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Lego Magic at Carlsbad, CaliforniaA New Home Built for “Ageless” AdventuresBy Rick Millikan
I’ve always admired the Danes’ clever Lego bricks as much as their tasty Danish pastry. Once my son, daughter and I created a rainbow of houses, rocketships, racecars, intricate forts, and audacious people. Because they have now graduated into other creative pursuits, I encouraged my lovely wife Chris, our friend Ellen and her intrepid daughter Bianca to join my quest to explore more of that Lego magic at Legoland.
The Danes sure know how to enjoy themselves. Walt Disney was said to have discovered the blueprint for his successful theme park at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. Lego, a Danish Toy Company has created similar eye appealing landscapes, vibrant architecture, including unique, whimsical “Lego” art sculptures. Unlike Disneyland, Legoland remains remarkably uncrowded. Visits are relaxed and carefree even during the busy summer months. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are especially suitable. During our Saturday visit in January, line-ups for the rides hardly existed. So without a moment to reconsider, Bianca and I hopped onto the dragon roller coaster. After a pleasant meander through the castle’s Lego treasure rooms, we rocketed out the window, ascending and soaring into a number of wild loop-de-loops. Surviving, we followed a pathway through a glade where many Lego forest creatures dwelt. Our adventure continued atop a prominent hill. Pedaling “Lego-cycles” on an elevated track gave us a bird’s eye view of this extensive park. The fearless foursome next ventured onto a jeep safari, riding among life-sized Lego giraffes, zebras, elephants, wildebeests, apes and roaring lions.
In addition to entertaining theme rides, four scheduled shows amuse audiences several times daily. Picking two highly rated productions, we sped over to see our first choice: “Lego Racers 4-D”. After donning some cool polarized glasses for this 3-D animation, we entered a virtual reality space race. Accompanying our completely gnarly Lego hero, we rocketed forth through Lego Racers’ 4th D: real smoke, wind, snow and water. And our team won! Next we sauntered over to see “Ken Johnson and His Fine Feathered Friends”. Ken the master ventriloquist acted as straight man, setting up his cheepy chums’ outrageous humor. His birdie pals, a glamorous cockatoo Matilda and an aspiring buzzard named Clyde, not only involved the younger audience in meaningful lessons about life, but charmed every chuckling one of us with their zany antics.
Smiling faces in the photo album reflect our fun filled visit. Once more, those bright colourful bricks created magic in our lives. This “ageless” Legoland adventure will long be remembered. Photos by Chris Millikan For More Information:Legoland California |
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Denmark’s
Legoland has long charmed travelers. So much so that this creative Danish
company developed similar theme parks in England, Germany, and the United
States. In June ‘99 its Carlsbad, California Mecca opened for young-hearted
engineers. Replicated between Los Angeles and San Diego, this new colourful
128-acre amusement park gives families one more good reason to visit sunny
Southern California. 
Just within
the main gate, we began a voyage of discovery. Our boat crossed an open
lagoon into famed Miniland. Passing such world icons as the Eiffel Tower and
Sidney Opera House, majestic Mt. Rushmore appeared on the side of a small
hillock. There, Mini workers were auguring out President Lincoln’s earwax.
Three major U.S. cities straddled the opposite shores. Master Lego Builders
had utilized over 30 million of these interlocking bricks to recreate New
Orleans at Mardi Gras, New York City’s Times Square and San Francisco.
Motoring near these cities’ famed waterfronts, we observed their famed
bridges, busy tugs and waiting freighters. A subsequent stroll allowed us
to closely examine the humorous, surprisingly authentic and urbane details.
We then boarded
the Fairy Book Brook cruise. Our immediate encounter with a grumbling Lego
Troll almost resulted in his bridge dropping upon our heads. Out of danger,
familiar scenes from children’s literature surrounded us. The three pigs’
housing projects looked promising. Seeing and hearing characters muddle
along encouraged me to counsel certain wayward waifs. I warned Little Red
Riding Hood, “Watch out for a clever wolf posing as your long nosed
grandmother.” I advised Hansel and Gretel “Don’t act like Lego block heads!
Don’t be taken in by the wily witch in the Gingerbread House!” Should I
have worried? Their Danish creator, Hans Christian Anderson assured us, did
he not, that “they all lived happily every after.” 
One last
activity beckons even the weariest park adventurer. Souvenirs! Our choices
were creatively appropriate. From among colourful walls of eye-catching
selections of every size and description, Bianca bought a Lego Harry Potter.
Her mom Ellen purchased a Lego girls’ soccer team. As a family lawyer, Ellen
is especially interested in Lego, stocking her office with a variety of
these construction bricks to amuse clients’ children. Chris and I fondly
reminisced about the days when our kids took Lego toys everywhere and
settled on a photo booklet about the amazing Land of Lego.