Moving into the much larger space at 350 Fifth Avenue, LAIKA brings even more movie magic to San Diego with this year’s LAIKA Live experience. Opening last Friday, LAIKA Live moves into a venue 3 times the size of their offsite last year, while also bringing more merchandise celebrating their four films: Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings. There will be two lines at the activation, one for the inside tour, and one for merch.

Tours will enter in groups of 10-15 people each. After a behind-the-scenes movie, you enter the experience and are greeted with a 1/6th scale Victorian house, the model of the Pink Palace used in the making of Coraline. Following a loop around the interior, fans can get close-up looks at scenes from Missing Link, The BoxTrolls, and puppets from all the films, while learning about how each is created. The intricacy of the movie sets is an amazing feat, and seeing the working desks in the “Puppet Hospital” (copied identically from the LAIKA studios in Portland), and watching the crafters work on puppets and film a scene in front of you, is a unique experience.

This is also fans’ first opportunity to see a Mr. Link puppet from LAIKA’s upcoming film, Missing Link, releasing next April. The Missing Link bag available in the merchandise section is one of the more limited item of merch, and the first item branded for the movie to be sold.

Also on display is the LEGO x Coraline Pink Palace by Holly Webster. This prototype set is up for voting at LEGO Ideas to try to get it to become a set released by LEGO. You can vote for the set here.

LAIKA President and CEO Travis Knight, also the director of Kubo and the Two Strings, will be signing autographs at the venue from 12:30 – 2PM on Saturday, July 21 with Coraline author Neil Gaiman. You can also keep an eye out throughout the week for costumed characters from the four previous LAIKA films, along with the debut of Mr. Link.

Be sure to enter the LAIKA Live San Diego Sweepstakes while you’re on site — you’ll have a chance to win a pair of the rare Coraline Nike Dunks and other prizes like prints, posters, LPs, and more.

From Parks & Cons, here’s a walkthrough video of the experience:

Hours of Operation:
Friday, 7/13:  2-10pm
Saturday, 7/14: 2-10pm
Sunday, 7/15:  11am-5pm
Monday, 7/16:  12-5pm
Tuesday, 7/17: 12-5pm
Wednesday, 7/18: 12-5pm
Thursday, 7/19:  10am-10pm
Friday, 7/20:  10am-11pm
Saturday, 7/21: LAIKA store opens at 10am; exhibit: 2:00pm-11pm
Sunday, 7/22: 10am-6pm

Are you excited for the even bigger LAIKA Live? Comment below!