A couple of weeks ago, while in California, we had the opportunity to visit LEGOLAND California. My boys were psyched and Dan even more so, since he’s wanted to visit LEGOLAND ever since he was a kid. We had just left San Diego and Blogher, so I was ready for some real family time.
Upon entering the park, there was a place to rent strollers, wheelchairs, and lockers; there were also souvenir shops and places to get snacks and food along the way. We actually ate before we entered the park, so we were totally ready to just concentrate on having fun. One thing I noticed right away is that there are plenty of places for photo opps, as Lego Master Builders have created several sculptures all around the park.
There are several sections to LEGOLAND California, including the following:
- The Beginning
- Dino Island
- DUPLO Village
- Fun Town
- Pirate Shores
- Castle Hill
- Land of Adventure
- Imagination Zone
- Miniland USA- Our fave!!!
We really took our time, meandering through the park, exploring things the kids wanted to do and skipping over some….we skipped a few of the rides, mainly because there were such long lines, one even being 90-120 minutes long. Of course, we also picked a Sunday to go, probably one of their busiest days, as more people are off work/school, but we just moved on to other fun activities and rides. That is a fact, that no matter where you turned, there was something fun to do for all ages, not just big kids. Little kids could have fun too. In fact, a LOT of the rides catered to younger ages. The first ride we rode was Fairy Tale Brook, which was a small boat ride through a fairy tale village with different characters/sets built out of Legos. Another ride that was more interactive in nature was the Fun Town Fire Academy, where we raced other families in huge firetrucks. If you heard a screaming toddler, that was probably us. We were the comedy act, and we lost….but it was kinda hilarious, in a way, and it was a unique kind of ride. One ride Jacob and I loved was Captain Cranky’s Challenge, a swinging, twisting pirate ship that’ll take your tummy away. It was a blast! We all enjoyed the Coast Cruise, which was a boat ride through more of Miniland USA and a chance to get off our feet for a short time. Remember those huge slides you could ride down at carnivals? Dune Raiders was probably one of my kids’ favorite rides!
Of course, rides weren’t the only fun part of LEGOLAND California. There were shows, a LEGO Factory Tour (which we didn’t end up taking but would have been awesome, I’m sure), games, and other attractions like Miniland USA, including the new Star Wars Miniland USA. Miniland USA was a major highlight and probably the most fun part of our day. There were several settings and sculptures (all made of Legos) from the Star Wars movies. The boys were fascinated, all of us stopping to take pictures and just admire the workmanship and detail. I mean, the detail to these sculptures was absolutely amazing. Cityscapes like New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and New Orleans met us along our tour; also beautiful New England and Washington D.C. Not only were the sculptures built, but parts of them were also animated and moving with sounds. For instance, in front of the Capitol building, a soldier band was parading and performing. Trucks and vehicles were driving the streets of New York City. It was almost torture for the boys because they just wanted to get their hands on the Legos and play with the sets….truly something to remember.
Jacob and Jaden especially enjoyed the places where there were playgrounds, water activities and splash pads, building activities (where they could get their hands on the blocks), etc. Once in awhile, we’d see a character roaming about. We tried desperately to get Jaden’s pic with Bob the Builder, but Jaden was a bit timid of Bob….poor Bob seemed to understand.
LEGOLAND California also has LEGOLAND Water Park and the SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium, both of which we just didn’t have enough time for, seeing as we were only there for one day. If you visit LEGOLAND California, I suggest going through the week if possible. Also, plan to pay for parking and admission; admission prices can be found here. Be sure to Like LEGOLAND California on Facebook and follow @LEGOLAND_CA on Twitter. You can also see all of our pics in our Flickr album.
(Disclosure: We received 4 free media passes to LEGOLAND California, for the purposes of the MamaBuzz Road Trip. Thank you, LEGOLAND California! All views/opinions remain solely our own.)
