World's largest Legoland set to open with replica of iconic skyline
Among its star attractions is expected to be a meticulously crafted mini replica of the Shanghai waterfront and the towering skyscrapers of the Lujiazui financial district, all constructed from the iconic colourful plastic bricks.
The sprawling resort, the first of its kind in China, boasts eight distinct themed sections familiar to Lego enthusiasts, including Ninjago, Lego Friends, and Monkie Kid lands. These areas bring classic Lego pieces to life, featuring supersized constructions designed to immerse visitors in the vibrant world of Lego.
While the scale of some attractions may not meet every visitor's initial grand expectations, the overall experience appears to resonate. Lyu Xiaole, a seven-year-old who secured a coveted pre-opening ticket, remarked: "I thought it would be huge, but it turned out to be half of the scale I dreamed ... But the attractions are beyond my expectation."
The park's launch comes at a time when China's economy has faced headwinds, including weak consumer spending, a prolonged property slump, and high youth unemployment.
However, Legoland Shanghai is banking on the resilience of domestic travel and the robust "experience" economy, sectors that have demonstrated continued strength despite broader economic challenges.
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.
The replica of downtown Shanghai and the city's waterfront is housed in the "Miniland" building at the site, where skyscrapers face the colonial era splendour of buildings along Shanghai's famed Bund promenade.
The Miniland creations took 168,000 hours to complete, using more than 20 million bricks. "I think it's best to play Lego in Legoland because I have much less Lego at my place," said seven-year-old Shen Jieqi.
Lego, the Danish family-owned toymaker that produces the bricks, is a familiar name in China where it has more than 400 stores.
In Shanghai, Legoland will offer another leisure space in the city for those who can afford it. Tickets will start from 319 yuan ($44.46) in low season and up to 599 yuan on peak days.
"We came very early in the morning. The atmosphere in the park is very joyful. The staff are full of passion," said Huang Xuanhua, 44, who lives close by the resort in Shanghai's Jinshan district and visited on Friday. "It has been a joyful day."
($1 = 7.1756 Chinese yuan renminbi)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump ‘prepared to crush Russia's economy if Putin turns down peace talks'
Senator Lindsey Graham is advocating for a sweeping sanctions bill to compel Vladimir Putin to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss an end to the Ukraine war. The proposed legislation would impose significant tariffs, potentially 500 per cent, on countries like China and India that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. Graham stated that Donald Trump is prepared to 'crush' Russia 's economy if Putin does not engage in peace talks. The bipartisan bill has garnered support from 85 senators, though it currently lacks explicit endorsement from the White House. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, a supporter of the bill, cautioned against excessive optimism for a peace deal, emphasising that Putin responds to strength and pressure.
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Home Depot does U-turn on tariff price promise
By Published: | Updated: Home Depot is preparing to raise prices, just months after promising to hold the line on costs. On Tuesday, CFO Richard McPhail said tariffs are forcing the home improvement giant to pass along higher costs to shoppers. 'Tariff rates are significantly higher today than they were at this time last quarter,' McPhail (pictured) told The Wall Street Journal. 'So, as you would expect, there will be modest price movement in some categories, but it won't be broad-based.' The shift marks a reversal from May , when McPhail pledged to 'generally maintain our current pricing levels across our portfolio.' Home Depot, which runs more than 2,300 stores, has tried to diversify its global supply chain to be less reliant on China, which faces the highest tariffs. Half of its products are now made in the US. Still, analysts say tariffs are squeezing margins. 'Home Depot is finding that tariffs will bite in terms of its own costs,' Neil Saunders, retail expert at GlobalData, told Daily Mail. 'It will need to selectively raise prices on some products as we move through this year.' Still, Saunders noted that the company can't raise prices across the board. Rival chains have been merchandising lower prices to attract customers while mixing in higher prices , making it risky for any retailer to move too aggressively. 'Being competitive on price is key for Home Depot,' Saunders added. 'It will also not be alone. Other retailers, including other DIY chains, will need to increase their prices, too.' Still, Home Depot executives said they're confident the company can use its scale to bring some cost relief to customers. While shoppers might see price hikes on certain items, executives say the entire bill is cheaper at its stores. 'Our customers tend to shop with us for their entire project – not for a single item here or there,' McPhail said. 'For example, they probably aren't going to just buy a bathtub. They're also going to buy the tile, the grout, the shower head, the vanity. 'So, we're focused on protecting the value of the entire project.' Home Depot isn't the only retailer under pressure. Earlier this month, American carmaking giants Ford and GM slashed their profit expectations while reporting billion-dollar tariff costs this year . Walmart, Target, Best Buy , and Amazon all initially warned consumers that President Donald Trump's tariffs would continue to drive costs higher. Trump lashed out at the companies for making the pronouncements, urging retailers to 'eat the tariffs' and sending administration officials to call price hikes a 'hostile and political act.' The moves have largely silenced retailers from openly discussing price hikes. However, they're still slowly making their way through the economy. In July, core inflation rose to 3.1 percent , a 0.3 percentage point increase from June.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
China's Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical first half profit slides
Aug 20 (Reuters) - China's Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co ( opens new tab swung to a net loss in the first half of 2025 as weaker demand hit sales of refining and chemical products, the company reported late Wednesday. Sinopec reported a net loss of 462.1 million yuan ($64.40 million) for the period from January to June, according to the report. That compares with 27.9 million yuan profit the prior year. Net sales were 33.498 billion yuan, down 10.66% year-on-year, with net sales of refining products and chemicals falling 16.14% and 3.21%, respectively. The company said the market remains challenging, with strong supply and weak demand, rising penetration of new-energy vehicles squeezing fuel demand, and the chemical sector still at a cyclical low. Weaker market demand drove a 6.72% decline in refining product sales volumes. With crude prices falling, weighted average selling prices across all segments also declined from a year earlier, the company said. Refinery throughput was 6.33 million metric tons in the six-month period, down 4.93% year-on-year. Diesel production fell 13.56% and aviation fuel declined 8.62% year-on-year, while gasoline slightly rose 0.14%. Output of ethylene, a key building block for petrochemicals, rose 24.34% to 273,300 tons in the first half. Capital expenditure was 408 million yuan in the first half of 2025, mainly allocated to construction work for the Shanghai Petrochemical cogeneration unit clean-efficiency upgrade. Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical's Shanghai-listed shares closed at 2.90 yuan on Wednesday, up 1.75% on the day. The stock is down 4.3% year-to-date, while the SSE Composite Index has risen 12.37% over the same period. ($1 = 7.1757 Chinese yuan renminbi)
