We visited LegoLand Discovery Center in Schaumburg, IL and it was great! You can see the building from pretty far away, given the HUGE lego giraffe neck and head sticking out from above the front doors!
We had visited LegoLand in California a few years ago, but we weren’t really sure what a “discovery center” was going to be all about. Obviously, we knew it wasn’t going to be as big as California, as the Discovery Center in Schaumburg is basically in a little shopping complex, but we were pleasantly surprised with how much fun we had!
We went on a Friday shortly after they opened at 10:00 AM. The main area was not crowded at all, so we could take our time and really check out everything there. In the first main room, there is a large display of Chicago, with everything from skyscrapers to houses, to a Ferris Wheel, and more.
There was a night sky background behind everything so the “lights” were turned on in the homes and buildings. There were computer terminals set up every so often where you could touch on one of the buildings and the computer would tell you information about how many lego bricks it took to build, and information about the real building. The coolest part about it was the hidden characters within the city scene. Keep your eyes open for The Mystery Machine, Emmet from The Lego Movie, a bank truck robbery in progress, Spiderman scaling a building, and more. There are also buttons to push to make objects play music and move around.
The second area you go into welcomes you with a life-size Lego Indiana Jones statue, and the room is a jungle theme. Huge Lego figures of jungle animals are displayed in trees and water, and watch out for the snakes on the floor!
There is a viewing window where you can watch the workers building the Lego displays and you can check out some of the other displays they have built behind the window. There is also a Star Wars “MiniLand” with the life-size Darth Vader, R2-D2, and a virtual reality ride, which does cost a little extra. There is a “Kingdom Quest” ride, which does not cost extra, which takes you on a journey where you can shoot at spiders, bats, skeletons, and more from your train car.
Upstairs is where you can build your own Lego’s, with tables you can sit at and all the Lego’s you can imagine available to create with. There is also a play area, where you can sit and build, but there is also a Pirate Adventure playground, another ride, and even a Duplo blocks area for the younger kids. Plus, plenty of comfy chairs for parents to sit and relax while watching the kiddos have a blast.
We did not eat lunch while we were there, but the prices were cheap- nothing over $10.00. They had sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, pizza, popcorn, and a variety of drinks. Plenty of seating areas to relax and catch a break.
There is a 4D movie at certain times, which was really fun! Only about 20-30 minutes long, you experience a little wind and sprinkling of water. Be on the lookout to meet Emmet the mini-figure too and get your picture taken with him!
The gift shop was a little overwhelming for our 11 year old, merely because there were so many Lego kits available to buy. From Star Wars to Ninjago, to Harry Potter, Jurassic World, and more- it’s a Lego fanatic’s dream come true!
Be prepared to spend a few hours at the Discovery Center, but it is a great place to visit, even for the older Lego lovers! Definitely a must-stop if you’re ever in the Schaumburg area.
