When we knew our son wanted to go to LEGOLAND for his eighth birthday (eighth birthdays are kind of a big deal around here) we looked into it and realized it was a better deal to purchase passes. Since we’ve had passes the past year we have taken full advantage of them. We’ve taken the trip down to Carlsbad four times so far and have one more planned to wish a fond farewell to our passes in May. Even though I never went as a kid growing up in Orange County (Disneyland and Knott’s were much closer) I now consider myself a bit of an expert and I’ve got some LEGOLAND California tips for you if you’re planning a trip anytime soon. Some product links contain affiliates, all opinions are my own.

don’t miss a photo op

This might seem obvious but don’t forget your camera when you go to LEGOLAND. In fact, you might want to bring a travel charger too just in case. If you do run out of power there are charging lockers at Guest Services near the front of the park, the price is $3 for a two hour charge. Save your money at the park and be prepared, just buy your own! There are so many amazing photo ops in the park that you don’t want to miss out on! Between the wall murals and the impressive LEGO models everywhere you look, the best souvenir you’ll bring back are your photos.

great spots for photos

• LEGO wall mural on the outside wall of the Big Shop, near the caricature artists.
• LEGO Ninjago elemental powers wall mural in Ninjago World.
• Knight LEGO models in Castle Hill, across from Castle Hill Ice Cream and behind Royal Joust.
• Miniland, USA, various locations. This area get BRIGHT in the middle of the say so try to shoot your pictures in the morning or on overcast days.
• In front of buildings in Fun Town. Lots of LEGO models and false fronts. Especially cute pictures during the holidays!
• LEGO model cars kids can get in near the Driving School in Fun Town. During the holidays they move these for a life-size Santa sleigh replica.
• Character meet and greets, various locations, check your LEGOLAND app or park schedule.
• LEGO larger-than-life minifigures, in various locations. Check The Beginning by the giant LEGO model dinosaur and by Deep Sea Adventure.

save your money

Who’s waiting for the LEGOLAND California tips about saving money?! Remember when I said we bought annual passes? Well, those annual passes will also give you a discount on food an merchandise! If you’re planning to spend more than just one day at LEGOLAND then price it out and see if an annual pass is worth it. You can also save money by purchasing your tickets ahead of time on their website. The LEGOLAND Gold Pass and above also gives you free admission to over 30 Merlin Entertainment Attractions in North America. And one of the reasons that we stayed at the Castle Hotel back in January? We were cashing in a free overnight stay from buying four or more annual passes (they are still running this promotion, check it out on their website!).

You can also save money this year by taking advantage of LEGOLAND’s 20th birthday offer. For 2019 kids age 12 and under can get into LEGOLAND California free on their birthday! If you’re a annual pass holder then your child can bring a friend free on their birthday! How’s THAT for money-saving tip?!

download the free app

I have to admit–I have a love/hate relationship with the LEGOLAND California app. The first couple of days we were there it was great for helping us navigate around the park and find the closest restroom. In theory it’s supposed to tell you wait times, show times, and ride closures too. Um, yeah, it is super unreliable in my experience. More than once it has told me a wait time that has been completely wrong (like, the ride wasn’t even open).

However, if you need help finding your way around it can be helpful. And special discounts will occasionally pop up for food or merchandise so it can be another good way to save money on your LEGOLAND trip. My advice? Download it for your first day at the park and see if you like it. Just don’t rely on it for wait times and ride closures!

b.y.o.m., or Bring Your Own Minifigure

Something really fun at LEGOLAND is Minifigure trading. Much like pin trading at the Disney Resorts, you can bring your own Minifigure and trade with any employee. We have seen some AWESOME Minifigures on employee name badges! So go through your Minifigures at home and pull out a few you wouldn’t mind trading in if you found some you like better. Most cash registers and help desks will also have several on display for trading.

don’t forget your badges and pins

Ready for more LEGOLAND California tips about how to save money?? How about how to get some free souvenirs? Along with Minifigure trading another one of the fun LEGOLAND California tips is to make sure to ask for pins and pop badges! Again, much like at Disneyland they have 1st visit pins and birthday pins. You can ask in The Beginning at guest services or at the front desk if you’re staying at one of the hotels.

Pop Badges are a fun thing to collect at LEGOLAND also and they’re completely free! There are several different Pop Badges that you can collect for various reasons while you’re at the park. These are similar to pins but they “pop” right onto your clothing or lanyard. You can get ones for showing up on a challenge day, at a particular ride, or by staying at one of their on-site or partner hotels. There’s even a Mr. Gold Pop Badge that an employee will be wearing each day and if you find it you can redeem it for a prize! We’ve never found one on an employee but we look every time we go and I’ve spotted guests sporting them before!

Usually we’ve collected out Pop Badges by seeing an employee with one and when we inquire about they ask how many we want! You can also get certain ones from guest relations or hotel front desks.

Want some more LEGOLAND California tips? Check out my post for spending a rainy day at LEGOLAND!

What LEGOLAND California tips do you have?