A Birthday Weekend at Legoland California

For the past three years, we have thrown Elsie a birthday party. Tired of the organization and flakey turnout, I proposed to Elsie this year that she could have a birthday trip instead. She loved the idea of a family weekend instead of a party and it did not take her long to decide on Legoland California as a destination!

Elsie is a Lego fanatic and I have to say… I was probably more excited than most adults at the prospect of visiting myself!

A Birthday Weekend Everyone Could Enjoy

There is a six year age gap between Elsie and her brothers, which can cause a problem when it comes to attractions. I believe we hit the perfect time to visit Legoland, because the Twins (3yrs) could go on almost all the rides, and Elsie (9yrs) loved every moment too. The park definitely offers something for everyone, from the grown-ups geeking out over MiniLand USA to the endless amusement of life sized Lego people.

Splurging on the Lego Castle Hotel

We’ve made a few trips to Disneyland and DisneyWorld but have never stayed at the resort hotels. I’ve always thought them to be overpriced and have found great deals nearby. I’m not entirely sure what persuaded me to make the splurge and book two nights at the Lego Castle but I’m so glad I did! The hotel really made the weekend… we were totally submerged in the Lego theme all weekend and there were loads of little perks with staying:

• It was a 2 minute walk from the Lego Castle Hotel to Legoland California.
• The hotel had nightly castle themed entertainment shows in the restaurant and the outside courtyard.
• Awesome lego models EVERYWHERE which the kids found hilarious.
• The kids enjoyed the daily treasure hunt for the room safe code. Inside… Legos for them to build and keep.
• Live Lego characters to meet and have photos taken with.
• The room theming was not only Lego-tastic, it also had a separate sleeping area for the kids.
• The fab buffet breakfast was included and they have lovely playground and pool facilities!

As a guest of the Lego Castle, you also get early access to Legoland California, but unfortunately, most rides do not open until 10am. I feel this perk of staying in the resort is a little lost to be honest, but still, it’s nice to get a head start. You can have a good browse around MiniLand USA and a few of the smaller rides are open.

Our room really was fantastic. The separate kids area had a bunk and a trundle so plenty of space for all three. Despite trying to get one in the trundle, the Twins did end up sharing the bottom bunk, ha! The theming is brilliant… we had a princess room and it was perfect!

Rides & Attractions at Legoland California

To make the comparison, the rides at Legoland are generally tamer than those you’ll find at Disneyland. With two 3yr-olds and a nervous 9yr-old on board it was perfect for us, but if you have a thrill-seeking teenager they may be disappointed. Everyone’s favorite was gaining their Driver’s license in Lego cars in Fun Town. They have a separate track for under and over 5yrs and watching the Twins drive was hilarious for all.

We also loved ‘The Dragon’, an entry level rollercoaster than the Twins were just tall enough to ride. Can you believe they are 40″ tall?! Elsie wasn’t feeling brave enough to ride so we took the Twins in shifts. I love that they have a little play area next to the ride so the ‘waiters’ can keep the little ones amused.

I’m a sucker for a boat ride and there are a few at Legoland. They also have a submarine… Lego City Deep Sea Adventure was a hit with everyone! The popular Ninjago ride was a fun surprize. it’s a video game/interactive ride and everyone had fun shooting the bad guys from their carriage. The hundreds of Lego models scattered around the park are brilliant, although I would say they could do with a clean/refresh in many cases.

Lastly, I must mention the water park! It had just opened for the season but we decided we couldn’t face it just yet. The water park is enormous and quite impressive so bring your swimmers… we will save it for our next visit!

Awesome Restaurant Choices at Legoland

It was so refreshing to see some good food choices in the park. There was such a variety, yes, even beyond hot dogs and mac n cheese. The Twins are gluten intolerant and amusement parks can be a nightmare! We really enjoyed The Knight’s Smokehouse BBQ which is perfect if you’re trying to avoid gluten… delicious meats, corn, veg. What a nice surprize!

Legoland also offers a Ramen noodle house, pizza, a deli… and everyone was lining up for Granny’s Apple Fries.

The Lego Castle Hotel restaurant was great, and although busy at times, they offer a fun play area with plenty of Lego building to keep the little ones busy while you wait. The food was pretty good and the wine menu wasn’t bad either 😉

Overall Family Birthday Experience

I’ve never seen Elsie smile as much as she did this weekend! She had enormous fun and was spoilt for birthday wishes thanks to the birthday badge she was given at the Castle Hotel front desk. The three kids shared joy in all the Lego fun and Dad and I had plenty of gooey-eyed moments watching them play together.

The weekend was totally exhausting as expected. You are surrounded by hundreds of crazed screaming children at all times. But it is worth every ounce of energy to see these guys have the time of their life. As a Lego fan myself, I really enjoyed it, and as a Mom it just can’t be beaten. I even managed to get these guys to take a nap in the stroller while I browsed MiniLand USA… parenting win!