Latest / Carlsbad: People, Purpose and Impact / LEGOLAND’s Biggest Expansion Yet: Kurt Stocks on LEGO Galaxy and Galactic Coaster
Transcript
- Bret Schanzenbach: Carlsbad: People, Purpose and Impact — an essential podcast for those who live, work, visit, and play in Carlsbad. Good morning and welcome, everyone. My name is Bret Schanzenbach, President and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and I’m your host today. I’m excited to have with me Kurt Stocks. Kurt is the President of LEGOLAND California Resort. Good morning, Kurt. Kurt Stocks: Good morning, Bret. Thanks for having me. Bret: It’s fun because when we launched the Carlsbad Chamber podcast almost five years ago, you were my first guest ever. Kurt: Yep, I remember it. We did it in my office. It was early days, and we were coming out of COVID. I was probably most famous back then for being the guy who closed LEGOLAND for 12 months. Bret: You’re not new anymore — you’re seasoned now. But not everyone heard that first episode. You’ve got a fun background: rugby and fitness, LEGO, and all over the world. Tell us about it. Kurt: I’m Australian. My family’s Australian. We’ve been here six years now — we moved in January 2020, right on the doorstep of the pandemic. I grew up playing sport and played rugby professionally in Australia. I thought I’d do it forever, but eventually I needed a “proper job.” I moved into the health and fitness industry and ran health clubs across Australia and then Southeast Asia. While I was in Southeast Asia, I got the opportunity to join LEGOLAND and lead LEGOLAND Malaysia. That’s on the smaller end of the LEGOLAND resorts. Then I had the opportunity to come to California, which is by far our biggest resort. Bret: The timing was a little challenging — January 2020. And you were about to launch LEGO Movie World. Kurt: We were about ten days away from opening LEGO Movie World when COVID hit. It was finished — our biggest investment ever at the time. It sat ready for 12 months, and we opened it in May 2021. It was a huge success and a magnificent addition to the resort. Bret: So you had pent-up demand plus a major new land — a pretty positive combo. Kurt: Absolutely. Pent-up demand was real, but having something new to go to market with is a major advantage in this industry. At the same time, it’s complex: we deliver a 365-day experience — theme park, water park, aquarium, hotels — and you’re always evolving, even without big capital investments. Bret: LEGO Movie World is a lot of fun — even as an adult. Since then, you’ve added other things. I thought the parade started summer of ’23? Kurt: The LEGO World Parade actually started in 2024. We’ve run it for two years now, and it’s been really successful. It’s the kind of experience worth staying until the end of the day to see. After LEGO Movie World, we also added smaller investments like a Ferrari build-and-race experience, and then we did Dino Valley — we reworked the entire front part of the park, reimagined some existing rides, and brought consistency with a dinosaur theme. Dinosaurs test really well and it’s been a strong investment. Bret: Your LEGO Master builds are incredible. And in Miniland, you released the SoFi Stadium model — that thing is cool. Kurt: We launched that in 2022 — a scale replica of SoFi Stadium. We can adjust it so it stays current: football themes, FIFA World Cup, concerts, and more. Aaron Donald helped us launch it — biggest human I’ve ever seen. Bret: You never rest — there’s always something new. And 2026 is not going to disappoint. You’re launching LEGO Galaxy. Tell us about it. Kurt: We’re on the doorstep of opening. We’re full steam ahead for a March 6 launch. LEGO Movie World was our biggest investment ever — this completely blows it out of the water. For those familiar with the park, it’s basically the entire top corner that we’ve completely redeveloped. The hero is an indoor, space-themed family roller coaster called Galactic Coaster. It’s a huge building — about 100 feet by 210 feet. There are two supporting rides, so three new rides total. We also have three themed food and beverage outlets, new retail, a new brick-build offering, play areas for preschool kids — it’s the real deal. Bret: I saw a promo that said the building size is equivalent to ten basketball courts. Kurt: It’s massive. From most spots in the park you can see parts of the building. Putting it indoors was a big discussion, but it was the right decision — the final product is awesome. Bret: And this is your first new roller coaster in a long time — close to 20 years? Kurt: Yes. We’ve been looking for the right coaster for a long time. We cater to younger kids and families, so we need the right thrill level — fun, exciting, but not extreme. There’s a lot of research and development to land the right experience. Bret: One thing I heard — and my family had a few tears — was that Driving School was gone. Kurt: Driving School isn’t gone. It’s just relocated. We built a brand-new Driving School right adjacent to LEGO Galaxy. It’s a slightly smaller footprint, but it’s upgraded — the highlight is the car wash. Kids drive through and the bubbles come out. It’s pretty cool. Bret: My family is going to be very excited to hear that. Kurt: Some things will feel familiar in the area. For example, our main restaurant used to be Urban Kitchen — now it’s UFO, the Ultimate Food Outlet. Completely redesigned, refurbished, with a galaxy-themed menu. We’ve been testing it this week — tasty, and the kids are going to have a lot of fun with their food. Bret: How many LEGOLAND theme parks are there worldwide now? Kurt: Officially 11. The 11th was LEGOLAND Shanghai, which opened in summer 2025. We also have active construction in Shenzhen, which will make 12. Bret: And here in the U.S. there’s California, Florida, and New York. I saw LEGOLAND Deutschland promoting a Harry Potter world — is that a test for here? Kurt: Merlin Entertainments is the umbrella group that LEGOLAND is under, and we operate more than just LEGOLAND parks. We work with major IP. There’s an opportunity in select locations to activate LEGO Harry Potter. Unfortunately for us, we’re a little too close to our friends at Universal, who have rights over that IP here — so it’s a challenge. Merlin has also announced relationships with Minecraft and Bluey, which is exciting. Bret: Switching gears — you have two wonderful hotels. Anything you can share about future hotel expansion? Kurt: We look at everything across the resort. We’re very much a multi-day family resort now — theme park, two water parks, Sea Life Aquarium, and two themed hotels. Strategically, we’ll continue investing in existing offerings, and we’re always looking at how we build out the resort proposition. Additional themed accommodation is likely at some point — we know there’s headroom and the rooms are popular. We’ll also keep exploring other gated offerings to extend the experience. Bret: I also want to call out your workforce development impact. Many young people get their first real job at LEGOLAND. At peak season, how many are you employing? Kurt: At peak staffing, including partners across the resort, we’re well over 2,000. We’ve also built efficiency — smaller workforce than before, but more productive and more skilled. It’s not only about costs — higher skill builds confidence and engagement, improves the guest experience, and increases retention. Bret: If you haven’t been in a while, it’s time to come back — bring the kids, grandkids, or just yourselves. Miniland is amazing. Anything else? Kurt: Don’t forget Miniland — we built out the San Diego cluster in the last 18 months, and a big part of that is Carlsbad. Go see the Carlsbad sign built out of LEGO. Bret: I love your sweet spot — it’s family-focused and just a great vibe. Kurt, thanks for coming on and filling us in. It’s going to be a great summer in Carlsbad. Kurt: Thanks, Bret. Always happy to join. Bret: Thanks for joining us today on Carlsbad: People, Purpose and Impact. If you got value from today’s episode, hit follow on your favorite podcast app and tell a friend. We’ll see you next time.