Day Trip: Legoland Announces Pirate Reef Ride, Star Wars Expansion

Legoland California has big plans for 2012.

The theme park announced Thursday it plans to add a pirate-themed water ride, expand the Star Wars Miniland area and install a crab exhibit at the SeaLife Aquarium.

The Pirate Reef ride, which is scheduled to open May 24, will take riders down a 25-foot drop that produces a “tidal wave” designed to soak guests watching on a Lego bridge. Parkgoers will also be able to battle each other with water canons.

“Unlike some theme parks where you watch things happen around you, we take pride in giving families an interactive, personalized experience where each guest can say they are the ones to make things happen,” said General Manager Peter Ronchetti, who added that the project was prompted by research that showed the popularity of the Pirate Shores area.

Another popular area of the theme park is Star Wars Miniland, which replicates seven of the most famous scenes from the six Star Wars movies. The expansion of the area will feature new details in each of the seven current scenes on display, as well as 3-feet-tall Lego models displayed on a podium. The expansion is set to open March 29.

“For the first time, guests will be further immersed into the Star Wars experience as they walk through the Lego Star Wars Gallery encountering Lego friends, similar to giant mini-figures, from each episode,” Ronchetti said.

Also planned for this spring is a new interactive exhibit at the Sea Life Carlsbad Aquarium. “Claws” will feature five new displays – Japanese spider crabs, coconut crabs, land crabs, lobsters and nephrops.

The theme park’s hotel is also currently being constructed and is expected to open in 2013, Ronchetti said.

“With all the expansion, Legoland California Resort is definitely a multi-day destination, thus the need for the nation’s first Legoland hotel,” he said.

Legoland officials are hoping the new plans will help the theme park continue its streak of success.

Although the company did not release its attendance numbers, Ronchetti said the attendance in 2011 topped 2010, making it the eighth year of continuous attendance growth for the theme park.

“We attribute this growth to the fact that we are always giving our guests something new to experience,” Ronchetti said.