It's a long story that I can tell you in person...but we were given, through no merit of our own, free tickets to Legoland. We had been told to let the giver know when we'd like to come back, and that we'd be given a VIP experience. When I heard that, I thought it was so nice - free tickets - that's great. I didn't know that a VIP experience was actually THE VIP EXPERIENCE. As in, do Legoland the way celebrities do it. Oh, my! As our trip came closer, we kept getting hints that this experience would be like nothing else we had ever done before. All we could do was enjoy it...and be thankful...and share the fun in pictures...with you!
Here we are making the drive to the hotel where we stayed the first night. I mentioned earlier that Benjamin had been feeling crummy, but he did fine in the car, and I think the rest time helped him. We were all SO excited! We kept telling the kids that this would be the ONE time they would experience Legoland in this way, but we still didn't know exactly what we were getting into.
(I should mention that we discovered something after our first night's stay in a hotel, which was not the Legoland Hotel: Ants can infest a car. We came out of our hotel the next morning to find that we had, apparently, parked on an ant highway. We discovered them crawling across our rear bumper and then realized that they had come after the small remnants of yesterday's snacks inside the car. We weren't really sure what to do, and we were very focused on getting to Legoland. We had an early appointment that we were NOT going to miss! Once we got there to park, we found swarms of ants on our front license plate and under the hood. I am not exaggerating. It was amazing. BUT, we decided that the ants could wait, and we were not going to let them take anything away from our VIP day. So, we didn't!)
As part of our VIP experience, we got to choose two special events. The first was at 8 a.m., before the park opened. We were introduced to our guide for the day, Tim. I have to admit that I was a tiny bit apprehensive about adding a stranger to our day. We had never done anything like this before. But, when we met Tim, he put us at ease, and not even one of my small fears came true. Tim blended in with our family and guided us through a perfect day. He also started our kids' days with a gift: mini figures that they could trade with any of the Legoland employees. That's a little known perk of Legoland: the workers have Lego minifigs attached to their name tags and have to trade them with anyone who asks. My kiddos liked the minifigs that Tim gave to them so much that they didn't want to trade.
Here's our first pic of the day, with Benjamin feeling OK but still a little moody, as you'll see here and in other pictures.
Our first VIP experience was at the Legoland aquarium. We had never been there before, and for this, our first visit, we got to go inside before it was open to anyone else and "wake up the fish." We had a lot of fun seeing the sea creatures (and Lego creations) without having to deal with the crowds...or wait in line for the slide!
The kids were able to ask questions of the workers getting ready for the day, too! A big perk of our VIP experience was pictures. I'll share the Sea Life Aquarium pictures later because I haven't scanned the printed ones yet. But, Tim took care of us all day by collecting the pictures that Legoland photographers took of us. He gathered all of their bar codes onto one card with a QR code, and we could see them online and download them when we were done with our adventure! What a treat to enjoy all the photos of the day and not worry about deciding whether to buy them. Many of them will be sprinkled throughout the Legoland posts.
The rest of these pictures are from our VIP day at Legoland. Since they were taken on my "big camera," the old digital camera that we let Jonathan use, Jeff's phone, and even Tim's phone, they don't all appear in order...but I hope you enjoy them anyway. We sure did, and it's fun to relive our fun a month later! Yes, I am blushing, it has been nearly a month since this wonderful day. Better late than never!
Here's one of our first rides. Benjamin is enjoying driving the safari Jeep while I relax. Tim helped guide us toward the rides that would be best enjoyed with his help, and that included anything that required standing in line. But not for us, because being a Legoland VIP meant never standing in line!
This is the new carousel in Lego Friends Heartlake City. Grace's blissful expressions speak for themselves, right? part of the VIP experience was not only getting on the ride first as Tim escorted us past each line, but being able to ride twice in a row anytime we felt like it. And here, Grace felt like it.
The Lego Friends also had their own mini-musical. Tim knew when all the shows were scheduled, and he escorted Grace to a seat in the front just as the show was starting.
All the little girls just soaked in the girliness...including my little girl.
She danced along with the songs to her heart's content. I have to say, too, that I was really happy with the songs' lyrics and choreography. So many things that are marketed to Grace's age group right now (things that she has never seen, I might add) are so provocative and suggestive. The Lego Friends stuff was just fun - I didn't feel the need to edit.
Tim also knew when we could visit Wyld Style...
and Emmett.
