LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago in Schaumburg review

Visitors to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago in Schaumburg can spend the day viewing amazing LEGO exhibits, riding unique rides, experimenting with how to build (and race) models with LEGO bricks of various sizes and themes, watching 4D LEGO movies, learning how LEGO elements are made, and being treated to a private tutorial on how to build a LEGO mini model. Chicago families and visiting tourists can purchase day tickets or a yearly pass. The attraction facilities also include refreshments at The LEGO Café and toy and souvenir shopping at The LEGO Shop.

Exhibits at LEGOLAND Discovery Center

Each exhibit at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago showcases a different side of LEGO-building. In MINILAND, Chicagoans can enjoy identifying miniature versions of recognizable Chicago landmarks such as the Willis Tower, the John Hancock Tower, Navy Pier, the Water Tower, and the Wrigley Building. The lights in this area are even set to dim and blaze through cycles of day and night. Then, in the Jungle Adventure, guests walk through a life-sized LEGO replica of a jungle, complete with creatures like hippos, snakes, tigers, and a huge spider. Finally, in the Hall of Heroes, guests can view life-sized versions of famous characters like Hagrid from Harry Potter, Batman, and Darth Vader and R2-D2 from Star Wars.

Scattered throughout the inside (and even lunging through the outside) of the building are various stand-alone LEGO exhibits, from curious giraffes to minifigure workers to a model of President Obama.

Rides at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago

On the quaint Dragon Quest ride, families ride a dragon through a castle, where they view cartoonish but life-sized figures of medieval characters such as a king and queen and a large red dragon. Guests can buy a picture of themselves on the ride set into souvenirs such as a magnet or a keychain.

On the LEGO TECHNIC-inspired ride Technicycle, parents and kids pedal around and around (and up and down) in flying bicycles that look like something out of a Hayao Miyazaki movie.

LDC has also built a Physical Play Area that allows kids to climb around, slide down, and jump around in a safe pit, all to blow off steam and be active after sitting still building with LEGO or looking at the other exhibits.

Attractions at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago

At LEGO Studios – 4D Cinema, families can don 3D glasses to watch LEGO 4D movies with interactive special effects like blowing wind and icy snow. A kid-friendly Bob the Builder film teaches an important lesson about planning when building with LEGO bricks. The new LEGO City: A Clutch Powers 4D Adventure film replaces the older LEGO Castle-inspired Spellbreaker 4D movie and celebrates the power of teamwork with humor and excitement.

On the LEGO Factory Tour, guests enter a mock-up of the real LEGO factory and learn about the steps it takes to make LEGO bricks, from melting plastic to printing pictures on finished blocks. Kids get to push red buttons at each step and at the end they receive souvenir blocks that they have "made."

At the Model Builder Workshop, small groups of visitors receive a tiny assortment of parts and learn how to construct different kinds of mini LEGO models. The rear wall of the workshop features a LEGO timeline under glass, or a display case full of vintage LEGO sets and pieces.

Building with LEGO bricks

This local Chicago attraction provides visitors with different build areas for every taste and skillset. Young engineers can construct and race on ramps different kinds of LEGO cars in the LEGO Racers: Build & Test Zone or build and test towers on baseplates that simulate earthquakes. With exclusive soft jumbo LEGO bricks, children can work together to make large structures that tower above their heads. Younger kids can play with preschool-friendly DUPLO blocks in DUPLO Village. There is even a table set aside (literally, as it is surrounded by a pink castle wall to keep "girl" blocks from mixing with the other sets) for children who want to play with "LEGO Girls" toys from the Belville line.

Facilities

Families making an all-day visit can purchase food such as pizza, hot dogs, pasta, and deli sandwiches at The LEGO Café. Guests can also find exclusive LEGO items and the latest toys from the newest LEGO lines at the downstairs LEGO Shop.

Chicago children looking for a special birthday experience can book one of the Celebration Rooms for a party that might include refreshments, goodie bags, and a personal guided tour.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago review

LDC is one Chicagoland attraction that should not be missed by any tourists visiting the area or by any local families. While some of the exhibits are amazing on first viewing but may not tempt every family to return for a second viewing, the opportunity to build with and explore the vast number of LEGO bricks on-site makes it worthwhile for Chicago families with aspiring young builders to invest in an LDC Unlimited Platinum Pass (or Annual Pass).

Visits to LDC are educational as well as fun. Kids can develop their gross-motor skills, fine-motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual-spatial intelligence, and understanding of the principles of engineering while playing with the many different kinds, shapes, and sizes of LEGO elements provided at this local attraction. The Model Builder Workshop is only one way that LDC begins to teach young children about the range of objects that can be built with LEGO elements. LDC also offers educational workshops (correlated to Illinois State Curriculum Standards) that teach kids about subjects such as art, architecture, engineering, math, and science in fun and engaging ways.

LDC also schedules a variety of events throughout the year. Whether offering spooky but kid-friendly fun during October Brick or Treat weekends, hosting LEGO Star Wars events, or holding big build events at which visitors can help construct large models of characters, LDC does what it can to make return visits exciting and interesting for guests.

Currently, posted ticket prices are $19 for adults and $15 for children (kids ages 2 and under are free), but careful planners can usually find deals on tickets priced even lower than this, as can school and tour groups.

Find LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago in Schaumburg, IL, at The Streets of Woodfield on 601 N. Martingale Road, across from Woodfield Mall (where visitors can find a stand-alone LEGO Store).

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