Inconsistent Rules, Horrible Customer Service -- Very Disappointed I'm writing this complaint because what happened to my child was unfair, frustrating, and completely avoidable. On October 4, 2025, at around 3:20 PM, we went to the Boo's Bumper Cars ride. My daughter barely met the height requirement, but the first group of staff allowed her on the ride with no issue. When we returned later for another ride, Juan and Lynette suddenly decided she wasn't tall enough and turned her away. They did give an explanation, but what bothered me most was the complete lack of care or compassion they showed. My child was crying very sadly and visibly upset and they didn't show even a hint of empathy. Just cold, dismissive enforcement, as if her disappointment didn't matter at all. If you're going to enforce rules strictly, then every single staff member should be trained to do so consistently not randomly based on who's working. And more importantly, treat families and children with some basic decency and respect. This experience completely ruined my kid's day, and I sincerely hope Juan and Lynette don't treat any other family or child the way they treated us. read more

The pricing is quite affordable but we were able to find a membership deal during the Black Friday sale. With membership, it's approximately $100 for 1 adult with 1 free guest, and since kids under a certain age are free, I am able to go check out the place with my wife and my toddler for under one price. There is a monthly change in exhibits which makes it so that there is something relatively new. Most recently we were able to attend a robotics exhibit and solar system exhibit, which our kid had a lot of fun. Parking is included in the membership which makes it real convenient to visit if you are nearby, although if you arrive during the busy times you may need to park further away or in the adjacent lot. Overall, would highly recommend as a quick way for any parent to kill time with their kid or for any kids that are interested in science. read more

Discovery Cube Orange County - By far one of the coolest exhibits and perfect for any kid interested in the solar system, only here for a month or so! - Children's Museums Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Finally got to check out the giant cube off the freeway with my family. I would say this experience is more geared for ages 4-12. We brought my recently turned 2-year old and 8 year old. The 2-year old didn't enjoy much and was afraid of most things. She liked the under the sea experience- specifically the little submarine slide and the giant Bright Lite. She was too afraid of pretty much everything else. My 8-year old found this experience more enjoyable. There was a general area white a race track (very hard to pull even for an adult), laser tag (long line), earthquake simulator, bed of nails, etc. There is also a cafe located on the first floor with indoor seating. Around the other side, there was a younger kid play area with self pulleys, play tree, scarf blower, lily pad with coi fish simulation floor, a sea "petting zoo." The petting zoo was the worst. The animals looked mishandled and over touched. The staff was constantly yelling at kids. I personally don't feel this exhibit is appropriate. I don't think any of the staff were trained to handle the animals either. If you head out the back door, then you can experience the Dinosaur exhibit. My toddler was afraid so we didn't spend much time out there. The upstairs had the under the sea playroom with cool lighting. My toddler found a submarine slide and a LightBrite to play with. There was also a cool market but the kids definitely need adult assistance as not only were the carts a little heavy and hard to maneuver but kids require help to answer the questions and reading labels. The recycling game where kids have to sort recycles and trash was neat too. They had a little section dedicated to hockey which my oldest wasn't into. They also had a room (perfect for nursing), where you can check out different elements of earth- temps, landscape, fires, etc. that was kind of cool. Also an wind/air speech simulator. They had a little RC car race area too. We spent 2 hours here but may have been able to spend more time here. It seemed crowded to me for being a weekday. Also, parking was deceiving because it wraps all the way around back and you still have to pay $10 even if you want to park across the street. Then it was $24 for adults and $20 for kids. Luckily, my 2 year old was free but we spend $68 which seemed a bit pricey. As adults, we were mostly there to supervise our kids and help speed things along. But not sure paying $24 per adult for a child centered experience was the best (plus parking). After the fact, I read someone's review that educators were free... wish I would have known that! There were aspects I did and didn't like from this experience. Not sure I'd come back but I'm glad I got too see it. Pros: Lots of exhibits Larger than expected Variety of learning opportunities Multiple restrooms Cons: Parking fee A longer than expected walk from the on site parking lot Crowded even during the week Unsupervised kids running around Some exhibits can have long lines Some exhibits require adult assistance Not really geared for very young children Sea life exhibit petting zoo looked very sad read more

