Family Day at Legoland California with Toddler

When my husband and I considered taking our 20-month-old grandson to Legoland California during a recent visit, we spent a lot of time researching just how much there would actually be for a toddler to do there and how we could make the most of it for him.

We had such fond memories (and photos) of taking our kids to Legoland California when it first opened in Carlsbad in 1999. We loved the idea of re-seeing it through the eyes of our son's child 25 years later. Rationalizing that this was a special holiday gift for all of us, we decided to splurge on the Ultimate VIP Experience, which turned out to actually be an amazing value. Here's why:

There aren't a ton of rides geared toward toddlers but there are definitely enough to satisfy little ones, who are happy to do the same ones over and over again. Fortunately, the VIP Experience lets guests stay on the rides so every delighted "Again!" from our grandson was met with a "no problem!" For us, this was one of the most valuable perks of the experience.

We went on Coast Cruise, Duplo Little Dino Trail, Queen Watevra's Carousel and Lego City Adventure: Deep Sea Adventure (a real submarine!) twice, and Cargo Ace -- an airplane ride where our grandson got to sit in the pilot's seat by himself and laughed hysterically every time it took a fast corner -- three times.

Our entire day was seamless, thanks to our fantastic host, Cassandra, who had organized the perfect toddler itinerary for us. She made it so easy to get around and hit every activity that was little kid-friendly. We spent a substantial amount of time in Duplo Playtown, where our grandson was able to climb, slide, run around and expend a lot of energy in addition to taking a scenic train ride.

We also spent time watching the live, outdoor holiday show, which our grandson adored. He danced on the lawn and clapped along, and Cassandra gave him all the freedom, space and time he wanted without ever rushing him on to the next thing.

After wearing himself (and us) out at Duplo Playtown -- an expansive playground for the youngest visitors -- our grandson fell asleep in his stroller on the way to lunch. We told Cassandra she should take a break and we'd text her when he woke up.

We took that hour to explore the breathtaking Miniland USA, one of our favorite parts of the park. As I relaxed on a bench afterwards, my husband kept walking with our grandson and came back with a photo that made me laugh so hard. The employees at Legoland are just wonderful and this would make the best holiday card.

For lunch, Cassandra led us to Ocean Journey Cafe at Sea Life Aquarium, a great spot that we would never have known about ourselves. It's a quiet respite on a crowded day at the park, and she bought us everything we wanted, from chicken tenders and fries to mac and cheese, along with beverages and desserts. Our grandson loved both the food and the setting, which featured a gigantic shark made of Lego bricks and a giant tank filled with both real and Lego fish.

Later in the day, she encouraged us to stop for a snack break at Granny's Apple Fries, where she treated us to this delicious signature Legoland favorite. Our grandson couldn't get enough of them and, like the good grandparents we are, we of course indulged him. Apples are healthy, right?

We had such a fun-filled day at Legoland California, and our grandson still loves reliving it by looking at all the photos we took. We're grateful for Cassandra's knowledge, professionalism and flexibility -- she was definitely our VIP that day -- and we're seriously thinking about making this an annual tradition. As our grandson gets older and can experience more of the park, we're looking forward to bringing him back. Again. And again.