The world's first Lego-themed waterpark will open in June at Legoland California, officials announced Friday at the Carlsbad park.
Standing in front of a nearly 30-foot-tall celebratory banner held aloft by a cherry picker crane, Legoland General Manager Peter Ronchetti and other park employees said that the new waterpark would be unique for two reasons.
In addition to being the only Lego-themed waterpark in existence, the place will be unusual because its target market is young children, they said. Most water parks aim to please teenage thrill-seekers, but this place is for toddlers and grade-schoolers, project designer Bill Vollbrecht said.
A 45-foot-tall tower, visible from a distance, will anchor the water play region, he said. As parents drive through Legoland's main gate, the kids in the back seat will be saying, "I have to be on that," he said.
Part of $15 million worth of improvements at the Legoland California amusement park this year, the water play zone will have a $10 admission cost in addition the regular ticket price to enter Legoland.
Instead of one theme, the waterpark will have several. The toddler area will feature animals, including an elephant that spouts water. Part of the older chlidren's section will look like a castle. The river area will have inner tubes that kids can build onto using soft, giant Legos. They will be able to transform their tubes into floating seaplanes if they like, Ronchetti said.
Legoland California opened a decade ago. Built by the company that makes the children's Lego plastic building block sets, the 128-acre amusement park was later sold to Merlin Entertainment.
Ronchetti took over as the park's general manager a year ago and said Friday that it's been a good year for Legoland despite the national economic downturn.
"I am thrilled to be able to report that we've finished with our strongest year ever," he said.
The number of park visitors has increased by 6 percent from a year ago, he said.
The company is privately owned and doesn't disclose its visitor rates beyond giving year-to-year percentage figures.
However, Ronchetti did say that one attraction at the park ---- the Sea Life Aquarium, which has its own admission price ----- attracted several hundred thousand visitors last year.
Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at 760-901-4072.
