Exclusive: Inside Legoland

A series of conceptual drawings reveals the story line of Legoland California’s first dark ride, set to open at the Carlsbad kiddie park in March 2008. (Follow the link to see a slide show of the concept art.)

Riders on the interactive Lost Kingdom of Adventure dark ride will travel on a jeep journey through ancient temple ruins and shoot at animated targets with laser blasters.

In the spider’s lair scene, an animatronic Pippin Reed struggles to escape a giant web. Riders shoot at the web with lasers to free the rebellious journalist adventurer (aren’t we all) and rack up points.

Keep reading after the jump for more details and artwork.

In Dr. Kilroy’s laboratory, a tilting tower of wooden crates tips toward visitors, mice pop out of clay jars, hieroglyphics illuminate on a cartouche and spooky eyes peer from dark voids.

In a series of lighter scenes, skulls bob to the music of a skeleton band while an unwrapped mummy in a sarcophagus stands naked save for his boxer shorts.

In the gantlet room, a spike-laden wall moves toward the jeep until riders hit all six targets with laser blasts. Elsewhere, scarabs pop out of vases, a pharaoh’s bust falls toward riders and air “darts” fire from hidden holes.

In the perilous climactic scene, the villain Sam Sinister threatens a tied-up Pippin Reed with a burning stick of dynamite. In the explosive next room, a wounded Sam stands amid the smoking ruins as a wily Pippin manages to escape the blast.

Check out our previous posts for details on Legoland’s $20-million expansion plans as well as video of the ride manufacturer’s Lost Kingdom demonstration model.

Will your kids enjoy Legoland’s first dark ride?

Find the latest amusement and theme park news at the
Los Angeles Times Funland blog: www.latimes.com/funland

— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[Images: Legoland]

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 11:44 pm by Brady MacDonald and is filed under Weekend Getaways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.