Swashbuckling pirates, clawed crustaceans and a motley crew of characters from a "galaxy far, far away" helped unveil the changes in store for LEGOLAND California Resort in the coming year, including a brand new water ride, that the theme park's General Manager Peter Ronchetti announced at an annual news conference on Thursday, Jan. 19.
Ronchetti also reported that the park's growth eight-year streak continues, with attendance in 2011 setting a record with a double-digit jump from the previous year. Ronchetti attributed the growth to the park's efforts to add new features.
"We are always giving our guests something new to experience," he said. "And when I say experience, I truly mean that in every definition of the word, unlike some theme parks where you watch things happen around you, we take pride in giving families an interactive personalized experience where each guest can say they are the ones to make things happen."
In 2012, LEGOLAND California will get a multimillion-dollar investment, including additions to its popular LEGO Star Wards Miniland, a new pirate-themed attraction to Pirate Shores that's sure to make a big splash and Claws, a new exhibit at the SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium that will feature lobsters, crabs and other clawed creatures.
The most notable addition will be Pirate Reef, which is scheduled to debut May 24 and be accessible through both LEGOLAND California and the LEGOLAND Water Park. It will allow guests to get into water-cannon enhanced ships that will allow them to do "battle on the high seas." As they go around, they'll have to avoid getting drenched on a main bridge and plunge 25 feet down a chute.
"The biggest thing they are going to be excited about is getting to stand on board a large life-size LEGO pirate ship and they're going to get really wet," exclaimed Project Designer Lindsay Burroughs when speaking about what guests can expect of Pirate Reef. "Each ship is about 40 feet long and more than 20 feet high."
The popular Star Wars Miniland, which debuted last year to popular acclaim, will be enhanced on March 29, adding even more details to the iconic scenes that span across the Star Was universe. The additions include and underwater scene in the Naboo area with an opee sea killer, as well as a Jawa sandcrawler in Tatooine and rebels caught in a net set by Ewoks in Endor.
Also added to the area will be a LEGO Star Wars Gallery that will feature 3-foot-tall models of 12 characters including Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, R2D2, Yoda and Chewbacca. On Feb 20, LEGOLAND California will unveil two new models of Darth Maul to celebrate the release of "Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace" in 3-D in theaters.
"Claws," a new interactive exhibit, will open at the SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium in the spring. It will include five new displays with clawed creatures that include Japanese spider crabs, coconut crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans.
Ronchetti also noted that LEGOLAND California's growth mirrors that of its parent company, Merlin Entertainments Group. This year, the company plans to open four new attractions, including a SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Kansas City; a new LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Atlanta and a LEGOLAND Water Park in LEGOLAND Florida.
Ronchetti also reported that the park's growth eight-year streak continues, with attendance in 2011 setting a record with a double-digit jump from the previous year. Ronchetti attributed the growth to the park's efforts to add new features.
"We are always giving our guests something new to experience," he said. "And when I say experience, I truly mean that in every definition of the word, unlike some theme parks where you watch things happen around you, we take pride in giving families an interactive personalized experience where each guest can say they are the ones to make things happen."
In 2012, LEGOLAND California will get a multimillion-dollar investment, including additions to its popular LEGO Star Wards Miniland, a new pirate-themed attraction to Pirate Shores that's sure to make a big splash and Claws, a new exhibit at the SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium that will feature lobsters, crabs and other clawed creatures.
The most notable addition will be Pirate Reef, which is scheduled to debut May 24 and be accessible through both LEGOLAND California and the LEGOLAND Water Park. It will allow guests to get into water-cannon enhanced ships that will allow them to do "battle on the high seas." As they go around, they'll have to avoid getting drenched on a main bridge and plunge 25 feet down a chute.
"The biggest thing they are going to be excited about is getting to stand on board a large life-size LEGO pirate ship and they're going to get really wet," exclaimed Project Designer Lindsay Burroughs when speaking about what guests can expect of Pirate Reef. "Each ship is about 40 feet long and more than 20 feet high."
The popular Star Wars Miniland, which debuted last year to popular acclaim, will be enhanced on March 29, adding even more details to the iconic scenes that span across the Star Was universe. The additions include and underwater scene in the Naboo area with an opee sea killer, as well as a Jawa sandcrawler in Tatooine and rebels caught in a net set by Ewoks in Endor.
Also added to the area will be a LEGO Star Wars Gallery that will feature 3-foot-tall models of 12 characters including Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, R2D2, Yoda and Chewbacca. On Feb 20, LEGOLAND California will unveil two new models of Darth Maul to celebrate the release of "Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace" in 3-D in theaters.
"Claws," a new interactive exhibit, will open at the SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium in the spring. It will include five new displays with clawed creatures that include Japanese spider crabs, coconut crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans.
Ronchetti also noted that LEGOLAND California's growth mirrors that of its parent company, Merlin Entertainments Group. This year, the company plans to open four new attractions, including a SEA LIFE Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Kansas City; a new LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Atlanta and a LEGOLAND Water Park in LEGOLAND Florida.