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I've been here a few times now, and it's been a great experience every time. The place is always clean and has a relaxed, family friendly vibe. It kept both me and my family entertained, which says a lot. Parking can be a little tight, but they opened an additional lot across the street, which definitely helps. Overall, it's a solid spot to spend a few fun, easygoing hours with the family. I'd come back again. read more

Fantastic place to visit for adults and kids. It has many interesting activities to engage in. Without questions, kids will be entertained for hours. Their snack bar(?) offers outstanding foods. Too bad that I didn't take more pictures of our orders. Nonetheless, I highly recommend to give it a shot. But if one wants to economize, eat before go there. Oh, $10 parking fee was kind of excessive in my view, since admission fees were already not cheap; is it the California way? "Milking" the tourists, just like many tourists traps today. read more

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I've driven past this structure for so many years and have always wanted to check it, and I really REALLY wanted to like it, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. The whole place is best when explored on your own, without guidance nor much literature to orient you, but that's also the downfall for those that are not so initiated in the sciences. I wish there were more "context" for some of the displayed (such as the rocket area which doesn't really explain how thrust and fuel play a part in the "game" you play to get your shuttle to its destination. The most realistic game was the shopping area, but the cart weighed like a small human and was quite difficult to navigate even for an adult, let alone a child. The admission price was not exorbitant, and was worth the few hours we were there, but certainly not worth a membership for the year. read more

My daughter loves a trip to Discovery Cube. They just remodeled the outdoor area to be more interactive with their dinosaur exhibit. A favorite area for my daughter is always the race car building and racing. I love the eco literacy education and the wide selection of activities. The food for adults could be better. We are her once and never again. read more

We came here with a group of 10 toddlers and they loved it. There was a lot to do and see including a build your own box car track (which barely seemed to work properly), a small science show, a grocery store interactive piece, a sea animal petting zoo, a small jungle gym and so much more! We spent 3-4 hours here letting them explore and they couldn't get enough! There's a small gift shop by the exit too which had very good prices surprisingly. My son really enjoyed the exhibits where you step inside and feel a tornado or sit in an earthquake simulator. There's also large area outside with dinosaurs and lots of good photo opportunities. I think my one fault here was the food -- I didn't think it was very good and after begging me to eat, my son hardly touched it. He wanted a salad, but we both didn't care for the dressing on it and the turkey club's only option was an aioli and I had mayo products and there was no mustard or other option. We bought the food but barely ate it unfortunately. All in all, it was a fun place and I hear they change the exhibits regularly. read more

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I love it here. We have a membership and come here every few months or so. The exhibits are interactive, and my 4 year old is entertained. Yes it does get busy often - and it's annoying when there's no parking like during some special event - but it is what it is. The place itself is fantastic. Love the dinosaur area and the rocket launch. Bubble fest is also really cool. read more

"We have visited Discovery Cube dozens of times, but our field trip today was deeply upsetting due to a staff member named Leonardo. He was rude and scolding toward the children from the start. Most notably, he physically blocked my son and me from entering the aquarium and used a microphone to publicly interrogate my son on how to pet the animals. When I mentioned my son is on the spectrum and might need my help to demonstrate the touch rules, Leonardo rudely suggested that if he couldn't do it independently, he 'must not like the animals.' To be spoken to this way over a loudspeaker was humiliating and unnecessary. For an organization that prides itself on inclusivity, this was a major failure in empathy and customer service. We expected much better." read more

