Legoland California unveils world’s first Lego city of San Diego

A team of 70 Master Model Builders used more than 5 million Lego bricks to construct the new Lego San Diego, which joins other iconic cities in Miniland, U.S.A, including New York, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and San Francisco.

“San Diego is a beautiful destination filled with stunning architecture, landscapes, and history and there’s nowhere else in the world you can experience America’s Finest City like this – completely out of Lego bricks and on a 1:20 scale,” said Legoland California Resort President Kurt Stocks. “Last year, we asked our guests which landmarks they’d like to see in our new LEGO city, and we’re excited to see their visions come to life. Many of our Master Model Builders are from San Diego and it’s been awesome to see the passion put into this new attraction, and I can’t wait to share it with the families that visit us from all over the world.”

The Lego city of San Diego features a 30-foot beach, streets lined with 120 palm trees, and 55 San Diego landmarks, including:

• The Rady Shell – Modeled after San Diego’s open-air music venue, the Rady Shell in Miniland was constructed of 65,490 Lego bricks with 380 Lego chairs for audience members.
• Petco Park – Made up of more than 150,000 bricks, the Petco Park model features an animated Jumbotron and 1,000 Minilanders cheering on the San Diego Padres.
• Coronado Bridge and the Hotel Del Coronado – The city’s Coronado Bridge was created from 101,943 bricks (each pillar has its own set of lights). Also recreated in Lego bricks is the city’s iconic Hotel del Coronado (the inspiration for Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort).
• Emerald Plaza – The architecturally-distinct Emerald Plaza in downtown San Diego is constructed of 204,060 Lego bricks, with each hexagonal top illuminated with LED lights.
• San Diego Convention Center – Master Model Builders drew inspiration from San Diego’s famous Comic Con, with hundreds of costumed characters based on collector Minifigures.
• The San Diego County Fair – The Lego fair features an animated Ferris Wheel, Hammer Swing, and Gravitron rides (plus food stalls, a farm animal contest, a chili cookoff, and a giant vegetable competition).
• Downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter – The streets of the Lego city are lined with San Diego’s famous gaslamps as Minilanders in suits head to work downtown and a Mariachi band plays in Old Town.