Designed for bricksters of all ages, the 318,000 square-meter Legoland resort is set to open in Shanghai on July 5.
No one is ever too old to play. Take it from Lego, the world’s most famous toy bricks built both as an educational toy for kids and a popular hobby among adults. And now, the beloved toy maker is once again giving all “bricksters” the joy of geeking out, with the launch of its biggest theme park to date: Legoland Resort in Shanghai, China.
The theme park, set to open on July 5, is a bigger and better version of the toy maker’s famed playground spread across seven countries across the globe. But just the same, it gives kids of all ages the opportunity to step into the vibrant and edgy world of Lego without actually hurting their feet, if you know what I mean.
Built in collaboration with British theme park company Merlin Entertainment, the expansive 318,000 square-meter resort features an amusement park and a hotel designed for kids aged 2 to 12 and their families. As Lego puts it, Legoland Shanghai is where “awesome awaits,” as it features over 75 interactive rides, shows, and attractions across eight themed lands. It’s definitely a place where bricksters can nerd out all day, with the thousands of Lego models “crafted from more than 85 million Lego bricks” loading up the entire place.
Legoland Resort Group and Merlin Entertainment began constructing the resort in 2021, with the former investing over 10 billion yuan in the project. It’s a lengthy and high-value process that guarantees a fun and unforgettable experience for the park’s expected visitors of over five million each year.
John Jakobsen, chief operating officer at Legoland Resorts, said: “China represents a key pillar of the Merlin Entertainments’ global growth strategy, and Legoland Shanghai Resort marks a crucial advancement in our strategic expansion plans for the Chinese market.”
“We’re striving to build the ultimate Lego theme park and hotel destination where Lego possibilities come to life on an epic scale, sparking a lifetime of play, creativity, and imagination at its opening in Summer 2025,” added John Ussher, senior divisional director at Legoland Resorts.
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What to expect in Legoland Shanghai
Located in Shanghai’s Jingshan District, the resort is a fusion of the thrilling, family-friendly experience that Legoland is popular for, and unique attractions inspired by the dynamic culture of the Yangtze Delta region.
At the center of Legoland Shanghai is the Miniland, which features Lego recreations of historical landmarks, famous cityscapes, and natural wonders from across China. Yang Yang, the park’s model engineering manager, told local publication Yicai that it took them 168,000 working hours and 20 million bricks to recreate China’s cities and iconic structures. From the park’s launch, bricksters can immerse themselves in these miniature marvels enlivened with vibrant lighting, immersive soundscapes, and creative storytelling.
Shanghai is also where bricksters will find Legoland’s first “Monkey King” theme park, inspired by the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. This marks the first time Legoland built a theme park based on a Chinese story, connecting its guests from all over the globe to the country’s history and culture.
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Next up is the world’s first “Legoland Creation World,” a 26-meter-high building which the toy maker touts as the largest minifigure in the resort chain’s 56-year history. There’s also Legoland’s first water village cruise ship, where guests can dive into the traditional culture of the Jiangnan water village.
But, of course, what’s a Legoland resort without its signature dragon roller coaster? Legoland Shanghai is likewise taking bricksters on a thrilling ride in its Dragon Coaster, which features exciting twists, turns, and drops within a Lego castle filled with animated Lego models and a “fire-breathing” dragon. According to the toy maker, the kid-friendly coaster was launched along with its first resort, Legoland Billund in Denmark in 1968, and has since been one of the main attractions in its parks.
Other must-visit attractions include the Lego City, Lego Ninjago World, Lego Kingdoms, and the Driving School. Lego fans can also look forward to meeting 22 Lego characters, watching 11 themed shows, and immersing in Lego movies daily.
The fun doesn’t stop at the park; there’s also the Legoland Hotel to complete what Lego calls the “ultimate shortbreak experience.” Legoland Shanghai’s hotel features 250 rooms, each designed as one of the five charming, adventure-filled Lego Worlds: Lego City, Lego Friends, Lego Castle, Lego Ninjago, and the resort’s first Monkey Ki room. Outside the rooms, expect to see over 1,700 Lego art installations, 200 interactive Lego features, and interactive entertainment areas to make each stay a 360-degree immersive experience.
Legoland Shanghai is the resort chain’s eleventh park in the world, and one of the three Legolands the toy group is planning to open in China. The others will open in Shenzhen and Sichuan in the coming months.
Prior to Legoland Shanghai, the toy group’s biggest park in the world is Legoland New York, which spans 500 acres. The Shanghai resort is the latest theme park to open in the country, following Shanghai Disneyland in 2016 and Universal Studios Beijing in 2021.
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