aggressively scaled for children. I looked at some of the rest of the site and noticed lots of height limits, but it was “shorter than,” not “taller than.” Maybe it’s not so much pedophile hysteria as it is breaking-stuff hysteria.
Are you kidding?! The world is off it’s rocker!!
Who comes up with laws like this?
I have been to disney world several times. They have conventions so they are not suprised to see single childless people. In fact its one of the few holiday destinations that don’t make you feel an oddball for being alone. I do hope they don’t fall for the hysteria and ban people without children. They welcome all people married couples on honeymoon, retired and singles just because there are children there doesn’t mean only people with children should be allowed.
I wonder if you (and Wendy H) are jumping the gun in assuming that the rule is guarding against pedophiles. My first thought was that they’re trying to keep the place welcoming and accessible for kids, which might not be the case if there are a lot of adults wandering in and taking up space around the play tables.
It’s easy enough to ask before posting accusations or sending hate mail. Are we in danger of perpetuating a culture of fear if we adopt a stance of “fearful until proven innocent”?
I, for one, am SHOCKED and APPALLED that something designed for and geared to children doesn’t invite adults to partake of the pleasures. I mean, Lord knows that adults have almost no opportunities to play with LEGO on their own! Let alone use climbing walls, clamber up and down ladders, and crouch at low level tables. Or perhaps it’s the child sized bumper cars that provide such forbidden allure to adults? Or the child sized roller coaster? Or the special room filled with DUPLO?
Legoland Discovery is a place aimed at kids, sized for kids. Is LEGO totally awesome, with a HUGE contingent of adoring adults? Yes. But that doesn’t mean that every single thing involving LEGO has to involve adults NOR does it mean that every ban on unaccompanied adults is an OMG PREDATORRRRRRRRRRRR alert. Sometimes? Stuff is geared toward kids. It’s kid sized. It’s kid oriented. And kids shouldn’t have to wait their turn to play with LEGO at a theme park geared to kids because adults are crowded around a table playing with all the LEGO.
I love i! The idea is aabsolutely fantastic. Atleast there is one plae in this whole wide world that has a” no kid, no entry” regime. Look and feels like a place where the kid will drag his adult or probably where the adult will coax the kid to drag him… Wowiee!
As a big kid at heart, and a primary school teacher too, I think children’s museums would have lots I would be interested in, if I ever get the chance to visit a country that has such a thing. Hope they all see sense soon….
Guys, why don’t you ask them what the policy is about before assuming that its related to fear? I look at that rule and see a rule that came out of the marketing department. Adults are generally more resistant to buying things they didn’t plan on – it makes sense to insist that your target demographic be present to exert extra influence on the adult to buy more stuff.
This policy does leave me wondering how they’ve got themselves a staff. Is it a staff of children, or are staff members subjected to even stricter policies to check their background?
@rachel: it seems to me that the target audience is lego fans rather than children.
It’s ridiculous to force people to bring a supposed target demographic. What if you don’t have any kids? Are supposed to kidnap them from somewhere else?
Before getting all steamed up about something like this, I woud want to know how strictly the rule is enforced.
Many places have a policy of ‘no children unless accompanied by an adult’ and this seems more like a humorous inversion of that, than a hysterical reaction to fears of sexual predators.
The problem with (in)security measures like this one is that they don’t survive even basic social engineering attacks. I could walk up to a family and give them a sob story (I’d use the same one in the article: I was parking my car and I don’t want to sit around waiting for my wife to check her phone) and then offer to pay for their tickets (for their trouble, of course) to get in “if I could just come in with them”.
@anonymousmagic Yes its a silly rule, I just figured we ought to know what the Lego people think the rule is really about.
When my family went to Legoland UK, the youngest person was 16. Upon entry my brother and I promptly turned into 8-year-olds. If such a rule had been in place then (and 16 was considered an ‘adult’) we would have been furious. Legoland was the main reason we went to the UK during that trip.
A very small kid-only area wouldn’t be bad (a Duplo play area, for instance), but that place sounds massive and has far too much stuff to exclude lifelong Lego fans.
