Twenty “vampires” and “vampiresses” squealed with delight as they took a private ride on The Dragon coaster at LEGOLAND® California today. The children of blood donors donned capes and fangs to remind people that vampires aren’t the only ones in need of blood this Halloween. In fact, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion – more than 1,200 people need transfusions daily in Southern California alone. That’s why the family theme park in Carlsbad is teaming up with the American Red Cross to lure blood donors from seven different counties into becoming heroes by saving a life.
From Oct. 14 through 28, every person who donates blood to the American Red Cross in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Imperial Counties will be entered into a drawing for a family four-pack of tickets to LEGOLAND California’s Brick-or-Treat celebration. Multiple winners will be chosen at each location from among all presenting donors who fill out an entry form. LEGOLAND is donating 5,000 tickets valued at $335,000 dollars – that’s the largest amount ever donated by LEGOLAND California to any non-profit organization at one time.
Any healthy person age 17 or older and weighing at least 110 pounds may be eligible to donate blood. To find a blood drive near you, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit www.RedCrossBlood.org.
The “vampires” range in age from 4 to 12 and were given return tickets to experience the biggest kids’ Halloween celebration in San Diego during the three remaining weekends of Brick-or-Treat. Every Saturday and Sunday in October revelers 12 and under can trick-or-treat on the Park’s Brick-or-Treat Trail gathering goodies such as a commemorative LEGO® brick, delicious treats and other surprises. The kid-sized cul-de-sac features LEGO-themed treat stations and offers a safe, fun and entertaining trick-or-treating experience.
Brick-or-Treat Party Nights presented by Verizon is bigger and better than ever this year with a new interactive show “Mail Order Monsters”, a new musical light show “The Spirits of Brick-or-Treat”, a second Brick-or-Treat Trail atop the Model Shop and for the first time, SEA LIFE™ Aquarium gets into the spirit of Brick-or-Treat Party Nights with its own Brick-or-Treat Trail bonus station. Brick-or-Treat Party Nights is every Saturday in October from 5 to 9 p.m. when the family theme park transforms into a not-too-spooky Halloween haven featuring costume contests, nighttime trick-or-treating on the Brick or Treat Trails, festive music, entertainment, interaction with the “Boo Crew” and fantastic lighting effects.
Several monstrously fun areas of LEGOLAND are open late for Party Nights: Land of Adventure, Castle Hill, the Imagination Zone and Park favorites Coastersaurus, Safari Trek and Fairy Tale Brook. Every day throughout the month of October, families can climb aboard a giant LEGO jack-o-lantern which is more than 7 feet wide, is made of 22,000 DUPLO® bricks and weighs 850 pounds!
All Brick-or-Treat and Party Nights festivities are included in the price of regular one-day admission to LEGOLAND California. During Brick-or-Treat, LEGOLAND is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. SEA LIFE is staying open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays for those wanting to explore the Aquarium after dark. New this year, guests can pre-purchase Brick-or-Treat tickets online which include SEA LIFE for $59 and receive a complimentary second-day ticket valid through Dec. 25. Guests planning to attend Brick-or-Treat Party Nights only can purchase special tickets online or at the front gate in advance for just $30 at www.LEGOLAND.com or call 760-918-LEGO.
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LEGOLAND Water Park Honored
On October 8 in San Antonio, TX at the world’s largest gathering of water attraction professionals and development experts, the World Waterpark Association honored LEGOLAND® Water Park with the prestigious Industry Innovation Award!
The Industry Innovation Award is judged based on how the organization has set itself apart from others in terms of moving the industry to a new or higher plane. “The Worldwater Park Board of Directors considers new services, techniques and attractions and how those offerings help advance the industry in some way to keep it fresh and inspired,” said Gina Kellogg with World Waterpark Association.
The world’s first LEGO® themed Water Park opened in May and builds on the mission of LEGOLAND® California with interactivity, imagination and fun and is geared specifically for families with children ages 2 to 12. “The fact that our Water Park is LEGO themed and geared toward young children and their families is what truly separates LEGOLAND Water Park from any other water park in the world,” said General Manager of LEGOLAND California Resort Peter Ronchetti. “I’m glad to say the reaction has been very positive and despite the rather untraditional summer weather and continuing economic stress in the market, we have had a very strong season and will be once again reporting record attendance numbers for LEGOLAND California Resort this year.”
Design of the 5.5 acre Water Park began more than 18 months ago after guest surveys indicated that a water park would be a very popular addition to LEGOLAND California Resort. The $12 million investment is the largest expansion in the history of LEGOLAND California.
The most unique features include Build-a-Raft River where guests customize rafts using soft LEGO bricks before floating down an 850-foot-long lazy river; the Imagination Station, where kids can build bridges, dams and cities out of DUPLO® bricks and test them against the flow of water; Aqua Tune, a musical fountain where kids conduct their own water symphony with the touch of their hand and the Water Fall which dumps 500 gallons of water down from a 45-foot-tall LEGO themed tower.
Other key attractions at LEGOLAND Water Park include Orange Rush, a family tube slide where up to four people can ride together down a 312-foot-long curving track on an 11-foot in diameter half pipe; Twin Chasers, two side-by-side enclosed red tube slides that stretch nearly 130 feet, Splash Out, an open body slide that invites guests to slide 240 feet and “splash out” into the water below; Joker Soaker, a fun interactive platform in the wade pool where kids can aim water cannons at each other as a LEGO jester model tells jokes and pours 350 gallons of water down upon them; DUPLO® Splash Safari, a water play area designed especially for toddlers with three small slides and interactive DUPLO creatures including an alligator, polar bear and an elephant; and Kid Creek, a mini lazy river built with younger kids in mind.
LEGOLAND Water Park is located at the north end of LEGOLAND California adjacent to Fun Town with the entrance located between the Factory Tour and the Adventurer’s Club. LEGOLAND guests can upgrade their Park tickets to include LEGOLAND Water Park for $15. Geared for families with children ages 2 to 12, the Water Park will be included in the price of Water Park Hopper tickets and Resort Hopper tickets which include SEA LIFE Aquarium as well. Water Park admission will also be included in Resort Memberships. To learn the latest Water Park news, see photos and video, visit www.LEGOLAND.com. To find out more about World Waterpark Association, visit www.waterparks.org.
