We recently visited one of the most popular family theme parks in California – LEGOLAND Resort. This theme park is a homage to the famous interlocking LEGO building bricks, with more than 60 million LEGO bricks throughout the park! What’s more, LEGOLAND California Resort offers various family-friendly entertainment activities.
Did you know there are ten LEGOLAND Parks worldwide – in California, New York, Florida, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the UK, South Korea, Dubai, and Malaysia?
Interestingly, this was the first theme park we had ever visited, and the girls were really excited. In this blog post, we highlighted some aspects you should know before visiting LEGOLAND California Resort and things not to miss while you are there.
Where is LEGOLAND California?
LEGOLAND California is located in Southern California, Carlsbad. It is only 40 minutes from San Diego and 90 minutes from Los Angeles by car. The good news is that this theme park is not far from the shore, and you can combine your visit with heading to the beach after.
Entrance Fees
Now, let’s talk about the entrance fees to LEGOLAND California Resort. Note that you are required to purchase the tickets in advance (or to have a reservation) to enter the park, and if you purchase tickets online, you get a special discounted rate.
💡 Good to Know
- Weekend admission tickets are more expensive than the weekdays (and weekends are obviously busier), with Tuesday and Wednesday being the cheapest days to visit. So if you are flexible with your dates, consider visiting on a weekday.
- If you do not have a dated ticket or not staying at one of the LEGOLAND Hotels, you must make an advanced reservation on the LEGOLAND website to visit the park. This applies to Annual Pass or Monthly Pay Memberships holders.
- Kids under 3 DO NOT pay for the admission ticket and enter the park for free.
You can choose between 1-day and 2-day tickets and customize your visit depending on the activities you are planning to do.
You can purchase just the LEGOLAND admission – a 1-Day LEGOLAND visit is $114.00 per person ages 3 and up, and 2-Day LEGOLAND is $134.00.
You can add a SEA LIFE Aquarium visit if you like. 1-Day SEA LIFE Hopper (LEGOLAND and SEA LIFE Aquarium admission) is $124.00 per person ages 3 and up, and 2-Day SEA LIFE Hopper is $144.00.
And if you also add a LEGOLAND Water Park visit, it will be a 1-Day RESORT Hopper (LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE Aquarium, and LEGOLAND Water Park admission) with $134.00 per person ages 3 and up and 2-Day RESORT Hopper with $159.00.
💡 Good to Know
If you want to save money on your LEGOLAND entry tickets, try scoring one of the KIDS GO FREE with a paid adult ticket to LEGOLAND (valid only at California, Florida, and New York locations). Some stores sell those LEGOLAND combo tickets, but we found the special link to purchase KIDS GO FREE ticket on the back of a $4.99 LEGO Creator set at Target.
Getting an Annual Pass
If you plan on visiting LEGOLAND California Resort several times a year, consider investing in an Annual Pass.
LEGOLAND California has a multi-tiered Annual Pass program with four different types of annual passes – Elite Annual Pass, Platinum Annual Pass, Gold Annual Pass, and Silver Pass. In addition to general admission, these passes can include admission to LEGOLAND WATER PARK, LEGOLAND SEA LIFE, free parking, and more. You can compare LEGOLAND Annual Passes here.
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If, instead of paying the total amount of the Annual Pass right away, you wish to split it into monthly payments, you can do that by getting a Monthly Pay Membership.
Operating Hours
LEGOLAND California is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm on a weekday and 10 am to 6 pm on a weekend.
SEA LIFE Aquarium is open daily 10:30 am – 5:30 pm on a weekday and 10 am to 6:30 pm on a weekend.
When we visited in April, the LEGOLAND Water Park was open only on weekends, 10:30 am – 5:30 pm.
Map of LEGOLAND California
Here is the map of LEGOLAND California Resort.
💡 Good to Know
We highly recommend downloading the LEGOLAND California Resort Mobile App. Not only it has a map of the theme park, but it also shows real-time waiting periods for in-park rides.
Parking at LEGOLAND
LEGOLAND California Resort has a vast parking lot in front of the theme park. We paid the parking fees in advance and showed the QR code at the entrance ($27 per vehicle).
Remember that some of the Annual Passes offered by LEGOLAND California Resort include the parking fee.
You can also drop off people by following the signs to the special line at the park entrance.
💡 Good to Know
To ensure the safety of all visitors, a security check is required before entering the park. Please be aware that bags and belongings will be inspected, and some visitors may be scanned with a metal detector.
Build a custom figure at Minifigure Market
We suggest that the very first thing you do when entering LEGOLAND California is go to the Minifigure Market, located right by the theme park’s entrance. This is the place where you can trade or build your own minifigures!
LEGOLAND California offers a pack of three build-your-own Minifigures for $14.99. When buying the tickets online, we also got one pack of build-your-own minifigures for the exact same price. So if you did not have a chance to add this to your cart, don’t worry; you can still get a pack of custom minifigures by paying at the store.
The girls had a blast building their funny-looking minifigures with witch or pirate hats. And they ventured to explore the theme park with their new buddies.
Although, we have to admit we thought there would be more options to choose from and were a little disappointed by the number of accessories they offered.
Visit the SEA LIFE Aquarium
We must say we just recently learned that LEGOLAND California has an Aquarium on the property. When purchasing our tickets online, we chose the SEA LIFE Hopper option with our LEGOLAND admission ticket.
