Buying LEGO in SoCal: Downtown Disney or Legoland?

punkinann

Taking my 4 year old boy to Southern California to visit Disneyland and Legoland next week. He loves Lego and I'm sure I'll be called on to get him some. Would you take him to the Downtown Disney Lego store, or just get something at Legoland?

Thanks!

The_Mack

It's going to be about the same, if you have a season pass for LegoLand, you do get a discount. So unless that's a factor, it doesn't really matter. Downtown Disney doesn't cost anything to shop. But at Legoland the store is inside Legoland. Personally I'd buy at LegoLand if I knew I was going there, it completes the experience.

yys4u

But you build VIP points at Downtown Disney.

Ma1234

You don't get VIP points at LEGOLand, only Disney.

If you have an annual Disneyland pass, you get 10% at Disney; annual LEGOLand pass, same thing at the LEGOLand store.

meyerc13

I believe the Legoland store will also give you a 5% discount if you are a VIP member, at least the Legland Discovery Center stores will. You'll need to ask about it, but I've heard numerous reports that they will do it.

CCC

^ I got 10% off at LDC in Atlanta. I didn't even produce my card (I was on a business trip, and didn't have it), I just told them I was a member and showed them my number, written on the back of a lego business card.

bigjsd

I personally think the Lego store at Downtown Disney is the best Lego store in all of Southern California. I was a bit disappointed with the main Legoland shop. There are smaller theme based shops within the park as well as the main store located near the entrance.

Legogeek

If you're going to Legoland anyways, then sure, let your son buy stuff there, BUT, if you have a VIP card and you want to build points then by all means shop at Downtown Disney or any other LEGO store.

DadsAFOL

They are largely the same in terms of sets/products available. Both sell at the US RRP. There are a couple of minor differences:
1. Legoland stocks polybags galore. Lego Stores do not.
2. PaB is by weight at Legoland, but by cup at Lego Stores, which is a better deal

gmpirate

I would most definitely say Legoland. No store will have every single set but the store at Legoland has no much more merchandise overall. Someone mentioned the poly bags, but they have tons of promotional things, t-shirts, hats, mugs, costumes, swords, frames. In short, the store at Legoland will have unique merchandise that you will not find at regular Lego stores.

The Downtown Disney store is the closest one to me but it is the last one I will go to.

punkinann

Thanks everyone. It was moot, as the child didn't think to go into the stores at Legoland, and was happy with a minifigure and a refrigerator magnet. Whew!

norm103

Also just so everone know the lego bam store will give you the legoland 10% off if u have the yr pass. And you can stack it with a disnny 10% off yr pass if its at the two disnny lego stores

gmpirate

^ Stack?? Maybe you got lucky once, but they are not supposed to stack.

norm103

I do it all the time

gmpirate

Wow, never knew that and not surprised they never said anything either. Guess I should reactivate my Disney membership.

brickbrett

I will be travelling from Australia to the US shortly to visit Disney land, universal studios and Legoland. It sounds from this as I have a VIP card that I am better off buying sets at other shops outside of Legoland but get promo gear and poly bags there?
When you talk of downtown Disney is that in Disneyland or just nearby?
Is there a Lego shop in California that is worth visiting?
I will be going to Hawaii on the way over and I hear that there is a Lego shop there too, is that a good place to buy sets?

I guess I would like to buy exclusive sets, polybags and Lego gear at great US prices and experience the activities at the theme parks. I also want some PaB buckets as well. I have the ability to get excess baggage at a good rate and will hopefully need that.

Any advice on where to shop in California would be greatly appreciated.

gmpirate

Downtown Disney is outside the gates of Disneyland. Prices are the same no matter which store you go to -- seven stores in all from San Diego to LA. The "Big Store" at Legoland will have much more unique items. The Ontario location is considered an outlet store where they typically have damaged boxes for 20% off -- sometimes a big selection, sometimes not :P

jadeirene

^^The LEGO Store in Hawaii is a standard brand store with nothing exclusive, but it does have a 10% mark up on everything due to the location. You'll be better off buying on the mainland.

brickbrett

Is the 10% a tax? What is the tax in California ? Is it 8.5%?
So which is the best store for me to visit then, downtown Disney?
Advice is all appreciated.

Legogeek

brickbrett said:

Is the 10% a tax? What is the tax in California ? Is it 8.5%?
So which is the best store for me to visit then, downtown Disney?
Advice is all appreciated.

That depends on where you will be staying and for how long.
Since you'll be visiting Disneyland, the Downtown Disney LEGO Store is a must IMO. Downtown Disney is a shopping district just outside the main entrance @ Disneyland full of shops and restaurants. Nearby is South Coast Plaza, where there is another LEGO store. On the way to San Diego (LEGOLAND), you will pass another LEGO store at the Shops at Mission Viejo. The Ontario store is about an hour inland from Disneyland at the Ontario Mills Outlet mall. Overall most of the LEGO stores tend to be pretty much the same, and if you can only visit one I recommend the Downtown Disney store.
Hope that helps, and hope you enjoy your visit to California. :o)

Legogeek

Oh, almost forgot -
Orange County tax is 7.75 percent
LA County is 8.75
San Bernardino County (Ontario) is 7.75
San Diego County (LEGOLAND) is 7.75

jadeirene

brickbrett said:

Is the 10% a tax? What is the tax in California ? Is it 8.5%?
So which is the best store for me to visit then, downtown Disney?
Advice is all appreciated.

No, the 10% markup is just for being located in Hawaii where everything is more expensive. There is an additional 4.7% sales tax on top of the prices.

It's much more worthwhile to go to the downtown Disney and Legoland stores.

brickbrett

Thanks for the advice. I really look forward to he trip and Lego shopping. I want to get the exclusives and poly bags plus Lego gear that we don't get in Australia. Any further advice is also appreciated.

punkinann

If you are traveling with kids, Quaker cereal boxes have a coupon for a free kid ticket with a Legoland adult ticket--if you buy the tix at Legoland, it doesn't have to be a more expensive "hopper" ticket, unlike the Lego magazine coupons. They also have evening tix for $30 in October, and there's some deal for Lego shoppers where if you go in right before closing and stay for under an hour, it's free. It's closed on Tues/Weds.
FYI, if you don't have kids, Legoland California is an amusement park very much geared for the 3-6 year old crowd. There's not much for adults/teens/tweens.

gmpirate

^ think you are selling the park short. At least I can speak for my boys and friends up to 10.

brickbrett

I have a 6yo daughter who will love it. Getting a free or cheaper ticket would be great.
We will have already been to Disneyland and universal studios before we get to Legoland so hopefully we won't be disappointed.
Really looking forward to PaB and exclusive sets.

Amberyl

Legoland sells a lot of T-shirts and such that aren't available anywhere else, not even online. Especially in adult sizes.