Legoland Billund Resort

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. is credited with much of the original design and building of Miniland.

Over the years, Legoland Billund has added many original models and rides. The park, which has now been expanded to cover 45 acre, 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. 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 (2016)
• Legoland Japan Resort (2017)
• Legoland New York (2021)
• Legoland Korea Resort (2022)

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.

On 29 May 2024, a fire suspected to have been caused by a short circuit inside an electric rail car that was being charged overnight erupted at the park's Miniland attraction, destroying several replicas of famous buildings and a model of a traditional Danish port.

Themed Lego Lands

Aerial photograph (2015)

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, the park has 11 themed areas.

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 (formerly known as Fabuland) 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.

Duplo Peppa Pig Playground

For 2024, a new play area themed to the Peppa Pig television series was opened behind Lego studies. This is part of a joint partnership between Lego, Hasbro and Merlin Entertainments.

Imagination Zone

This zone contains the Lego Studios, a purpose-built 600-seat 4-D theater, complete with special effects and a giant screen.

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.

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. Knight's Kingdom also has Knight's Barbecue Grill.

LEGO Movie World

It features 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 and ghost The hunted House. 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.

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. 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.

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, who had previously developed the interactive Voyage to the Iron Reef dark ride at Knott's Berry Farm.

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 and Pirate Boats.

Polar Land

Polar Land is a North Pole and South Pole theme area that opened in 2012. 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, Builde a boat, arctic basecamp and Ice Pilots School.

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

Water rides

Other rides

Kiddie rides

Building experiences

Shows

Extras

These attractions and activities all require an extra charge in addition to regular admission fees.

Special events

The park hosts many special events throughout the season, including a Halloween celebration and firework shows.

Retired rides and attractions

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.{{cite news | access-date = 8 September 2008

Gallery

Image:LegoBillundTowerView.jpg|View from the observation tower (click to enlarge) Image:Billund - Legolands udsigtstårn.jpg|Observation tower Image:Legoland_Billund_Robocoaster.jpg|KUKA Robocoaster programmable robotic arm Image:Legoland Billund Denmark 2012.JPG|View from the Lego Top (tower), May 2012

References

References

1. "The first LEGOLAND® park". LEGO System A/S.
2. (25 April 2017). "Exploring Denmark: The Most Visited Tourist Attractions In The Country".
3. Marriner, Cosima. (13 July 2005). "US swoop takes Legoland under Merlin's wand". The Guardian.
4. (2024-05-29). "Fire destroys part of Legoland theme park in western Denmark, melting replicas of famed buildings".
5. (2019). "Legoland Park Guide". Merlin Entertainments Group.
6. (23 January 2024). "LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG – About Us".
7. (22 July 2011). "Atlantis Submarine Voyage". Park World.
8. (November 17, 2015). "LEGOLAND California Resort and TRIOTECH Present Maestro Hand Gesture Technology at IAAPA Expo in Orlando for the New LEGO NINJAGO The Ride, Opening 2016!". Merlin Entertainments Group.
9. Niles, Robert. (November 17, 2015). "First Look at the New Hand-Motion Technology Behind Legoland's Ninjago Ride".
10. TEA/ERA. (2007). "2006 Theme Park Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
11. TEA/ERA. (2008). "2007 Attraction Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
12. TEA/ERA/AECOM. (2009). "2008 Attraction Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
13. TEA/AECOM. (2010). "2009 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
14. TEA/AECOM. (2011). "2010 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
15. TEA/AECOM. (2012). "2011 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
16. TEA/AECOM. (2013). "2012 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
17. TEA/AECOM. (2014). "2013 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
18. TEA/AECOM. (2015). "2014 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
19. TEA/AECOM. (2016). "2015 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
20. TEA/AECOM. (2017). "2016 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
21. TEA/AECOM. (2018). "2017 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report". Themed Entertainment Association.
22. (1 November 2011). "Polar Land at Legoland Billund". Park World.
23. LegoLand Billund. (11 October 2011). "Get ready for Polar Land – this year's big news in LEGOLAND®". LegoLand Billund.
24. (3 February 2018). "Flying Eagle roller coaster at LEGOLAND Billund in 2018".
25. (23 January 2024). "LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG – About Us".