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Soon-to-Open LEGOLAND Discovery Center in San Antonio Teases Miniland Area

Last December of year 2018, the soon-to-open new LEGOLAND Discovery Center in San Antonio promoted its opening date, set for next month, with a brick building exhibit. They featured a number of notable city landmarks, from the Tower Life Building to the Alamo. Three months after that preview, LDC San Antonio now teases the same LEGO structures in their Miniland.

In a sneak peek offered to the San Antonio Express-News, LEGOLAND Discovery Center – San Antonio’s general manager Jeremy Aguillen and marketing manager Chase Hathaway showcases the Miniland section of the indoor theme park, which will open two weeks from now at Shops at Rivercenter mall. The indoor family attraction is a joint project by LEGOLAND operators Merlin Entertainments from the UK and the New York-based real-estate investor Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp.

The sprawling tabletop display is an idealized San Antonio in miniature, with the city’s downtown filled with famous buildings and locations, all populated with minifigures. The Tower of the Americas actually revolves its restaurant deck; canoes on the San Antonio River can be operated to cruise the waters, and the Alamo has minifig historical re-enactors.

Other features of the LDC Miniland include lighting that change from day to night plus fireworks effects shown on the surrounding walls. Their building team will also periodically alter the display to reflect any special occasions and holidays happening in the real San Antonio outside.

Like its fellow LEGO Discovery Centers, the San Antonio one will have children’s rides, a 4D cinema for LEGO movies and various themed play zones for kids and their families. San Antonians can look forward to all these when Shops at Rivercenter opens their 3-floor LDC this coming April 12.

LEGOLAND Florida Opens LEGO Movie World

“The LEGO Movie 2” may have already concluded its theatrical run, but the franchise experience is only just starting. The best place to immerse oneself in the world of Bricksburg is in the LEGOLAND Resorts. In particular, LEGOLAND Florida has had the honor of getting the first LEGO Movie World themed area. Announced months ago, it finally opened this week.

As the song goes, “Everything is Awesome” as LEGOLAND Florida Resort finally opened the doors of LEGO Movie World to guests this Wednesday, March 27. Repurposed from the old “World of Chima” land, LEGO Movie World is easily LEGOLAND Florida’s biggest expansion, almost a theme park in and of itself.

Three rides dominate LEGO Movie World: Unikitty’s Disco Drop which is the tallest feature in the area, the Battle of Bricksburg splash ride-and-shoot, and the LEGO Movie Masters of Flight flying theatre ride. Minifigure characters from the films hang out there for meet-and-greets, while other amenities include the Taco Tuesday restaurant, a retail store, children’s play area and a performance stage where the opening program was held, with “Catchy Songs.”

Project director Kieth Carr of Merlin Entertainment’s “Magic Making” division, which designed LEGO Movie World, noted that the new area will serve as a game-changer.

“The immersion and theming that we’ve incorporated into the area is unlike anything we’ve ever done,” Carr relates to Florida Today. “Our guests will have so much fun on all three rides, but the land’s marquee ride, The LEGO Movie Masters of Flight encompasses the only 180-degree turn on a flying theater in the world.”

Visit the LEGOLAND Florida Resort official website for more details, inquiries on tickets and special packages, and to actually book your future trip to experience LEGO Movie World for yourself.

LEGO Builds Another 1:1 Brick (Non-Functional) Sports Car: McLaren Senna

Using LEGO bricks to build life-sized vehicle models isn’t a new thing. The practice did get a boost following LEGO and Bugatti’s 1:1 recreation of the Technic Chiron set as a functional brick-built car. Many creations from other builders followed, though they lacked the Chiron’s ability to move under power.

Recently LEGO has partnered with McLaren to once again do an official life-sized brick build. The subject is McLaren’s Senna sports car, currently interpreted as one of this year’s LEGO Speed Champions sets (75892). A 42-person team took 5,000 hours in total to assemble 467,854 to form the finished product.

In comparison, within the same timeframe as the LEGO and McLaren collaboration, the latter could have manufactured nine real Sennas. Like the brick-built Chiron, this creation also included non-brick components from its namesake car. We’re talking real McLaren tires, steering wheel, pedal box and carbon-fiber driver’s seat in the thing.

Again, however, this impressive 1:1 LEGO McLaren Senna is lacking the multiple Power Functions motor setup that enabled the brick-built Bugatti Chiron to actually drive. In compensation, the car’s start button will instead play a recorded Senna engine sound over loudspeakers. It’s a poor substitute for the real thing though.

The LEGO McLaren Senna build can only be appreciated in images for now, but it will debut “in the plastic” later this summer. UK fans can catch it on exhibit at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England.

LEGO and Boston Red Sox Announce Second LEGO Day Event in June, During Game vs White Sox

Back in 2016, LEGO and the Boston Red Sox realized their long overdue partnership through the first LEGO Day event. Held at Fenway Park, the occasion catered to both Red Sox and LEGO fans, with a free LEGO-themed build per ticket and more exhibits at the venue. It took three years before a repeat, but here it is at last.

