CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV) - Legoland California's new Lego Galaxy land opened to the public Friday, bringing with it three new rides, immersive theming, and what the company calls the biggest in-park investment in Legoland history.
The $90 million investment covers both the California land and its counterpart in Florida.
The centerpiece of the new area is the Galacticoaster, the park's first indoor roller coaster. Riders blast off on a mission to destroy an asteroid, reaching 40 miles per hour with no big drops or twists, making it accessible for families.
ABC 10News anchor Jared Aarons rode the Galacticoaster a few days ahead of its opening.
The experience begins before the ride itself, with an interaction with the park's first fully automated animatronic.
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Biff Dipper," the animatronic says, before giving a mission briefing to riders.
Riders can also digitally customize their ride vehicle, which appears during the ride. The first launch is a highlight of the experience.
"It's really fun," says Tom Storer, the North American Project Director for Merlin Magic. "It catches everybody off-guard with the pop in it, and it's something that's going to leave everybody talking about it."
Storer helped design and build Lego Galaxy land and gave Aarons a tour of the new area. It's designed to bring LEGO's classic space sets to life. Everything from the rides to character models, play spaces, bathrooms, and the dining hall is built around a space theme.
"So we have big buildings, big theming, so you're really immersed in all things space while you're here," Storer said.
The land took four years to develop. When asked whether the finished product lived up to the original vision, Storer said the result surpassed expectations.
"It gives me a little bit of goose bumps, because it exceeds what we could have imagined," Storer said.
Pass members got a preview of the land over the last week. Storer said the early response was overwhelmingly positive.
"There's nothing but smiles, messy hair, laughs. Everybody's high-fiving and really enjoying it. And wanting to ride again! That's the best part," Storer said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