More Friends! I think this one is Stephanie. If you've never been to this new portion of Legoland, which I think just opened in May, ask Grace about it. :)
Our first special event we got to choose as VIPs was waking up the fish. The second was one that Jeff and I were SO excited about, and so were the kids when we broke the news to them - especially Jonathan. We got to go into the Lego Master Builders' model shop and have a building session with them! Andy was our teacher, and I guess you could say that he "technically isn't a Master Builder...YET." (Jonathan may be the only one who laughs at that Lego Movie quote.) He led us into the shop where all the Legos for building and repairing the Legoland models are stored.
This is how the parts are organized. You can imagine how Jonathan was feeling at this point. Jeff and I were afraid his head might explode.
So much to look at! Their work area looks a lot like mine. A lot going on, but I'm sure they know exactly where everything is.
Another view of the Master Builders shop.
This is where Andy led us through the process of building Minilanders. Mainlanders are what they call the people who inhabit Miniland, which is the portion of Legoland where mini, Lego versions of famous places are built. It's the heart of Legoland. We love walking through it.
Anyway, here we are...building Miniland versions of ourselves.
As you can see, they are bigger and more cubic than minifigs. Left to right, that's Jonathan, Benjamin, Jeff, Grace, and me.
And here we are, with the Miniland versions of ourselves.
Next came my favorite part of this Master Builder experience. As background, you should know that Jeff has been admiring this Lego set for a long time, but he's not going to buy it for himself. Jonathan wanted me to get it for Jeff for his birthday, but I was not going to
spring for it.
So, Jonathan did the next best thing: He designed a mini version (which is one of his favorite things to do anyway) and built it for Jeff for his birthday. There were a few pieces we lacked, and we ordered them from
Lego Pick a Brick. Unfortunately, there were a few pieces that we could not find, could not order, and the prized van remained incomplete. Jonathan was in distress. Where, oh where would he find those pieces?
Little had he known that he would soon be in the storage area for all the Legos used on all the models at Legoland. Or that one of the Master Builders named Matt would be so happy to help him, and to GIVE him the parts that he lacked.
Or that this is their organizational system.
Here are Matt and Jonathan. I think they connected pretty quickly when Matt realized that Jonathan spoke his language. He gave Jonathan some tips about where to find bricks online. I'm not sure whether Matt knows how meaningful these few minutes of conversation were to Jonathan. But I know!!! And now you do, too.
The rest of the day continued in very happy fashion. Tim continued to get us onto rides with no waiting. The only line I waited in all day was the one for the ladies' room. Here is Jonathan on the Hydronauts ride...
and here are Jeff and Grace getting ready to drive. I love how Legoland gives parents and kids the mandatory opportunity to make memories together.
It's not just for kids!
I should also mention one part of the VIP Experience that we enjoyed but didn't expect to enjoy. Tim offered us the option of renting us a stroller at the beginning of the day. We declined - obviously, we hadn't used a stroller for a long time - but in the afternoon, Benjamin was getting tired, and when we offered one to him, he wanted it. So, for the afternoon, Benjamin enjoyed having a little home base for rest...and we appreciated Tim taking care of us...again.
Jeff had really been wanting to ride this ride. Benjamin had been telling people about it for months, even though none of us had ridden it. None of us wanted to, except for Jeff...and Grace.
Here they are, riding it on a level 1.
And here is Jeff, riding it immediately afterward because of the VIP Experience, on a level 5. Oh, my.
I think this was a picture of us on the boat that cruises around Miniland at the very beginning of our day. These are phone pictures, so they're out of order. Can you believe we had never been on this ride before?
Jonathan has refused to ride all roller coasters even though he liked them as a little guy, so here we are on a coaster without him. He stood with Tim and watched.
Here's Benjamin in his afternoon happy place.
This Technic ride is the Legoland version of the Disneyland Teacups. The Legoland photographer took the next few pictures, and we have them because Tim collected them for us and gave them to us. All part of the VIP experience.
Grace was SO excited to meet the real Lego Friends, and Tim knew just when they would be available. They were very sweet to chat with Grace and take pictures with her. It was funny, though - they asked her, "Do you watch our show??" She didn't know what to say. I answered, "We didn't even know you had a show! But, she builds with your sets." They weren't afraid to ham it up with her a bit. She has been writing letters to them and drawing pictures for them lately...she had a lot of fun with the Friends...
even the models of Friends!
To be continued...
