Spoiler alert: We had the BEST time at Legoland Hotel California a few weeks ago! It was our first visit and it was so much fun! I knew it would be kid-friendly but it turned out to be totally mom-friendly too. If your kids have been wanting to stay there I highly recommend it! Read on for all the details.
*A media rate was extended to me for our stay. Truth be told the media rate was more expensive than the online rate. All opinions are my own! 
Although my kids haven't been playing with Legos much lately, my oldest son has wanted to stay at the Legoland Hotel for years! It finally worked out in our budget and schedule so we headed down to Carlsbad a few weeks ago for a quick family getaway. We booked an Adventure Themed room which was crazy cool. There are details everywhere. I'm going to be very honest when I say that I hadn't really been looking forward to going. When I think of going to a very family oriented hotel or attraction, I instantly think of dirty and worn out. But that was not the case at all! Everything was awesome, just like the song says…I was also worried that since we were in a standard room that there wouldn't be very many special details. But that was SO wrong. The basic rooms are still super awesome. The bed above was in the adult area of the room. While the rooms are not super large, it was totally comfortable for our family of four. 
There are Lego creations everywhere, not only in the rooms, but all around the hotel. This large monkey was one of my favorites from our room. And one of the coolest parts was that he sat on top of a locked treasure chest. In order for the kids to get the lock to open, they had to complete a 4 question scavenger hunt around the hotel. It was easy for all skill levels and when they finished we raced back to the room to see what the surprise was. There were two Lego minifig bags in there for them to build. It may not seem like much but the fact that they were given something “for free” in a hotel room was a huge.
Another treat was the complimentary amenities found in each room. Water, juice, coffee and hot cocoa. It felt luxurious and decadent. The kids sucked down those juices about 2 seconds after checking in to the hotel room. It was much appreciated to have these things. The week prior we had stayed in a hotel in Newport Beach and the kids were floored that they didn't give you water to drink. It seems like something hotels should be a little more free with and hopefully more hotels will start to follow suit. It made me feel welcome and like I was a guest rather than being nickel and dimed at every turn. 
The bunk bed area in the room was so cool. There is also a trundle-bed under the bunk beds to accommodate 3 kids. I wouldn't really call this area a room, it's basically three walls, similar to the size of a large walk-in closet. Aside from having murals on the walls, there was also a TV for them to watch, including a Lego channel. Another thing we really loved in the room was the box of Legos that they could build with and keep them busy and entertained. Although we weren't in the room much, we really enjoyed our time in there. 
Have you heard about the disco elevators?! THE BEST THING EVER! You get in to, well, elevator music. Then the doors close and that's when the fun begins. The disco ball starts, a light show begins and a disco song plays loudly. You can't help but to dance. And I mean everyone, kids and adults a like. It's really fun. The only disappointing thing is that we were on the highest floor, but that was only the 3rd floor! It goes much to quickly. My husband seemed to really love the disco elevator.
See video of the Disco Elevator here! Just don't be jealous of our dance moves…
My youngest was in love with the area outside of the elevator that made fart noises when you stepped on it. Being a mom of boys, I've learned to tolerate farts. But this was so funny. I think the best was when little girls would try it out. Some would giggle like crazy and others would look surprised. I'm thinking we should put this in our house. 
Every single staff member that we came in contact with was amazingly friendly and helpful. Many of them gave us helpful hints about how to navigate the hotel and crowds. For instance, Natalie suggested that we head down to breakfast, in our pajamas, to eat on the earlier side, then go back to the room to get ready before heading in to Legoland. She said lines for the restaurant start to grow about an hour before park opening (which in our case was 9:30 am) so it made sense to try to miss that rush. I was surprised when she said to go in our pajamas. That is not something I would ever just do. When she told us that as we were checking in, I was a little skeptical. That was until I saw the lady in the hallway off the lobby in her pajamas at about 9 pm. And it didn't seem odd at all. The best way to describe the hotel is like staying at a family member's house. It is all families, which means, I didn't feel like my kids were being too loud or bothering anyone. It took a ton of stress off me. Also be sure to look at all the employee's name tags to see what kind of flair their working with. 
