Legoland
Encyclopedia
Legoland is a chain of Lego
-themed theme parks. They are not fully owned by Lego Group
itself; rather they are owned and operated by the British
theme park company Merlin Entertainment.
The chain currently consists of:
The parks are split into various areas, which are common between the parks. For example, all four of the parks include a Lego miniland, a model village which includes models of landmarks and scenes from around the world made from millions of genuine Lego bricks. Other features include a Lego Mindstorms
centre (fun-based learning), Duplo
Gardens (for smaller children), Driving area (including attractions such as Driving school, Boating school, Ballooning school and Fire Academy), My Town, Wild Woods, and Knight's Kingdom.
The parks' rides are all Lego themed; many are made to appear as if they are built out of Lego bricks. They tend to be based on one particular line of Lego: for example, a popular ride at all four parks is the Dragon Coaster, which is loosely based on the Knights' Kingdom Lego sets. Another popular ride is the Driving school, in which children can drive small electric cars made to look like Lego cars around a small road network, after which they gain a mock driving license. The exact set of rides varies between parks, although as with the Disney
parks there is some overlap.
, is the oldest. It is divided into nine different worlds: Duplo
Land, Imagination Zone, LEGOREDO Town, Adventure Land, Miniland, Pirate Land, Lego City, Knights Kingdom and Viking land. The park opened in 1968 and has 1.7 million visitors annually, making it the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside Copenhagen
.
in Windsor, Berkshire
, and opened in 1996. As of 2010, there are twelve areas in the park, including: The Beginning, Imagination Centre, Miniland, Duplo Land, Traffic, LEGO City, Land of the Vikings, Kingdom of the Pharaohs, Pirates Landing, Knights Kingdom, and Adventure Land.
. The park opened March 20, 1999, and is split into nine sections which are The Beginning, Dino Island, Explore Village, Fun Town, Castle Hill, Miniland USA, Imagination Zone, Pirate Shores, and Land of Adventure. A Sea Life aquarium is adjacent to the theme park. In 2010, a water park opened on grounds as the only Legoland to feature a water park.
There was an earlier Legoland Park in Germany, from 1973 to 1976. It was located in the city of Sierksdorf in northern Germany. This park is now called Hansa-Park
.
, a historically famous Florida theme park.
is planned to open in Nusajaya, Johor
, Malaysia in 2012, and would be the first Legoland in Asia. Legoland Dubailand is planned to open in Dubai
, United Arab Emirates
. It was originally scheduled to open in 2011, but has since been delayed.
Futrthemore, Legoland Japan is planned to open in Nagoya, Japan
in 2015.
In June 2005, a 70 percent stake in the four theme parks was sold to Blackstone Group
of New York
, an investment and advisory firm, under its Merlin Entertainments
brand. Lego Group retains a 30 percent stake.
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
-themed theme parks. They are not fully owned by Lego Group
Lego Group
The LEGO Group is a family-owned company based in Billund, Denmark, and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys.The company was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen...
itself; rather they are owned and operated by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
theme park company Merlin Entertainment.
The chain currently consists of:
- Legoland BillundLegoland BillundLegoland Billund, the original Legoland park, opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The Park is located next to the original Lego factory and Denmark's second busiest airport Billund Airport. 1.6 million guests visited the park in 2007 and over the years more than 40 million guests have been through...
(Billund, DenmarkBillund, DenmarkBillund is the second largest town in Billund Municipality, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark with a population of 6,139 .-Overview:...
) - Legoland WindsorLegoland WindsorLegoland Windsor is a child-oriented theme park in Windsor, Berkshire in England, themed around the Lego toy system. The park opened in 1996 on the former Windsor Safari Park as the second Legoland after Legoland Billund in Denmark. The park is located within close distance of Windsor Castle and...
(WindsorWindsor, BerkshireWindsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, England, United Kingdom) - Legoland DeutschlandLegoland DeutschlandLegoland Deutschland is a Legoland park located in Günzburg in southern Germany, roughly half way from Munich to Stuttgart, which opened in 2002. It is 43.5 hectares in area, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bavaria...
(Günzburg, Germany) - Legoland CaliforniaLegoland CaliforniaLegoland California is a theme park located in Carlsbad, California, focused on Lego bricks. It opened on March 20, 1999. It is the third Legoland park to open, and the first Legoland outside of Europe...
(CarlsbadCarlsbad, California-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
, San Diego County, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA) - Legoland FloridaLegoland FloridaLegoland Florida is a theme park in Winter Haven, Florida. It opened on Saturday, October 15, 2011. Merlin Entertainments Group operates the park which encompasses of the former Cypress Gardens amusement park, making Legoland Florida the world's largest Legoland park.-Announcement:A press release...
(Winter Haven, FloridaWinter Haven, FloridaWinter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, USA)
Attractions
The parks are marketed to young families, and although they have a number of roller coasters, they are not as numerous or as extreme as those in other parks, and there is a greater emphasis on rides suitable for younger children.The parks are split into various areas, which are common between the parks. For example, all four of the parks include a Lego miniland, a model village which includes models of landmarks and scenes from around the world made from millions of genuine Lego bricks. Other features include a Lego Mindstorms
Lego Mindstorms
The LEGO Mindstorm series of kits contain software and hardware to create small, customizable and programmable robots. They include a programmable 'Brick' computer that controls the system, a set of modular sensors and motors, and LEGO parts from the Technics line to create the mechanical...
centre (fun-based learning), Duplo
Duplo
Duplo is a product range of the construction toy Lego, designed for children aged 1½ to 6 years old. Duplo bricks are twice the length, height and width of traditional Lego bricks , as a result being easier to handle – as well as being far harder to swallow – by younger children...
