The entrance to Legoland Malaysia. All images courtesy of Merlin Entertainment Group, used with permission.
The first ever Legoland in Asia is opening in Johor Bahru, Malaysia - and there's less than 70 days to go before the big plastic castle opens its gates. The construction is right on schedule - the park is about 90% done, and most of the rides and infrastructure has already been installed.
About 50 million Lego bricks were used in the overall construction, building about 15,000 Lego models scattered throughout the twelve clusters that make up Miniland, the heart of the operation. Miniland features about 17 areas around Southeast Asia reproduced in Lego bricks, including tourist spots like the Singapore Flyer and the Petronas Towers.
There's more to follow after the September opening; Legoland Water Park will launch in 2013, followed by the Legoland Hotel in 2014. Once the last brick is in place, Johor Bahru will be home to the largest integrated resort in Malaysia and Singapore.
More information on tickets - and even more pictures of the work in progress - after the jump.
Anticipation has been high and rising even higher among Lego freaks in Asia. "In the last three months, our annual pass sales have risen to well over 45,000, jumping by 10,000 since April," says Siegfried Boerst, General Manager of Legoland Malaysia. "At the moment, our day pass is sold exclusively at our events and major travel fairs at a discounted price. We will be extending the sale of these to an online portal soon."
Annual passes for Legoland Malaysia are already available through ticket outlets SISTIC and RedTix. For more information on Legoland Malaysia annual passes, visit the LEGOLAND Malaysia website at www.LEGOLAND.my or call +6 07 597 8888.
Aerial view of Legoland. Covering 76 acres of prime land in Johor Bahru, Legoland Malaysia will include over 40 shows, rides, and attractions within seven themed sections.
Miniland is the centerpiece of every Legoland Park, and Legoland Malaysia is no different. The Malaysian Miniland will include brick replicas of Southeast Asia's best-known landmarks.
Project X, Legoland's signature roller coaster ride. By the end of this week, three quarters of all rides will be fully approved for operation.
The Big Shop will let you take your Legoland experience home with you, selling everything from Lego toy sets to official Lego-branded clothes.