Last month, LEGOLAND California Resort unveiled plans to open the world's first Lego-themed water park.
The 5.5-acre water park will open in June at the Carlsbad amusement park. It will be located in the previously undeveloped northwest corner.
Geared for families with children ages 2 to 12, the water park will feature a six-person raft slide, single-person tube slides, body slides, a lazy river, hands-on toddler areas, two sandy beach wading areas and a 45-foot tower spewing water. The lazy river will include a build-a-raft concept where kids can customize their rafts with soft Lego bricks before floating down the waterway.
Park guests will pay an extra $10 to upgrade their LEGOLAND ticket to include the water park. The new attraction also will be included in the price of hopper tickets and resort memberships.
Resort General Manager Peter Ronchetti said LEGOLAND also plans to debut another amusement this year. On March 19, the theme park will introduce a brand new Lego character with the launch of “A Clutch Powers 4-D Adventure.”
Ronchetti said the new show and water park will bring 100 new jobs to Carlsbad, which he referred to as a welcome boon in the current economy. Ronchetti said more than $15 million is being invested in the resort this year.
The water park is part of LEGOLAND's strategy to become a destination where families can spend several days. The theme park plans to build a 250-room Lego-theme hotel when the economy recovers.
Regardless of the current economic situation, LEGOLAND finished out 2009 with its strongest year ever.
“2009 was a record year here at LEGOLAND California Resort,” Ronchetti said.
He reported that 2009 marked six years of continuous growth for the theme park, with a 6 percent growth in attendance over 2008. He also reported guest satisfaction ratings in the high 90s, a statistic rarely heard in the amusement park industry.
“Many theme parks across the country have reported difficult trading and necessary cost control actions as a result of the challenging economic climate over recent months,” Ronchetti said. “So we feel very fortunate with all of the expansion here at LEGOLAND California Resort to be able to report that our attendance continues to grow.”
He attributed the Sea Life Aquarium, which opened in August 2007, to being a big contributor to attracting new guests. There are 28 Sea Life Aquariums throughout the world; Carlsbad's is the first in North America.
Ronchetti said it has been so successful that Merlin Entertainments Group, the parent company of the LEGOLAND and Sea Life attractions, is developing a Sea Life in Phoenix that will open in June.
He also attributed LEGOLAND California's success in 2009 to launching a new Bob the Builder 4-D movie, the inauguration scene in Miniland U.S.A. making headlines around the world and the new Dune Raiders slide attraction.
“We look forward to a fantastic year in 2010,” Ronchetti said.
For more information about the water park, visit www.legolandwaterpark.com. For more information about LEGOLAND, visit www.legoland.com.