My 4 year old is currently obsessed with Legos and we happened to be in So Cal for other reasons, so it worked out perfectly to make our first trip to Legoland CA.
After researching ticket options online we did find that booking ahead and picking your admission date will save you $$. There are options to add on the Water Park and Sea Life hopper for single or multiple days. We were initially planning to do a 2 day hopper for Legoland plus the Water Park but then I remembered San Diego's "June Gloom" and opted to do just 1 day at Legoland. It was a great call since the mornings and afternoons got cold pretty quick and we definitely would not have made the most of the water park in early June.
Nevertheless we had a wonderful time thoroughly enjoying Legoland itself. It was about a 1.5hr drive from the LA area. We did not stay on site at the Legoland hotel as prices were pretty steep. If you do however plan ahead and book in advance you could get some awesome family package deals. We decided to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach (only a 7min drive from Legoland). It was a nice, laid back hotel across from the ocean and although there was already a cold wind blowing when we arrived, it was still awesome to be so close and to take a walk alongside the water. The hotel also had a lovely heated pool and hot tub.
The super cute Carlsbad downtown area was a 10-15min drive away. With 4.5 stars on Yelp and over 1400 reviews, we decided to go to a restaurant called Campfire for dinner. There was about an hour wait which we didn't mind as it gave us a chance to walk around, look at the cute boutiques and grab a drink at some of the other really nice spots. The food and service at Campfire was perfect - I can see why they have great reviews. Making smores at the table was the thrill of the night for my son.
Legoland hours were 9:30am - 8:00pm on the Saturday we visited. We were up, had breakfast at the hotel and ready to go by 9am. Having been to Disneyland several times both off peak and during peak, our expectations at Legoland were slightly off. First, when driving in to park, we paid the extra $10 for premier parking only to find that since we got there early enough, there were ample spots in the regular parking lot that were the same distance as the premier parking. Haha. My husband and I ended up having a good laugh about it as we walked in.
The hotels were directly in front of the park and looked cute with very easy access. Lines and busyness in general were not as overwhelming as Disneyland, which was a very pleasant surprise for us. We had taken in a stroller as well as our own waters and snacks which did not seem to be a problem when they searched our bags. The rides to non-hotel guests only opened at 10am but there were lots of opportunities to get some pictures with different lego built scenes and statues while we waited.
Again having our Disneyland experiences at the back of our mind, we initially rushed to different rides in an attempt to maximize our time. A few hours in and we realized we didn't have to since as I mentioned, it was not as overwhelming as other major theme parks. There are many different rides for all ages. My 4 yr old specifically loved the Ninjago area and ride, the Royal Joust at Castle Hill and the Junior Driving School in Fun Town. The Duplo Play Town in Fun Town is a great place especially for babies and toddlers.
There are opportunities for the whole family to build and race cars and boats. There are areas in the Imagination Zone to have a quick break while the kids get to build and play with all types of lego bricks. The Deep Sea Adventure ride also has a lego play area to keep the kids busy while you wait in line. Keep in mind there are a few water drenching rides so plan on going on these during a warmer part of the day. We had also carried an extra set of clothes for my son, which he was able to change into after doing the Splash Battle ride.
Throughout the park are Lego characters, statues and even the set from the Lego Movie. My son was thrilled to take a picture with Benny. My husband and I LOVED the Miniland USA which had mini cities built out of legos that included very realistic San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York City and a few others. Another ride my husband enjoyed was the Knights Tournament which was a robot arm that twists and turns you around. We are both highly interested in robotics so it was both entertaining and inspirational. We also watched a couple 4D shows. The "Lego City 4D - Officer in Pursuit" was very entertaining and funny for all ages.
When it came to food, we were pleasantly surprised by the options available. It was much better than most theme parks we have been to. We ate at Garden Deli which had light options of Salads, Sandwiches, Soups and Fruit. Kids get to pick a fruit, chips and juice box with their meal. They also had plenty of shady seating available. It was very relaxing and service was fast and friendly. There were a variety of other options around the park like BBQ at Castle Hill, Ramen at Heartlake City or even Banh Mi in the Ninjago area. We HAD to try the Apple Fries with Vanilla Cream dipping sauce that originated at Legoland. The taste reminded us of warm apple pie.
We had one minor incident where my son got a friction burn on his arm from the Dune Raiders ride which was otherwise super fun for the entire family to race down. We took him to the First Aid area where they were extremely friendly, helpful and kind. They gave him some burn gel to sooth the discomfort and he felt a lot better. Throughout the park kids can trade Lego Minifigures with MCs (Model Citizens). Some kids came to the First Aid team to trade as well. Kids can bring their own Minifigures from home, buy some ready made ones or build and buy their own custom ones at the park.
By the end of the day we had completed most of the park and were pretty satisfied. There were plenty of carnival games around that my son was asking me if he could play. Since you have to pay additional for those and it could be a slippery slope trying to get a prize you want, I gave him a choice. I asked him if he wanted to spend the extra money on the games or pick out a gift from the shop instead. He opted for the gift which I was happy with! The only picture we ended up buying was one with Benny printed on a Lego Brick wall - it’s pretty cool and I recommend it. We were pretty tired doing it all in 1 day but had a wonderful experience and I think the 1 day for the 1 park worked out perfectly for our small family and short trip.
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