1 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: A new high tech ride at Legoland, California. What's going on. 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: I'm rich Demiro. This is Rich on Tech, and I 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: am here at Legolands, California, on the scene of a 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: brand new ride that is just about to open. It's 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: called Lego City Deep Sea Adventure submarine ride, and it's 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: pretty cool. I just got a behind the scenes tour 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: and here to talk about it with me is Julia Strada. 8 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: She heads up pr for all of North America for 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: Merlin Entertainments. By the way, that's entertainments with an S. 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 2: It is Merlin Entertainments Plurals, the large attractions operator in 11 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 2: the world, second largest in the United States. We have 12 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 2: more than one hundred and twenty attractions now in twenty 13 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 2: four different countries and four continents. 14 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: Okay, so you have Lego Land. What else do you 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: guys do? 16 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, we have Legoland Parks, Lego Land, Discovery Centers, Sea Life, 17 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: aquariums and dungeons, Madame Tussau, the London Eye, and then 18 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 2: in Europe there's Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Gardland. I mean, 19 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 2: we're everywhere, so. 20 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: London I too. Okay, so tell me about Lego City 21 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: Deep Sea Adventure submarine and we just got a little tour. 22 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: So basically, tell me the premise of this ride. 23 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 2: I am so excited about this ride for many reasons. 24 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:08,279 Speaker 2: One is the first of it's kind of North America. 25 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 2: We actually pride ourselves in being the first for everybody. Right, 26 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 2: So we come to Lego in California. You're the first 27 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: to drive a car. So the kid's first car ride, 28 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: it's their first boat ride, it's their first roller coaster, 29 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 2: it's their first time down a water slide, and this 30 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 2: will be their first trip on a submarine. I mean, 31 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 2: how many kids can say they've been on a real submarine. 32 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: So families will go into the submarine. You boord in 33 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: and as you get into the sub you go underwater 34 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,400 Speaker 2: and it's three hundred thousand, three hundred thousand gallon tank. 35 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: And inside this tank you'll see more than two thousand 36 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 2: real live sharks and tropical fish and rays. And as 37 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 2: you're underwater, you're looking for Lego treasure. 38 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: That's what really struck me is the amount of fish 39 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: in this exhibit. And right now, I hear you only 40 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: have about half of what you're eventually going. 41 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 2: To have, right, so we're slowly acclimating a man. I mean, 42 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: this is the first time we've done this, so Marie Collins, 43 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: who is our curator for Sea Life Aquariums, fortunately has 44 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: some experience in this kind of thing. We do have 45 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 2: this ride and three of our other parks in Dubai 46 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,560 Speaker 2: and the UK and in Japan they don't have the 47 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: Lego City element, so there's a lot of first to ours, 48 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: which is really exciting. We have the Lego City element. 49 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 2: We have the talking minifigure. As you're in the pre show, 50 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 2: so you're looking at this minifigure and as a kid, 51 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 2: imagine this. You play with the dolls, you play with toys, 52 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: and you pretend that they're talking to you, but this 53 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: one really is talking. There's a projector that goes on 54 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: his face and is talking to the kids, giving them 55 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 2: instructions on how they bore the ride. 56 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, it kind of reminds me of almost like the 57 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: Lego movies where you see the little minifigures come to 58 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: life and that's it's the first time you've ever done 59 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: that technology. Okay, so we saw the ride. I think 60 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: people are really gonna you almost get immersed in this 61 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: world of this deep sea adventure because there's so many 62 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: amazing lights in there. The subs are big. The fish, 63 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I really just can't believe how amazing the 64 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: fish are. The colors and the types you have in there. 65 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: I mean from big giant sharks that are going to 66 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 1: get bigger to little tiny fish. Yeah. 67 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 2: And these subs, I mean, these are twenty two thousand pounds. 68 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 2: They're not messing around here. These are real subs. So 69 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: as you get in and you're boarding, you're using these 70 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 2: interactive touch pads which are high tech and they're correlated 71 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: so that everywhere along the route that the submarine is going, 72 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,839 Speaker 2: we know where the treasure is. And as you're going through, 73 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 2: kids are looking for gems, they're looking for pearls, they're 74 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 2: looking for swords, they're looking for all different kinds of treasure. 75 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: And as they see it, they touch it on the 76 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: touch screen. If it's correct, a little diver or lego 77 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 2: diver will be like, yes, thank you are great. If 78 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 2: they're just you know, button happy, and they're just pushing 79 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 2: things like crazy, which some kids do. My kids, Uh huh, 80 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: so I've heard so then it'll tell you. It'll say, 81 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 2: you know, sorry, try again, or wait till later, or 82 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: maybe look a little harder, and the really the cool 83 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 2: thing that I love is that you're really getting a 84 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: unique experience every time you ride, depending on where your 85 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 2: seat is and where you're positioned in the submarine when 86 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: you board, you're going to see something different every time. 87 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: Let's back out a little bit Lego Land Parks in 88 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: general for someone that has not been We first took 89 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: our kids here when they were like, I think three, 90 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: It really is geared towards kids' ages. What and kind 91 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: of what's the theme here? Like what I mean, we 92 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: know the theme is Lego, but kind of what do 93 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: you try to do here? That's different? 94 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 2: Lego Land Parks are really different because they are really 95 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 2: geared towards two to twelve year olds and their families. 96 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: So we will never go for the teenagers, will never 97 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 2: going to be the crazy roller coasters. In fact, all 98 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 2: of our roller coasters are called pink knuckle roller coasters. 