FIRST TIME LEGOLANDERS! Our family spent three summer days at LEGOLAND California Resort and we are breaking it down piece by piece. AND also giving the GOLD on how to FIND MR GOLD!
Day 1 (Sunday): Hotel Arrival & Brick Building
We arrived Sunday and dove straight into the LEGOLAND creative spirit. As first timers why would you not. Atlas found build zones around every corner and especially loved the in room scavenger hunt prizes! He also began practicing asking EVERY Model Citizen (people who work their) is the have “Seen Mr Gold or Space Baby.” It has to be from a child and the limited edition pop badges are hard to come by. We tried our hand at bingo and ditched story time early, preferring to dance the night away at he night club and ride the disco-ball elevators. The pool was a literally and physically cool with a walk in entrance and floating legos to build your own rafts.
Day 2 (Monday): Water Park & SEA LIFE Aquarium
Monday was pro-level splash time. From chillin on the Build‑A‑Raft River to beating times on the Riptide Racers we made our way through LEGOLAND’S WATERPARK. DUPLO Splash Safari is where we cabana’d. Cragger’s Swamp and Eglor’s Build-A-Boat was a fave but the ultimate family moment was floating in the Lion Temple Wave Pool. After a full day at the park we were off to the SEA LIFE Aquarium- LEGO displays as sea-creature exhibits. There was a fun passport stamping program that allowed us to learn more about he creatures and keep the little entertained.
Day 3 (Tuesday): Theme Park & The Mr. Gold Badge
We closed our trip at the main park, experiencing a lineup of rides:
Explorer River Quest
DUPLO Little Dino Trail
Emmet’s Flying Adventure
Unikitty’s Disco Drop
Legoland Express
Driving School (Atlas’s driver’s license debut)
Sky Patrol
Skipper School
LEGO City: Deep Sea Adventure (submarine ride!)
The Royal Joust
LEGO Show Place
Ferrari Build & Race
Miniland USA
Atlas had countless firsts—his face lit up riding the disco drop multiple times and driving his first car in a sleek lego red vehicle. His two-day practice of asking for Mr Gold and Space Baby paid off: he confidently asked, “Do you have Mr. Gold?” to a Model Citizen at the park entrance and walked away with LEGOLAND’s rarest collector’s keepsake—the elusive Mr. Gold Pop Badge. We drove home to San Diego with hearts full and a badge to prove it!
Okay, ready for some first time tips or what I wish I would have known going there?
Arrive early and take advantage of the Early Park Access for Hotel Guests at LEGOLAND California
Littles be ready to ask staff daily for Pop Badges—Mr. Gold appears only in limited numbers each day
Bring your own snacks and plan restroom visits—Food places were PACKED and the restrooms were too far apart. Apple Fries are totally worth it!
Leave time for creation stations and let your kids be kid but stay attentive for safety and inclusivity.
AND REMEMBER … Patience is key—focus on your kids, not others. Be mindful in crowded LEGO areas and maintain your own boundary of fun!
Hope EVERYTHING about this IS AWESOME!
XoXo
Britt
