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Coordinates: 33°7′36″N 117°18′40″W / 33.12667°N 117.31111°W / 33.12667; -117.31111
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===FIRST LEGO League===
===FIRST LEGO League===
Each December, Legoland hosts the [[FIRST LEGO League]] Southern California Regional Championships to decide which team out of 50+ teams goes on to [[St. Louis, MO]] for the FLL World Championships. Last years Legoland Champion was Team Nanobots.
Each December, Legoland hosts the [[FIRST LEGO League]] Southern California Regional Championships to decide which team out of 50+ teams goes on to [[St. Louis, MO]] for the FLL World Championships.




Revision as of 03:30, 8 November 2014

Legoland California
LocationCarlsbad, California, United States
Coordinates33°7′36″N 117°18′40″W / 33.12667°N 117.31111°W / 33.12667; -117.31111
OpenedMarch 20, 1999
OwnerMerlin Entertainments
Operating seasonYear-round
Area128 acres
Attractions
Totalmore than 60
Roller coasters3
Water rides7
WebsiteLegoland, California

Legoland California is a theme park and miniature park located in Carlsbad, California, based around the Lego toy brand. On March 20, 1999, it became the third Legoland park to open, and the first Legoland outside of Europe. The park is owned by Merlin Entertainments, the largest theme park firm in Europe, and second largest in the world after Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Merlin acquired the properties in 2004, and a controlling interest in 2005.[1] Merlin also owns and operates the Sea Life aquarium opened in 2008 at Legoland California, the first in North America.[2] Merlin employs more than 13,000 and caters to an estimated 41 million guests worldwide each year.[3] A second park in the United States, Legoland Florida opened in 2011.

Areas

Entrance to Legoland California

The Beginning

The section of the park near the entrance is called "The Beginning", which includes the Turnstiles, The Market, The Minifigure Market (formerly Market Place),[4] Big Shop, Kodax Pictures, Guest Services and Membership Processing.[5] The park offers a free package pickup service for retail purchases made throughout the park, which is located at The Minifigure Market.[6]

Dino Island

Dino Island is a dinosaur-themed section, containing the mini steel roller coaster, about 2 minutes long, "Coastersaurus". The ride was installed by Ride Entertainment Group, who handles all of Gerstlauer's operations in the Western Hemisphere.[7][8]

Duplo

The Duplo section is based on the LEGO-affiliated namesake brand targeting to children aged 1½ to 5 years old. The area includes a number of Duplo themed and water oriented attractions, including a playground called Playtown.

Fun Town

Fun Town is a role-playing amusement area guests simulate adult skills or professional identities.[9]

  • Volvo Driving School for 6 to 13 years olds includes Lego cars, multiple intersections, two way traffic and traffic signals, on a closed circuit designed to promote safe driving and skills.
  • Volvo Junior Driving School geared towards 3 to 5 year olds features a simple oval self-propelled vehicles with a lower gear ratio.[10]
  • Lego Factory is a tour of a mockup Lego factory that details the production of Lego bricks.
  • Police and Fire Academy is a competitive team attraction where groups propel a hand pumped truck in a race down a street to douse a simulated building "fire" and return the truck.
  • Flight Squadron is a ride where patrons ride in Lego airplanes that move up and move in a circle.
  • Sky Patrol is a ride involving on Lego helicopters.

Fun Town is also the location of Legoland Water Park, opened on May 28, 2010.

Miniland USA

Miniland USA is a 1:20 scale model miniature park featuring prominent architecture and symbols from seven areas in the United States. Elements in the model are visible throughout the Legoland park. It was constructed over the course of three years using more than 20 million LEGO bricks.

Areas depicted at Miniland:

Also featured at Miniland:

  • Block of Fame – a 3-dimensional LEGO art gallery featuring famous people and works of art
  • Star Wars

Miniland includes the Model Shop, the main design and building office for Legoland's US parks. A large viewing window allows guests to watch master model builders working on new models.

Castle Hill

Castle Hill is a medieval castle-themed area.

  • Dragon - roller coaster with a dark ride through a castle featuring static and animatronic period characters.
  • Knights Tournament ride around on a very large robotic arm, selecting levels.
  • Hideaways a large multi-level wooden playground designed for younger children, structure with slides, rope ladders, and bridges.
  • Royal Joust an oval track narrow gauge ride for small children.

The area includes a miniature golf course. The space had previously housed a "rock band" or "singing rock garden". The rock's original recording can still be heard on holes 12-18 on the course.[11]

Imagination Zone

In the Imagination Zone, visitors can ride a Wild Mouse-style roller coaster called the "Technic Coaster-Test Track"(formally Project X), choose from three different "4-D" movies called "Bob the Builder", "Spellbreaker", and "Clutch Powers" (a racing movie). Kids can also race Lego cars that they build themselves in Build 'n Test, play the "Maniac Challenge" in which guests play LEGO PC games, and program robots in "Mindstorms". Guests can also ride on "Bionicle Blaster", which is a version of the teacup ride, or the "Aquazone Wave Racers", a duel water carousel.