Aside from getting in Legoland California earlier, guests of the hotel have access to the concierge. The concierge can sell you park tickets, if you need them, so you don't have to wait in line outside the park. They also have information on what rides are open or closed and any other info you might need to have the best day ever at Legoland. 
There are 3 places to get food at the resort. One is a sit down restaurant, one is lounge with grab and go type items, and the most popular, Brick's, is a buffet. I don't love buffets but it was a really nice one. The kids loved the food, and I loved that I could easily ask the Chef about my son's food allergies. They even had special allergen friendly cookies in the back since there weren't very many options that he could have for fear of cross contamination. A breakfast buffet is included in the price of the hotel room and it was delicious! It was the BEST way to start the day before heading in to Legoland. I let the kids eat in their pajamas and they totally fit right in. There were definitely whole families in jammies eating their breakfast. And, again, not weird! 
The other great part, was that there is a cocktail server that comes around in the restaurant if you want a drink (not at breakfast). My husband got a beer and I got a glass of wine. The prices were totally reasonable for those drinks which they totally didn't have to be. I mean, they could totally ask for, and get, double what they charge for a glass. A mom would pay that at a family resort, but they don't gouge you and I loved that! While eating in Bricks, there are themed characters that stroll around and chat with you. They all are part of one of the Lego themes and some play instruments, some tell jokes, it's a really nice touch. They also make sure you know about the kid's entertainment options that happen each night. 
The hotel was smaller than I thought it would be. There were two main areas where the kids could play with Legos. One is an area in the Lobby, and the second is just above the Lobby in the moat around this castle, pictured above. The cool thing about the castle is that there is tons of Legos, so there is no worry of kids not having enough to play with. The wizard and knight, above, were in charge of the kid's entertainment for the night. First they led a building contest where kids were asked to build “food” out of the Legos. Then a little later, they had a magic show. Kids can continue to play in the back of the castle during the show if they don't want to sit and watch it. And the best part is that we could sit in the Lounge and relax, and the kids could be at the castle playing. The set up is really nice. 
My husband even built me a wineglass charm out of Legos…We decided to do the hotel the night before we wanted to go to the park. That way we could take advantage of the early entry and not have to make the hour drive down to Carlsbad in the morning. I highly suggest that if you are planning a trip. We were so beat after our full day at Legoland, we wouldn't have enjoyed all that the hotel had to offer if we stayed after a full day at Legloland.
The kids weren't super in to the magic show so I went back to the room to watch TV and my husband took the boys to the pool for a night swim. He said there were at least 4 lifeguards on duty and the pool also has large Legos to play with in the water.
One thing I wish we would have done is gotten off the elevator on the other floors to check out the other themes. Looks like we'll have to go back and check that out. 
Our stay at Legoland Hotel California was a blast! We can't wait to go again! My boys are 7 and 9 years old and they were the perfect ages for hanging out at the hotel and for us, the parents, to enjoy ourselves too. While I'm sad that we hadn't taken the kids sooner, I think that we didn't enter our optimum fun zone until right now.
To recap, I had so much more fun at the Legoland Hotel than I thought I would. I know it isn't all about me, but I think I am also an important part of the family and should enjoy myself as well. I'm not a huge Lego fan, but I am a huge fan of a hotel that is run well, kept in great shape and has amenities geared at all ages of people staying on the property. I am also a fan of seeing my kids have a fun time and they totally did. We have such great memories from the hotel and the park the next day!
Check out our day at Legoland. While it wasn't our first time visiting the park, it was the first time both of my boys were old enough, and tall enough to ride the roller coasters. Because of staying in the hotel, we got in the park 1/2 hour early. We ran a little behind and ended up having just enough time to ride one coaster before the park opened. But it was a nice way to start the day without immediately having to wait in a long line!
If you're in to Legos you'll probably want to check out the Lego Dance Party birthday party I threw my son!
You have to stay at Legoland Hotel California!
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