Today Master Model Builders from LEGOLAND^Ò  California began the arduous task of surveying the residents of Miniland U.S.A. cities to compile statistical data based on gender, age, occupation and residence in concordance with the national U.S. Census. This month marks the launch of the 2010 U.S. Census and LEGOLAND has created its own Census Bureau to officially count the residents of Miniland.

When the Park opened in 1999, an unofficial count tallied the Miniland population at approximately 5,000.  Miniland residents, fondly called “Minilanders,” are about 4 inches tall and depict the everyday people who live in the nine U.S. areas that make up Miniland U.S.A. – the heart of LEGOLAND California. New York; Las Vegas; Southern California; New Orleans; San Francisco; New England; Ferndale, California; Washington D.C. and Daytona are the areas represented in Miniland. 

Since the Park opened, several areas have been added to Miniland including Las Vegas, the Miniland Marina and the Daytona International Speedway adding thousands of Minilanders to the Park. Other scenes have also been added including the Freedom Tower in New York, the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. and a baseball field in Southern California featuring the Park View Little League team from Chula Vista, Calif., winners of the 2009 Little League World Series championship.

In honor of the Census, LEGOLAND Master Model Builders have also added six census workers to Miniland, U.S.A. The LEGOLAND Census Bureau (LCB) Minilanders are clad in uniform, knocking on doors, tabling and “talking” to crowds throughout the mini cities, much as U.S. Census workers will be doing over the next several weeks.

The new census scenes will remain on display in Miniland until July and guests are challenged to find all six Miniland census workers.  The Miniland census will take weeks to conduct and the results will be released later this year. Like the U.S. Census, the Miniland census will be held again in 2020. For more information, visit www.LEGOLAND.com.