Amusement Park News

California's Legoland is reaching for the stars with a new immersive 2.38-acre land – or perhaps better called a galaxy - planned for its Carlsbad location. It will be the LEGO Galaxy, and the theme is space. It should be a popular theme for kids, one which is described by the park's planning documents to include training for space missions and interaction with intergalactic travelers.

The area will be built in the section of the park that now holds the Driving School and Junior Driving School attractions. Although those two rides have been at the park since the late 1990s they're still popular, and will be moved elsewhere in the park.

LEGO Galaxy will feature two feature rides, retail, a play area, and of course, a LEGO brick-building area.

The biggest attraction will be what the park is calling an indoor galactic exploration rollercoaster. It will be a family coaster, located inside a large building dubbed a space port. The structure will be 32,000-square-feet, rising some 44-feet in height. The ride's storyline will send passengers off on an exploratory interstellar mission using custom LEGO space vehicles. Details on the ride are few, as it is still in development, but it will be a launch coaster. Along with the ride itself, the building housing it will include a retail store and the brick-building attraction.



The coaster will be the first large scale indoor coaster attraction built at a Legoland theme park. The exterior of the structure will feature LEGO space port styling and contain both indoor and outdoor queue space.  While comparisons are being made to Disney's Space Mountain as another space-themed, indoor coaster, Legoland's ride will doubtlessly be designed as less of a thriller and more of a family attraction.

Also located in the new LEGO Galaxy area will be a lift and spin ride with a space theme. Designed to accommodate 24 passengers, it will feature three spinning arms, each with four gondolas positioned on the ends and designed to carry two passengers. The attraction will be a Huss airboat flat ride.

The children's playground will also feature a space theme with an alien spaceship climbing structure. This area will be about 1700-square-feet. There will be a separate 1200-square-foot Duplo toddler play area. Both the toddler and bigger kid play areas will feature slides and what the park is calling space exploration activities.

With the project still in early planning stages, the Carlsbad Planning Commission has recommended their approval for the new land, which as yet does not have a timeline for completion. A debut is indicted as Spring 2025, but due to the length of the planning process, it may open later in 2025.  

While obviously focused on LEGO styling, the concept over all reflects both some of Disney's Space Mountain with a helping of the mouse's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge mixed in.

As to the two driving school attractions, they'll be relocated rather than phased out with a separate planning commission application indicating their new location to be where the present Funtown Fire Academy is now positioned in the park. The Fire Academy and its landscaping will be removed and replaced with what the park describes as "two small single-story structures and other site improvements to create attraction areas and pedestrian walkways.” The fate of the fire academy is unknown at this time.

Julie Estrada, spokesman for Legoland California, says that this restructuring is accurate. She does not know what will happen to the Funtown Fire Academy itself, but she does not rule out the possibility that the attraction could be “brought back at a different location in the future.”

While LEGO Galaxy is certainly an impressive new development at the park, it's not the only one in the works for the park. This spring, the Carlsbad location will welcome its new Dino Valley, replete with a dinosaur themed safari and river ride. Duplo Little Dino Trail will replace what was Safari Trek, while the Explorer River Quest ride replaces Fairy Tale Brook. The river expedition is where guests will spot a fully animated, 11-foot-long, 672-pound Stegosaurus crafted with over 119,000 Lego bricks. The giant Stegosaurus will be one of 16 large dinosaur animatronic creatures to reside on the river quest ride. The land also will contain the park's current Coastersaurus roller coaster and the park's interactive Dino Dig.



To welcome this new land, the park will host a Dinosaur Costume Party on March 3rd and is hoping to set a record for the largest such party. It will be led by none other than the LEGO T-Rex; as well as with a new Dino Valley costumed character brought in for the first time. Guests will be invited to come attired in their own Dino costumes to receive free park admission on party day. Those participating must register for the event on the park's website.

Also this year: Legoland is again channeling another bit of Disney with its first-ever parade, The LEGO World parade. The parade will include a Firetruck float, as well as a pirate ship, and other floats based on LEGO® NINJAGO®, LEGO® Friends, LEGO® City Deep Sea Adventure, and LEGO DUPLO® characters.

Finally, the park's other big news is its anniversary: the park is celebrating its 25th this year.

According to Kurt Stocks, Legoland California Resort president, “As the first Legoland Park in North America, it's remarkable to see how Legoland California's legacy of play has inspired generations of families over the last 25 years.”