One attraction earned a Guinness World Record
IAN STALKER
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto says it has built an intriguing, year-round destination — piece by piece by piece.
The Toronto-area attraction, which opened 11 years ago and is one of 28 LEGO/LEGOLAND Discovery Centres worldwide, has an array of attractions collectively made from some 3.5 million LEGO bricks, with many of the attractions clearly reflecting that they’re found in Ontario’s capital.
“We have the former Guinness ‘World Record Largest LEGO Brick Flag’ on site. It is 21 feet long by 11 feet tall. We also have a MINILAND, which is [recreations of] Toronto landmarks, all built from LEGO bricks, including the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Scotiabank Arena, Pearson Airport and other iconic buildings,” reports attraction master builder Noel Straatsma. “From the tallest skyscrapers to the biggest stadiums, MINILAND is built with 1.5 million LEGO bricks and is the perfect place to see and interact with Toronto!”
A recent attraction addition was the Pride Parade, made completely out of LEGO bricks, and featuring over 80 mini-figures. It took eight hours to build.
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto also marked this past Canada Day by enabling visitors to meet Straatsma and touch the massive Canadian flag, and also watching a video of how that 248,062-brick flag came to life in 2018.
Also offered as part of Canada Day was learning how to build a LEGO Canada goose from Straatsma.
LEGOLAND parks and Discovery Centres were originally part of Denmark’s The LEGO Group but ended up being sold to family attractions company Merlin Entertainments in the early 2000s. The two groups continue to cooperate in many areas.
Merlin Entertainments’ portfolio now includes LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, LEGOLAND theme parks, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museums, Sea Life, The Bear Grylls Adventure, The Eye Brand, and numerous European theme parks.
Bev Sahota, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Toronto’s marketing manager, says the past 11 years have seen her attraction build a following and deservedly so.
“LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is a premium, indoor LEGO attraction that gives children and their families the opportunity to play and learn together in a LEGO world,” she says. “With more than 34,000 square feet. of fun, the attraction features more than 3 million LEGO bricks, two LEGO rides, a 4D cinema, specialized building classes with Canada’s only Master Model Builder, and MINILAND — the venue’s signature re-creation of landmark location and buildings throughout Toronto and the GTA, made entirely out of LEGO bricks.”
Canada’s Wonderland, found a little north of Toronto, often overshadows many other area attractions but Sahota — while quick to praise that attraction — says LEGOland has a number of aces up its sleeve when it comes to attracting visitors.
“Canada’s Wonderland is an outdoor theme park that invites guests of all ages to enjoy thrilling rides and experiences,” she continues. “LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is the perfect indoor option for families with young children – while it may appear that Canada’s Wonderland is a top competitor; we believe that LEGOLAND Discovery Centre offers a unique experience that you cannot find anywhere else in the GTA! The pricing and offerings between the attractions are vastly different and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is open year-round whereas Canada’s Wonderland is seasonally operational.”
Meanwhile, Straatsma notes Legoland Discovery Centre Toronto visitors will see recreations of different creatures, including a mythical one, with sculptures including a 3-foot-tall baby dragon, a 7-foot giraffe, and life-sized DUPLO reindeer.