Pirate Shores

Pirate Shores is a well received splash park and has six water oriented rides and attractions. [12][13]

  • Splash Battle is a water cannon pirate ship themed ride, where competing teams face each other.
  • Soak 'N Sail is an interactive two-story complex water playground featuring a collection of smaller slides, jets, cannons and two tower top 500 gallon buckets that void their contents intermittently.
  • Treasure Falls is a small themed log flume geared towards children.
  • Swabbie's Deck is a children's water and wading area similar to a splash pad.
  • Captain Cranky's Challenge is a mock pirate ship that sways in a u-shaped track and rotates bi-directionally.
  • Skipper School is an outdoor boat ride adults and children pilot self-propelled Lego boats around a water course.
  • Pirate Reef opened May 2012, and is a 'shoot the chutes' attraction with interactive components including a splash bridge, water cannons and brick building play area. The attraction is accessible from both Pirate Shores and Legoland Water Park![14]

Land of Adventure

The most recent section of the theme park (opened in May 2008), which is designed to replicate the 1920s in Egypt. "Pharaoh's Revenge" involves guests firing foam balls at targets and at each other. On "Beetle Bounce" guests bounce nearly 15 feet (4.6 m) to nearly touch the enormous beetles above. "Cargo Ace", lets guests board one of eight planes to fly six feet into the air. "Lost Kingdom Adventure" is Legoland California's most recent attraction. Guests board and ride a roadster to recover stolen treasure by blasting targets with laser guns along their journey. Another recently opened attraction is "Dune Raiders", which is a slide.

Legoland Water Park

The first feature that users encounter when entering the Legoland Water Park is the Aquatune hydraulophone, an underwater pipe organ. The hydraulophone is the centerpiece of a series of interactive exhibits on either side of it that teach other elements of flow, such as water tables, and small water laboratory-like spaces where participants can explore hydraulophonic-like action (blocking water jets to create head, pressure, etc.), and also construct dams from Lego bricks.

This is a water park area in Legoland California. Construction began in September 2009. It opened on May 28, 2010. It is located next to the buildings in Fun Town. It is the first Legoland to feature a waterpark. It is not possible to buy a separate admission ticket solely for the water park. Legoland Water Park opened in Florida 2 years later. A Legends of Chima expansion opened in early July in 2014.

FIRST LEGO League

Each December, Legoland hosts the FIRST LEGO League Southern California Regional Championships to decide which team out of 50+ teams goes on to St. Louis, MO for the FLL World Championships.


Timeline

  • 1999: Park Opens
  • 2000: Spellbreaker;[15] Aquazone Wave Racers
  • 2001: Technic Coaster [16]
  • 2002: LEGO Racers 4-D [17]
  • 2003: Legoland Sports Jam [18]
  • 2004: Dino Island; Coastersaurus;[19] Spellbreaker removed [15]
  • 2005: Knight’s Tournament; Wild Woods Golf; Freedom Tower model in Miniland New York[20]
  • 2006: Pirate Shores [21]
  • 2007: Las Vegas Miniland;[22] Captain Cranky’s Challenge
  • 2008: Land of Adventure; Sea Life Aquarium [23]
  • 2009: Dune Raiders [24]
  • 2010: Legoland Waterpark
  • 2011: Star Wars Miniland; Splash Zoo (in Legoland Waterpark)
  • 2012: Pirate Reef;[25] Star Wars Miniland Expansion; Claws exhibit at Sea Life Aquarium
  • 2013: Legoland Hotel, LEGO Legends of Chima, Junior Conceirge Contest
  • 2014: Lego Legends of Chima Water Park[26] Lego Movie Experience

References

  1. ^ Kinsman, Michael (July 14, 2005). "Control of Legoland parks sold". The San Diego Union Tribune.
  2. ^ "NORTH AMERICA'S FIRST SEA LIFE AQUARIUM OPENS ITS DOORS!" (Press release). LEGOLAND California. August 11, 2008. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
  3. ^ "AECOM Global Attractions Attendance Report 2010" (PDF). Kris Harris. 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2012-03-29.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ http://california.legoland.com/en/explore/shopping/marketplace/
  5. ^ http://california.legoland.com/en/explore/rides_and_attractions/the_beginning/
  6. ^ http://california.legoland.com/en/explore/rides_and_attractions/the_beginning/package_pickup/
  7. ^ "Gerstlauer busy in 2011". Park World Magazine. 29 December 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Projects". Ride Entertainment Group. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  9. ^ [1]. Legoland Funtown.
  10. ^ [2]. Legoland Funtown Driving Schools.
  11. ^ [3]. Legoland Castle Hill.
  12. ^ "LA Times Review: Legoland Pirate Reef ">[4]. LA Times Review: Legoland Pirate Reef.
  13. ^ "BizJournal More Details on Legoland’s Pirates Themed Expansion">[5].
  14. ^ "BizJournal More Details on Legoland’s Pirates Themed Expansion">[6]. BizJournal More Details on Legoland’s Pirates Themed Expansion.
  15. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Spellbreaker - Legoland California". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  16. ^ Marden, Duane. "Technic Coaster - Legoland". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  17. ^ "A 4-D Movie & Out-Of-This-World Special Events Debut at the Family Theme Park in time for Summer 2002". Kidzn'Fun. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  18. ^ "Legoland Sports Jam". PRP. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  19. ^ Marden, Duane. "Coastersaurus - Legoland California". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  20. ^ "Wild Wood Golf Opens at LEGOLAND California". Travel Video News. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  21. ^ Niles, Robert. "'Pirate Shores' debuts at Legoland California". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  22. ^ "Legoland Sneak Peek: Miniland Las Vegas Photos". RandomSanDiego. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  23. ^ "SEA LIFE™ Aquarium Lost City of Atlantis Opened in 2008". BeachCalifornia. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  24. ^ Niles, Robert. "It's not too early for the silly season". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  25. ^ MacDonald, Brady. "Review: Pirate Reef ride guaranteed to get you wet at Legoland". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  26. ^ http://california.legoland.com/explore/chimawaterpark/
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