Gardens (for smaller children), Driving area (including attractions such as Driving school, Boating school, Ballooning school and Fire Academy), My Town, Wild Woods, and Knight's Kingdom.
The parks' rides are all Lego themed; many are made to appear as if they are built out of Lego bricks. They tend to be based on one particular line of Lego: for example, a popular ride at all four parks is the Dragon Coaster, which is loosely based on the Knights' Kingdom Lego sets. Another popular ride is the Driving school, in which children can drive small electric cars made to look like Lego cars around a small road network, after which they gain a mock driving license. The exact set of rides varies between parks, although as with the Disney
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
parks there is some overlap.
Legoland Billund
Legoland in Billund, DenmarkBillund, Denmark
Billund is the second largest town in Billund Municipality, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark with a population of 6,139 .-Overview:...
, is the oldest. It is divided into nine different worlds: Duplo
Duplo
Duplo is a product range of the construction toy Lego, designed for children aged 1½ to 6 years old. Duplo bricks are twice the length, height and width of traditional Lego bricks , as a result being easier to handle – as well as being far harder to swallow – by younger children...
Land, Imagination Zone, LEGOREDO Town, Adventure Land, Miniland, Pirate Land, Lego City, Knights Kingdom and Viking land. The park opened in 1968 and has 1.7 million visitors annually, making it the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Legoland Windsor
Legoland Windsor was built on the site of the previous Windsor Safari ParkWindsor Safari Park
Windsor Safari Park was a popular family attraction built on St. Leonards Hill on the outskirts of the English town of Windsor in Berkshire; it has since been converted into the site of Legoland Windsor...
in Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, and opened in 1996. As of 2010, there are twelve areas in the park, including: The Beginning, Imagination Centre, Miniland, Duplo Land, Traffic, LEGO City, Land of the Vikings, Kingdom of the Pharaohs, Pirates Landing, Knights Kingdom, and Adventure Land.
Legoland California
Legoland California is located in Carlsbad, in North San Diego CountyNorth San Diego County, California
North County is a region in the northern area of San Diego County, California. It is the second most populous region in the county after San Diego, with an estimated population of 826,985. North County is well known for its affluence, especially in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Rancho...
. The park opened March 20, 1999, and is split into nine sections which are The Beginning, Dino Island, Explore Village, Fun Town, Castle Hill, Miniland USA, Imagination Zone, Pirate Shores, and Land of Adventure. A Sea Life aquarium is adjacent to the theme park. In 2010, a water park opened on grounds as the only Legoland to feature a water park.
Legoland Deutschland
Legoland Deutschland is located in Günzburg, Germany, and opened in 2002. As of 2009, there are seven areas in the park, including: Imagination Center, Miniland, LEGO X-treme, LEGO City, Knights Kingdom, Adventure Land, and Land of the Pirates.There was an earlier Legoland Park in Germany, from 1973 to 1976. It was located in the city of Sierksdorf in northern Germany. This park is now called Hansa-Park
Hansa-Park
Hansa-Park is a seasonal amusement park in Sierksdorf off the Baltic Sea. It was opened on May 15, 1977 under the name Hansaland and renamed Hansa-Park in 1987. It currently spans and includes more than 125 attractions...
.
Legoland Florida
Legoland Florida opened on October 15, 2011 as the second Legoland park in the United States, as well as the world's largest Legoland park. The park was built on the former site of Cypress GardensCypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens was an American theme park near Winter Haven, Florida, that operated from 1936 to 2009.-History:Billed as Florida's first commercial tourist theme park, Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife Julie...
, a historically famous Florida theme park.
Future Legoland parks
Currently three further Legoland parks are being developed. Legoland MalaysiaLegoland Malaysia
Legoland Malaysia is a theme park scheduled to open in Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia in 2012 with over 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions. It will be the first Legoland theme park in Asia upon its establishment...
is planned to open in Nusajaya, Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
, Malaysia in 2012, and would be the first Legoland in Asia. Legoland Dubailand is planned to open in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. It was originally scheduled to open in 2011, but has since been delayed.
Futrthemore, Legoland Japan is planned to open in Nagoya, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2015.
Financial and visitor information
The Californian, Danish and German http://www.lego.com/legoland/deutschland/press/pressrelease.asp?locale=2057&id=14406&yearcode=2005&archive=True parks all receive approximately 1.4 million visitors per year. The British park received approximately 1.65 million visitors in 2007, making it the 15th most visited park in Europe.In June 2005, a 70 percent stake in the four theme parks was sold to Blackstone Group
Blackstone Group
The Blackstone Group L.P. is an American-based alternative asset management and financial services company that specializes in private equity, real estate, and credit and marketable alternative investment strategies, as well as financial advisory services, such as mergers and acquisitions ,...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, an investment and advisory firm, under its Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd is a British operator of amusement parks and other attractions. It is the largest such company in Europe, and globally the second largest after Walt Disney Parks and Resorts....
brand. Lego Group retains a 30 percent stake.
External links
- Legoland
- LEGOLAND Travel The Official LEGOLAND Billund Accommodation Provider
- Hotel Legoland
- Legoland California Visitor Guide
- Satellite image of Legoland California from Google maps
- Satellite image of Legoland Deutschland from Google maps
- Satellite image of Legoland Billund from Google maps
- Satellite image of Legoland Windsor from Google maps