And completely ignoring the fact that there’s a large and active community of adult Lego fans who spend thousands of dollars on block sets and build some truly amazing things. Obviously none of them would have any legitimate interest in visiting Legoland. [huge freaking eyeroll]
Angie
I wonder if the real purpose of such rules is to keep out teenagers and young 20-somethings. That age group can sometimes dominate an attraction that is really meant for younger kids, at which point the younger kids don’t get a chance to play with anything.
Odd that this only applies to the Discovery Center Legolands. The first Legoland in the US was built in San Diego. A lot of adults went there to check it out when it was first built. It’s expensive and there is little to do for people over 12, so I think most of that has died down now that the place has been around for many years but there is no prohibition on adults going there alone.
I live near the LEGOLAND location in Illinois and I think a couple of things should be clarified:
1st- You don’t need to pay admission (or have a child with you) to go into the LEGO store. In fact, the store has a separate entrance/exit (which is awesome when the Discovery Center line starts to wrap around the building!)
2nd – Apparently, that tag line of “no kids-no entry” does not apply to all LEGOLAND Discovery Center locations. The Chicago location has this reply to that same question (Can parents visit the attractions, too?): “Of course – The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a family attraction, so it’s great fun for everybody.” Maybe, since this issue is at one location, the focus should be removed from LEGOLAND as a whole and onto the one location in Dallas.
This reminds me of the previous discussion, several months ago now, about adults not being allowed in the children’s section of the library without a child.
I was said to see that my local small town (population 6000) library has jumped on this bandwagon recently.
You could reverse that and say that it’s a kids’ place, and they don’t want perpetual adolescent adults hanging around the place.
I’d also question how strictly this was enforced, and I agree that it might be a marketing ploy. Kids LOVE the idea of a place adults can’t go without them, making it more desirable (and more likely they’ll want to buy something that the adults wouldn’t be “allowed” to get for them unless they were there).
I also wonder if it’s a hedge against really busy days so that they can ask unaccompanied adults to leave so that children can get in. With places like LEGO there are often many adults, making it difficult for the shorter crowd to enjoy the experience. With such a sign posted they could clear out the extra adults if necessary. No entertainment company wants a space filled with crying, bored, children who can’t get to anything.
I guess I’d want to talk with the people that decided on the sign before I got all uppity. My own kids are thrilled to go to places where they appear to have the power and would love to see a sign like that. My bets are on the marketing department, not the security department.
We are reaching a point where lone adults cannot enjoy such things as a museum. I had an incident at a local museum where I was followed by a security guard. I complained to the museum curator, to no avail.
The other day I was out taking pictures when this idiotic mom and her daughter blocked my shot. Not trying to be rude, I waited patiently with camera in hand. The daughter whispered to her mother “lets go that guy is creepy.” After they FINALLY got out of the way, I took my shot, and then the mother finally whispered to her little demon spawn, “oh, he was just waiting to take a picture.” What a couple of idiots! Every guy is a potential predator. I wanted to tell them off but I would have just gotten in even more trouble.
I think we need to have “kid-free” zones if this mentality keeps up.
I used to go to LegoLand (in Chicago) all of the time when i was in college, generally with several other college-aged friends with not a single kid in tow.
On a much more damaging scale, I think Chuck E. Cheese has a very similar policy in all of its 500+ locations (correct me if I’m wrong).
“I think we need to have ‘kid-free’ zones if this mentality keeps up.”
We do. They’re called bars.
Really? I was just planning on going down there with a group of my fellow high school students– 15-18, for a club, supervised by an adult, for nostalgia purposes. But we’re all considered adults (over 12), so none of us can go. Whaaat?
@hoeltuy: If you are referring to CEC (and if I’m correct), I think they allow anyone under 18 in, except that those 18+ have to be accompanied by someone 12 or under. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, no exceptions.
Those of you suggesting checking with the organization before jumping to conclusions about their motivation behind the policy make a lot of sense. However, (and to me, it’s a pretty big ‘however’), what’s your thought if you are one of the following people checking out that Legoland location as you come across that rule:
– Childless librarian who wants to see some hands-on Lego attractions to get some ideas for a display
– Childless teacher or principal planning a potential field trip
– Childless Aunt or Uncle wanting to visit for a few hours because you like Legos and want to see if you think your visiting nieces and nephews from out of town would like the place while they are in town next week
– Childless grad student doing reasearch on how kids interact with building toys and each other in a high-priced environment
Here’s what you’d think: I’m not welcome there.
