LIFESTYLE COLUMN: LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA

Block After Block of 'Star Wars,' Aquariums, Water Adventures & More

By: Roxanna Bina

May 29, 2011

Whether the hands building artistic, architectural creations are small or large, the fascination with these versatile, colorful bricks continues at Legoland!  What better way to celebrate the most ingenious toy ever than with a stroll through Miniland?

More than 25 million bricks were used in constructing replicas of New York City, Washington, DC, Las Vegas, and other cities around the world. Now Star Wars fans young and old can appreciate a Lego version of the planet Endor, Tatooine, Naboo, and Hoth. Seven scenes from the legendary film can be seen on display in Miniland complete with sound effects, action, and lighting effects. Make sure to stop by the life-size Lego replicas of the man himself, Darth Vader, and robot friends C3-PO and R2-D2 for a brilliant photo-op! The best part of all is that the Star Wars scenes on display were all made with Star Wars Lego sets available in stores, so you and your little engineer can recreate your own Miniland right at home!

Each area of the park is themed, so whether you have a fairy princess or little pirate in your family, all will be happy. Head on over to Castle Hill for a medieval experience that is sure to reign supreme for years to come.  Take a rollercoaster ride on The Dragon, gallop on a Lego horse for a Royal Joust, or take in some tee-time at the Wild Woods mini-golf. Give your little princess a storybook makeover with flower-dotted hair and face painting. And don’t forget the knights can battle the robotic Lego dragon at the Knight’s Tournament. And if you’re looking for a feast, look no further than the Knight’s Table Barbeque for a hearty meal.

Children and parents will love the huge activity area called The Hideaways. This multi-level secure playground is sure to spark the imagination of little ones to a time when dragons, knights and royals ruled the lands.

For a swashbuckling adventure, sail on over to Pirate Shores, where Lego pirates sing and dance to the tune of their newfound treasures. Take a ride on Treasure Falls and board Captain Cranky’s pirate ship at Captain Cranky’s Challenge. For the little scallywags, be sure to cool off at Sawbbie’s Deck, an interactive water fountain play area perfect for children unable to swim yet. And for the older scallywags, the Soak-N-Sail pirate ship will provide hours of water fun with 60 interactive pumps and gadgets spraying water.

The newest attraction at Legoland is the Water Park, which happens to be the world’s first and only Lego water park. Giant Legos make up a 45-foot tower that serves as a base for two humungous water slides that empty into a three-foot pool. This park is probably the most child-friendly park I have ever been to. It caters to children who may still be timid about swimming, with shallow waters and foam Lego blocks floating around. Take a relaxing float through Build-a-Raft River, or splash through the slide called Splash Out. For little swimmers, take a swim on the wild side at Duplo’s Splash Safari and Zoo with life-size Lego animals and its own mini-slide.  

A nice way to wind down the day is a tour of Legoland’s Sea Life Aquarium. A Lego replica of Atlantis is recreated among some of the world’s most exotic sea creatures. With many interactive stations throughout the aquarium, you and your family will get a chance to touch a starfish and corals of the sea. Make sure to stop by the new Octopus Garden, featuring a mammoth octopus that is sure to be a hit with the young ones!

To see all of Legoland thoroughly, I would recommend at least two days. So many attractions have been added throughout the years that, to see everything, one day is not enough. So be sure to stay a while in the other happiest place on Earth, and build memories one brick at a time.

Check out this cool video of Miniland in Legoland, including the 'Star Wars' scenes!