Legoland Shanghai Experiences High Attendance on Debut, Braving Scorching Temperatures
**Legoland Shanghai Resort Opens to Record Crowds**
The much-anticipated Legoland Shanghai Resort officially opened its doors on Saturday, attracting thousands of tourists and local residents. The new theme park, spanning 318,000 square meters and featuring over 75 rides and attractions, is set to boost local tourism and consumer spending, as well as contribute to the economic vitality of Shanghai.
Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the Lego Group, stated that the resort would be "an integral part" of Lego's presence in China. The resort, operated by a joint venture between Merlin Entertainments and the Shanghai Jinshan District local government, is expected to attract millions of visitors, including families with children aged 2–12, from Shanghai and the broader region of 55 million people living within a two-hour drive.
Despite a scorching heatwave, temperatures high enough to trigger an orange weather alert, visitors braved the heat to experience the park. Twenty-eight-year-old Shanghai resident Charlie Chen stated that there were plenty of air-conditioned areas and water stations inside the park, while nine-year-old Rocky Xu commented that it was hot but still fun at Legoland Shanghai. Park staff were seen distributing bottles of water to visitors, and one person reportedly received medical attention for heatstroke.
The Legoland resort is a prime example of China’s growing experience economy, where consumers increasingly prioritize spending on immersive experiences and entertainment rather than just physical goods. The resort integrates interactive rides, immersive storytelling, and cultural elements, like the Lego Monkie Kid live show inspired by the Chinese classic *Journey to the West*, enhancing the appeal and educational value of the experience.
The project involved 10,000 workers and 300 teams from 15 countries during construction, indicating significant short-term employment generation. Post-opening, it will create numerous jobs in operations, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, fostering local economic development and skill enhancement in creative, engineering, and service roles.
As China is the world’s second-largest theme park market, Legoland’s entry strengthens the diversity and quality of domestic entertainment options, potentially increasing domestic tourism and reducing outbound tourism spending. This aligns with broader government strategies to develop high-value cultural and leisure industries.
The development, a collaboration among Merlin Entertainments, The Lego Group, and Shanghai’s government, highlights international investment confidence in the Chinese market. It underscores a trend where global brands localize cultural experiences to appeal to Chinese consumers, fostering economic ties and innovation.
In summary, the Legoland Shanghai Resort’s opening catalyzes experience-focused consumer spending by offering a culturally tailored, interactive leisure destination that drives tourism, job creation, and local economic growth within China’s expanding themed entertainment market. This reflects broader shifts in Chinese consumer behavior toward prioritizing experiential purchases and supports Shanghai’s position as a leading hub for innovative family tourism experiences.
[1] Legoland Shanghai Resort: A New Era of Family Entertainment in China. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.merlinentertainments.biz/news/legoland-shanghai-resort-a-new-era-of-family-entertainment-in-china
[2] Legoland Shanghai Resort to Open in July 2025. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.thelegogroup.com/news/legoland-shanghai-resort-to-open-in-july-2025
[3] The Rise of China's Experience Economy. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/the-rise-of-chinas-experience-economy
[4] Legoland Shanghai Resort: A Boost to Local Tourism and Consumer Spending. (2025). Retrieved from https://www.shanghaigov.cn/news/legoland-shanghai-resort-a-boost-to-local-tourism-and-consumer-spending
- The recent opening of the Legoland Shanghai Resort, a collaboration among Merlin Entertainments, The Lego Group, and Shanghai's local government, underscores international investment confidence in the thriving Chinese market, marking a new era of family entertainment.
- As Legoland Shanghai Resort attracts record crowds, its interactive rides, immersive storytelling, and cultural elements align with China's growing experience economy, where consumers increasingly prioritize spending on immersive experiences and entertainment.
- With Legoland Shanghai Resort's integration of domestic tourism and job creation, it contributes to the overall economic vitality of Shanghai by boosting local consumer spending and fostering local economic development and skill enhancement in creative, engineering, and service roles.
- The Legoland Shanghai Resort's entry into China's second-largest theme park market increases the diversity and quality of domestic entertainment options, potentially reducing outbound tourism spending and supporting broader government strategies to develop high-value cultural and leisure industries.
