How to Bring a Service Dog to LEGOLAND California
Legoland California is a full-scale resort. In addition to its signature Lego-centered theme park, it also features a water park, an aquarium, and two on-site hotels, along with a range of dining options. Service dogs are welcome in all of these locations, and there are tips and tricks to make the experience positive for you and your dog (or your child’s dog). Fortunately, Lego is quite welcoming of people with all kinds of disabilities and differences, so there are plenty of resources available.
Before You Go: Tips for Success
- Download Legoland California’s Access Guide. This will give you a good sense of what’s available and where to find it. It is not, however, a complete guide to what’s available, so don’t stop there.
- Request the Assisted Access Pass. It provides virtual queuing for anyone who will have trouble managing long waits in line. The pass is only good at Legoland theme park, and not at the aquarium or water park, but it is easy to get on the day of your arrival and can be used for up to six people in a party. No documentation is required.
- Make an action plan. Legoland and its associated attractions, hotels, and restaurants span a large area, so anyone, disabled or not, is likely to get tired. Think through your party’s specific needs, and plan accordingly.
- Plan to manage your dog in the park. Dogs are allowed on very few rides at Legoland, and staff are not allowed to look after the dog while you’re riding. There is a “parent swap” option at most rides, which means one parent can ride while the other looks after the dog. This can be a great option for a family with multiple siblings, but it does mean each ride will take longer than you might expect.
- Pack for your dog’s needs. When spending a day at a theme park, you’ll need to pack along everything your dog might need. Typically, that includes a water bowl, food, a pooper scooper, and baggies for dog waste, as well as a comfortable blanket where your dog can rest while you’re on rides or sitting in bleachers.
- Consider staying at an in-resort hotel. These aren’t the cheapest hotels in town, but they do make it easier to take breaks during the day and offer early access to the parks, which may make it easier on your family.
Service Dog Resources for Legoland
Service dogs are welcome everywhere, but emotional support animals and pet dogs are not. That means it’s smart (though not legally necessary) to visually identify your dog as a service dog with a vest and patch. It’s also helpful to prepare answers to the two questions security personnel are allowed to ask you: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Service Dog Options at Legoland Parks
The theme park itself offers a dedicated dog relief station near the Ferrari Build & Race, next to the lake. It also allows service dogs on several rides, including:
- Explorer River Quest
- The Hideaways
- Pharaoh’s Revenge
- Coast Cruise
Dogs are welcome to use any grassy area at the parks, including the Aquarium and water park, so long as owners clean up after them.
Autism Support at Legoland
Lego has long understood that its products are particularly attractive to both kids and adults with autism, and they’ve taken their autistic fans seriously. In fact, the entire resort, including the hotels and water park, is a Certified Autism Center due to a partnership with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). As a result, visitors to Legoland will find a wide range of tools for supporting typical autistic issues such as sensory dysfunction.
You can start by downloading a Sensory Guide, which provides detailed information about the intensity of sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell for each experience in the theme park, water park, and hotels. This will help you make smart choices for your autistic child (or for yourself).
Legoland also offers a special Sensory Room in California’s Fun Town and a special Sensory Sensitivity Hour from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Ferrari Build & Race attraction, where dimmer lights and no music make it easier for autistic visitors to build and race LEGO cars.
About the Author: Lisa Jo Rudy, M.Div. has been writing on developmental disabilities and mental health since the early 2000s, when her son was diagnosed with autism. Lisa lives on Cape Cod, where she is the proud "mom" of two beautiful cats.
Related Articles
How to Bring a Service Dog to Disneyland
Trained service dogs are more than welcome to join their handlers at Disneyland. In this guide, we’ll explain Disneyland’s policies and give practical advice for bringing a service dog to Disneyland for the first time. Disneyland’s Service Dog Policies The Magic Kingdom is happy to welcome trained service dogs across most park locations! They kindly […]
Read More
How to Bring a Service Dog to Universal Studios
If you want to bring your service dog to Universal Studios, you’ll be warmly welcomed. Even though normal pets may be prohibited, service dogs are allowed to enter Universal’s theme parks thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act. We’ll tell you all about Universal’s policies about service dogs and provide a helpful guide for first-timers. […]
Read More
How to Bring a Service Dog to Six Flags Magic Mountain
Service dogs are welcome at Six Flags Magic Mountain so long as they are, according to Six Flags, “trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Of course, your dog must be housebroken and remain on a leash or harness and under your control while at the park — and the park […]
Read More