Legoland Discovery Center Bay Area is a fantastic addition this summer, giving us a place away from the heat that's appealing to all children ages and pleasant for parents too. Having visited the Legoland Discovery Center in Atlanta a few years ago, we’ve been eagerly awaiting this Legoland fun in our own backyard since before the pandemic. We had such a great time on opening day (June 8th) that we upgraded our one day tickets to annual passes before we left and have already booked our reservation to return within the month.
Main Entrance at the Milpitas Great Mall. Banners and signs on the mall exterior make it easy to park nearby.
The Legoland Discovery Center Bay Area offers a variety of experiences such as a charming interactive dark ride, entertaining 3D film with surprising in-theater effects, numerous activity zones based on popular LEGO lines along with an impressive LEGO recreation of Bay Area landmarks. Tickets are $23 for adults and $17 for kids (3-12).
Most people would spend about three hours here without repeating an activity but you can easily stretch out the day. For example, the theater offers three different films that rotate through the day. Our favorite was Lego, and the other titles focused on Lego City and Ninjago. Speaking of Ninjago, that area features a couple of timed activities – a laser maze and reflex challenge – that you might want to try a few times in an effort to improve your score. And my son could easily spend an hour simply building a LEGO racers to go up against other builders on the six lane track. On this visit he had a great time collaborating with fellow racers and builders as they all sought ways to improve their creation's speed.
I saw several families have to peel their child away from this zone to explore other areas. I'm already looking forward to sipping Starbucks from the location's cafe while my son explores this zone on future trips. For more information visit LegolandDiscoveryCenter.com/BayArea
Keeping the overall layout in mind, here’s a gallery of images from the Legoland Discovery Center Bay Area.
Stepping inside Legoland Discovery you immediately come upon the Racers Build and Test Zone with Ninjago training in the distance and the checkered entrance to Miniland. Just behind us is the entrance to the Imagination Express interactive dark ride.
Making an immediate right, you’ll find the Pirate Adventure Island Zone with the Friends Heartlake City Zone and Creative Workshop in the distance. The Challenge Circle in the foreground is designed for host lead activities.
In the back of Legoland Discovery Area Bay Area are a couple of birthday celebrations that can be one larger room or two smaller ones. Next door to the Coffee shop, restrooms and 4D theater.
Keeping the overall layout in mind let’s explore the variety of experiences at Legoland Discovery Center Bay Area. Not pictured are The Great LEGO Race Virtual Reality Experience where you create your own coaster and then experience it through VR that wasn’t available at opening. As well as Bertie the location’s LEGO mascot probably as a result of the COVID precautions in place when we visited.
Imagination Express
Imagination Express is a slow moving dark ride with a mix of screens and practical sets. Guests have a magic wand that you use to score points aiming at the suggested targets.
The vehicle resembles a train engine and can hold five people.
Among the little things I appreciated at the Discovery Center were these hooks for you to place larger bags before riding.
LEGO 4D Cinema
Not only are there flat photo backgrounds in the lobby of the 4D theater but they have a couple of sculpted minifigs as well.
Misting fans triggered with the film splashes or rainstorms delighted the kids in the theater with us.
Miniland
Palace of the Fine Arts and the Golden Gate Bridge
Muir Woods
Lombard Street
Pier 39 world famous seals. Press the button to hear their barks.
Port of San Francisco
Cable cars and other vehicles travel around streets of San Francisco.
Trying to score a basket. Splash!
The BART travels below Miniland
Be sure to look for the ghost travelling the halls of the Winchester Mystery House.
Google headquarters includes its famous founder sitting on a bench near the pond.
Baseball by McCovey Cove complete with outfield soda bottle
Business people make their way to a ballgame.
Lego Racers: Build & Test
Decorate a car with the provided bricks.
Earthquake Tables
Will the Duplo tower you create withstand the quake plate shaking?
Train track setup
Racing
Six lane track to test your racers.
Work station with axles, wheels and other LEGO pieces to create your race car.
Pirates Adventure Island
Multi layer play zone with slides, suspension bridges and other fun.
LEGO macaw would squawk and talk when you pass by.
Build onto the Pirate Adventure Island model. Continue the adventure already established.
Lego Ninjago Training Camp
Improve your reflexes and agility at the Lego Ninjago Training Camp. We had fun with the laser maze.
Build onto the Lego Ninjago Training Camp model.
Can you successfully navigate the Ninjago marble maze? Perhaps build your own Ninjago creation to add to the nearby build.
Lego Friends Heart Lake City
Workspace tables around Heart Lake City are shaped like hearts, stars and musical notes.
Flip books suggest builds to add to the Heart Lake City model.
LEGO city fountains like this inspire new creations at home.
Pose with the lifesize LEGO Olivia.
Coffee Shop
Seating adjacent to the Coffee Shop. Only spotted people dining in the coffee shop during the current covid restrictions.
Birthday Party Room
This room is double the size pictured here with an identical layout in the adjacent area but they can slide shut the lime wall to enable two smaller party celebrations instead.
Duplo Park
Simple slide for the younger set. The large green and white panels as well as the rainbow are available to attach the Duplo blocks found in the nearby pools.
Creative Workshop
Numerous classes scheduled. 8 the day we were there. Impressive LEGO models suspended from the ceiling inspire creation.
Build Challenge Circle