Legoland California has officially opened its newest area, Land of Adventure, just in time for spring break. Land of Adventure features four new attractions with more than 75 new Lego models including a 16-foot-tall Pharaoh made of more than 300,000 Lego bricks. The new attractions include Cargo Ace, Beetle Bounce, Pharaoh's Revenge and the Park's first-ever dark ride, Lost Kingdom Adventure.
Based in ancient temple ruins, Lost Kingdom Adventure takes explorers armed with laser blasters on all-terrain roadsters on a quest to help the hero, Johnny Thunder, find the evil Sam Sinister, save Pippin Reed and ultimately discover a room full of Lego treasure. Brave riders encounter ten differet scenes along the journey including a spidr's lair, professor's lab, mummy relics and a performing skeleton band. There is an animated effect for every target that is hit by the laser blasters -- there are 80 targets in all!
Adjacent to the hidden ruins, a different adventure awaits with rides Cargo Ace and Beetle Bounce. Cargo Ace helps imaginations soar as children become pilots boarding one of eight prop-planes flying up to six feet into the air. Beetle Bounce boosts children to even bigger heights -- nearly 15 feet to be exact -- as they are launched up one of two obelisks nearly touching the gigantic LEGO beetles above them. At Pharaoh's Revenge, children and parents launch thousands of foam balls at targets and each other using vacuums and cannons within the two-story structure.
"This is only the third time we have opened a completely new area here at Legoland California. With the addition of three new rides being
introduced in Land of Adventure today, we have more than doubled the amount of rides since we opened in 1999," says President and General Manager John
Jakobsen. "Land of Adventure symbolizes the essence of Legoland California and has something for every member of the family."
Land of Adventure is just one part of a $20 million dollar investment by Merlin Entertainments into Legoland California Resort this year. North America's first Sea life Aquarium, geared specifically to educate children on creatures under the sea, opens July 2008 adjacent to Legoland California. The two-story 36,000 square foot aquarium is a separate admission.
Merlin Entertainments acquired all four Legoland Parks in 2005 and has since become the largest attractions operator in Europe and ranks second worldwide with 52 attractions.