American Dream mall opens Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland on Memorial Day weekend - NorthJersey.com

American Dream mall opens Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland on Memorial Day weekend - NorthJersey.com

American Dream mall opens Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland on Memorial Day weekend - NorthJersey.com

Posted: 30 May 2021 12:33 PM PDT

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Scenes from inside American Dream, in East Rutherford, Wednesday, September 30, 2020. NorthJersey.com

People masked up Saturday to visit the attractions at Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center, which quietly opened over Memorial Day weekend at American Dream, the megamall in East Rutherford. 

The two attractions were scheduled to open in May, but officials announced there would be another delay, two weeks before the scheduled opening date. The website says a June opening was planned.

Tickets for the aquarium were sold out on Saturday and Sunday and were limited for Memorial Day. There were crowds, but people were spread out, and the space did not feel overwhelmed. About 90% of people were wearing masks. Employees were actively sanitizing high-touch areas like screen pads and jungle gyms.

The Sea Life aquarium, located in the American Dream mall, was open to the public on Memorial Day weekend.

 (Photo: Kristie Cattafi)

The Sea Life Aquarium includes interactive exhibits and an underwater tunnel filled with more than 1,000 animals, including local freshwater fish like bass, eels, nurse and hammerhead sharks and stingrays.

Legoland Discovery Center has a Lego-themed train ride, building classes, a Lego re-creation of New York City and New Jersey landmarks, and other activities. 

The aquarium staggered tickets in half-hour increments and opened to the public last weekend for preview showings.

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Woodbridge residents Cindy Persaud and her husband, Rabendra, bought tickets two weeks ago and walked through the aquarium with their year-old daughter.

East Brunswick resident Joanna L. came with her husband and 4-year-old daughter on Sunday. 

She said her daughter loves aquariums and they had been checking online for tickets to go on sale. "Her favorite thing in the world is fish," Joanna said as she watched her daughter pet a starfish at a touch tank by the entrance. 

The aquarium has a New York theme. Some tanks have Jets and Giants football helmets with a Super Bowl trophy. Others have New York City attractions with a fish theme, like the Statue of Liberty holding a clam and pearl instead of a torch, the "flat fish building" and the Empire "Skate" building. 

Newark resident Kamilah Johnson toured the aquarium after visiting Legoland with her 9-year-old son, sister and nephews. 

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Johnson said she originally came for Legoland, but was offered a bundle package to tour the aquarium. She said the boys enjoys Legoland, especially the 4D movie and rides. 

Inside Legoland, patrons can attend a creative workshop class and see huge Lego buildings like the ones that create the New York City skyline. 

The openings coincide with New Jersey's loosened mask mandate, allowing vaccinated people to go maskless indoors, with some exceptions.  

The aquarium and Legoland delays were among many that have plagued American Dream, once known as Xanadu. The 17 years of delays made the megamall the butt of jokes for years.

Months after it finally opened in 2020, the mall once again closed due to COVID-19 and reopened this past October. 

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Kristie Cattafi is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: cattafi@northjersey.com

Twitter: @KristieCattafi 

Read or Share this story: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/business/2021/05/30/american-dream-legoland-sea-life-aquarium-open-east-rutherford-nj/5272126001/

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