Kids, adults get a taste of Lego creativity at Schaumburg preview
The pieces are coming together at a huge indoor Lego park set to open at Streets of Woodfield Monday.
Children were able to test the new 32,000-square-foot play arena Friday during a preview gathering at Legoland Discovery Center, the first of its kind in the United States.
"This is cool," said a focused 7-year-old Vaughn Kaczkowski as he clicked plastic pieces together attempting to construct a car in the bright Build & Test room surrounded by windows.
The Schaumburg attraction is a smaller version of the outdoor Legoland theme park popular around the world, including in California.
About 8 million plastic bricks can be found inside the play arena, including a depiction of Chicago's skyline, complete with the Navy Pier Ferris wheel, taxi cabs, Buckingham Fountain and a firetruck with sirens and lights.
The only missing element from the ornate scene is pot holes, joked Legoland Master Builder Dan Morey of Elmhurst.
The 24-year-old won a Lego building contest a year ago resulting in his employment at the Schaumburg site.
"I've been a Lego fan all my life," Morey said. "I had boxes of them. My mom, who was always stepping on the pieces, was always telling me to put them away,"
Watching children's eyes light up while exploring the center is a highlight for Morey, who hopes to construct Wrigley or Soldier Field.
The wow factor begins in the parking lot when visitors are greeted by a two-story giraffe attached to the outside of the play center with its bright yellow sign.
Other features include a Lego factory showing how Lego bricks are made, a dragon ride that winds through a medieval castle with a huge dragon that blows smoke out of its mouth and bats with red lights for eyes.
A "4-D movie" featuring Lego characters is a favorite feature, said Legoland Attraction Manager Mike Pastor. The 110-seat theater plays a 12-minute movie where visitors can feel the wind and a mist of rain.
The facility, designed for children ages 2 to 12, features a cafe and birthday party rooms. However, many of the dates are already booked for the next year.
"We have 1,000 guests booked over the next six months," Pastor said.
The cost to play is $15 for children, $19 for adults and $17 for seniors. Annual passes are also available. Usually, guests stay for about two hours, the company said.
Visitors were impressed with the facility Friday.
"I've never seen anything like it," said grandma Karen Skinner of Oak Park. "It's inspirational for kids. This place could make an artist out of a child."
Larry Goldman was also amazed with the setup as his 4-year-old son rolled Lego cars down a ramp.
"This place is going to be a big deal. There's a million things to do here," he said.
Leaving Legoland may be the most difficult part.
"I don't know how I'm going to get my kids out of here," said Lourdes Nicholls, mom to 5- and 7-year-old boys.
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