Star Wars Miniland

The new Star Wars' models take shape at Star Wars Miniland renders epic battles, iconic cityscapes and massive machines in an intimate 1:20 scale at Legoland California . The new Star Wars attraction, which opened Thursday at the Carlsbad kiddie park, utilized 1.5 million Lego bricks to build a visual timeline stretching from the first film in the series to the latest television cartoons based on the space fantasy, bridging...

The weather forecast for Legoland California this summer calls for a 100% chance of getting 100% soaking wet. PHOTOS: Pirate Reef water ride at Legoland California The new Pirate Reef water attraction opened over Memorial Day weekend at the Carlsbad kiddie park with a pair of life-size Lego pirate ships flanking the splash zone of the classic shoot-the-chutes ride. For its relatively modest size, the 25-foot-tall attraction built by Florida-based Hopkins Amusement Rides generates a surprisingly enormous splash.

As part of a multiattraction expansion this spring, Legoland California plans to update the Star Wars Miniland area that debuted last summer, add a pirate-themed shoot-the-chutes water ride and install a crab exhibit at the adjacent SeaLife Aquarium. Set to open March 29, the Star Wars Gallery will include 3-foot-tall Lego models of a dozen characters from the epic film saga, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2D2, Yoda and Darth Vader.  At the same time, model builders will install new characters, weapons and spacecraft to existing Star Wars Miniland scenes rendered in 1:20 scale using Lego bricks.

As part of a multiattraction expansion this spring, Legoland California plans to update the Star Wars Miniland area that debuted last summer, add a pirate-themed shoot-the-chutes water ride and install a crab exhibit at the adjacent SeaLife Aquarium. Set to open March 29, the Star Wars Gallery will include 3-foot-tall Lego models of a dozen characters from the epic film saga, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2D2, Yoda and Darth Vader.  At the same time, model builders will install new characters, weapons and spacecraft to existing Star Wars Miniland scenes rendered in 1:20 scale using Lego bricks.

The weather forecast for Legoland California this summer calls for a 100% chance of getting 100% soaking wet. PHOTOS: Pirate Reef water ride at Legoland California The new Pirate Reef water attraction opened over Memorial Day weekend at the Carlsbad kiddie park with a pair of life-size Lego pirate ships flanking the splash zone of the classic shoot-the-chutes ride. For its relatively modest size, the 25-foot-tall attraction built by Florida-based Hopkins Amusement Rides generates a surprisingly enormous splash.

There's a lot more than pixie dust swirling through the air at the Disneyland resort as construction crews, excavators and towering cranes work on several new theme-park rides set to debut this summer and beyond. The tandem Anaheim theme parks haven't seen this much construction since Disney California Adventure opened in 2001 next door to Disneyland. Photos: Top 10 most anticipated Southern California theme park rides for 2011 The headliner for 2011 is the $100-million Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure , opening at Disney California Adventure on June 3. The elaborate dark ride will take visitors on a family-friendly musical underwater journey based on "The Little Mermaid" animated movie.

Work has begun on many of the Lego models coming to a new " Star Wars " themed area at Legoland California – including Han Solo's Millennium Falcon, Luke Skywalker's landspeeder and X-Wing starfighters as well as miniature versions of stormtroopers, droids and creatures from the epic film saga. Photo gallery : View "Star Wars" Lego models at Legoland California Crews have cleared land for the new "Star Wars" miniland and begun pouring foundations for the animated scenes to be depicted from the six movies in the series and the "Clone Wars" television cartoon.

While all eyes will be on Disney California Adventure in 2012, plenty of other theme parks in California will be adding new rides and attractions in time for the summer crowds. Our Top 10 for 2012 is dominated by new rides coming to DCA's 12-acre Cars Land expansion , the grand finale in the $1 billion extreme makeover the Anaheim theme park has undertaken during the past five years. DCA's transformation is so massive that even Disneyland is taking the year off as far as new attractions go, letting the spotlight shine on its younger neighbor.

There's a lot more than pixie dust swirling through the air at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure as construction crews, earth-moving excavators and towering cranes work on several theme park rides set to debut this summer and beyond. The headliner is the $100-million Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure, scheduled to open June 3 at California Adventure. The elaborate dark ride will take visitors on a family-friendly musical underwater journey based on "The Little Mermaid," the 1989 animated movie.

The Legoland theme park in San Diego County is preparing to launch its newest attraction — an area featuring "Star Wars" movie scenes built with Lego bricks — to boost attendance this spring and summer. But the attraction, opening Thursday, also is expected to boost profit with another important moneymaker for the park: souvenir sales. Adjacent to the new Star Wars "miniland," the Carlsbad park plans to open a store called the Empire Emporium to sell hats, T-shirts and, of course, Lego kits to build Star Wars spaceships and characters.

There's a lot more than pixie dust swirling through the air at the Disneyland resort as construction crews, excavators and towering cranes work on several new theme-park rides set to debut this summer and beyond. The tandem Anaheim theme parks haven't seen this much construction since Disney California Adventure opened in 2001 next door to Disneyland. Photos: Top 10 most anticipated Southern California theme park rides for 2011 The headliner for 2011 is the $100-million Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure , opening at Disney California Adventure on June 3. The elaborate dark ride will take visitors on a family-friendly musical underwater journey based on "The Little Mermaid" animated movie.

The new Star Wars' models take shape at Star Wars Miniland renders epic battles, iconic cityscapes and massive machines in an intimate 1:20 scale at Legoland California . The new Star Wars attraction, which opened Thursday at the Carlsbad kiddie park, utilized 1.5 million Lego bricks to build a visual timeline stretching from the first film in the series to the latest television cartoons based on the space fantasy, bridging...