Legoland Dubai welcomed its first wave of visitors over the weekend during a soft opening phase for annual ticket holders and VIPs. The preview gave Lego fans a glimpse of the park’s offering ahead of its official opening on Monday. Legoland Dubai is the first of the three theme parks at the Dh10.5 billion Dubai Parks & Resorts to open its doors to the paying public.
Thousands of Lego fans excitedly streamed into the entertainment venue to experience the rides, the miniature landmarks made out of thousands of Lego bricks and, of course, the thrill of building their own Lego creations.
Siegfried Boerst, the general manager of Legoland Dubai, told Gulf News tabloid! that visitor feedback was “very positive” during the two-day soft launch on Friday and Saturday. “It’s really great to see children smiling and families enjoying,” he said.
He added that while Legoland Dubai built on the experiences of all other Legoland theme parks in the world, the local climate was also factored in while building the venue.
“We brought the best attractions that we have from our other Legoland Parks here and we tried to adopt it to the conditions and the environment we are building the park on,” said Boerst. “For example, we built the first-ever indoor Miniland attraction underneath an air-conditioned dome, so even in the summer heat people can enjoy the park. We have lots of shade, and indoor attractions and all the restaurants have indoor seating, so we try to adopt to the climate. But the Legoland experience is the same as any of our Legoland parks.”
“I wasn’t expecting things to look like this,” said Job Estabaya, an interior designer and Lego fan who was among the throng of visitors on Saturday. “I think [Miniland] is the best in the park. All of the iconic buildings in UAE and Dubai are here.”
He was referring to one of the attractions of the theme park that features iconic landmarks in Dubai and in the region.
Ayesha, a student who has been to other Legoland theme parks, said she appreciated how Miniland was given an Arab touch. “I’ve been to Legoland in the US, but the unique feature here is the Miniland, which has a touch of Arab culture.”
Jacob Mathai, a sales manager, said Legoland serves as a good venue to bond with family. “When we arrived here, my child was really excited,” said Mathai. “We can almost spend a day here. It is a good place we can spend with the family, especially with the kids. They will really enjoy [it].”
Riverland Dubai, the themed 21,700 square metre ‘reception’ area with a river at its centre will also open on Monday, while Bollywood Parks and Legoland Water Park will open on November 15. The Hollywood-themed Motiongate will open on December 16.
Ahead of Legoland Dubai’s opening on October 31, here are the top things you need to know:
1st: Legoland Dubai is the first Legoland Park in the Middle East.
7th: Legoland Dubai is the seventh Legoland Park in the world, joining locations in Billund, Denmark; Windsor, England; Carlsbad, California; Gunzburg, Germany; Winter Haven, Florida; and Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
3: Legoland Dubai covers a total area of three million square feet.
40: Legoland Dubai features over 40 interactive rides, shows, attractions, Lego building experiences.
15,000: The number of Lego model structures in the theme park.
60: There are 60 million Lego bricks used to build many of the structures in the theme park.
6: It has six themed lands, each unique in its experience, entertainment and educational offering.
250: The price of one-day admission. There are also other packages such as the annual pass and group/student rates.
10–6: The opening hours of Legoland Dubai, with longer opening hours during weekends and holidays.
365: Legoland Dubai will be open 365 days a year.
Legoland theme park opens 3
