Are you planning a trip to LEGOLAND California in 2024? You’ll definitely want to read these top tips for LEGOLAND California before you start planning!
This list of the best tips for LEGOLAND California was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung. It may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Are you planning your first trip to LEGOLAND California? Then you’ll find these tips for LEGOLAND California very useful!
My family loves visiting LEGOLAND California Resort because it’s smaller than other theme parks, has shorter hours, and has so many fun things to do!
Families visiting LEGOLAND California Resort can enjoy a variety of attractions beyond the main theme park, including the interactive LEGOLAND Water Park and the engaging SEA LIFE Aquarium, which are perfect for making the most of your time at the resort.
You’ll have even more fun following the simple steps below, so let’s get started!
If you’re looking for even more ideas, check out my post about what to do at LEGOLAND California with kids under 5 years old. It includes some of our favorite rides and attractions for toddlers and preschoolers!
LEGOLAND California FAQs
The San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the closest to LEGOLAND California.
Most of the rides are designed for kids ages 2 through 12. They have an entire Duplo area with toddler activities. But there are rides with minimum height requirements that are geared for kids ages 5 and up. Kids who are 48″ tall can even do a bunch of rides on their own.
YES! Kids of all genders can play with LEGOs and enjoy amusement park rides and play areas. The new LEGO Movie World has many recognizable characters and attractions that will appeal to anyone who has seen the movie.
Top LEGOLAND Tips and Tricks to Know BEFORE Your Trip
1. Don’t Pay Full Price for Tickets
There are always deals for LEGOLAND California, so there’s no reason to pay full price.
They run a great Black Friday sale each year, with discounts on tickets and hotel rooms. You can also usually find coupons for free kids’ tickets in the LEGO Magazine or when they partner with other brands.
I highly recommend price checking with Get Away Today. They consistently have the lowest prices for hotel and ticket packages and the BEST customer service. Check your dates HERE.
There’s also a promotion in October where several San Diego attractions are free for kids. Otherwise, there are tons of things to do in San Diego for kids any time of year.
You can also save big by pre purchasing your tickets online and bundling attractions, which is a smart way of saving extra cash for souvenirs or meals inside the park.
2. Best Time to go to LEGOLAND
I think LEGOLAND California is really fun year-round. It’s definitely more crowded on Fridays and Sundays than Mondays through Thursdays. And it’s crowded on holidays. So, that should be your first consideration.
If your schedule is flexible, check out this LEGOLAND California crowd calendar. It can help you determine the exact dates for the fewest crowds.
October is another great time to visit LEGOLAND California. That’s because they run a Kids Free San Diego promotion, where you can take advantage of free kids’ tickets for LEGOLAND and other San Diego attractions. They also have some fun Halloween events.
3. Stay in a LEGOLAND Hotel (trust me)
Ok, I’m generally not someone who tells people to stay in a specific hotel because I know everyone has different needs and budgets. However, I strongly suggest staying in a LEGOLAND hotel for several reasons.
First of all, LEGOLAND has fairly condensed hours. It’s usually open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. That means there is a lot of time to find something to keep your kids occupied.
Thankfully, the LEGOLAND hotels have many kids’ programs, pools, playgrounds, and more.
Secondly, it’s literally a few steps away from the park entrance. That makes it easy to run back to the room if you forget something, need to change clothes, or want to bring a toddler back for a quick nap.
Read my reviews of the LEGOLAND Hotel and the LEGOLAND Castle Hotel.
Thirdly, they are set up to help parents out. The kids have a separate sleeping area with bunk beds and a trundle, LEGOs to play with inside the room, and their own TV. There is also a step stool in the bathroom and a seat reducer on the toilet.
The themed rooms at LEGOLAND hotels make it a fully immersive experience that’s exciting for kids and convenient for parents.
When you book a LEGOLAND hotel, you also get a free breakfast buffet with basically every kind of food. There are lots of options for kids, but there are also great options for adults.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that they serve cocktails at the kids’ play areas at the hotels. Brilliant!
4. Two Days is Perfect
I know that many people plan a LEGOLAND day trip, and I think that’s a great option for many families. However, I think two days is the optimal LEGOLAND trip, and I’ll tell you why.
The day does fly by because the park has shorter hours than other theme parks. With a day trip, you probably won’t be able to do all the rides you’d like (especially if there are long lines). You can easily do all the rides on your list in two days.
There’s also a really cool aquarium you can visit for about 2 hours. I’d skip it if you’re just doing a day trip, but I’d definitely do it if you have two days in the park.
The SEA LIFE experience includes educational displays and hands-on learning for kids, making it a wonderful break from the rides.
Finally, there’s also a waterpark you can visit during the warmer months. Again, I’d skip it for a day trip, but it would be worth doing if you had two days.
The water park offers splash pads, slides, and floating LEGO bricks, making it a great place for kids to cool off and play.
5. It’s About an Hour from San Diego
As you plan your LEGOLAND trip, it’s helpful to know that it’s about an hour’s drive from the San Diego Airport—and it can be even longer with traffic.
