Here are some of the highlights of Legoland's new 250-room Castle Hotel, which boasts 2,100 Lego models crafted from more than 3 million Lego bricks.
GRAND HALL:
Greeting guests in the lobby is a 5-foot tall Lego model of a bearded wizard standing atop a pile of Lego spell books. With the tap of an oversized button, a spiraling chandelier overhead lights up with colored and white lights, the wizard speaks and the spiraling fixture speeds up. Nearby is a slide that carries kids from the first floor down to the lobby.
ROOMS THAT TELL A STORY
Knights and dragons: The decor depicts the knights' mission to defend the king's castle and protect his treasure from the approaching bad knights and dragons. In the children's bedroom, a sign embedded in the carpet warns, "No feeding the dragons." Cool feature: A menacing-looking red and yellow dragon model, standing 2 feet tall, is one of the most intricate Lego depictions ever created for a Legoland hotel.
Royal princess: Decorated in shades of lime green, magenta and blue with woodland animals and butterflies, the room is all about the princess joining forces with her friend the jester to sneak into the upcoming tournament and compete with the knights. Cool feature: Headboard for parents' bed is a bright pink and green canopy that sparkles with twinkling lights.
Magic wizard: Imagery revolves around tournament preparations by the wizards as they get together and concoct fun potions and fireworks. Decorated in splashes of purple and gold, the room shows off a Lego owl family tree in the corner. Cool feature: Headboard of the adult bed doubles as shelves filled with potion bottles and a magical bubbling cauldron illuminated with pulsing lights.
DRAGON'S DEN RESTAURANT AND BAR
Scattered throughout are impressive Lego models, among them knights delivering food for the royal banquet and a sleepy-eyed mom dragon splayed atop a fireplace mantel as she waits for her eggs to hatch below. Nearby is a self-playing piano.
OUTDOOR COURTYARD AND PLAY AREA
_ Tented stage for live entertainment.
_ Multiple play areas segmented for different age groups, with slides and jungle gym-style equipment reserved for older kids.
_ Resort-style pool with a water fountain and two water-filled tipping baskets that douse guests in the pool from above.
_ Movie screenings on a giant LCD screen.
LAUGH-INDUCING MOMENTS
_ Royal throne masquerading as a whoopee cushion. Sit down and unexpected sounds follow, including a fart noise.
_ Jester knock knock door: Positioned near the elevator, a door knocker activates the voice of a jester fond of telling knock-knock jokes: "Knock knock, who's there? Jest-er-minute, I'm still thinking."
