My first visit to Legoland was completely charming and enjoyable, even without children – DePaoli on DeParks

To be clear, Legoland California definitely is a park geared toward the entertainment of young children, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything for adults to enjoy. From the moment I approached the entrance gates, I loved the statement the oversized Lego “welcome” letters make. And this time of year, I couldn’t help but take a photo in the giant Christmas wreath made of Lego.

One of the things about Legoland California that I really love: it knows what it is, and it leans heavily into it. Because the park aims to entertain a very specific age range, it can unapologetically focus on those guests. Although there are rides for children to enjoy (like the Coast Cruise, which I quite enjoyed) the park focuses on exploration for children.

There is the classic scenario in theme parks geared toward a wider age range, where there are high-tech rides to experience, but the young kids just want to play in the playgrounds. Young children seem to rather create the entertainment in their minds instead of having it all laid out in front of them. Legoland California wisely recognizes this fact and gives plenty of exploration opportunities for their target audience.

I personally found it a lot of fun looking at all the details and exploring the Miniland models showcasing cities from around the United States. And I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of the Minilands were updated with holidays decorations.

Legoland California was full of holiday décor during my visit, and I loved it. The oversized Lego figure statues dressed in their holiday best were everywhere. And even more charming were the Lego figure meet & greets, including Lego Santa. And once the sun set, I was delighted to learn that a fireworks display was part of that night’s Lego tree lighting. You can see it for yourself in our video below:

Another thing that surprised me was the food I ate. I once again wrongfully assumed that it would be simple foods, considering it’s mostly for young kids. But I actually ate quite well. The Knights’ Smokehouse BBQ served up delicious, fresh pulled pork and cornbread. As far as holiday treats, I loved the chicken & waffles as well as the mac & cheese served at the holiday media event. I was told versions of both foods would be available in the park during the holiday celebrations.

The whole operation appears to have children’s needs in mind first and foremost. In a world where a lot of kids have food allergies and other sensitivities, I noticed a lot of signage taking this into consideration. At the entrance to the rides, I saw sensory guides giving helpful information for parents to gauge whether their child would enjoy the experience. Other parks may have this information available, but I’ve never seen it so obviously noted.

If I had to pick one thing that truly sets Legoland apart from the rest, it’s the park staff. I was blown away by how genuinely kind and helpful every single staff member I interacted with was. Staff in every role seemed to enjoy their jobs and were eager to help. I never got a simple, “yes” or “no” answer. I always got a thoughtful response. In a world where customer service is lacking in most places, Legoland California is doing it right and it makes a noticeable difference.

Overall, I really enjoyed my day at Legoland California. Part of it may have simply been the opportunity to experience a theme park I knew nothing about, but I left wanting to return and experience more seasonal offerings throughout the year.

If you’d like to check out the Holidays at Legoland California, it’s happening now through Jan. 5, 2025. And there’s even a Kids’ New Year’s Eve celebration with fireworks on Dec. 31, 2024. Learn more and plan your visit at the park’s website.

Jeff DePaoli is an event producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast” podcast, where he and his special guests share honest opinions on all things Disney at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.