LEGO pilots VIP points at US LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

I wonder: Is this part of a wider rollout of policy changes at stores? I had an indicative experience in mid-March: During vacation I visited LEGO Certified Store locations in Milan, Athens and Dubai, plus LEGOLAND Dubai, carrying my VIP Card and LEGO Store Passport. They all said "sorry not yet: we're getting VIP Points and an ink stamp at the end of March."

About time - sets are even more expensive in Legoland (!) but at least if I wanted to get Legoland exclusive sets they would carry a points value too to soften the blow a bit.

I logged on to my VIP account last night and discounts weren’t available to purchase with VIP points. I hope this isn’t a permanent change.

I was a little miffed after not getting any points at Legoland Billund. CS was very helpful afterwards ;)

For the DC's I've been to (Germany and NL), the 5%-discount was applied every time indeed.

The Discovery Centres in Manchester and Birmingham (UK) have both given 10% off when I've shown my VIP card in the past.

@woosterlegos said:
"My local Lego Discovery Center in Columbus, OH will offer a 5% discount in lieu of VIP points if you show your VIP card. They may feel compelled to do that considering there is an actual Lego Store in the same mall that they need to compete with. "

I was just at the Columbus DC in March, and I noticed that the markup on most sets was more than the discount provided to VIP members or even Annual Pass holders. In other words, even after the discount the sets were at least as expensive as in the LEGO store, if not more. Seemed bonkers. I picked up some polybags that I hadn't seen available elsewhere, but then immediately went to the official LEGO store for my "real" shopping.

@ForestMenOfEndor said:
" @woosterlegos said:
"My local Lego Discovery Center in Columbus, OH will offer a 5% discount in lieu of VIP points if you show your VIP card. They may feel compelled to do that considering there is an actual Lego Store in the same mall that they need to compete with. "

I was just at the Columbus DC in March, and I noticed that the markup on most sets was more than the discount provided to VIP members or even Annual Pass holders. In other words, even after the discount the sets were at least as expensive as in the LEGO store, if not more. Seemed bonkers. I picked up some polybags that I hadn't seen available elsewhere, but then immediately went to the official LEGO store for my "real" shopping."

Yeah, I had the same experience. I like looking into the Columbus DC primarily for polybags that I haven't found elsewhere. They also tend to have a different selection of parts on the brick wall.

@woosterlegos said:
"My local Lego Discovery Center in Columbus, OH will offer a 5% discount in lieu of VIP points if you show your VIP card. They may feel compelled to do that considering there is an actual Lego Store in the same mall that they need to compete with. "

They also usually have items in stock that regularly sell out at the main store there.

@ForestMenOfEndor:
Not that I get there as frequently, but I’ve never seen a LEGOLAND store applying the TRU discount before. That’s concerning, if true.

@ezzzzz53 said:
" @woosterlegos said:
"My local Lego Discovery Center in Columbus, OH will offer a 5% discount in lieu of VIP points if you show your VIP card. They may feel compelled to do that considering there is an actual Lego Store in the same mall that they need to compete with. "

That's standard practice. The one in Michigan does the same thing. closest actual Lego store is 45 min away. "

Not sure if we’re talking about the same locations but Great Lakes Crossing Lego Discovery Center and Somerset Collection Lego Store are 20 minutes apart, not 45 minutes in my experience. They’re both off of i75.

This is also why I find this recent policy change at Discovery Centers perplexing. If the Michigan Discovery Centers follow the same trends as other states, there should be an official Lego store within driving distance of Discovery Center. I don’t think there’s a Discovery Center in a metropolitan without a paired Lego Store nearby.

Regardless I don’t think the two are comparable. The Lego store has twice the selection of the discovery centers I’ve been to and the Discovery Centers are always placed in a more tourist focused area. I’m glad the markups might be going away and the VIP memberships will be compatible, but I think it was always obvious the intended market for the Discovery Center stores were visitors of the park.

LEGOLAND CA would give me 10% off with VIP.

@Jesse_S_T:
I got to go to the GLC Discovery Center for free during a sneak preview before the grand opening, and felt I got my money’s worth, but other than school field trips, I can’t imagine why anyone would pony up the high price of admission. Anyone who does on a regular basis probably doesn’t notice if they’re getting hit for an extra 10% over MSRP, or they may not care if the crowds aren’t as fierce as they are at Somerset on launch or event days (I know the Robot Garage has some regular customers who shop there for that specific reason).

Anyways, travel time between them on I-75 may not be as simple as you’d expect, with all the roving construction gangs. I thought that whole stretch was done, and then they started putting in sound baffle walls on either side, which just reduces the number of available lanes again. So it shouldn’t take 45 minutes each way, but that might be the reality if you try during weekday rush hour.

@PurpleDave said:
" @Jesse_S_T:
I got to go to the GLC Discovery Center for free during a sneak preview before the grand opening, and felt I got my money’s worth, but other than school field trips, I can’t imagine why anyone would pony up the high price of admission. Anyone who does on a regular basis probably doesn’t notice if they’re getting hit for an extra 10% over MSRP, or they may not care if the crowds aren’t as fierce as they are at Somerset on launch or event days (I know the Robot Garage has some regular customers who shop there for that specific reason).

Anyways, travel time between them on I-75 may not be as simple as you’d expect, with all the roving construction gangs. I thought that whole stretch was done, and then they started putting in sound baffle walls on either side, which just reduces the number of available lanes again. So it shouldn’t take 45 minutes each way, but that might be the reality if you try during weekday rush hour."

Obviously all travel times go up during rush hour, but 90% of the time the drive is 20 minutes. I live in Troy and literally drive to Auburn Hills for work weekday. The stretch of i75 has been pretty clear since the diamond intersection was completed at Big Beaver, even during rush hour.

I take my nephew for free using Polybag vouchers. If a group had more than one kid per adult, it can get costly. $24 for 2 isn’t bad once or twice a year. There’s also memberships that are very affordable.

Also, LegoLand discovery centers do not get all items on launch days, if any. Hopefully that’ll change though with this policy change because the lines at Somerset on launch days are getting ridiculous.

Lets hope Billund implements this too before the end of the year - I'd love going there again!