Any business that hangs out the unwelcome mat shouldn’t be in business, no matter what their supposed reasons are. If they don’t want to give people that impression, they should take the silly rule down.
oncefallen: How do you see the mother as being an “idiot”? Her explanation to her daughter, at least as I see it, was that your behavior was innocent rather than creepy.
Thanks Kyohaku. As there are only child and adult tickets, I was under a different impression, but you are probably right.
@Rich Wilson – on the plus side for Fairytale Town, at least they haven’t changed the play areas to make them safer. We don’t live in the area, so I don’t get there much, but my kids love the Crooked Mile and climbing on Mother Goose. I keep expecting someone to demand handrails on the Crooked Mile or that parts of it should be wider, closer to the ground, etc., when that’s half the fun for the kids going charging around on it.
I really dislike these types of rules. I’m a teacher and like to check out kid-friendly places either to use for upcoming field trips or to suggest them to parents. Not only that, but my husband and I were dealing with infertility for a couple years (I’m just now pg #1), so to not be allowed to enter a place that applied to my profession just because I did not have my own kids would be a total slap in the face!
p.s. It’s National Infertility Awareness Week this week, which somehow makes this rule seem even more demeaning.
I remember when LegoLand near San Diego opened. I was curious about it and wondered where I could “rent a small child” so I’d qualify for admission. I have since heard enough about it to satisfy my curiosity. One odd thing about their early ad campaign was the music in their radio commercials, which had a decidedly “Caribbean”, almost “Reggae”, flavor.
I’m with Lafe. I could give the benefit of the doubt all day long–does not change the fact I’m not allowed in.
We went to a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Meriden, CT a few weeks ago and had to have our hands stamped (myself, husband, and daughter) with a matching black-light-activated ink stamp so the employees could make sure, as we passed under a black light to the exit, that we were leaving with our own kid or that nobody was trying to kidnap her.
Putting aside my gripes about the neurotic level of mistrust inherent in all that, if we’re THAT worried about our kids, are we really trusting their safety the stoned, 16 year old employee making minimum wage manning the door who didn’t even glance at us when we exited? (with only our own kid…this time….)
Ashley — it gets better — my 16 year old daughter at a Chuck E Cheese birthday party for 16 year olds wasn’t allowed in until the Dad of the birthday girl agreed to take responsibility for all the birthday party kids, signing them in and out. (I’d dropped her off and left, thinking, how could they not let a sixteen year old in?)
So the sixteen year old employee has to approve the sixteen (and probably 17!) year old customers.
I think it’s fair to point out too that the tiny number of people with ill intentions can usually get a kid to go with them to something like this. I’ve heard of cases where adults have used kids, puppies, whatever, to entice kids.
To the people saying that adults may want to go to something like this for professional purposes, I would imagine that if you just explained yourself either at the door or in a phone call beforehand, they’d probably not only relax the rules for you, but would do what they could to help you out. I used to work in the museum field and would have been happy to meet with any librarian, teacher, or museum educator to show them what we did, even in the cases where they were asking about a program that the general public couldn’t experience without an appointment.
This is so crazy. Lots of adults still love toys! My sister and her husband (DINKS – no children and way too much disposable income) collect toys. They would love to go to Legoland. They love playing with my kids and buying them expensive toys (I suspect because they love to play with the toys, too.)
Have you looked on amazon or ebay lately? Does anyone really think men are buying $100 superhero action figures for their children? No, they buy them to collect and put on a shelf! Being an adult doesn’t automatically mean we don’t love to play.
(sigh)
Davis Farmland, outside of Boston, has similar rules:
https://www.davisfarmland.com/farmland/guest_info.html
Everyone in the party gets a bracelet with the same number on it so that you can’t leave without your kid OR leave with someone else’s kid. I will vote with my feet and not return to Davis until this rule is rescinded…
To Library Diva’s point: Not true. Davis Farmland denied admission to someone I know doing research on kids’ amusement areas because _she_ was kidless.
