Legoland California is to become the first of three Legoland Parks to launch a new Star Wars Miniland area.

Opening on 31 March, it will feature seven of the most famous scenes from the six Star Wars films, as well as a 1:20 scale, 1.5m Lego brick scene from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Visitors will also be able to pose with life-size Lego models of Chewbacca, R2D2 and Darth Vader. The new Miniland will debut at Legoland Billund in Denmark and Legoland Germany later this year.

The California site will also see the launch of a new Lego Hero Factory in the Imagination Zone on 17 February; the re-launch of the former Fun Town Fire Academy as the Police and Fire Academy on 12 April; the introduction of Octopus Garden in the Sea Life Aquarium Carlsbad on 6 May; and Splash Zoo - a new area for toddlers - opening inside Legoland Water Park, also on 6 May.