|
Saturday, 15 March, 2008 11:14 PM
LEGOLAND California Launches
Land of Adventure
Area
transports guests to 1920s Egypt with four new attractions
Carlsbad, Calif. —
On March 10, LEGOLAND® California 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 different
scenes along the journey including a spider'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.
Fun Facts
- Land of Adventure
is LEGOLAND California's eighth block of attractions.
- The adventure theme
of the area was chosen through research and collaboration with
Park guests and is based on the LEGO Adventurer series featuring
Johnny Thunder.
- Land of Adventure
was designed by Master Model Designer Bill Vollbrecht who studied
Egyptian history and hieroglyphics to make the experience educational
and authentic.
- On Beetle Bounce,
children are launched to a height of 15 feet high, nearly reaching
the LEGO scarab beetles atop the obelisks.
- The scarab beetles
have translucent jewel-toned wings that span four feet and are
the first models in the Park made with colored translucent bricks.
- When read phonetically
from top to bottom, the hieroglyphics decorating the front of
Beetle Bounce say "Beetle Bouncer."
- The female pilot perched
outside of Cargo Ace was inspired by Amelia Earhart and is the
first full-sized LEGO model designed and built by Master Model
Designer Andy Grubb. Her peanut butter and jelly sandwich pays
homage to the designer's favorite lunch.
- Pharaoh's Revenge
is the first outdoor attraction built by ride manufacturer Prime
Play.
- The Pharaoh model
standing guard over Land of Adventure is one of the largest models
in the Park. It stands 16 feet tall and is made of more than 300,000
LEGO bricks. It took more than six months to build.
- The smallest model
in Land of Adventure, made of just 19 bricks, is a diamond ring
in the treasure room of Lost Kingdom Adventure.
- Overall, Lost kingdom
Adventure has more than 75 new LEGO models made of nearly half
a million bricks.
- The LEGO camel in
the courtyard of the area will soon be fitted with a saddle that
Park guests can sit on for a fun photo opportunity. It will be
the first model in the Park that guests are allowed to "ride."
Source: LEGOLAND
|
