CARLSBAD — As the countdown to summer begins, Legoland is marking days off the calendar to another big day — the opening of the first-ever Lego-themed water park on May 28.
The family-friendly Legoland Water Park will combine elements of traditional water parks with unique features only made possible by the Lego brand. The designers embraced interaction, education and fun to deliver a water park specifically geared toward families with younger children.
“This is a first — it’s never been done before,” Peter Ronchetti, Legoland’s general manager, said. “It’s truly geared for 2- to 12-year-old children and their families.”
The $12 million water park features several different areas that cater to different age groups. From a four-person family slide to the Imagination Station, families can enjoy hours of entertainment at the brand-new water park.
The Duplo Splash Safari will appeal to the toddler crowd, with a small-scale Kid Creek and several animal models located in shallower water. Each animal will feature an interactive element, like a crank that creates a spray of water, that Legoland always strives to include in attractions, Operations Project Manager Mike Pastor said.
“What’s really important about this is, of course, is the safety element,” Pastor said. “We’re having up to 100 lifeguards in this area.”
Several slides, like the Twin Chasers, Splash Out and the Orange Rush, will depart from the park’s various tower structures. The slides vary in length and speed, with the Orange Rush even accommodating up to four people on a raft.
One of the park’s most traditional elements — an 800-foot “lazy river” that circles the park — has also taken on a unique Lego twist.
The river rafts were specially designed and include a base plate that can be adorned with floatable Lego bricks. Thousands of pieces were made specifically for use at the park, allowing park guests the opportunity to customize their rafts before setting sail.
“This is one of the key elements that make the water park concept very different from everything else you’ve seen,” Ronchetti said.
Education will come into play in the park’s Imagination Station, where guests will have access to two interactive tables. One will feature tools to build bridges and dams, while the other will allow guests an opportunity to create different flows of water and control water blasting cannons.
The area will also feature an Aqua Tune, “a musical stand that goes before you,” said Legoland spokesperson Julie Estrada. Guests can play music by placing fingers over different holes that shoot out water. “In a way, kids can conduct their own symphony.”
The new park will also include two sandy beach areas and cabanas perfectly sized for families. A food and beverage station featuring California cuisine promises healthy meals like chicken and vegetarian wraps.
Family-sized lockers and a changing station will also be available for use while at the water park.
For more information, visit www.california.legoland.com.
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