Our Honest LEGOLAND California Review: What We'd Do Again (and Differently) With a 5-Year-Old, 3-Year-Old & Newborn
Updated: Aug 18
When we started planning our San Diego trip, I wasn't totally sure what to expect from LEGOLAND California.
I'd only been to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Arizona, so I assumed it would feel similar—just maybe a little bigger.
I was completely wrong.
The production value honestly surprised me. It almost felt like a little introduction to Disney. The landscaping, LEGO displays, themed lands, and rides all felt much bigger than I expected. We stayed until the park closed, drove away already talking about what we'd do next time, and left wondering why more people don't talk about how great it is.
If you're wondering whether LEGOLAND California is worth it for young kids, here's what our day looked like, what worked really well for our family, and what I'd do differently next time.
This post is not sponsored. I was not compensated for mentioning the products, and it contains no affiliate links.
Was LEGOLAND California Worth It?
For us?
Absolutely.
We stayed from just before noon until the park closed, and we still left with things we wanted to come back and experience.
If I had one takeaway, it's this:
LEGOLAND California is much bigger than it looks on the map.
It's absolutely possible to spend an entire day there, especially if you're adding the Water Park.
Before We Even Left
One thing I'm really glad I did was pack bento boxes for Cam and Duke to eat in the car before we got there.
That meant we weren't walking into the park with hungry kids immediately asking for lunch.
Instead, everyone was full, happy, and ready to start exploring.
Next time I'd take that idea one step further.
Because we brought our wagon, I wish I had packed a small cooler with lunches for all of us, more snacks, and electrolyte packets for Sebastian and me.
We found filtered-water refill stations during our visit, so bringing reusable bottles worked well for us.
I'd Arrive a Little Earlier—But Not Necessarily at Opening
We arrived just before noon on a Thursday.
It worked.
But looking back, I think arriving about an hour earlier would've made the day even more relaxed.
Not because we felt rushed all day, but by the time we unloaded the wagon, got everyone situated, and walked into the park, we'd already used a good chunk of our time.
That extra hour probably would've been enough for us to spend time in LEGO NINJAGO World, ride a few of Cam's favorites again, and enjoy the park at an even slower pace.
I don't think rope drop is necessary unless you're trying to maximize your Water Park time.
I'd just give yourself a little more breathing room than we did.
Skip Premium Parking
We didn't pay for premium parking.
I'd do the same thing next time.
The regular parking lot felt more like walking across a large mall parking lot than hiking from some distant overflow lot.
Even with three kids and a fully loaded wagon, I don't think it added more than two or three minutes of walking.
For our family, it wasn't worth paying extra.
Make a Loose Plan Before You Walk In
If I could change one thing, this would probably be it.
Not a strict itinerary.
Just a loose plan.
The park is laid out in a big loop, so you're not constantly zigzagging from one side to the other. Having an idea of which direction you want to head first and where you want to stop makes the day feel much easier.
One thing that surprised me is that the attractions actually felt much closer together than they looked on the map.
The app became much more useful once we understood the layout.
We Never Bought Fastrack Ride Access
We debated it.
Some rides were showing wait times close to an hour.
But we decided to wait and see how things went first.
Honestly, most of the lines moved a little faster than the app estimated (some 20 min. of actual waiting even if it said 60 min.).
One thing I appreciated is that you don't have to decide before your trip.
If the park feels busier than expected, you can purchase Fastrack Ride Access through the LEGOLAND app while you're there, subject to availability.
I don't have a strong recommendation one way or the other.
I'd spend the first hour walking the park, get a feel for the crowds, and then decide if it's worth it for your family.
Our Wagon Was Worth Every Inch of Space
Our Veer wagon basically became home base all day.
It carried towels, extra clothes, snacks, drinks, nursing supplies, and everything else we didn't want to carry ourselves.
The canopy gave us extra shade while walking around the park, and our Ryobi clip fans were honestly one of the best things we packed.
One tip if you're bringing the Ryobi fans: the larger batteries we brought lasted all day (really, our entire trip) without a swap.
One random little thing I did...
Whenever we parked the wagon outside an attraction, I'd remove one of the front wheels and hid it inside the wagon.
It's obviously not foolproof, but it made me feel a little better knowing someone couldn't simply roll it away.
Visiting With a One-Month-Old
Since I wore Leo almost the entire day, I knew I wasn't going to experience every attraction.
Instead, while Sebastian took Cam and Duke on rides, I'd find a shady spot, take Leo out of the carrier so he could stretch, nurse him, and let both of us cool down for a few minutes.
Those little breaks actually became some of my favorite parts of the day.
