SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Construction has begun on Legoland California’s newest ride: the theme park’s first-ever indoor roller coaster.
The roller coaster is one part of a $90 million expansion project Legoland’s parent company, Merlin Entertainment, is undertaking at its Southern California and Florida resorts to bring its attractions “to new heights,” according to its announcement of the groundbreaking on Tuesday.
For Legoland California, the new roller coaster will be the first to be built at the theme park in nearly two decades. The last roller coaster added to the Carlsbad park was the Coastersaurus, which opened in 2004 in Dino Island — now called Dino Valley.
The new attractions at both the California and Florida theme parks are expected to launch sometime in 2026, although an exact date has not been released.
“As we prepare to unveil this exciting new attraction designed, co-created and imagined by the amazing creative team at the LEGO Group and the unmatched talent of our Merlin Magic Makers, we hope the mystery and anticipation adds to the awesome thrills to come,” Merlin Entertainment’s CEO Fiona Eastwood said in a statement.
While Merlin Entertainment did not disclose details about the new roller coaster in its announcement, the company last year presented plans to the Carlsbad Planning Commission for the introduction of a new 2.38-acre land inside the park, called “LEGO Galaxy.”
The cornerstone of the proposed land, which would feature an intergalactic theme similar to that of Disneyland’s “Tomorrowland,” was an indoor rollercoaster housed inside a 44-foot-tall, 32,000-square-foot Lego-themed “space port.”
“This isn’t just a ride, it’ll be an exploration unlike any other,” Legoland California Resort President Kurt Stocks said of the roller coaster. “We’re sparing no expense to deliver the most innovative, interactive and captivating experience possible.”
For the project, Merlin Entertainment needed permission from the planning commission to raise the building height up to 45 feet from its existing maximum of 35 feet.
According to the proposal submitted to the commission, the new “LEGO Galaxy” land would also have a smaller, space-themed lift and spin-style ride akin to SeaWorld San Diego’s Riptide Rescue, as well as retail options, a children’s play area and other interactive attractions.
To make way for the new land, Legoland California informed the commission it would move its longstanding “Driving School” and “Junior Driving School” to the area currently occupied by the “Fun Town Police” and “Fire Academy” attractions.
The driving school attractions were temporarily shut down at the end of last year in preparation of the move. At the time, the theme park said the two would reopen in the new location sometime in 2025.
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