About Us
Heroes Wanted
At LEGOLAND California everyone in the family becomes a hero. There are more than 50 super rides, shows and attractions to choose from. PIRATES WANTED. Put your sea legs to the test on the new Captain Cranky's Challenge, a pirate ship ride that truly rocks. THRILL SEEKERS WANTED. Look out for fun as you and family stroll down a miniture version of "the strip" at the new Miniland Las Vegas. KNIGHTS WANTED. Are you brave enough for the Knights’ Tournament as track-free robotic arms give you unexpected twists and turns? FIREFIGHTERS WANTED. Man the fire trucks at Fun Town Fire Academy. Become an intrepid fossil hunter at Dig Those Dinos, or an ace driver at the Volvo Driving School. HEROES WANTED.
Merlin Entertainments Group®
The LEGOLAND theme parks are a part of Merlin Entertainments Group. Merlin Entertainments Group ranks second in the world and first in Europe in terms of attractions operators. With 51 attractions worldwide, Merlin Entertainments Group entertains 30 million guests across 12 countries. The company’s shareholders are Blackstone and the LEGO® Company. The group's holdings include LEGOLAND, Sea Life, The Dungeons, Earth Explorer, Madame Tussauds, Gardaland, British Airways London Eye, Heide Park, Alton Towers, Warwick Castle, Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park brands.
For more information on Merlin Entertainments Group click here.
From Miniland to Family Attraction
Ole Kirk Christiansen started making wooden toys in his small workshop in Billund, Denmark in 1932. Two years later, Ole Kirk decided upon a name for his toys and his workshop - LEGO, a contraction of the Danish words 'leg godt,' meaning 'play well.' Coincidentally, it was later learned that LEGO in Latin means "I put together" or "I assemble."
In 1947, the company bought its first plastics injection-molding machine and in 1949 the forerunner to the LEGO brick was introduced, under the name "Automatic Binding Bricks".
Inner tubes on the bricks were introduced in 1958, which significantly increased the number of possible building combinations. In 1967, the larger DUPLO® bricks for pre-school children were introduced, and LEGO TECHNIC for older children debuted in 1977. LEGO DACTA®, now know as The Educational Division, was set up in 1980.
It was the increasing interest in the fantastic LEGO masterpieces displayed at the factories that triggered Godtfred Kirk Christiansen's idea of exhibiting the models outside. He originally envisioned just a little garden, where various LEGO models and figures could be displayed, but when work began on the project, it developed and became much larger.
In June 1968, LEGOLAND® Billund opened for the first time on a 9 acre site. All buildings, landscapes and vehicles were built using standard LEGO bricks, and the park's success exceeded everyone's expectations - in the first year alone, 625,000 happy visitors were guests at the park!
LEGOLAND Today
In addition to LEGOLAND California (opened March 20, 1999), there are currently 3 LEGOLAND parks in the world - LEGOLAND Billund in Denmark marked its 35th anniversary in 2003; LEGOLAND Windsor outside of London opened in 1996, and has been awarded the British Government's top honor for excellence in academic programs and LEGOLAND Deutschland in Germany opened the Spring of 2002.
LEGOLAND California is a 128-acre park geared specifically towards youngsters ages two through 12. With over 50 family rides, "hands-on" attractions and shows, LEGOLAND California provides education, adventure and fun in this first park of its kind in the United States.