It's only fun when it isn't crowded. They don't know how to handle large crowds and it makes it difficult to navigate. We got in line for Bubblefest and they let in a ton of people who got there after us because they weren't paying attention to who walked up after they opened the lines. They said the ocean touch tank closed at 115. It doesn't. It closes at 1. But they feed the sharks after 1, so that counts as it being open? Except they don't let people in, not even to use the only clean bathroom in the place. It's just really loud and disorganized. No soundproofing. Lot's of fun but not well managed. read more

Fun for kids. Aside from tickets to enter you'll need to pay for parking separately. Worth getting an annual pass if you plan to go there more than once. They have different exhibits throughout the year some that are included with membership check with their calendar. There are 2 locations Santa Ana and Sylmar. read more

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We got our membership last year, 11/2025. To date, we've gone 7 times and we always spend 2-4 hours each time. We recently attended the Bubble fest show, and it was AMAZING! I love that they're always changing the exhibit hall making our visits that much more fun and exciting. Ps: Purchase the parking pass, so worth it! read more

4,5 star for this place and it's just so fun for the kids and the merchandise was also not that expensive! The toilet is clean and the area is clean, we came during crowded hours but the cleanliness is maintained well! read more

Discovery Cube Orange County - Momma Dino - Children's Museums Near Me - Santa Ana, California

Had a blast exploring the two floors of fun activities, special party dance party, and spooky science!!! Visited during the pumpkin palooza event and kiddos got to run around to candy stations. Hours and hours of fun. Easily a full day adventure read more

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Amelia one of the managers has terrible customer service. She's rude, not helpful. We paid extra to get in first to have premier seating to have access to sit in the front on the floor as well. We walked up at 11:47am for the 12pm show and the general admission was already inside and the floor was filled. (Nothing like our experience last year) She had no empathy, she was quite rude and didn't offer any assistance. She preferred to offer an uncomfortable stare along with no solution. If this is who you have leading a team... yikes. read more

This is a great place to go, the areas were clean and the exhibits working and modern. Also, they have an outdoor area with a dinosaur hunt that was very interesting and easy to understand with a dig pit to "find" dinosaur bones. The staff are very helpful and awesome! While we were visiting I had dropped my wallet, and when we checked in with the front desk they had it back in just minutes! This is a great place to visit when you need to kill time or have a friend over. read more

We visited today with our grandchildren and were extremely disappointed. There were way too many children out of control and the noise level was deafening. There were several buses of field trips and many parents with their children. There needs to be a limit for admissions. As a former teacher, I was appalled to see the total lack of control, with children rude to those around them. The many employees tried but were quite ineffective in trying to manage so many children who appeared to have no adult supervision. I'm glad that I have let my membership expire and don't plan to renew it. There must be other options for entertaining our grandchildren in a sane, quiet and enjoyable way! read more

There were so many people on Caesar Chavez day, they should have stopped selling tickets after a certain point. Like for the grocery store activity we had to wait in line until one cart gets returned. There was a line for basically everything! Lesson learned: never come here during a holiday! The shopping carts got tired. After the activity there was no code to finish at checkout. Buttons didn't work when we input the checkout number. Then the screen returned to start screen read more

Very cool place for kids and adults to do hands on activities. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was at full capacity. The bottom floor hosts the Bubble experience, which is a separate fee from the admission fee. You will also find other activities like laser tag. The second floor offers other activities like remote control robots, interactive hockey etc. I ordered iced coffee from the cafe, it was okay- nothing special. A little overpriced to be honest. Admission: Children under 2 Free. Children ages 3-14 $17, Adult Admission $22. You can also purchase yearly passes if you plan to visit more than once a year, I think the pass is worth it. Parking: Available on site and across the street from the center. Overall, it was a bit hectic like others have mentioned but what can you expect with a place full of kids with so much energy and excitement?! :) read more

Discovery Cube Orange County - Children's Museums Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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My sons loved it here. I have a 12 year old and a 9 month old. It's hard to find things they both would enjoy but this was a home run for both kids! So many interactive experiences. My oldest loved the dinosaurs missions and the baby loved the science exhibits on the first floor. Both loved the cafe! Haha read more

