The latest Legoland Resort has celebrated its first week of operation to guests in Asia.
The new park, operated by Merlin Entertainments, welcomes families into a vibrant world of creativity, adventure and imagination. Located in Fengjing Town, Jinshan District, this also marks the opening of the largest Legoland destination to date, for a target audience of children aged 2-12 and their families.
Spanning 318,000 sqm, the theme park and hotel destination invites guests to enjoy eight lands filled with over 75 interactive rides, shows and attractions, as well as thousands of LEGO models built from over 85 million LEGO bricks. The opening has been made possible thanks to 10,000 workers and 300 teams from 15 countries bringing together ‘world-class creativity, engineering, and innovation’.
The grand opening ceremony, described as a colourful celebration, was attended by representatives from the Shanghai and Jinshan Governments, Merlin Entertainments, The LEGO Group, and New Jinshan Investment Group, and thousands of guests, who gathered to commemorate the milestone.
Merlin Entertainments CEO Fiona Eastwood, said:
“Our purpose at Merlin Entertainments is to bring people together to create memorable experiences for families around the world. Today, we are taking that to the next level, with the opening of Legoland Shanghai Resort, our first Legoland Resort in China, the second-biggest theme park market in the world. This milestone represents a major step towards our ambition to be the global leader in branded entertainment destinations.”
“Our deep understanding of the Chinese consumer and our experience of operating in China for over a decade has allowed us to create Legoland Shanghai as the ultimate theme park and hotel destination. It blends the tried and tested Legoland experience, which is so successful across our parks from Denmark to Dubai, with rich Chinese cultural elements, creating a destination that is both globally recognisable and locally resonant, connecting children with their heritage through imaginative play.”
“From the first sketches to the final Lego brick, this Resort is the result of years of vision, collaboration, and passion and is a testament to the dedication of our teams and the unwavering support of all our partners.”
President & CEO of The LEGO Group, Niels B. Christiansen, stated:
“Legoland Shanghai will be an integral part of the Lego ecosystem in China and a great addition to our retail network and brand events, enhancing the immersive and interactive Lego play experiences for our customers. I look forward to Legoland Shanghai becoming a new cultural landmark for family interaction and bringing unique joy to all Lego fans in China and beyond.”
Zhuang Jian, Chairman of Shanghai New Jinshan Investment Share Holding Group Co., Ltd., emphasized advanced international theme park management concepts and rich cultural connotations are at the core of Legoland Shanghai, which will inject ‘new vitality’ into the tourism market of Shanghai, particularly in Jinshan, and will attract more domestic and international tourists to the region.
Legoland Shanghai Resort introduces a range of exclusive attractions delivering entertainment and creativity to guests of all ages. Guests will be able to step into the spectacular live theatre, where the world premiere of the Lego Monkie Kid live show takes centre stage. At the world-first water-town style boat tour, guests are welcomed to cruise through 25x scale Lego Chinese water town and modern Shanghai cityscapes. The resort also debuts Legoland Creative World, where guests can take a picture with the largest Lego minifigure in history.
Brick Street and Bricktopia! are additional destinations for Lego enthusiasts, filled with imaginative decorations, Lego models, and daily performances. In the Lego Ninjago-themed land, thrill-seekers can challenge themselves on three major rides: Lego Ninjago The Ride, Jay’s Gravity Force Trainer, and Kai’s Sky Master.
Lego Friends land is where visitors can ride a jet ski at Water Race Challenge, glide through waves at the Beach Party, or join a friendly boat-building competition at Build-A-Boat.
Young guests are transported into a world of knights, wizards, and dragons through thrilling speed and height challenges, including a family rollercoaster in the Lego Castle area.
The resort’s dining and shopping options comprise six restaurants and ten retail stores. Pigsy’s Food Court, City Restaurant, and Bricks Family Restaurant serve up Lego-themed tableware for a playful meal. Ice cream food carts dish out Dragon Ollie and Lego brick-shaped ice cream delights. The largest “The BIG Shop” in Asia and the world premiere Lego Monkie Kid’s Merch shop are treasure troves of Lego products and exclusive items.
Guests can turn their day out into a two-day excursion with a sleepover at Legoland Hotel, where they are greeted by Ollie the Dragon and can enjoy character meet-and-greets, pyjama dance parties, and nightly surprises that carry the magic of the park into bedtime.
A Merlin Entertainments representative adds: “The grand opening of Legoland Shanghai Resort signifies the culmination of years of hard work, creativity, and partnership. It marks a new chapter where Chinese and Western cultures blend, and imagination and creativity spark unforgettable moments.
“Notably, the 36th Shanghai Tourism Festival Vacation Summer launches at LEGOLAND Shanghai on this momentous day, making the Resort a premier summer travel destination with the endless fun and creativity of LEGO adventures. LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort is more than a theme park – It’s a place where families build dreams, brick by brick.”
Earlier this week, Universal Studios Japan unveiled its latest attraction, based on the popular Minions movie franchise.
Photos: Merlin Entertainments
