LEGOLAND Billund Resort

LEGOLAND Billund, the original LEGOLAND park, opened on June 7, 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The park is located next to the original LEGO factory and Denmark's second busiest airport Billund Airport. Over 1.9 million guests visited the park in 2011 and since the opening more than 50 million guests have visited the park. This makes LEGOLAND the largest tourist attraction in Denmark outside of Copenhagen. The LEGOLAND parks that have since been built are modeled upon LEGOLAND Billund, most noticeably the Miniland area which is made up of millions of LEGO bricks.
== History ==
The first LEGOLAND was built next door to the Lego factory that was founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1949. His son, Godtfred, took over the family business in 1958 when his father passed away and just two years later he bought out his three brothers. In 1968 Godfredt decided to open a 14-acre LEGOLAND Park to promote his toy company. The park became an instant success and has over the years added many original rides and been divided into specific themed worlds: 1. DUPLO Land 2. Imagination Zone 3. Legorado Town 4. Adventure Land 5. Lego City 6. Knight´s Kingdom 7. Mini Land 8. Pirateland 9. Polar Land. 
Today, Legoland Billund, is the most visited tourist attraction in Jylland and five other Legolands have been built in other parts of the world: Legoland Windsor in 1996, Legoland California in 1999, Legoland Germany in 2002, Legoland Florida in 2011 and Legoland Malaysia in 2012. In 2005, the investment firm Blackstone bought a 70% controlling stake in Legoland (the remaining 30% are still owned by Lego), and operates the parks under the Merlin banner.
The 45-acre park is divided into 9 themed lands.
== Themed Lego Lands ==
* Mini Land is the heart of any Legoland park. The 1:20 scale Lego brick models feature landscapes, sights and buildings from all over Denmark as well as famous landmarks from other parts of the world, these include from Denmark: Amalienborg Castle, Nyhavn]], Skagen, Klampenborg Station, Ribe], Billund Airport, Dybbøl Mill, Møgeltønder, Lilleby (a fictional Danish village). In addition there are famous landmarks from Sweden, Bergen in Norway, Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands, Kennedy Space Center, Mount Rushmore, Abu Simbel in Egypt, Statue of Liberty, Acropolis of Athens, and Star Wars. The Lego Top offers a nice view of the entire park. The structures were made using more than 25 million Lego Bricks.
* DUPLO land contains rides and attractions for young children, with the Lego Duplo brand name. The Duplo Playhouse is a play area for children ages 2–6, which is themed like a city that children can play in. They can build using Lego, or play on fake planes and fake cars. There are also slides, stairs, interactive elements and a role-play area. The Duplo train, which is a kiddie train ride that looks like a train made of Duplo Bricks, takes 2 minutes to complete. Duplo Planes is a plane ride similar to Disney's Dumbo ride, but with a Lego theme. Duplo driving school is a car ride for children ages 2–6, who are not yet ready for the Traffic school ride.
* Imagination Zone contains the Lego Studio, a purpose built 600 seat 4-D Theater, complete with special effects and a giant screen. There are 4 movies that play daily (2010), these are Lego Racers, Spellbreaker, Bob the Builder 4D, and Clutch Powers. Lego Atlantis by Sea Life was added in 2007. The attraction starts off with an animated movie, featuring Lego figures and a submarine that travels down to the submerged city of Atlantis. There is also a Sea Life aquarium and other hands on activities with more than 800 sea creatures. Numerous Lego figures and models are in and around the aquarium.
* LEGORADO Town is a Western-themed land which contains the rides Lego Canoe, LEGOLDMINE, Westernride, Timber Ride, LEGOLDMINE Train. There is also an Indian camp led by the popular Chief Long Ears (referring to the long rabbit ears on his headgear). LEGOREDO also has its own band called "The Rattlesnakes" and they play country music all day long. The mountain terrain of Lego Canoe offers a scenic background, directly opposite on the other side of the town is the hilly landscape of The Mine Train which travels through mines in the mountain.
* Pirate Land is, of course, all about the world of pirates. It is nicely themed with rides relating to pirates, including the kid favorite Pirate Splash Battle where everyone gets wet. Other rides include: Pirate Wave Breaker, Pirate Water Falls and Pirate Boats.
* Adventure Land contains some of the park´s more exciting rides such as the wild mouse roller coaster X-treme Racers. Jungle Racers jet ski ride has a jungle theme and spins the riders quite fast. In 2010, The Temple was introduced: an indoor ride where riders board Explorer SUV´s and are equipped with laser guns to shoot at moving targets in 11 different scenes themed to ancient Egypt, the land of the Phaeros. The Temple has a game area with an Egyptian theme as well, containing ring-toss, water-shooting, balloon-popping and a mummy game. The area contains two gift shops (Temple Gifts and Adventure Shop) and two restaurants.
* Lego City An area that previously contained power builders, a bionicles themed ride (now changed to ice pilots school), now only contains the Flunck Fire Brigade, a ride where you take your assigned vehicle to the scene of a fire where you and your fellow firefighters have to put out a fire in a building, the fastest team wins.
* Knight's Kingdom contains The Dragon coaster which is located inside a medieval Castle. The ride starts with a slow moving dark ride scene with Lego figures themed to medieval times that includes a mighty dragon. Viking's River Splash is a river rapids ride themed to Vikings that was added in 2006 and has plenty of wet surprises on the way, your photo is taken at the end of the ride. Knight's Kingdom also has granny's apple farms restaurant, Knight's barbecue grill and Castle burgers.
* Polar Land is a new area of the park that opened in 2012. Its aim is to bring the North Pole and South Pole together, with Polar X-plorer a new coaster and Penguin Bay, that will feature live penguins and a new restaurant called Polar Pizza and Pasta.