Come July 26, the second LEGO Day at Fenway Park will kick off for the Boston Red Sox and LEGO. This will coincide with their MLB game against the Chicago White Sox. As with the first LEGO Day, ticket-buyers to the game will receive a limited-edition Red Sox-themed LEGO set.

That’s not all. The LEGO Day ticket for Boston vs. Chicago will also provide access to the Kids’ Concourse. There the accompanying LEGO Build Experience is set up. It’s open before the big game in June 26, 11AM to 1:05PM.

While this is certainly going to be a prime destination for Boston LEGO fans, not everybody can make it in. LEGO Day tickets only number 1,500 in total, and they’re only available via this ticket purchase option on the official MLB website. If you’re a brick-head who wants to see the special Red Sox LEGO Master Builder creation at the Brick Experience zone, you better buy your tickets right now.

LEGO Acknowledges Ideas Numbering Error on Steamboat Willie (21317), Plus Set Signing Events at Disney Parks in April

While it’s not going to be available until April 1, we already got our first good looks at the new LEGO Ideas Disney Mickey Mouse – Steamboat Willie set (21317) this week. There might have been an element of April Fools’ with the preview though, when one looks at the numbering.

By that we mean the LEGO Ideas sequential numbering in front of the box. It says this is the 24^th Ideas set released. Not true. That was the LEGO Ideas Flintstones (21316) released at the start of this month. LEGO was quick to pick up the buzz and issued this apology for the accidental misprint.

Due to our excitement to get the Steamboat Willie set into the hands of LEGO fans around the world as quick as possible, an error was made on the packaging relating to the sequential set number. It was mistakenly printed as #24 and it should have been #25.

This will be corrected in future sets.

Of course what that means it that the early-run LEGO Ideas Steamboat Willie (21317) set boxes will eventually become collectors’ items for the typographical flub. In the future we might be looking at inflated prices for 21317 boxes with #24 being hawked online. Hilarity ensues.

In other Steamboat Willie-related news, there are signing events lined up for LEGO Ideas 21317. Obviously they’ll be held in Disney theme parks, but the featured signatory will be the original Ideas designer Máté Szabó. American and European Disney-goers take note of these important dates:

LEGO Store at Disney Springs, Walt Disney World

Orlando, Florida

April 3, 5PM – 8PM

LEGO Store at Disney Village, Disneyland Paris

April 6, 10AM – 1PM

First US Appearance of LEGO Life-Sized Bugatti Chiron in Disney Springs, Disney World

It’s been over six month now since LEGO unveiled their proof of concept that LEGO bricks can build anything. The proof was a life-sized brick-built Bugatti Chiron, using the same elements as the official LEGO Technic Chiron set (42083) and able to actually run, powered solely by Power Functions motors.

For the rest of 2018 the 1:1 LEGO Bugatti Chiron has been on a grand European tour, appearing in racetracks, auto shows and LEGO Stores. After last hearing of it in the UK, we’ve learned that the life-sized LEGO Chiron has already crossed the Atlantic for its first appearance stateside.

When guests at the Disney Springs commercial hub in Walt Disney World, Florida noticed that open space was being prepared in front of their LEGO Store, excitement started to build. Now they can announce that the 1:1 LEGO Bugatti Chiron will be making its first US stop at Disney Springs.

In case you need a refresher, a crack LEGO design team assembled this epic e-car with over a million LEGO Technic pieces, or 90% of the total construction. The “engine” housed 2,304 Power Functions motors driving 4,032 Technic gear wheels to move its genuine tires. Considering it weighs 1.5 tons it’s a miracle the LEGO Chiron can actually manage 20/km.

The LEGO brick-built Bugatti will be parked at the Disney Springs LEGO Store in Disney World over the weekend, from March 22 to 24. Unfortunately no test drives are allowed, but guests might sit inside and marvel at it all.

LEGO Event “Brickish Weekend” at UK’s National Space Centre in Leicester this Saturday

While a member of the European Space Agency (ESA), the UK has a national space agency all their own: the executive-level UK Space Agency (UKSA). In addition, there’s an educational resource museum in Leicester, the National Space Centre that exhibits a number of historical spacecraft plus related technologies and facilities.

The NSC also has a partnership with the UK-based LEGO-building AFOL community the Brickish Association. For nine year past they have hosted an annual event called the Brickish Weekend, where they fill the National Space Centre with a colorful exhibition of awesome tabletop builds of various subjects and tile-mosaic art.

For this year, the tenth Brickish Weekend event at the NSC will take place right at this weekend, from March 16 to 17. Once more the Brickish Association builders will put their best foot forward with their anticipated LEGO exhibits.

Their displays will include a dedicated gallery featuring official and MOC space-related LEGO sets and builds, fitting for the venue. Whether based on real spacecraft or the fancies of the imagination, these exhibits will form the central core of the event, which will also feature official and custom creations of every other LEGO theme available.

Brickish Weekend will offer guest activities too. Visitors will be able to play with LEGO bricks at provided building tables. A LEGO mosaic will also get guests to contribute tiles to complete the giant image.

This annual tradition at the National Space Centre in Leicester will definitely enhance the space history experience that the museum is already famous for. Tickets for Brickish Weekend can be booked at the official website.

