Legoland California sets opening date for Dino Valley themed land

Dino-loving kids will find a Raptor, Pterodactyl, Brachiosaurus and a terrible Tyrannosaurus Rex among a colony of 35 rainbow-colored dinosaurs made from 1.8 million Lego bricks when a new prehistoric themed land opens this month at Legoland California.

The Carlsbad theme park will open the new Dino Valley land on March 22 as part of Legoland’s 25th anniversary celebration.

The new Dino Valley themed land will feature two new rides alongside the park’s 2004 Coastersauraus roller coaster that zips around Lego versions of a Dilophosaurus and Parasaurolophus.

Located near the park entrance, Dino Valley will include the Explorer River Quest and the Duplo Little Dino Trail rides, a dino-themed Lego brick build-and-play area, a reimagined Dino Dig fossil-finding sandbox and meet-and-greet opportunities with new prehistoric characters.

The Explorer River Quest boat ride will sail past Lego dinosaurs, including an 11-foot-tall T-Rex.

The Little Dino Trail safari will ride takes riders in off-road vehicles past Lego Duplo dinosaurs where kids can use cameras to catch Lego dinos in a game of hide and seek.

The new land and rides take over Legoland’s former Explorer Island themed land and the Safari Trek and Fairy Tale Brook rides.

Four of the Lego dinos — including a 164-pound Dilophosaurus — had to be lowered by crane into the new land because of their size and weight.

An 11-foot-long rainbow-colored Stegosaurus weighing nearly 700 pounds features 119,000 bricks and took more than 500 hours to build.

Legoland’s 25th anniversary celebration continues this summer with the addition of the first parade in park history.

The Lego World parade will make its North American debut at Legoland California. The world’s first Legoland parade was presented at Legoland Deutschland in Germany.

The Legoland California parade will include floats themed to Ninjago, Duplo, Lego City and Lego Friends along with dancers in colorful costumes.

The new parade weaving along the west side of the park will serve as the kiss goodnight finale to the day.