I’d sure be interested to know how many kidnappings there were at Legoland, Chuck E Cheese, and Davis Farmland before these rules were introduced. My guess…zero.
In my area it’s not grownups at Chuck E. Cheese who are the problem it’s some of the older teenagers. Our local ones have huge problems with gang recruitment and other inappropriate behavior. We took our kids there for a classmate’s birthday part and my children got to see WAY more of people’s bodies and how to make out than they should have. I’d have been happy not to have those teens there…but we’ll just not go there instead of leaving it up to Chuck E. Cheese to determine what we’d like to deal with.
Growing up I don’t remember Chuck E. Cheese being a place you went other than for a birthday party, but I guess now it operates as a regular arcade as well.
And before I continue let me state I’ve never been to any LegoLand so I don’t know how crowded they get or how they are set up, but I can see how it would be nice to have a time that is just full of kids and not grown ups. But there are so many more logical ways to do that, maybe certain hours that are kids only…certain areas that are kids only. And if they are wanting to reserve the right to turn around adults if it gets too crowded…then they could state that, precisely. And like someone above said…if there is no reasons for adults to be there without a kid, why the hell do adults have to pay an entry fee??!!
I don’t understand the problem with the matching up bracelet numbers or like. I mean I don’t think it’s a big deal one way or another and my guess is that their liability insurance policy requires it.
This pissses me off. I also read that in a brochure for the Atlanta Children’s Museum. I was like “WHAT?!” I went through infertility and there was a long time period where I went to children’s things like museums or Chuck E Cheeses alone. I would go to attend birthday parties for my friend’s kids or cousins, but I did not have a child with me because well I was infertile. I would have loved to have a child to take with me.
Back in college and high school I would take my boyfriend on dates to Chuck E Cheeses or Children’s museums or playgrounds etc. We just liked that kind of stuff. I have always loved kids things which is why I am the best mom because I love taking my kids to stuff like that and we go all the time!
It is sad to know that if I remained infertile I would never ever get to do those things again. Thanks for rubbing my childlessness in my face.
Another thing that bugs me about this is that it does not mean something won’t or could happen to your kids. A kidnapper could break in a back door. Another parent could do something to your kid. Another child could do something to your kid. An employee could do something to your kid. So it is really fair to keep out the childless people? You are going to have to pay attention and watch your kids regardless if they are little so this rule really doesn’t help or stop anything.
Mine are 3 and they know they have to stay within certain areas at places like this and I still have to watch them. That would not change whether or not childless people are allowed in. Its stupid.
I wanted to add that as an adult doing the kiddie things I never hogged the stuff from kids. I would take my turn just like all the other kids taking a turn. If I saw someone waiting, I moved after my turn. I was courteous of others. So it was no different than just another child being there. So I really don’t think that banning adults is okay because they hog stuff and upset the little kids as someone said. I never did. Maybe some do, but then ban those particular adults. No reason to ban all adults because not all adults would hog stuff from the little kids.
Also, Discovery Zone (yes I know the place closed when I was 5… this is just hearsay from the Internet) had a policy where anyone age 13 or over (might have been 18, not sure) gets in for free with no restrictions, except that they would be kicked out if they were interfering with the kids’ fun in any way. They did that so parents could see what the place was like before taking their kids. Of course, if the parent/adult wanted to play the arcade games that were off to the side, they would still have to “INSERT COIN PRESS START”.
What I find strange is that the same FAQ only at the Chicago site, does not say that. I am guessing this is a regional rule. My children are all grown up but I can see my husband and I returning to a lot of the places we took them to as children. Why is creepy and wrong to even like to watch other children enjoy themselves. There is nothing more wonderful than seeing a laughing child. I must be some sort of creep.
I just got an email from the Dallas/FW LegoLand Discovery Center:
LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a children’s attraction dedicated to the creativity and imagination of children roughly up to the age of 12. We will have adult only events throughout the year. You may view those events by checking our online events calendar at Here.
Kind Regards,
Jaclyn Parra
Marketing Coordinator
LEGOLAND Discovery Center & SEA LIFE Aquarium
Grapevine Mills Mall
I think what makes this policy even worse is that the Legoland DC seems to be part of a mall – where normal adults go all the time without children. I couldn’t imagine if the LegoLand in Minneapolis’s Mall of America banned adults. DH and I (late 20 somethings with no kids) LOVE looking at the lego creations. We’d rather go to something like that than an art museum.
