LEGOLAND California Brings Halloween Fun … Without the Frights

Skeleton Costume Guy marks the entrance to the treat stations, illuminated by lights as the sun goes down.
Photos by Charly SHELTON

By Charly SHELTON

 

While Universal and Knott’s bring the real scares for Halloween and Disneyland’s absurdly expensive Halloween event sold out in early July, LEGOLAND California has an accessible, fun, family-friendly option to celebrate the season without worrying about nightmares later. If you’re looking for a festive day out with younger kids, this is the spot. The whole event is built around Halloween but it keeps things light and playful, which is perfect for the under-12 crowd.

The biggest draw, and the longest part of the day, is the trick-or-treating. There are treat stations set up all over the park and you can be sure that I was led through every single station, multiple times, by a sugar-fueled 4-year-old. But it’s not just about the candy – although there’s plenty of that. It’s more about the immersive experience. You’re walking through these different LEGO-themed areas, all dressed up for Halloween, and the energy is just great. It’s clear they’ve designed it to be fun for the little ones without the scare factor you get at other Halloween events. And as a former kid, seeing some of these LEGO guys that I used to play with – like the iconic Ghost minifig – as a full-size decoration for the season is really fun and nostalgic.

Donny Shelton, left, introduces his little brother Casey to the soft LEGO bricks in a LEGOLAND play yard.

The costume contest is another highlight. Families really go all out for this and you can tell it’s something they’ve put a lot of effort into. One of the best costumes I saw was a family that dressed up as the Dragon Coaster – each person was a different car and the rider on each car was decked out as a theme park character. It was such a creative idea and the audience loved it. People cheer each other on and you get to see families coming together to create something fun and memorable.

That’s the thing about this event and LEGOLAND overall – there’s almost a sense of community. We’re all parents of young kids. We’re all tired. We are all concerned about the amount of candy we’re collecting. But we’re all working together to give our kids a fun day. And whereas Disneyland, at times, almost seems competitive as parents jockey to get their kids up front for a magical experience, possibly to the detriment of other kids, at LEGOLAND it feels like we’re all just adults facilitating a good time for all the kids.

The park is populated with giant models of minifig guys, both as sculpted giant models and as LEGO-built models like this one at the park entrance.

Another fun aspect is the meet-and-greets, especially the Rock Out with Monster Rocker. It’s not just your average character greeting – kids actually get to choose a song and have a private dance party with a rock guitarist version of Frankenstein. It’s a quick 30-second dance but it is moments like this that really make the experience special for the kids. They’re not just meeting characters; they’re interacting with them in a way that feels personal and unique … while getting those squiggles out.

LEGOLAND does a great job at accommodating the squiggles of a small child and letting them play in a way that’s conducive to their experience. In attraction lines, there are play areas for kids to run around while parents wait in line within feet of them. There are LEGO build stations for when you need to slow down, and yards where younger kids can play with foam LEGO bricks. There are also plenty of jungle gyms scattered around the park. It’s one of those places that is just really well-suited for families – kids are entertained, parents get a bit of a break and there’s always something going on to keep the excitement up. The Halloween touches just make it all the more festive, without the fear factor.

All in all, Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND is one of those events that’s a perfect day out if you’ve got younger kids. It’s fun, creative and full of little moments that make it feel special, especially for families. Brick-or-Treat is on weekends now through the end of the month. Visit LEGOLAND.com/California for more information.