At the SEA LIFE Aquarium, you’ll be greeted by over 5,000 sea creatures that coexist alongside LEGO models. With play zones, interactive quiz trails, special displays, and a tide pool touch tank, SEA LIFE Aquarium offers both educational and entertaining experiences for all ages.
Our girls really enjoyed the Aquarium and were happy to spot some of their favorite animals, such as an octopus and a manta ray. Our little one was mesmerized by the tank with Nemo and Dory, and the oldest was screaming “sharks” whenever she got the chance to see them 😅.
You should be ready to spend at least 45 minutes there.
Visit the LEGOLAND Water Park
LEGOLAND Water Park in California is the world’s first LEGOLAND Water Park and features seven water slides, a Build-A-Raft River, and beaches!
Some things to consider when visiting LEGOLAND Water Park include:
- Entering the LEGOLAND Water Park requires an additional payment and is not included in your general admission ticket.
- Some LEGOLAND Annual Passes include the LEGOLAND Water Park admission.
- LEGOLAND Water Park is closed on some days, so be sure to check the calendar before heading to the park.
- You need to bring your towel; otherwise, you’ll have the purchase one at the park.
Take a LEGOLAND California Ride
LEGOLAND California Resort has more than 60 rides and attractions to explore.
Like any other theme park, LEGOLAND California rides have lines to get in, and LEGOLAND California offers Reserve & Ride if you want to reduce your waiting time. You can get RESERVE ‘N’ RIDE – ULTIMATE (for $100.00), where you get almost instant access to all the rides with a maximum of 6 minutes waiting time; RESERVE ‘N’ RIDE – DELUXE (for $55.00), with a maximum of 30 minutes waiting time; and RESERVE ‘N’ RIDE – EXPRESS (for $35.00) with a maximum of 45 minutes waiting time if a waiting time is an hour.
Make a ride reservation on your smartphone or Reserve ‘N’ Ride device, and note that you can only make one ride reservation at a time!
💡 Good to Know
Download the LEGOLAND California Resort Mobile App, where you can track the waiting period for each ride in real-time and pick your rides accordingly.
Here are some of the rides that we took with our 2 and 8 year olds!
Coast Cruise
We took a short, narrated coast cruise, which was great for our whole family, even our 2-year-old. Along the ride, we passed Eiffel Tower, Big Ban, Taj Mahal, and Mount Rushmore LEGO models made of thousands of LEGO bricks.
Deep Sea Adventure
We boarded a submarine and submerged into the water at the Deep Sea Adventure. The submarine is relatively big, and can fit at least 8 people at a time.
Not only we got to see real sea creatures, but we also searched for treasure on the treasure-searching interactive screen.
Driving School
The Driving School ride is designed for children aged 6-13, allowing them to drive their own miniature car. The kids did not seem to follow any rules whatsoever, but it definitely looked like they were having fun 😅!
Afterward, you could even earn a laminated LEGOLAND Driver’s license as a keepsake (for an additional fee)!
Stop by MINILAND USA
While the kids were fascinated by rides and their favorite LEGO characters throughout the park, the grownups thought that MINILAND USA was indeed the coolest part of LEGOLAND California. MINILAND USA presents five U.S. cities – San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York City, and Washington D.C.
We were blown away by the attention to detail in this installation! The famous landmarks and iconic buildings are so beautifully crafted, and it’s amazing to think about the number of LEGO bricks that must have gone into creating it all. Truly impressive!
Can you imagine it took approximately 2 million LEGO bricks to construct the New York City model?
Enjoy the show on Miniland Stage
At Miniland Stage, you can witness seasonal performances. During our recent visit, we were delighted to watch the School of Spinjitzu training-style show, which taught us some impressive ninja moves!
Dining
You do not have to worry about dining when in LEGOLAND California. Whether you are craving pizza, a burger, a BBQ, or even ramen – LEGOLAND California has got you covered.
💡 Good to Know
The heads up is that LEGOLAND California Resort is cashless and accepts only credit or debit cards. If you’re looking to turn your cash into a prepaid card while at the theme park, there are Cash-to-Card Kiosks available for your convenience.
We decided to try the Everything is Ramen cafe inside the theme park and were not disappointed.
The kid’s meals included a side of juice and raisins and were served in a cute LEGOLAND bag. We were happy that our little picky-eaters approved their lunch!
Accommodations
Did you know you can stay at LEGO-themed hotels inside the theme park? LEGOLAND California Hotel and LEGOLAND Castle Hotel have options like Pirate, Kingdom, Adventure, LEGO Friends, Knights & Dragons, Wizard, and Princess-themed rooms. There’s something for everyone. Moreover, you can enjoy nightly children’s entertainment, interactive LEGO features, and early access to LEGOLAND Park.
FAQ
What age is best for LEGOLAND California?
The suggested age to visit LEGOLAND California is from 2 to 12, but honestly, it depends on your child. If your kid has a great interest in playing with LEGO bricks, taking rides, and can spend a day exploring the grounds of a theme park, you can definitely visit LEGOLAND California.
How many days do you need in LEGOLAND California?
One full day is typically enough to explore the theme park if you are not visiting the LEGOLAND Water Park.
How long are the lines to rides in LEGOLAND California?
The wait time for each ride varies, ranging anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour. We recommended downloading the LEGOLAND California Resort Mobile App to stay updated on the real-time wait periods.
Does LEGOLAND California require a lot of walking?
It indeed requires a lot of walking; the theme park is 50 acres. We recommend bringing a stroller for younger kids. They also have strollers for rent.
