As one of LEGO’s core themes, LEGO City is no newcomer to the LEGO universe, having been around since 2005 and tracing its roots back to LEGOLAND Town, which debuted in 1978. It is one of LEGO’s quintessential themes, offering a wide variety of sets that fit within the City umbrella. With new LEGO City themed rooms opening at the LEGOLAND Hotel this year, the park expansion creates a natural synergy between the two. This isn’t your father’s LEGO City, though.
It has been a busy time at LEGOLAND California with the recent opening of LEGO Galaxy in March 2026. This new land brought the indoor roller coaster Galacticoaster and two additional space-themed attractions to the Southern California park. Just when guests thought the expansion efforts were complete, Merlin Entertainments is preparing to make an even larger investment with the debut of LEGO City in March 2028 as part of its continued amplification of offerings in both Florida and California.
The expansion will utilize a little over 12 acres of surface parking lot space across from the main thoroughfare leading into the park. To offset the lost parking capacity, the remaining surface lot will be converted into structured deck parking. With the parking decks in place, a pedestrian bridge to the new expansion keeps guests separated from the busy entrance roadway below and funnels them seamlessly into a dedicated main entrance. While Merlin Magic Making's proposal to expand beyond the current park footprint may raise eyebrows, it provides a blank slate and ample room to fully realize the ambitious vision for what is to come.
This is not a second gate for the resort, but rather a unique expansion of the existing park. While the separation from the main LEGOLAND complex is not necessarily ideal, it creates an opportunity to appeal to a different subset of guests looking for a shorter visit or a more thrill-focused experience. Highlighted by two new thrill coasters and a handful of flat rides, LEGO City will be available either as an add-on to a standard LEGOLAND ticket or as a standalone admission option for guests seeking a few hours of high thrills action. In either case, visitors are given the flexibility to experience the expansion in a way that best suits their interests and available time.
With LEGO City as a backdrop, this new expansion’s theming leans heavily into the more adventurous sets and elements of the theme. Mixed among replicas of various LEGO City sets like LEGO City Downtown (60380) and LEGO City Family House (60291), guests will find iconic sets like the LEGO City Police Station (60316) and Fire Station (60320). You’ll even find hidden references to other sets like LEGO Police Prison Island and the LEGO City Express Train scattered about the land. Framing the perimeter of the park expansion, periodic LEGO Tower backdrops create depth and scale. All of it is designed to immerse guests in a bustling city environment and build anticipation for the two new coaster headliners coming to the park.
To round out the attraction lineup in LEGO City, three new thrilling flat rides will greet guests, keeping the excitement going before or after their coaster adventures. While the main park does feature an existing drop tower in Unikitty’s Disco Drop, LEGO City will feature something a little more intense with Skyscraper Rescue, a 100-foot Double Shot Tower from S&S Worldwide. Nearby, Zamperla’s Nebulaz rotating flat ride is themed to LEGO City police helicopters and sits adjacent to LEGO City Undercover, making use of the area’s large police station theming. Rounding out the lineup, HUSS' Break Dance 5, a newly updated version of its 360-degree spinner, places guests in the middle of the hustle and bustle of LEGO City with LEGO City Traffic Meltdown, where a traffic system failure sends vehicles spiraling into organized chaos.
Say goodbye to boring and hello to thrilling role-play fun. From break-out madness and bustling airports to emergency models you can remix into ANYTHING, there’s so much to explore in this action-packed universe. Combine sets and build your own city, or turn the world upside down and transform it with your creativity – the sky’s the limit when you use your imagination to power playtime.
