About Us
Heroes Wanted
If your family is seeking even more fun than ever before, LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad is the place to visit. Located just an hour south of Anaheim and 30 minutes north of San Diego, the Resort features LEGOLAND California, SEA LIFE Aquarium, Grand Pacific Palisades Resort Hotel and the new Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa. At LEGOLAND California, everyone is a hero on our more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, including the expanded Land of Adventure. At SEA LIFE Aquarium, you’ll discover undersea creatures like sea stars, sharks and stingrays. Interactive discovery zones and touch pools help make SEA LIFE the perfect way to introduce children to the wonders of the aquatic world.
Merlin Entertainments Group®
MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS GROUP is the leading name in location based, family entertainment, which has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over the last five years. The world's second largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin has 58 attractions and six hotels in 12 countries and across 3 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 33 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13,000 employees. Merlin Entertainments operates the following attractions - SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers, Warwick Castle, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and Earth Explorer.
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 40th anniversary in 2008; 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.