I don't recommend taking toddlers here. Nothing for them to enjoy. My daughter is almost 3 and she couldn't get much from this place. I'll probably take her back when she's 6 to learn read more

Hello this is a review for a specific employee who really made my daughters 13th birthday a special one So as I am a first-timer at this place I did not know certain things certain foods certain stuff I went to this coffee shop area because it seemed a lot of the regular workers weren't really as an informative and helpful they tend to kind of veer off to somewhere else to clean up or something So I don't know but this is not a negative I just want to let you know they're probably very busy cuz it was a busy day I went to the coffee shop and I was greeted by young lady named Natalie L. I shared with Ms Natalie what I was kind of looking for when it comes to what is this place about how does the food service run kind of situation that there's any programs and as well as I also asked for her specific spot any good coffee or something sweet enough to keep me going for a good two three hours while I'm here for my daughter's 13th birthday Miss Natalie proceeded to share with me great stuff in regards towards the brownies and the caramel latte which both phenomenal in fact I bought two brownies in total I just want to point out this young lady Natalie was extremely helpful from the hours of 2:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on August 31st I just want to point her out as being a valuable asset to the Discovery cube and I hope that she gets recognized for her excellent service for great information communication and for being an all-around great person Thank you Ms Natalie Hope to see you continue to grow in your future of whatever you proceed in your career read more

The good: The best part of this trip for myself and my 2-year old toddler was the sting ray and shark petting area. We also got to touch sea stars. Kids under 3 are free. This museum Is definitely geared for kids older than toddlers. Many of the exhibits my kid needed to be lifted up to see or it required reading. They have a food counter inside with a lot of seating. The workers were friendly and one even offered my kid a high five. The shopping grocery area was really cute and elaborate. The bad: I came on a Monday thinking I'd avoid a large crowd but there were several bussed full of school kids who were here for a field trip. We couldn't see the dinosaur outside. The door leading to the outside was closed. They were doing maintenance near the shark teeth case. The grocery carts were hard to push. It would've been funner if you could put the groceries into your cart. The movie for the hot air balloon simulation didn't play. The interesting: There's stroller parking by the gift shop. The foods sold here were some of the same menu items with cutesy themed foods like Santa Ana's zoo. read more

Discovery Cube Orange County - Sensory water play - Children's Museums Near Me - Santa Ana, California

such a fun place for exploration of science, for everyone!! one of my fav is the supermarket section, but all the areas are so interactive & super engaging! came here to see the "women in science symposium," what a classy and clean auditorium! read more

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I wish this location was closer to where we live, but we try to go whenever we are around the area. This museum is filled with so many great STEM and science activities for all ages! This place makes learning so much fun! This is not a museum that you just get to see and not touch, it's fully hands on! One thing that my family especially love about this location is their sea life center and outdoor play-area. The play area was closed down for remodeling last weekend. One thing I also noticed about this location was the amount of employees walking around ready to help or answer any questions you might have. The one negative thing about this place is that you have to pay for parking. The location we usually visit has free parking. But in any case this location is worth the visit. Another thing I think it's good to know is that if you have a membership it includes both Discovery Cube location. read more

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Came here on a Sunday afternoon with friends. There are 2 floors packed with activities for different ages. Great variety of science, cars, grocery shopping, dinosaur, aquarium, etc for kiddos with different interests. If you have a friend that is a member you can get a discount on your tickets. The kids had so much fun we just might be getting a membership. We found parking in the overflow lot across the road. $8 parking fee - same price if you buy online or in person. read more

Haven't been here in a little over two years and it's changed some. They now have an area for touching sea creatures and it looks like they are adding a robotics area. Some stuff has been taken away which we didn't miss at all. Food area isn't as nice just prepackaged food in a fridge now. Employees are whatever, I get it they probably don't get paid enough to really care too much. There are just so many things that need to be updated along with what they have already done. read more

