Legoland Billund Resort
Legoland Billund Resort, the original Legoland park, opened on 7 June 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The park is located next to the original Lego factory and Billund Airport, Denmark's second-busiest airport. Over 1.9 million guests visited the park in 2011, and since the opening more than 50 million guests have visited the park. This makes Legoland the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside Copenhagen. The Legoland parks that have since been built are modelled upon Legoland Billund, most noticeably the Miniland area, which is made up of millions of plastic Lego bricks.
| Location | Billund, Denmark |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 55°44′8″N 9°7′34″E / 55.73556°N 9.12611°ECoordinates: 55°44′8″N 9°7′34″E / 55.73556°N 9.12611°E |
| Opened | 7 June 1968 |
| Owner | Merlin Entertainments |
| Operating season | March – December |
| Attendance | 1.95 million (2019) |
| Area | 14 ha (35 acres) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 50 |
| Roller coasters | 4 |
| Water rides | 2 |
| Website | www |
History
The Lego company, led by Ole Kirk Christiansen, introduced plastic toys alongside their existing wooden toy line in 1949 after purchasing one of the first injection moulding machines in 1947.[1]: 10 One son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (GKC), was named the managing director of the family business in 1957 shortly before his father died and just two years later he bought out his three brothers.[1]: 20 In the 1960s, GKC decided to open a 14-acre (5.7 ha) Legoland Park adjacent to the Lego factory in Billund to promote his toy business; the factory itself was already drawing approximately 20,000 visitors per year by the mid-1960s, who came to view models produced for trade shows and shops.[1]: 49 [2] GKC hired Arnold Boutrop as the park's first general director and designer; after visiting Madurodam, the two men began finalizing plans for what would become Miniland, the main attraction of Legoland.[1]: 49 Dagny Holm, a cousin of GKC trained as a sculptor who was hired as a model designer in 1961[2] is credited with much of the original design and building of Miniland.[1]: 50 The park became an instant success, with 625,000 visitors in its first abbreviated season after opening on 7 June 1968.[1]: 56
Over the years, Legoland Billund has added many original models and rides. The park, which has now been expanded to cover 45 acres (18 ha), is divided into nine themed areas, including Duplo Land, Imagination Zone, LEGOREDO Town, Adventure Land, Lego City, Knight's Kingdom, Mini Land, Pirate Land, and Polar Land.
Today, Legoland Billund is the most visited tourist attraction in Jutland and the third-most visited attraction in Denmark, after Tivoli Gardens and Dyrehavsbakken.[3] Several other Legolands have since been built in other parts of the world:
- Legoland Windsor Resort (1996)
- Legoland California (1999)
- Legoland Deutschland Resort (2002)
- Legoland Florida (2011)
- Legoland Malaysia Resort (2012)
- Legoland Dubai Resort (2016)
- Legoland Japan Resort (2017)
The Blackstone Group, an investment firm, bought a 70% controlling stake in Legoland in 2005, with the remaining 30% still owned by Lego. The parks are operated by Merlin Entertainments.[4]
Themed Lego Lands
Aerial photograph (2015)
As of 2019[update], the park has nine themed areas.[5]
Adventure Land
This area contains some of the park's more exciting rides such as the wild mouse roller coaster, X-treme Racers. Jungle Racers jet ski ride has a jungle theme and spins the riders quite fast. In 2010, The Temple was introduced, an indoor ride where riders board Explorer SUVs and are equipped with laser guns to shoot at moving targets in 11 scenes themed to ancient Egypt. The Temple also has a game area with an Egyptian theme, containing ring-toss, water-shooting, balloon-popping and a mummy game. The area contains two gift shops (Temple Gifts and Adventure Shop) and two restaurants. Falck Fire Brigade is a ride where you take your assigned vehicle to the scene of a fire where you and your fellow firefighters have to put out a fire in a building, and the fastest team wins.
Duplo Land
Duplo Land contains rides and attractions for young children, with the Lego Duplo brand name. The Duplo Playhouse is a play area for children ages 2–6, which is themed like a city in which children can play. They can build using Lego, or play on planes and cars. There are also slides, stairs, interactive elements and a role-play area. The Duplo Train, a train ride that looks like a train made of Duplo bricks, takes two minutes to complete its loop. Duplo Planes is a plane ride similar to Disney's Dumbo ride, but with a Lego theme. The land also used to feature Duplo Driving School. This was a car ride for children ages 2–6, who are not yet ready for the Traffic School ride.
