Latest news with #Ninjago
The National
03-08-2025
- Business
- The National
Building memories brick by brick at the home of LEGO in Denmark
To be fair, I was a massive fan of LEGO when I was wee, back when it was just simple bricks you bashed together to make unrecognisable approximations of things I loved, like planes and boats. As I grew up and LEGO morphed into a confusing array of theme parks and special ranges – from LEGO Friends and the Asian-themed Ninjago – I lost sight of LEGO as my two daughters grew into it. It was not something at 53 I thought I would take any pleasure re-visiting. READ MORE: Scottish transport company acquires historic English bus firm I thought my honesty with Kathrine would fall on deaf ears. Far from it. 'We too realised we had to simplify things and get back to the core of what this family-run business does,' she beams as she brews me a proper coffee in LEGO House's café – it's always a great sign when a managing director chips in. 'We got back to basics, selling off the theme parks and focusing back on the brick. Again, it's all about the brick.' It is all about the brick in Billund – the self-styled 'Capital of Children' – as we find out when we fly into the airport and see the immediate image of LEGO. Billund is still home to LEGO's headquarters and lives and breathes LEGO, nowhere more so than LEGO House (below), which has been a roaring success since opening in 2017. LEGO House is the single biggest investment by LEGO in years and took a year and a half to build, with 20 million LEGO bricks woven into the structure. I love that the vast reception is free for anyone to enter and play in. And that numbers are strictly limited beyond the ticket barriers to the upper floors so that families can really enjoy themselves without feeling rushed or overcrowded. The focus is indeed back on the brick, with building using LEGO paramount over fancy themed kits. For a family attraction to work, it has to engage everyone; LEGO House does. My daughters delight in building wee boats and buses, taking photos that are recorded on their bracelets, negating the 'need' for my teenagers to walk around with their phones. Indeed, they soon ask us to store their phones while they throw themselves into the action, peeling back the years. Priceless. We bond over family portraits made of LEGO, but they also skip off happily on their own with none of the bickering that can accompany visits to family attractions. And my wife and I don't just slump in a café either, making what is, of course, deemed an 'embarrassing' LEGO movie about how we met and married. As we move from yellow zone to red, to green and to blue, my cynicism slowly dissolves. My own journey is complete in the basement museum, which catapults me back to my childhood. Not ones to stand on their hard-won plastic laurels, Kathrine shows me into the 'Masters Academy'. 'LEGO House already has 20 million LEGO bricks and soon it will have another five million more,' she explains. It doesn't open until September, but the limited slots are getting snapped up fast at this new year-round attraction. It looks like a TV show and will have two actors leading just 40 guests through the weird and wonderful world of becoming a 'LEGO Master'. Often restaurants at theme parks are just refuelling stops bathed in grease. Not so at LEGO House with Mini Chef. Kathrine insists they 'serve proper food'. She is right, just that it is served by robots. The delightful Robert and Roberta dispense our lunchboxes. We choose our meals – mine is falafel followed by a delicious cauliflower curry – on the screen at our table then insert our orders – built, of course, in LEGO. Kathrine insists there will only ever be one LEGO House, but there are 11 LEGOLAND theme parks globally. The original, of course, is in Billund. LEGOLAND may no longer be owned by LEGO, but the second-biggest tourist attraction in Denmark outside Copenhagen swirls around the brick. We spend a whole day at LEGOLAND. Again, it proves, for me, surprisingly enjoyable. The Billund incarnation is much more laidback than the frenetic Windsor one. My teens enjoy bashing around rides that may not have the adrenaline wows of Florida's parks, but are fun for us all to share together. If you're visiting the LEGO House, a visit to the adjacent theme park remains essential. For busier times, they have an efficient fast-track system too – 'Reserve and Ride'. Heading home, I'd expected the kids would be sated with LEGO. Instead Tara is gleaming with the LEGO kit she bought by the designer who was casually signing boxes in the LEGO House, and Emma insists the first thing she is going to do when she gets home is get out her LEGO. I may well be joining her. For more information on LEGO House, see Make sure to book ahead for the house, the Mini Chef experience and the LEGO Masters Academy
Belfast Telegraph
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
‘We're the only physical bricks and mortar store on the island of Ireland for used Lego'
Magpie Bricks in Bangor has been up and running for two years and can help any fan out with all their Lego needs, from missing parts to full sets and classic Lego. Rachael and Iain Morrow have the only physical independent Lego BrickLinks store on the island of Ireland. 'We buy off collectors, our customers will come in, we buy sets and trade sets in, we do look at individual minifigures and parts as well. Basically if it says Lego on it, we will always take a wee look at it,' Rachael said. 'Star Wars is always really, really popular, but the Ninjago and the Friends are also popular, we try to have something for everyone, we try to be accessible for kids as well as collectors.' If you fancy popping in to the store, Magpie Bricks is open on Saturday and Sunday at 23 King Street in Bangor.
Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
New deal offers 'two parks for the price of one' at Alton Towers, Legoland, Thorpe Park and more
The 'Twice the Fun' promotion from Merlin could cost as little as £29 per person for two great days out With the school summer holidays now in full swing, families across the UK could soon be feeling the pinch as they try to keep children entertained without breaking the bank. From pricey entrance fees and snack stops to souvenir shops and meal deals, a fun-filled day out can quickly turn into a costly affair. To help ease the burden, Merlin Entertainments has launched a limited-time "Twice the Fun" offer that gives families a second theme park visit absolutely free, saving at least £29 per person. Running until August 18, the offer allows guests who purchase tickets to one of Merlin's major UK attractions - Alton Towers, LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort, Thorpe Park or Chessington World of Adventures - to claim free entry to a second participating theme park of their choice. The promotion is only available to snap up until August 17, so families are being encouraged to book early. That said, fun lovers have until September 30 to redeem their second visit, extending the thrills and spill beyond the school holidays. Visitors can mix and match their entertainment choosing from four of the UK's biggest attractions. These include: LEGOLAND Windsor Packed full of fun for brick lovers of all ages, LEGOLAND Windsor feature a range of family-friendly rides, live shows and building activities, along with Miniland areas that recreate local landmarks and attractions using LEGO bricks. This summer there is also a new Ninjago celebration with interactive activities and a 4D film, an updated pirate show featuring Captain Redbeard and a treasure hunt, refreshed Miniland missions and the launch of a new ride, Minifigure Speedway. To book tickets for LEGOLAND Windsor, click here. Chessington World of Adventures Offering more than 128 acres of fun, Chessington World of Adventures brings together a zoo, Sea Life aquarium, theme park and resort-style accommodation. This year, visitors can explore Sea Life Island inspired by Animal Crossing: New Horizons, meet PAW Patrol characters, enjoy two new live shows and discover over 1,000 animals alongside rides and attractions across the park. Alton Towers Based in Staffordshire, Alton Towers is the largest theme park in the UK, home to another world of adventure. Set in the 550 acres of land in a historic country estate, it's a firm favourite with thrill seekers of all ages. The park features lots of high-adrenaline rides like The Smiler, Wicker Man, Nemesis Reborn, and TH13TEEN, alongside family-friendly attractions including CBeebies Land and waterpark. widget Thorpe Park A high‑octane theme park located in Surrey, Thorpe Park is famous for its intense rollercoasters, record-breaking thrill rides and water attractions. Visitors can plunge into the likes of Hyperia, Stealth, Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, The Swarm and SAW – The Ride, alongside water attractions and a variety of family-friendly rides like Flying Fish, Zodiac, and Quantum. If the Merlin deal doesn't suit, Wowcher is offer cut price entry tickets to Gulliver's Theme Park locations in Matlock Bath, Rother Valley and Milton Keynes. Prices start from £12.50 per person and are valid on selected dates until September, 28. Elsewhere, Virgin Experiences is offering Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Lunch for Two for £88.50 each. A full day of food and entertainment, visitors have called this deal "excellent value for money" and "a must for HP fans." As some of the UK's best loved attractions, Merlin resorts have received plenty of glowing reviews on Tripadvisor. One visitor to Alton Towers said: " Amazing! I have no words! If you want to have a fun day with family or friends or just on your own! Alton Towers is the place. It's a must!" Another added: "Absolutely had a great time weather was brilliant. All the rights were working and the staff were very helpful in every manner everyone enjoyed themselves. Highly it's a great day out." When it comes to Chessington World of Adventure, one review said: " Absolutely fantastic day out! So much to do with plenty of rides and rollercoasters for all ages as well as loads of animals to see and an aquarium. Brilliant value for money." Not every thrill seeker was quite so impressed, with a visitor to Thorpe Park saying: "We went for a day at Thorpe Park with no fast track ticket and they were the worst queues i have seen at a park ever. Ignoring that though the are great and brilliantly made and really fun to ride." Despite some displeasure about queue lengths, most visitors loved their time at Thorpe Park: "Swarm and Collosus are amazing top thrills. Rate 5 star cause absolutely amazing park money well spent." LEGOLAND Windsor also wins high praise with one fan exclaiming: "Absolutely brilliant! Absolutely hands down the best day we have had! We have never been before but will definitely be back." How to get the "Twice the Fun" deal from Merlin Customers should begin by booking their Twice the Fun tickets and downloading them for easy entry. After booking, they will receive an email containing their booking details and unique barcodes—this email must be kept safe, as it is required to redeem the second visit. The complimentary second theme park visit can be redeemed any time up until September 30. To do so, customers should select the logo of their chosen second theme park and follow the booking instructions. When prompted, they must enter the unique barcodes from their original confirmation email. Each guest's ticket has a separate barcode, so all barcodes must be entered—for example, four guests will require all four individual barcodes to complete the second booking.