I have placed a call into Lego Corporate and they have assured me that this is not their corporate policy and in no way wish to alienate any adult Lego Fans. They will be looking into this policy.
I don’t have an objection in principle to this rule. It might not be the most friendly way to run the thing, or the wisest from a business point of view. But I don’t actually see anything *wrong with* restricting something so that it’s only for kids, or kids and the adults they bring with them. You might not like it because you want to go there, but it’s not up to every entity that operates something to make it so that you’re happy with what they do. But of course, that’s my opinion, and it’s worth what you’re paying for it — others are obviously different.
And unless there’s some policy somewhere indicating that predator fear is the reason for this, I really think that’s an unwarranted conclusion.
My point isn’t that no one should be unhappy with this policy whatever the reason, it’s that I don’t find it “outrageous” that it’s in place, and wouldn’t, even if I wanted to go there, and couldn’t. It’s their Legoland, not mine.
Of course *if* the reason has anything to do with predators, then I’d be more upset because then it would be driven by absolutely false, irrational fears plus a nonviable solution to the perceived problem, and that’s objectionable wherever you find it.
If they let enough adults like me in, we’d hog all the legos.
Way to go Elissa! Maybe I will call them too!
@Me said, “I don’t understand the problem with the matching up bracelet numbers or like. I mean I don’t think it’s a big deal one way or another and my guess is that their liability insurance policy requires it.”
The big deal is that it wastes everyone’s time (and money!) for virtually no benefit — very much like making everyone take off their shoes at the airport. It _appears_ make kids safer, but doesn’t, really.
Furthermore, it fosters and furthers the idea that EVERYONE is suspect and that there are kidnappers lurking in every dark corner.
I got the same email from DFW/Legoland today about adult only events. Curious that there website says nothing about that. I think it is to placate us. Keep up the pressure.
It looks like their “adults-only” events take place once a month from 7-9 pm on a Wednesdy evening. Admission is a full-price adult ticket, and may not be purchased in advance or online (read: none of the normal discount avenue are available). Gee, such a deal.
@Mike A – the website does state that they offer adults only events – it’s the next line after the portion quoted above from the FAQs. The info I mentioned in my previous comment is from their events page, which can be found here: http://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/dallasfw/en/news-and-events/events-calendar/index.htm.
This whole thing baffles me. The General Manager has informed me that “Our admissions policy is simply a matter of brand positioning as the LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a product designed and built for children.”
Which if that’s truly the case, there would be no need for an “Adults Only Night” as it would be so mind numbing that no person in their right mind would want to see it unless they were being dragged to it by a child.
I don’t really care what the reason is – pedophiles or a marketing ploy – I get concerned when businesses that have no legal reason for restricting age (such as strip joints and casinos) start discriminating against who can and can’t come in.
@Bria–Thanks for the clarification.
I called Lego Cooperate and complained. The person said that the DFW location’s policy was inconsistent with the other locations. I also called the DFW location and left a message.
Here is the contact info for Lego corporate office:
For assistance in English, call us toll free at
1-800-838-9647. We are available Monday – Friday 8 am to 10 pm. Saturday & Sunday 10 am to 6 pm EST.
I called the number and spoke to a nice gentleman about what I thought about that policy and how it can offend and discriminate in many ways. He was actually surprised about said policy and said he would pass on my remarks. He seemed to agree with what I had to say. So maybe they will have to change their policy if enough people complain about it.
Mike and Dolly~ i got the same reaction when i called corporate. they were fairly shocked at the policy and were going to look into it. hopefully, this is a rogue policy and corporate will set them straight!
also, they do have a facebook page….
@Elissa thanks for the tip! How could I have missed that?
@ Elissa and Dolly–Glad you called. Keep in mind that Lego and Legoland are two separate companies. Merlin Entertainments (www.merlinentertainments.biz) runs the day-to-day Legoland operations (and a many other attractions). However, it is good to call Lego at the number above and complain that Merlin Entertainments is not representing the Lego brand well, and alienating its fans.