Anniversary Dance Party with New Minfiigure Mascots for 20 Years of LEGOLAND California

Before going into a period of accelerated expansion in the current millennium, the LEGOLAND theme parks were a rare sight. While the original resort in Billund, Denmark was opened in 1968, it wasn’t until the nineties that more were built. LEGOLAND California in 1999 was the third, and the first in the US, outside Europe.

Next week, LEGOLAND California Resort will be two decades old. While special treats have already been announced, like free admission to children aged 3-12 on their 2019 birthdays, the Merlin Entertainments-run theme park has only just begun. More attractions for the anniversary are still coming.

For example, starting this weekend on March 16 until September 1, there’s going to be a special dance party attraction in LEGOLAND California. Even better, it’s going to be headlined by two new minifigure character mascots for the resort. They’re a pair of everyday minifigure teens named Jake and Emily.

Join in on all the fun and sing-along to our new Birthday Song with characters Jake and Emily! We love to see our brick-fans get into the birthday spirit! Show us your sweet dance moves and upload your own #LEGOLANDCABirthdayDance to Facebook or Twitter! pic.twitter.com/fjfIJaBlCa

— LEGOLAND California (@LEGOLAND_CA) March 12, 2019

Jake and Emily are, as stated, young LEGO minifig characters wearing “I *L-brick representing a heart* LEGOLAND” shirts. Their names are taken from a survey of the most popular children’s names in the US from 1999, when LEGOLAND California opened.

The 20^th Anniversary Dance Party will see Jake and Emily leading a troupe of dancers in a medley of musical numbers, complete with bubble showers and a 7-foot tall anniversary cake made out of LEGOs. Oh, and on March 20 (opening anniversary date), the first 1,000 children to visit there will receive a set of minifigure costume hands absolutely free.

For other events being added to LEGOLAND California, there will be a new “LEGO Friends: Better Tomorrow” show as well as another movie for the 4D cinema, “LEGO City 4D – Officer in Pursuit.” For more details on all these, visit LEGOLAND California Resort’s official website.

Expansive LEGO Mount Rushomre Build Featuring at BrickUniverse Event at Raleigh, NC

LEGO-related news lately has been featuring some impressively large MOC builds. This week if you can recall, we covered a tabletop LEGO roller coaster and playground set that’s fit to earn a Guinness World Record. That MOC by James Burrows is also scheduled to go on the road for exhibition.

Speaking of which, Raleigh is hosting the BrickUniverse LEGO Fan Convention again this year, and on the coming weekend to boot. Like its official website says, we can expect plenty of big builds being showcased for participants and guests. One of them is a stunning scale copy of Mount Rushmore.

Created by Rocco Buttliere, a LEGO builder for Chicago, the sprawling model is made out of about 22,000 bricks, rendering Mount Rushmore – and the four Presidential faces carved on it – down to some sharp detail, including the rubble pile underneath.

And that’s only on one side of the whole build. The rest is given over to a recreation of the forested terrain and the rest of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial complex: visitor’s center, Lincoln Borglum Museum and Presidential Trail.

According to WRAL.com Buttliere took around 400 hours to finalize the design of his LEGO Mount Rushmore model, and that the actual construction took him 150 hours more. That’s par for the course for Buttliere, a well-known LEGO builder with international awards and exhibits of his work.

The BrickUniverse LEGO Con kicks off at the Raleigh Convention Center from March 9 to 10, 9AM-5PM. Highlights will include the usual free-building areas, meet and greets with popular builders, a Challenge competition Zone and a “Star Wars” set display.

Local Owners Ponder Sale of LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort

Through the UK theme park operating company Merlin Entertainments, LEGO lends its name to the various LEGOLAND Resorts all over the world. With eight already open and no less than three more under construction, LEGOLAND is steeping up to be a major international theme park chain. LEGO fans and their families enjoy these resorts greatly.

In Asia, two LEGOLAND parks can be found. One of them is LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort in Iskandar Puteri, Johor District. The original theme park complex opened in 2012, followed by LEGOLAND Water Park in 2016. It boasts being the first LEGOLAND to feature the company’s virtual reality roller coaster attraction.

But for all its hype, LEGOLAND Malaysia hasn’t been getting a lot of visiting guests especially in 2018. According to Bloomberg the park’s Malaysian owner, the state-owned sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional, has begun considering options for selling the resort.

Finance insiders shared with Bloomberg that Khazanah is waiting for suitable offers before committing to an announcement of the sale. This was revealed through a recent Kuala Lumpur press conference with the sovereign wealth fund’s managing director Shahril Ridza Ridzuan. No final decision on the matter has been made although interested buyers are already welcome to initiate talks with Khazanah.

If a deal to sell is made soon, the current valuation of LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort is 1 billion Malaysian ringgits ($245 million). This includes the theme park’s debts, exacerbated by low visitor counts last year.

For travelers planning to go to Malaysia (or Singapore, which is closer to Johor than Kuala Lumpur), they can check out booking options for the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort, LEGOLAND Water Park and the LEGOLAND Hotel at their official website here.