Tom's Guide
08-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Lego's getting some rare discount thanks to Prime Day — here are our favorites
Prime Day 2025 is finally here, and with it come a whole bunch of deals and rival sales as retailers compete to try and stake a claim to the contents of your wallet. Chief among them is Lego, which has launched its "Insiders Day" sale to help you add even more colorful building blocks to your collection. Any good Lego fan will know that those sets are not cheap, especially if you want the big, beautiful licensed editions. Sales are also pretty rare, especially on the biggest and grandest sets that you'll want to decorate your home with. Fortunately both Prime Day and Lego Insiders Day have knocked down the price tags on some of the best Lego sets you can buy. For instance, the Marvel Daily Bugle set is now just $279/£239 at the Lego Store for Insiders members, down from $349/£299. Meanwhile Brits can pick up Lord of the Rings Rivendell for £365 at Amazon, which is 15% less than the usual £429 price tag. Lego is also offering Insiders double reward points on select sets. How many points you get differs by region, but it's equivalent to 10% cash back. A few even offer quadruple points, which is like getting 20% back. If you're not a member of Lego Insiders, the company's in-house loyalty program, now's the time to sign up. Not only is it free to join, but you also earn reward points for every purchase you make from the Lego store or website. Points are worth roughly 5% of what you paid at normal times. You can then redeem them to earn money off future purchases, or gain access to exclusive sets and gifts in the Lego Insiders Rewards Center. Double Insiders Points on select themes @ LegoRight now Lego is offering double Insiders points on selected themes — which is the equivalent of 10% cash back. Themes included in this offer include City, Creator, Dreamzzz, Friends, Ninjago, Duplo, Minecraft, Animal Crossing, Wednesday, Wicked and Lego Classic Quadruple Insiders Points on select sets @ LegoIf you're looking to stock up on Insider's Reward points, then be sure to check out these sets offering 4x the normal number of points — equivalent to 20% cash back. There are only 5 sets in this deal, 3 of which are cars, but if you've always had an eye on the Technic Mercedes G-Wagen then now's the time to buy. Free gifts with purchase @ LegoSpend enough at lego at any given time and you'll be given some free gifts to go with it è and Insider's Day is no exception. Spend $150/!35 and you'll nab this cool African Savanah set. Meanwhile if you've also spent at least $65/£60 on City, Classic, Creator, Duplo, Friends, DreamZzz or Ninjago you'll get an iuce-pop tray that lets you make Minifigure-shaped popsicles. Save $70 on this giant 3,789 piece recreation of the Daily Bugle from Marvel's Spider-Man comics. But that's not all; this set also comes with 25 minifigures, some of which can't be found elsewhere, like Daredevil and Punisher, plus classics like Spider-Man, Doc Ok, Miles Morales, and J Jonah Jameson himself. Lego's been going all in on helping its bricks decorate your home, with artwork and flowers. The Milky Way Galaxy might be the most extravagant pieces yet. This set recreates our home galaxy in meticulous detail using over 3,000 individual pieces. And while it may be a long process, you still get an excellent piece of wall art for your home in the process. I've always had a soft spot for the real-life space sets, but the NASA Lunar Rover has always felt a little expensive to me. Fortunately it's now 30% off at Amazon, netting you the buggy (and its associated accessories) for just $153. It's also roughly the right scale the the Lego Creator Astronaut, if you want to kit out your lunar rover with some actual space explorers. If you're more of a classic Lego space fan, then the Blacktron renegade will probably help tickle your nostalgia sensors. This modern recreation of Classic Space's bad guys is a great build with 1,151 pieces, featuring the Blacktron ship itself, a buggy and three minifigures. Animal Crossing is one of the biggest new licensed sets to hit store shelves, and this one gives you the home of the series' most recognizable character — Tom Nook. There's no Timmy and Tommy, but you do get Rosie the cat and both characters' respective houses. One of the most iconic ships in the Star Wars franchise, now on sale for Amazon Prime Day. Not only does this get you a playable Star Destroyer ship, you also get Darth Vader, a handful of imperial officers and soldiers, plus the exclusive 25th anniversary Cal Kestis minifigure. Brickheadz aren't as common as they once were, but Lego is still making them. In fact, the latest batch is this 6-figure set from Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace. In it, you get Podracer Anakin, Queen Amidala, Jar Jar, Darth Maul, Qui Gon Jinn and Captain Panaka. Not all Lego has to be from big licensed brands, and the Motorised Lighthouse is a great example of what Lego can make on its own. Not only is it a great display piece by itself, but the top of the lighthouse actually lights up and spins just like the real thing. Lego and flashy cars go together really well — and for most of us it's the closest we'll get to owning such extravagant vehicles. It helps that sets like the Lamborghini Sián also look really nice, but like its real life counterpart the price can sting a bit. Fortunately it's now on sale for Lego Insiders — with over £110 off. The Great Deku Tree is a just-own for Zelda fans, and the Prime Day sales mean that the usual high price tag is now 18% lower than normal. While still a pricey set, the new £212 price tag is a lot more palatable — especially when you remember there are two possible builds. So whether you're a fan of Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild, this set is one for you. Another pricey set that is getting a rare discount for Prime Day, the Lego Rivendell set is a gorgeous recreation of Elrond's home from the Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit) movies. But with over 6,000 pieces and 15 minifigures, it's not for the faint of heart. Skeleton Crew may not have got a lot of attention, but it still gave us this excellent set — featuring one of the most interesting-looking Star Wars ships in a while. With over 1,300 pieces and five minifigures, this is definitely one to add to the collection. If you want to spruce up your home with plantlife, but can't be trusted to keep it alive, then the Lego Botanicals range is certainly the one for you. This buildable orchid is a personal favorite, since it's a lot less fussy than the real thing but looks just as nice. You can't talk about Star Wars without brining up the most iconic droid in the series — R2-D2. So iconic, in fact, that Lego can't stop making brickified versions of him. The latest version is just over 1,000 pieces, and comes with a bunch of cool, accessories for the beeping-booping droid. Plus an exclusive 25th anniversary Dark Malak minifigure.
NDTV
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Shanghai To Launch World's Largest Legoland Theme Park In July. Details Inside
For many of us, Legos weren't just toys. These small and colourful interlocking building bricks were our first brush with creativity. Whether it was building castles, constructing spaceships or making something completely abstract, they gave wings to our imagination. If this brings back fond memories of your childhood, then you are in for a delightful treat. The world's largest Lego-themed amusement park is set to open its gates for visitors in Shanghai, China, on July 5. A joint venture between Merlin Entertainments and the Shanghai Jinshan District local government, the Shanghai resort is ready to turn into Legoland. Boosting Tourism In Shanghai Trial operations at Legoland have already begun on June 27, as per a report by the South China Morning Post. The initiative has been taken to boost Shanghai's status as a major global tourist destination. Sources claim that China's economy has received a major blow from weak consumer spending in the last few years. Legoland aims to break the cycle by expecting strong domestic tourism and "experience" spending among Chinese travellers. As per estimates by local government officials, once Legoland officially opens next month in the southwestern Jinshan district, it is likely to attract approximately 2.4 million visitors. With 5,200 hotel rooms available, the Jinshan municipal government revealed that the resort could even draw around 8,000 park-goers in a day. Main Features Of Legoland Shanghai Sprawled across an area of 318,000 square metres, the entertainment complex at Legoland Shanghai Resort will feature eight themed sections such as Ninjago, Lego Friends and Monkie Kid lands. The place will also have 75 interactive and thrilling rides, including a 250-room hotel. The entire premises has more than 85 million Lego bricks. Expect to witness a miniature replica of the Shanghai skyscrapers and the waterfront of the Lujiazui financial district. Everything you see here is built in colourful plastic bricks. Li Wenjie, CEO of Shanghai Yaheng International Travel, said in a statement, "It'll be yet another world-class amusement park that adds lustre to Shanghai's tourist industry. The Legoland Resort's synergy with the city's Disneyland and Haichang Ocean Park will offer tourists enjoyable, unique experiences that are not available in any other Chinese city."