So, consider that when you book your flights. You might also consider expanding your San Diego itinerary to include a few days in town.
If you take an early morning flight, you might be able to get to LEGOLAND right as it’s opening (or close to it), so you could drop your bags at the hotel and go play.
Arriving early may give you access to early access perks and help you take advantage of lower ride wait times.
It’s also pretty easy to do almost a full day at LEGOLAND and then take an evening flight, as long as you account for the drive to the airport.
6. What to Wear to LEGOLAND
If you are used to doing Disney vacations, you probably wonder if people do the matching family shirts for LEGOLAND or dress up in any way.
We usually see a handful of families with custom family LEGO shirts. I’ve also seen really cute LEGO dresses, but these are definitely the minority.
Usually, you’ll see kids wearing something LEGO-related (like a shirt they bought at Target), pants or shorts, and athletic shoes.
For little LEGO fans, wearing a LEGO car or character shirt can be a fun way to connect with the park’s immersive environment—and may even catch the attention of staff for surprise pop badges!
Adults tend to wear jeans or “comfy” clothing like athleisurewear and athletic shoes.
You’ll also see a lot of hats to block the sun and sunglasses. And people wear sweatshirts or jackets on cooler days.
7. What to Bring to LEGOLAND
It’s helpful to bring a backpack to LEGOLAND with a few essentials, such as sunscreen, because so much of the park is in the open air.
I also recommend bringing some drinks and snacks. Most of the food options don’t open when the park opens, which can leave you scrambling with hungry little kids.
You’ll also want to bring LEGO minifigures to trade inside the park. Most of the stores have a few plastic cases with minifigures, so you can trade with staff members. Just be sure that your LEGO minifigure has all the body parts.
The tradition of minifigure trading is a big hit with kids and a great way to encourage interaction with park staff.
Also, be sure to download the LEGOLAND app before you go—it includes an interactive map, up-to-date park hours, and even a car finder feature to help you locate your vehicle after a full day of fun.
8. Best Rides at LEGOLAND CA
One of the best rides at LEGOLAND California is the new Emmet’s Flying Adventure Ride. It’s basically like Soarin’ Over California at Disneyland, but it’s all about LEGO creations, and it’s seriously amazing!
The Dragon is a great beginner rollercoaster for thrill rides, and the Coastasaurus is one step up from that.
The Driving School (and the Junior Driving School) is a fun place where kids can actually drive a little car on roads through a little town. In the end, they get their own driver’s license.
For interactive rides, LEGO Ninjago The Ride is pretty fun. You use your arms to throw things at bad guys on screens (sort of like Web Slingers at Disney California Adventure). Lost Kingdom Adventure is where you shoot laser guns at targets (sort of like Buzz Lightyear).
Don’t miss the Ninjago ride, which blends physical activity with gaming for an unforgettable family experience.
Families who love thrills should try the Technic Coaster, one of the park’s more daring roller coasters for older kids and adults.
You’ll also want to visit Fun Town, where younger kids can enjoy more relaxed attractions and hands-on experiences.
For a whimsical family ride, Fairy Tale Brook takes you on a charming boat journey through LEGO storybook scenes.
9. What to Eat or Drink at LEGOLAND
One of the best snacks at LEGOLAND is Granny’s Apple Fries. These fries are made from Granny Smith apples and rolled in sugar and cinnamon. They come in a portable container with whipped cream for dipping.
For “real food,” I recommend checking out Knights’ Smokehouse BBQ or the Pizza and Pasta Buffet.
If your family drinks a lot of soda, you might want to buy the LEGOLAND California refillable cups. You pay for the cup, and then each refill is less than $2. This saves much money to do it this way versus paying for soda everywhere you go.
Anything to avoid?
I’m from Seattle, and I only drink “fancy” coffee. I hate to say it, but the coffee options at LEGOLAND totally suck. It all tastes like drip coffee. The same goes for the coffee at the LEGOLAND hotels.
10. They Will Hold Your Purchases
There are several LEGO stores throughout the park, and there’s a good chance someone will see something they want.
If you’re shopping, be aware that the bigger stores closer to the park entrance and exit typically carry the widest variety of exclusive merchandise and limited-time items.
While I usually recommend that people wait to buy stuff until the end of the day so they can just bring it back to their hotel, sometimes the items are no longer in stock. This happened to us with a specific LEGO sword.
The cool thing is that you can actually have the store hang on to your purchases so you can continue your day without holding bags. And they will even bring it to the park exit!
LEGOLAND California for Toddlers
If you’re traveling to LEGOLAND with toddlers, you’ll definitely want to read my Guide to LEGOLAND with Toddlers. We all know that traveling with toddlers has its own struggles, and visiting a theme park with toddlers is different from visiting with older kids.
Tips for LEGOLAND California Wrap-Up
I hope this post helps you plan your perfect LEGOLAND California vacation! It’s one of our favorite family vacation destinations! Keep scrolling to read more articles about LEGOLAND California!