CARLSBAD -- Legoland doesn't officially celebrate its birthday until next year, but like most 5-year-olds, it just couldn't wait to get a peek at the presents.

On Thursday, park officials unveiled plans to open five new attractions in 2004 -- the largest expansion since the park opened in 1999.

"We've had more than 7 million visitors since we opened, making Legoland the premier attraction not only in California, but in the United States," said the park's president and general manager, John Jakobsen. "This is a several million-dollar investment and we're confident we'll continue to build the momentum and the loyal customer base we've been growing for the past five years."

Five 5-year-old children unveiled the coming attractions to a crowd of fifth-graders from nearby Pacific Rim Elementary School.

The first phase of the expansion, set to open on Feb. 13, will be the Block of Fame, an educational, 3-dimensional art gallery featuring the likes of Rodin's "The Thinker," made not from bronze, but from Lego bricks.

To mark the opening of the attraction, Legoland guests will attempt to build a Lego world-record tower for an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. The existing record of 89.3 feet with 500,000 Lego bricks was set in June at Legoland in Denmark.

The Coastersaurus, a roller coaster that will reach speeds of 18 mph, will zoom into the park in April, along with Dig Those Dinos, a sand pit for tiny archeologists.

"The coaster looks a lot of fun," said Jordyn Dash, 10, of Carlsbad, as she studied the drawings.

"It goes 18 miles an hour and that's fun for kids my age," she said.

Park officials said Fun Town Fire Academy will blaze into the park over Memorial Day weekend, giving families the opportunity to put out a simulated "burning" Lego building with a real fire hose.

To mark Father's Day, dads and their children will be able to drive through a mock Daytona Beach NASCAR race flying over 20 million Lego bricks.

"I think all of the rides they talked about today look cool," said Rio Winstead, 11, of Carlsbad. "I like coming here because there's so much to do and my whole family can enjoy it."