Actress Danielle Fishel Kicks Off Holiday Season At Legoland With Lego Christmas Tree Lighting

CARLSBAD, CA — The holidays are in full swing at Legoland California Resort now that the Lego Christmas tree is shining bright.

Actress Danielle Fishel, a "Dancing with the Stars" alum known for her role as Topanga on "Boy Meets World," illuminated the theme park's iconic 35-foot tree as fireworks lit up the Carlsbad sky during the 23rd annual tree lighting ceremony.

Master model builders used more than 366,000 Lego and Duplo bricks and spent over 3,000 hours to build the tree, which is adorned with giant ornaments, candles, candy canes and stars. In the spirit of giving, Legoland presented a $10,000 donation to Children's Hospital Los Angeles on Fishel's behalf.

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The annual tree lighting ceremony is part of the park's winter celebration, Holidays at Legoland, presented by Hallmark Channel. This year's celebration runs on select dates through Jan. 4.

In addition to the tree, the event features holiday decor, twinkling lights, falling "snow," special treats and seasonal shows. The event also includes festive characters, photo ops and holiday-themed Lego experiences, including an elf hat scavenger hunt.

Fireworks will take place on select nights. Families can also ring in the New Year with the park's annual Kids' New Year's Eve party on Dec. 31.