Imagination Zone
This zone contains the Lego Studios, a purpose-built 600-seat 4-D theater, complete with special effects and a giant screen. Four movies play daily as of 2010[update]; these are Lego Racers, Spellbreaker, Bob the Builder 4D, and The Adventures of Clutch Powers.
Lego Atlantis by Sea Life was added in 2007. The attraction starts off with an animated movie, featuring Lego figures and a submarine that travels down to the submerged city of Atlantis. There is also a Sea Life aquarium featuring a walk-through underwater tunnel and other hands-on activities with more than 800 sea creatures. Numerous Lego figures and models are in and around the aquarium.[6]
Knight's Kingdom
Knight's Kingdom contains The Dragon coaster, located inside a medieval castle. The ride starts with a slow-moving dark ride scene with Lego figures themed to medieval times, including a mighty dragon. Vikings River Splash is a Viking theme river rapids ride that was added in 2006 and has plenty of wet surprises. Riders' photos are taken at the end of the ride. Knight's Kingdom also has Granny's Apple Farms Restaurant, Knight's Barbecue Grill and Castle Burgers.
LEGO Movie World
Along with Legoland California, the park will be receiving a LEGO Movie world in 2021. Its location has yet to be disclosed as it does not seem to be taking over a pre-existing land like the US versions (Chima in Florida and Friends/Duplo in California). It will feature the Masters of Flight and Unikitty's Disco Drop found in the California and Florida versions with its exclusive ride being a Technical Park Aerobat.
LEGOREDO Town
LEGOREDO Town is a Western-themed land that contains the rides Lego Canoe, LEGOLDMINE, Westernride, Timber Ride, LEGOLDMINE Train. There is also an Indian camp led by the popular Chief Long Ears (referring to the long rabbit ears on his headdress). LEGOREDO also has its own band called "The Rattlesnakes" and they play country music all day long. The mountain terrain of Lego Canoe offers a scenic background.
Directly opposite on the other side of the town was the hilly landscape of The Mine Train, which traveled through mines in the mountain. Mine Train was shut down in 2013 and a new haunted house attraction entitled Ghost - The Haunted House replaced it starting with the 2014 season.[7]
Mini Land
Mini Land is the heart of any Legoland park. The 1:20 scale Lego brick models feature landscapes, sights and buildings from all over Denmark, as well as famous landmarks from other parts of the world. These include, in addition to the models listed below, the Acropolis of Athens and scenes from Star Wars. The LEGOTop observation tower offers a nice view of the entire park. The models and structures in Mini Land were made using more than 25 million Lego bricks.
| Country | Added | Closed | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 1968 | – | Featuring models of Billund Airport, Copenhagen (Amalienborg Castle, Nyhavn), Dybbøl Mill, Klampenborg Station, Lilleby (a fictional village), Møgeltønder, Ribe, and Skagen. | |
| Egypt | ? | – | Featuring model of Abu Simbel temples. | |
| Germany | ? | – | Featuring models of Düsseldorf (promenade along the Rhine), Neuschwanstein Castle, and Tegernsee | |
| The Netherlands | ? | – | Featuring models of Amsterdam and the surrounding landscape. | |
| Norway | ? | – | Featuring models of Bergen and its harbor. | |
| Scotland | ? | – | Featuring models of Crail and Eilean Donan. | |
| Star Wars | 2011? | 2019 | Models removed shortly after Disney purchased the Star Wars franchise. | |
| Sweden | ? | – | Featuring models of the Gota Canal. | |
| Thailand | ? | – | Featuring model of The Grand Palace. | |
| United States | ? | – | Featuring models of Hollywood, Kennedy Space Center, Mount Rushmore, and the United States Capitol Building. |
Ninjago World
Ninjago World, which opened in 2016, features NINJAGO: The Ride, an interactive dark ride using gesture controls. The technology was developed by Triotech,[8] who had previously developed the interactive Voyage to the Iron Reef dark ride at Knott's Berry Farm.[9]
| Year | Attendance | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,490,000 | [10] |
| 2006 | 1,460,000 | [11] |
| 2007 | 1,610,000 | [12] |
| 2008 | 1,650,000 | [13] |
| 2009 | 1,650,000 | [14] |
| 2010 | 1,650,000 | [15] |
| 2011 | 1,600,000 | [16] |
| 2012 | 1,650,000 | [17] |
| 2013 | 1,800,000 | [18] |
| 2014 | 1,925,000 | [19] |
| 2015 | 2,050,000 | [10] |
| 2016 | 2,091,000 | [20] |
| 2017 | 2,120,000 | [21] |
Pirate Land
Pirate Land is a pirate-themed area. It features the Pirate Splash Battle where participants get wet. Other rides include Pirate Wave Breaker, Pirate Water Falls and Pirate Boats.