We love the Discovery Cube OC. We came here over the summer, and my kids went bonkers. They were really upset when it closed and probably could have stayed the entire day. We ended up getting a membership, and it was THE BEST in the heatwave we were having. We all got a chance to play somewhere fun AND cool, and it was fabulous. My kids love the market area, the car racing, the laser room, all areas of the room with the big tree, and the hockey center. The rotating exhibits have been a hit as well. They loved the Paw Patrol one, the underwater one, and the dinosaurs outside (especially the dig pit!). This year we're going to the Pumpkin Palooza, and I'm sure it's going to be just as interactive and engaging. It's a great value and so much fun for the kids. read more

Just 3x as big as LA with a huge auditorium and aquarium with an awesome outdoor dinosaur dig! Only downside is charging for parking for members! read more

Staff is nice Place is overfilled such that there is a good wait time People seem to have left their manners at the door Parents let their little spawn run wild here while they look at their phones. I am happily not renewing my membership I would even pay more to have less people here read more

This place is an overstimulation nightmare. The entire property is extremely loud - inside you have hundreds of loud kids in every room, outside you have freeway noise. It is so loud indoors you can't have a conversation with the person next to you without yelling into their ears. My kid was beside me crying and I didn't even know because the other noise drowned it out. There are some fun exhibits but I feel everything is designed for older kids. I don't recommend kids 5 and under coming here. read more

We visited this place with my 2.5-year-old son. It was interesting inside, but I didn't like that kids were running around and could just grab toys from other children, including my son's. It felt a bit chaotic and many parents weren't watching their kids at all. Overall, the experience was okay, but we were disappointed by the $10 parking fee, especially since we stayed for less than two hours. That seemed too much. read more

This place is super cute for kids. We went to the Bubble fest it was so fun. Absolutely loved it! I would definitely recommend taking your kids here. The food isn't too bad either, it gets very busy and crowded. Have a beautiful day :) Be kind to everyone and yourself read more

Discovery Cube Orange County - Bubble fest - Children's Museums Near Me - Santa Ana, California

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I am sad to report this places has nearly everything failing apart. Some equipment even seemed unsafe for the kids to play with. Staff was somewhat friendly but could also use improvements. Don't waste your time or money here. Terrible experience for my kiddos read more

This was a fun place for all of the family...ages 10 to 70. Very hands on. Everything in good repair which can be a problem in hands on venues. read more

I'm glad we had a discount for reciprocity from another children's museum. This is definitely not one for the younger crowd. Our 4 year old was not impressed. It felt like a center for older grade- school kids. We spent less than 20 mins walking around trying to find something engaging for a four year old and ultimately left. The saving grace was the pull back car track at the entrance. Would save your money and time with kids under 5. Better of going to an indoor playground or amusement park nearby. If you have older kids, this place might be more educational and fun for 6-12? read more

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My kids have the attention span of a gnat and this place kept their interest much more than others. Basically everything is hands on - the only reading is for the adults and is instructional. Cafe prices are absolutely out of control though. read more

Super cool place to take your toddling toddler! Did mine have a full on meltdown when we had to leave, requiring a stranger to open the door for me as I carried him out? Yes. But did he have a ton of fun before that? Also yes! There are just so many different STEM things to play here, there's no way your kid will not find it fun. From memory, there's a dino exhibit, a space exhibit, a sports exhibit, and many more! Working with science myself, I loved all the exihibits as well, so it was fun for all. They also have a healthy cafeteria with very affordable options so you grab a quick lunch in between. The tickets are affordable and the parking situation seemed decent. Check it out! read more

More specifically, BUBBLE FEST! Super fun and engaging for kids of all ages. Amazing bubble and laser show. Super fun bubble play area downstairs. Pro tip: 1. buy tickets in advance. 2. Wait upstairs at least 20 mins before show begins to get an awesome seat. 3. DO NOT sit right up front and center unless you want to be SOAKED in bubbles! 10/10 will visit again until my kids are grown. read more