Looking at their website I found out that Atlanta is building a Legoland Discovery Center at Phipps Plaza. I will be taking my kids to it at some point I am sure. I hope they don’t have the no adults allowed without a kid policy.
Just to clarify a possible misconception… when I said Discovery Zone, I was NOT referring to Discovery Center. Discovery Zone was an indoor playground chain popular in the 90s. Because of this they became overzealous with building new locations, and within a couple of years the billion-dollar corporation was bankrupt and worthless. The few remaining locations were closed and sold to Chuck E Cheese in 1999.
The more I read about this the angrier I get. While LegoLand may not think that they are discriminating based on perceived fear of abduction or molestation, the general population thinks that is the reason and that its OK. This just outrageous.
@oncefallen: did you try politely saying “excuse me, could I take a picture”? Or did you just leave them to guess what you wanted?
@Elissa: are you sure the general population thinks the reason is fear of abduction? I’ve seen this rule in other places (usually limited to certain hours, though) and while I don’t agree with the rule being enforced all the time, it never dawned on me this was because of abductions, until I saw it posted here. I thought it was to keep the exhibits available for kids. Really.
@Frances – Well, that seems to be the general sentiment I get from the Facebook postings and other forums where this topic is discussed. It actually tends to run more along the lines of pedophila and molestation than abduction. Here are two comments from the Facebook page.
Kelli – I have to say I was pleased to know that Lego doesn’t allow adults in without a child/ren. Unfortunately that doesn’t totally guarantee that a child/ren would not be violated in someway because sadly enough that is the world we live in and sadly enough innocent adults are punished but I am glad Lego is being proactive in trying to protect the innocent children of the world
Brett – You’re right. Horrible things can happen to kids anywhere and by anyone. My 2 year old was physcially abused, causing 30 days in the hospital, by a “nice, trusted person” who we thought we KNEW very well. So, excuse me — and tens of millions of other families — for not trusting anyone with our children’s wellbeing. That is the world we live in these days. I applaud the policy and find your drive to be misguided. Best of luck in your quest to save the world — I am sure legoland’s safety policy is the absolute perfect place to start.
Also, to me the policy of “keeping the exhibits available for the kids” doesn’t seem to be an issue at places like the Zoo or Disney, or any other LegoLand or Discovery Center – only here. The more I correspond with the people here, the less clear the motive becomes.
I’m not into LEGO, but whenever I’m at an aquarium where there’s a “touch the rays” or “touch the baby sharks” opportunity, I’m right in line with the little kids. And I generally go through the line three or four times!
The rule about ‘no adult unless accompanied by a child’ may not specifically be because of abductions, but the bracelet rule that many of you are describing certainly is. When I have some time, I’m going to mount an intensive google search to find out how many adults have tried to leave these facilities with other people’s kids.
I’m not 100% convinced the reason for this policy is an “adults are creepy” thing so much as an attempt to make sure it’s a child-centered exhibit – adults tend to monopolize some attractions (take a look at a free video game console in a big box store sometime) and exclude kids. I can’t say for sure but my hunch, based on a similar policy at some of the build areas at Legoland California, is that this is just to assure it remains a children’s museum.
My brother and his wife love to travel and visit unique attractions…they would have loved this place, especially since my brother was a big Lego fanatic when we were growing up. Too bad, they’ll have to wait until they have kids.
“Also, to me the policy of “keeping the exhibits available for the kids” doesn’t seem to be an issue at places like the Zoo or Disney, or any other LegoLand or Discovery Center — only here.”
Just because the means of excluding adults is unnecessary or misguided as a way of keeping the exhibits available for the kids doesn’t mean that’s not the reason for the policy. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that someone implemented a poorly thought out policy.
I’m not saying it’s impossible that predator fear is the motivation here, I’m saying it’s pointless to *assume* that’s the reason just because we’re inclined to, because other people assume it, or because we don’t think it would be smart to do for any other reason. So what? People and institutions aren’t always smart. It only makes sense to criticize someone’s motives if we know them, not just because we convince ourselves we’ve made a good guess at them.