Polar Land
Polar Land is a North Pole and South Pole theme area that opened in 2012.[22] This themed area was partially created from part of the Lego City themed area and the Event Center. It features the Polar X-plorer roller coaster, Penguin Bayaturing live penguins, and Ice Pilots School. In Polar Land, visitors can eat at Polar Pizza and Pasta with a view overlooking the Penguin Bay habitat.[23]
Ice Pilots School was previously named Power Builders and carried a Bionicle theme when it was part of the Lego City themed area.
Attractions
Roller coasters
| Ride name | Manufacturer | Type | Year opened | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragen The Dragon | Mack Rides | steel sit down | 1997 | Knight's Kingdom | Starts inside the medieval castle with a large dragon intimidating the riders; height limit 100 cm. | |
| Flyvende Ørn Flying Eagle | Zierer | steel sit down | 2018 | LEGOREDO Town | A family coaster where you plunge from Eagle Rock 11 m (36 ft) above the ground [24] | |
| Polar X-plorer | Zierer | steel sit down | 2012 | Polar Land | A Polar-themed family coaster that reaches a speed of 65 km/h with a 5-meter freefall drop section; height limit 120 cm. | |
| X-Treme Racers | Mack Rides | steel sit down wild mouse | 2002 | Adventure Land | A wild mouse coaster that reaches a speed of 56 km/h (35 mph) on a 400 meter long track (1312 ft) and a height of 16 m (52 ft); height limit 120 cm. |
Water rides
| Ride name | Type | Year opened | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dive to Atlantis | Submarine | 2007 | Imagination Zone | ||
| Jungle Racers | Carousel (dual) | 2000 | Adventure Land | Water jet ski ride | |
| Lego Canoe | Log flume | 1992 | LEGOREDO Town | ||
| Pirate Boats | Dark ride | Pirate Land | |||
| Pirate Splash Battle | Rail-based | Pirate Land | Splash battle water shootout on a 150 m long course | ||
| Vikings River Splash | River rapids | 2006 | Knight's Kingdom | a 438-meter-long river rapids ride that features a Viking theme and has an 8 m drop at the end |
Other rides
| Ride name | Type | Year opened | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caterpillar | Himalaya | Miniland | Rider height minimum 90 cm | ||
| Falck Fire Brigade | Fire fighting | Adventureland | douse the fire yourself | ||
| Ghost-The Haunted House | Walkthrough dark ride/drop tower | LEGOREDO Town | a walkthrough attraction with a drop tower at the end | ||
| Ice Pilots School | RoboCoaster G1 | Polar Land | height limit 120 cm. | ||
| Lego Atlantis | Aquarium | 2007 | Imagination Zone | a sea life aquarium | |
| Lego Studios | 4D film theater | Imagination Zone | a 4D theater in Imagination Zone that as of 2019[update] shows 2 movies — Lego Ninjago 4D and LEGO® City 4D - Officer in Pursuit | ||
| Lego Top | Observation tower | Miniland | 36 m high | ||
| Lego Train | Train ride | Miniland | a themed 2-minute train ride | ||
| The Lighthouse | Climbing tower | Pirate Land | pull yourself up 9 m tower | ||
| Lloyd's Lazer Maze | Maze | Ninjago World | a laser maze ride | ||
| Monorail | Monorail | Miniland | |||
| NINJAGO The Ride | Interactive dark ride | Ninjago World | a dark ride where riders use their hands to shoot | ||
| Nintendo Game Show | Play area | Miniland | play Nintendo games | ||
| Penguin Bay | Live animal display | 2012 | Polar Land | live penguins on show | |
| Pirate Carousel | Teacups | Pirate Land | spinning cups | ||
| The Temple | Interactive dark ride | 2010 | Adventureland | dark ride laser shoot-out |
Kiddie rides
| Ride name | Type | Year opened | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Path | Play area | Adventureland | play area in Adventureland | ||
| Duplo Planes | Carousel | Duplo Land | airplanes | ||
| Duplo Playhouses | Play area | Miniland | play area | ||
| Duplo Express | Train ride | Duplo Land | a 2-minute train ride | ||
| Frog Hopper | Drop tower | Miniland | mini drop tower | ||
| Lego Safari | On-track driving | Miniland | on track cars on a Safari | ||
| LEGONDOL | Ferris wheel | Duplo Land | mini Ferris wheel | ||
| Mini Boats | Boat ride | Miniland | where children can sail their own boats | ||
| Music Fountain | Play area | Imagination Zone | water play area | ||
| Pirate Wave Breaker | Rocking tug | 2009 | Pirate Land | 90+ cm | |
| SEAT Traffic School | Driving simulator | Miniland | electric cars for 7 – 13 years old | ||
| Western Ride | Carousel | LEGOREDO Town | merry go round |
Building experiences
| Attraction | Year opened | Location | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lego Gallery | 2022 | At the entrance | Display MOCs from all over the world | |
| Rebuild the World | 2021 | Brick Street | Build and model and place it on the planet Legoland | |
| Duplo Fun | 2022 | Brick Street | World full of Duplo bricks | |
| Creative Workshop | 2022 | Brick Street | A master builder guides you through building a model | |
| The Great Lego Reef | 2022 | Brick Street | Water themed | |
| Monster Wall | 2021 | Brick Street | 'Scary' monsters for everybody | |
