Tourists and residents in Shanghai yesterday braved sweltering heat for the official opening of China’s first Legoland resort, featuring thousands of structures built with more than 85 million Lego bricks.
Entry tickets to the new resort, aimed mainly at families with children between the ages of two and 12, quickly sold out as thousands queued to try out more than 75 rides, performances and attractions spanning more than 300,000 square metres.
That was despite a heatwave strong enough to trigger an orange alert from Shanghai’s meteorological observatory – the second-highest in China’s weather alert system.
“The enthusiasm of the staff here makes us feel like the heat is okay, and we really liked today’s opening ceremony gift,” said 40-year-old Shanghai resident Cathy Yin of the wearable Lego mitt given out to those attending the event. “We came especially for it.”
Lego enthusiasts from all over China travelled to Shanghai for the opening, leading to a surge in hotel bookings, local media said. Lego Group CEO Niels B Christiansen said the resort would be ‘an integral part’ of Lego’s presence in China, and would ‘contribute to the economic vitality of Shanghai’.
The strong turnout highlights resilience in experience-focused spending among Chinese consumers, even as the overall economy struggles with weak consumer demand.
Multiple visitors interviewed by Reuters had purchased an annual pass, and had attended the soft opening on June 20.
Even the extreme heat, 30-year-old visitor Tao Xiaoqing said, ‘didn’t stop me from coming’ to the opening day.
Shanghai’s meteorological observatory warned maximum temperatures in the city’s central and western areas were expected to exceed 37C yesterday, while other forecasters warned parts of China’s eastern and central provinces are bracing for temperatures above 40C.
“It’s really hot, but it’s still a lot of fun here,” said nine-year-old Rocky Xu.
While most visitors were upbeat, one complained to Reuters that the long queues outside to enter the venue were poorly organised. Staff handed out bottles of water to visitors, and one person received medical attention due to heatstroke.
Legoland Shanghai is operated by a joint venture between Merlin Entertainments, which runs Legoland parks around the world, and the Shanghai Jinshan District local government.
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