LegoLand Discovery Center has informed me that they have no intention of changing their policy. Adults without children who happen to visit the Grapevine Mills Mall, during normal business hours will be unable to enjoy the same access to the facilities there as Adults with kids. When things like this happen to people based on race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or mobility, we call it discrimination. In this case, it seems its called “bad policy.”
That is just so wrong! I am an amateur film buff with an interest in teenage films (among other genres). My own children are too young to drag along to be my ‘alibi’ when going to the cinema to see these films. By this logic, I shouldn’t be going at all in case I am some kind of pervert there to check out or harrass teenage members of the audience.
So what if the adult brings in a child that’s not his/hers, they “borrowed” them to bring to Legoland so that they can scope it out to see if they can “borrow” some more kids. Hmmmmm. Anyone else see the logic, or lack there of their policy. Next thing you know, they’ll want you to show your child’s birth certificate and submit to a DNA test before admission. lol.
@ Elissa: It’s called STUPIDITY.
@ Matt: That may very well be the case. But looking at it with common sense. Not very many adults would spend their time in a place really intended for kids. So it’s not like it will all of sudden be riddled with adults pushing kids aside to get at the exhibit. lol I think it the majority reason for that policy is to avoid any potential predators to scope out the place. Their mentality, “it’s creepy that an adult would go to a child’s exhibit by himself/herself. So there must be some other reason why they are there.” And the only reason, or the very first reason that pops in most paranoid adults heads…”Predator”.
Am I the lone voice of dissent? At a nearby science museum, there is no written policy on unaccompanied adults, but staff have always asked unaccompanied males who were just hanging around (not those who were clearly interested in exhibits) to leave. They almost always do. If they weren’t there for the exhibits, it was suspicious. Admission was expensive, and if they were leaving without a fuss it confirmed our suspicions that they weren’t science lovers. Now that I’m a parent (and a free-range one!), I really appreciate that sort of quiet surveillance and activity on the part of the staff.
@Mom2KG:
1. Having a policy to remove loiterers is one thing. Having a blanket policy that excludes all non-child accompanying adults is something else entirely. This is the difference between using common sense and zero tolerance policies.
2. Do they also ask unaccompanied females who are just hanging around to leave?
3. How do they determine who’s just hanging around verses who’s interested in the exhibits?
4. Would you put up a stink if the museum asked you to leave if they suggested that you had nefarious intentions, even if you didn’t, or would you just keep quiet and move along? I suspect that most of us would do the latter out of pure embarrassment…
@Phil
I certainly don’t agree with a policy to bar or remove all non-accompanied adults, unless there actually is some reasonable basis for doing so. Isn’t it possible these museums and centres are not creating these policies from a knee-jerk reaction? Museum administrators are intelligent people who surely welcome the revenue from any paying customer. Is it possible they have received a significant number of complaints from patrons about other patrons, and decided it was enough of an issue to act on it?
Has anyone asked the places with these policies the background info? Let’s not have the same knee-jerk reaction we’re accusing them of without knowing whether the policies are formed out of a supportable concern.
I can’t speak to how the museum near me determines who’s hanging around, being all suspicious-like. I’m assuming the museum workers are using their common sense, in fact, and know what a loiterer looks like as opposed to someone who’s looking at exhibits, reading the signage, asking questions, and perhaps making purchases at the gift shop. And yes, I would put up a stink if I were a paying customer there for legit reasons. I would speak to a manager, get my money back, and tweet my displeasure at length.
I read this in one of the comments.
“This policy does leave me wondering how they’ve got themselves a staff. Is it a staff of children, or are staff members subjected to even stricter policies to check their background?”
The answer is revealed below:
The staff is adult. However, the male staff have to wear a penis-o-meter and the female staff have to wear a vagin-o-meter. Both types of meters are carefully calibrated during the staffs training period.
The penis-o-meter is calibrated to detect for any unusual swelling during the males staffs shift. The vagin-o-meter detects any unusual tenting within the vagina during the female staffs shift.
Mystery solved.
Fortunately for me, the science and the toy museums that I adore don’t have any ‘adult alone’ restrictions. I come and go at will and soak in the love of science and of toys.
I am one of those adults who decided that having children just didn’t fit into my lifestyle, so I don’t have any. In fact, my lifestyle doesn’t really ever cause me to intersect with children. I have no interest in humans until they are college age academic types.