| Build a Boat - Polar | 2022 | Polar land | Build a fast boat and race against others | |
| Build a Boat - Legoredo | 2022 | Legoredo | Build a fast boat and race against others |
Shows
| Attraction | Type | Year opened | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Rattlesnakes | Country & western band | LEGOREDO Town | |||
| King's Castle Show | Live action | Knight's Kingdom | action and stunt show at Mini Castle | ||
| Legoland Garden | Marching Band | throughout | the park's marching band |
Extras
These attractions and activities all require an extra charge in addition to regular admission fees.
| Attraction | Type | Year opened | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legoldmine | Gold panning | LEGOREDO Town | |||
| Pirate Games | Skill games | Pirate Land | test your skill games | ||
| Temple Games | Arcade | Adventureland |
Special events
The park hosts many special events throughout the season, including a Halloween celebration, firework shows, and Star Wars days.
Retired rides and attractions
| Ride name | Type | Years | Themed land | Image | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mine Train | dark ride | ?–19 Aug 2013 | LEGOREDO Town | a train ride journey through a dark mine where miners are hard at work | |
| Pirate Mini Water Falls | Play area | Pirate Land | water play area for the youngest children, has closed | ||
| Pirate Water Falls | Play area | Pirate Land | water play area for children, has closed | ||
| Timber Ride | Steel roller coaster | LEGOREDO Town | replaced by The Eagle | ||
| Duplo Driving School | Driving simulator | Duplo Land | electric cars for 2–6-year-olds, has closed | ||
| Chief Longears | Meet & greet | LEGOREDO Town | meet and greet the Indian Chief |
Accident
On 29 April 2007, a 21-year-old female employee was killed by a roller coaster when she climbed over a security fence to retrieve a guest's wallet.[25]
Gallery
View from the observation tower (click to enlarge)
A Norwegian fishing village
Observation tower
KUKA Robocoaster programmable robotic arm
View from the Lego Top (tower), May 2012
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Herman, Sarah (2012). A Million Little Bricks: The Unofficial Illustrated History of the LEGO Phenomenon. New York City: Skyhorse Publishing. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-62087-054-9. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ a b . LEGO System A/S. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "Exploring Denmark: The Most Visited Tourist Attractions In The Country". World Atlas. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ Marriner, Cosima (13 July 2005). "US swoop takes Legoland under Merlin's wand". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
- ^ "Legoland Park Guide" (PDF). Merlin Entertainments Group. 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "Atlantis Submarine Voyage". Park World. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "Ghostly start to the season at Legoland Billund". Park World. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "LEGOLAND California Resort and TRIOTECH Present Maestro Hand Gesture Technology at IAAPA Expo in Orlando for the New LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, Opening 2016!" (Press release). Merlin Entertainments Group. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- ^ Niles, Robert (17 November 2015). "First Look at the New Hand-Motion Technology Behind Legoland's Ninjago Ride". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- ^ a b TEA/AECOM (2016). 2015 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/ERA (2007). 2006 Theme Park Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/ERA (2008). (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/ERA/AECOM (2009). 2008 Attraction Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2010). 2009 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2011). 2010 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2012). (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2013). (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2014). (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2015). 2014 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2017). 2016 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ TEA/AECOM (2018). (PDF) (Report). Themed Entertainment Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ "Polar Land at Legoland Billund". Park World. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ LegoLand Billund (11 October 2011). . LegoLand Billund. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ "Flying Eagle roller coaster at LEGOLAND Billund in 2018". Theme Parks EU. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ "Legoland Employee Dies After Being Hit by Roller Coaster". AP. 30 April 2007. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
External links
- www.legoland.dk/en/ — Legoland Billund English language site
- Video of Legoland Billund in 1968