99 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 2: So when you're gripping tight, you're not gripping so hard 100 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: that your knuckles turn white and you're scared. You're just 101 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 2: a little bit excited, a little bit enticed, and you're 102 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 2: thrilled about riding again. And that's what we want to 103 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 2: make them do. And want to come back again and 104 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 2: try different things. It's very lego based, obviously, but it's 105 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 2: very interactive and immersive, and it's designed for the families 106 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 2: to do things together. We have more than sixty rides, 107 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 2: shows and attractions. So not only do you have roller coasters, 108 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 2: you have driving school where you kids get in these 109 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 2: cars and you're learning how to drive. You're learning the 110 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 2: rules of the road. And it's not like some other 111 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 2: theme parks where there are tracks that you have to 112 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 2: follow and you keeps you on, keeps you going straight 113 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: or back and forth. You're you're really driving. You're their 114 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: pedal is, their foot is controlling the pedal. If they stop, 115 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 2: they stop, If they go, they go. And it's great 116 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 2: to see the excitement on their faces when they're handed 117 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 2: their driver's license at the end of the ride. 118 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: That actually surprised me about that ride the first time 119 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: I took my kid on it. Okay, so do you 120 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: think that guests, I mean, all theme park rides have 121 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: sort of had a little bit of like tech magic 122 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: in them, I think for a long time. Do you 123 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: think that nowadays guests kind of expect that from theme 124 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: park rides? 125 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: I think so. I think you have to merge with 126 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: the times. I mean, I have teenagers and they're constantly 127 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 2: teaching me new things on their phones and with everything else. 128 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 2: And with this ride, it's really the benchmark of the 129 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 2: industry because I'm excited to see when guests ride because 130 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 2: there's really nothing to compare it to. There are other 131 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 2: submarines out rides out there, but none of them have 132 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,359 Speaker 2: live animals. None of them have the immediate experience and 133 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: the up close and personal feeling that these kids are 134 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: going to get when they see, you know, a c 135 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 2: ray with a five foot wingspan. The cool thing about 136 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 2: this too, is that they become explorers along the way. 137 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 2: So there's three different levels. I believe it's beginners, Masters 138 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: or intermediate, and the Masters. So as they're going through, 139 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,679 Speaker 2: they can kind of we go to a different degree. 140 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 2: So it tracks the percentage of how many treasures you 141 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: found along the way and gives you a title at 142 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 2: the end. So you may have been a beginner the 143 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 2: first time through, and then another time you may be 144 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 2: a master, and it kind of gives them a challenge. 145 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: And everyone likes a game, and everyone likes to be 146 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 2: a little competitive. 147 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: Okay, so if it's someone's visiting Lego Land for the 148 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,359 Speaker 1: first time. Give me some secrets or tips that they 149 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: should You know, something they should look out for in 150 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: the park, or something that's musty or something they must eat. 151 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: Give me some of those. 152 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 2: Okay, absolutely, So first and foremost, go online ahead of 153 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: time and look ahead of time. Know what plan it 154 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 2: out with the kids. Know what they want to do 155 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 2: and what they don't want to do, because there's nothing 156 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: worse than when you get here and everyone's staring at 157 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 2: a map, going well, what is this and what is that? 158 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 2: Research and know what it is. Know what your kid 159 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 2: is too, what they can ride ahead of time, so 160 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 2: you don't go up to a ride that's for someone 161 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: of a higher, bigger height than they can't get on. 162 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 2: The other one is, especially at Lego Land parks, we 163 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 2: have these minifigures on our name badge is if you 164 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: go up to an MC, which is a Model Citizen, 165 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 2: which is what all our employees are called, if you 166 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 2: go up to them and say you want to trade 167 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 2: your minifigure, I have to give you my minifigure. You're what, yes, 168 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 2: in trade for another one. So I try not to 169 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 2: wear my favorite ones out here because I've gotten swapped 170 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 2: a few times, and it's kind of a bummer when 171 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: you lose your favorite one, but it's one of our rules. 172 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: So we actually have trading stations along the route all 173 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 2: throughout the park that kids can go build their own 174 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: and then they can go and trade with EMC's. 175 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: Wow, and what's the musty food here in the park? 176 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: What I have to get to eat? 177 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 2: Okay, So Granny Apple fries are instant favorite. They take 178 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,559 Speaker 2: green apples and they lightly batter them with them little 179 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 2: powdered dusted sugar and cinnamon, and then they bake them 180 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 2: and they fry them and then they dip them in 181 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: a vanilla whipped cream sauce. It's a dream. And the 182 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 2: other one, which is actually my favorite, is in Ninjago World. 183 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: We have these Bowe buns and they make these great 184 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 2: sandwiches with pork and then there's the steam the smokehouse 185 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: up at the top with ribs and we just started 186 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 2: out a couple of years ago and they're amazing. 187 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: All right. Julia Strada of Merlin Entertainment, thanks so much 188 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: for joining me. So when can folks actually get on 189 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: the Lego City Deep Sea Adventure Submarine ride? 190 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 2: July seconds we're doing our ribbon cutting. We're actually doing 191 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 2: it with Los Angeles and San Diego chapters of the 192 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 2: Ronald McDonald House Charities, bringing some of the kids up 193 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 2: here and presenting them with an eighty thousand dollars check. 194 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: Awesome. All right, there you have it. If you want 195 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 1: to learn more about Lego City Deep Sea Adventure Submarine Ride, 196 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: can go to my website rich on tech dot tv. 197 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: You could see some of my behind the scenes pictures, 198 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: stuff that you probably won't be able to see ever 199 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: again because it's under construction right now and in three 200 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: days it's all going to be done forever. So go 201 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: check that out. Thanks so much for listening. If you 202 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: like what I'm doing here with the podcast, definitely rate 203 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: and review it in Apple Podcasts. I'm Rich Damiro. I'll 204 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: talk to you real soon.