I won’t reveal the name of these places that I enjoy because if I did, some freak would read this and then call those museums and threaten them with litigation unless they enacted such restrictions.
I just started reading this website today. Fortunately, because of the way I live, not intersecting with children ever, I haven’t experienced any outrage or embarrassment from being labeled a monster.
However, (and this is the part that you should pay the most attention to) I am afraid that if I started to experience the ‘you are a man and are therefore a monster’ persecution … I might actually become a monster. Not the type of monster that they were looking for. Instead, something far more destructive.
It is sort of like … when black people were always subjected to the attitude that they were nothing but criminals, they became the criminals that everyone WANTED them to be.
So be on guard for TRUE monsters. Yes. But don’t make everyone of a certain age, race or sex feel that they are all monsters. Make them feel like some goodness can come out of them and they might surprise you with some goodness.
My husband & I are children at heart. Always have been. Always will be. My husband has loved Legos all his life. What little boy has not? I myself love them too.
His family was very poor growing up & he barely had any toys, much less regular medical care.. That is why now, he has medical issues & we are trying to enjoy our time together while we can.
However, this “no adults without children” rule is discriminatory, shocking, accusative & sickening, to say the least, to couples like my husband & I.
We were completely excited about checking out “Legoland” @ Grapevine Mills Mall, in Grapevine, Tx, a few weeks ago.. Yet, (as we all know now), to our shocking dismay, we were denied entry, due to not having children with us, as exemplified by this discussion thread.
All my husband & I want to do, is enjoy our lives to the fullest, & have completely innocent fun, while we have time. He’s been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney disease @ age 37 & I’m unable to have children, due to many reasons & have a whole list of other health related problems.
That being said, I’m not looking for a pity party or special treatment. Neither one of us are. Nor are all the other couples or grandparents or parents that feel like we do, I assume.
We just want to be treated with the same respect & decency & understanding that all the “couples with children” are being treated.
My husband & I do not even want to go to Legoland anymore. Why?? So we can be looked at as pedophiles or weirdos??
Some of the comments in this thread from “mothers with children” & the “imaginary implications” that places like Legoland have directed towards couples like us, is degrading & sickening!… To say the least.
Honestly, at this point, this whole ordeal is angering. The things I’m hearing in this thread about the discriminatory actions against others like us, too.
It is what it is at this point..
But if you parents are so concerned about your kids being safe at Legoland, or anywhere else for that matter, perhaps you need to start with NOT IGNORING THEM & keeping a closer eye on them at all times, or in parking lots when they’re running around in front of cars, or in grocery stores, when you’re yelling for them & they’re two aisles over because you are ignoring them..
Or perhaps in your own homes.. (parental tv controls, alcohol accessibility) or from your own self!
Example: Casey Anthony
Now… How does it feel to be CATEGORIZED with sickos & weirdos, eh?????!!!!
If Legoland & it’s subsidiary’s don’t make any changes, nor the museums & other places that are demonizing people, then it will be their own financial loss.
God only knows where all of our rights as American citizens are going, in this day & age..
Out the window!
–But that’s another thread discussion in itself.
Peace out..
It’s sad. My husband and I were born and raised here in Sacramento, and we’ve been going to Fairytale Town since we were tiny. I had my 4th birthday there! When I was a teenager, it wasn’t at all uncommon for a small group of us to go “hang out” at Fairytale Town – not to cause any trouble or get in anyone’s way, but just to revisit the place we’d enjoyed all our lives. Even as teenagers, we loved the Yellow Brick Road and the old owl who lived in the barn! (Wonder whatever happened to that old bird? He was around when I was tiny!)
Well, time has gone by, and we’re over 50. We don’t happen to have any little kids around, and the 14-year-old doesn’t ever WANT to go to Fairytale Town. My husband and I would really enjoy going down there on a nice fall Saturday – sneaking into the castle where I had my 4th birthday party, walking slowly along the Yellow Brick Road, climbing into Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage, and just enjoying the memories of a time when we were so much younger and fairy tales were so much more real.
Too bad we can’t go back and enjoy re-living our memories in the very place where we made them. Two old married folks are considered just too risky, without any little kids with them!