== Roller Coasters ==
Ride Name 	Type 	Year Opened	Manufacturer	Themed Land 	Additional Information
Dragen (The Dragon)	steel sit down 	1997 	Mack Rides 	Knight's Kingdom	Starts inside the medieval castle with a large dragon intimidating the riders; height limit 100 cm.
Polar X-plorer 	steel sit down 	2012 	Zierer 	Polar Land 	A Polar-themed family coaster that reaches a speed of 65 km/h with a 5 meter freefall drop section; height limit 120 cm.
Timber Ride 	steel sit down 	1978 	Zierer 	Legoredo Town 	Reaches a speed of 26 km/h (16 mph) on a 60 meter long track (197 ft) and a height of 3 meter (11 ft); height limit none / 100 cm alone.
X-Treme Racers 	steel sit down wild mouse	2002 	Mack Rides] 	Adventureland 	A wild mouse coaster that reaches a speed of 56 km/h (35 mph) on a 400 meter long track (1312 ft) and a height of 16 m (52 ft); height limit 120 cm.
=== Water Rides ===
* Lego Canoe - a log flume ride that opened in 1992, located in Legorado Town.
* Vikings River Splash - a 438 meter long river rapids ride that features Viking theming and has a 8 m high drop at the end; opened in 2006, located in Knight's Kingdom. Intamin.
=== Other Rides ===
* Caterpillar - a himalaya ride; height limit 90 cm. Located in Miniland. Zierer.
* Dive to Atlantis - submarine ride that opened in 2007, located in Imagination Zone. 
* Falck Fire Brigade - dose the fire yourself, located in Lego City. Metallbau Emmeln.
* Jungle Racers - water jet ski ride that opened in 2000, located in Adventure Land. Zierer.
* Lego Atlantis - a Sea Life Aquarium that opened in 2007 in Imagination Zone. Sea Life
* Lego City - build your own Lego land in Lego City.
* Lego Studios - a 4D theater in Imagination Zone that currently (2012) shows 3 different movies: Lego Racers, Spell Breakers, Clutch Powers.
* Lego Top - a 36 m tall Observation Tower in Miniland. Intamin.
* Lego Train - themed train ride for 2 minutes in Miniland.
* The Lighthouse - pull yourself up 9 m tall tower in Pirate Land. Heege.
* Mine Train - a train ride journey through a dark mine where miners are hard at work, in Legorado Town.
* Monorail - monorail in Miniland. Mack Rides.
* Nintendo Game Show - play Nintendo games in Miniland.
* Penguin Bay - live penguins on show in new for 2012 Polar Land.
* Pirate Carousel - spinning cups in Pirate Land. Mack Rides.
* Pirate Boats - dark boat ride in aptly named Pirate Land. Mack Rides.
* Pirate Splash Battle - splash battle water shoot out in Pirate Land on a 150 m long course. Mack Rides
* Power Builder - robocoaster in Lego City; height limit 120 cm. KUKA
* The Temple - dark ride laser shoot out that opened in 2010 in Adventureland. Sally Corp.
=== Kiddie Rides ===
* Adventure Path - play area in Adventureland.
* Chief Longears - meet and greet the Indian Chief in Legorado Town.
* Duplo Driving School - electric cars for 2 – 6 years old in Duplo Land.
* Duplo Airplanes - airplanes in Duplo Land.
* Duplo Play House - play area in Miniland.
* Duplo Express - a 2 min train ride in Duplo Land.
* Frog Hopper - mini drop tower in Miniland.
* Lego Safari - on track cars on a Safari in Miniland.
* Legondol - mini ferris wheel in Duplo Land.
* Mini Boats - where kids can sail their own boats in Miniland.
* Music Fountain - water play area in Imagination Zone.
* Pirate Mini Water Falls - water play area for the youngest kids in Pirate Land.
* Pirate Water Falls - water play area for kids in Pirate Land.
* Pirate Wave Breaker - rocking tug opened in 2009 in Pirate Land.
* Toyota Traffic School - electric cars for 7 – 13 years old in Miniland.
* Western Ride - merry go round in Legorado Town.
=== Shows ===
* Circus Duploni - circus show for kids at Duplo Land.
* Country and Western - the music group the Rattlesnakes in Legorado Town.
* King´s Castle Show - action and stunt show at Mini Castle in Knight´s Kingdom.
* The Legoland Marching Band - the park's marching band.
=== Extras ===
* Legoldmine - pan for gold in Legorado Town, extra charge.
* Pirate Games - test your skill games in Pirate Land, extra charge.
* Temple Games - arcade games in Adventureland, extra charge.
=== Special Events ===
The park hosts many special events throughout the season, including: Halloween, Firework Shows, Star Wars Days and more.
== Accidents ==
On April 29, 2007, a 21-year old female employee was killed by a roller coaster when she climbed over a security fence to retrieve a guest's wallet.
== Gallery ==
LegoBillundTowerView.jpg|View from the observation tower (click to enlarge).
LegoBillundFishingVillage.jpg|A Norwegian fishing village
StatoilTrafikskole.jpg|Traffic School in Duplo Land
Billund - Legolands udsigtstårn.jpg|Observation tower
Legoland_Billund_Robocoaster.jpg|KUKA Robocoaster programmable robotic arm
Legoland Billund Denmark 2012.JPG|View from the Lego Top (tower), May 2012
== See also ==
* LEGOLAND Parks
* Lego
== References ==
== External links ==
* Official site
* Video of Legoland Billund in 1968
Billund
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Category:1968