The portable fan made a huge difference for both of us.
So did my Comfy Cubs nursing cover.
It's 100% cotton, really breathable, and has a structured neckline so I could actually see Leo while he was nursing instead of constantly lifting the fabric to check on him.
It ended up being one of those little things I was really glad I packed.
What the Kids Wore
Because we knew we'd be outside all day, I tried to dress everyone with the sun in mind.
For Cam and Duke, I kept it simple:
Lightweight hooded sun shirts
Shorts
Comfortable sandals that stayed securely on their feet
Sun hats whenever they'd actually keep them on
The hooded shirts ended up being one of my favorite choices because whenever they got tired of wearing their hats, I could pull the hood up for a little extra protection.
For Leo, I dressed him in a Little Sleepies bamboo romper with a lightweight cotton sun hat.
The convertible hands and feet ended up being one of my favorite features.
Whenever we stopped in the shade, I could uncover his hands and feet so he could cool down.
When we were walking through sunnier areas, I could cover them back up for a little extra protection.
Since I wore him almost the entire day, I felt like the bamboo fabric stayed lightweight and breathable.
Cam Discovered He Loves Roller Coasters
The Dragon ended up being the perfect first roller coaster.
It gave us a chance to see how Cam would do before moving on to bigger rides.
Turns out...
He loved them.
His favorite ride of the day was Galacticoaster.
Since it's indoors, parts of the ride are dark, but there are colorful lights and fun effects throughout that made it even more exciting for him.
He even rode LEGO Technic Coaster afterward, which honestly looked pretty intense from where I was standing, but he came off smiling.
One thing I'd do differently next time is give ourselves enough time to ride some favorites more than once.
While Cam rode The Dragon, Duke and I grabbed ice cream from Castle Ice Cream right outside the exit.
It turned waiting into something fun instead of simply standing around.
What I'd Skip
If you're planning on spending time in the Water Park, I'd skip the splash pad near the front entrance.
I'd rather save everyone's dry clothes for later.
I'd also probably skip LEGO City: Deep Sea Adventure if the wait is much longer than about 30 minutes.
The attraction itself was fun, but it's over pretty quickly, so for me the payoff wouldn't be worth waiting much longer than that.
Our Thoughts on the Water Park
I actually really enjoyed the Water Park.
One planning note: Water Park entry currently requires same-day LEGOLAND California Theme Park + Water Park admission. Check current operating dates and ticket details before your visit.
It felt less like a traditional water park and more like one giant interactive splash playground.
For our family, that was a good thing.
I do think it's especially worth adding if your kids are a little older—probably somewhere around six to eight years old—because I think they'd get even more out of some of the bigger slides.
Cam enjoyed them, although a couple felt a little intense for him.
Duke wasn't a fan of the giant tipping buckets because the huge splash surprised him.
One thing I'm really glad we packed was towels.
After everyone changed into dry clothes, we lined the bottom of the wagon so nobody had to sit on wet seats for the rest of the afternoon.
Lunch Worked Better Than We Expected
Originally we planned to eat inside the larger indoor café.
Once we saw the line just to get inside, we changed plans.
Instead, we grabbed a table near the burger and fries stand by Driving School.
While Sebastian took the boys onto Driving School, I stayed at the table, nursed Leo, and actually got to sit down for a little while.
When they finished, Sebastian brought the boys over to the table while I stayed with everyone, and then he went to order lunch.
It ended up feeling much less chaotic than having all five of us standing in line together.
A Couple of Unexpected Favorites
The iced coffee from the coffee stand near LEGO City: Deep Sea Adventure was honestly really good.
I'd happily order it again even outside of LEGOLAND.
There's also a bathroom nearby, making it a convenient place to stop for a quick break.
Like any amusement park, the biggest frustrations were the heat and waiting in line.
There's really no avoiding those.
But I do think having a loose plan before you arrive makes a huge difference. The park is laid out in a loop, so if you know the attractions you want to prioritize, it helps you make the most of your day without feeling like you're constantly backtracking.
Final Thoughts
Would we go back?
Without question.
Before this trip, I expected LEGOLAND California to be a fun stop during our San Diego vacation.
Instead, it ended up being one of our favorite days.
Watching Cam realize he loves roller coasters, seeing Duke enjoy the Water Park, finding little moments to slow down with Leo in the shade—it all made for a day that felt full without feeling frantic.
If we went back tomorrow, I'd pack more food, arrive about an hour earlier, and finally spend some time exploring LEGO NINJAGO World.
Everything else?
I'd happily do all over again.
It's rare that we leave a place already planning our next visit.
LEGOLAND California was one of those places.
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