review essay about theme park

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• Review: Legoland Malaysia Theme Park

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary Legoland Theme Park and Water Park pass as well as meal vouchers from Legoland Malaysia to facilitate this review. I received no monetary compensation. I paid full price for my Legoland Hotel stay and for other expenses incurred. 

I recently traveled back to Malaysia to visit family and although it was an extremely short trip, I was adamant about one thing – I had to pay Legoland Malaysia a second visit!

If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you would’ve noticed that I’ve never actually blogged about my proper visit to Legoland Malaysia . I wrote a preview post  but that was pretty much it. I was there on day one when the gates opened to the public and was even one of the first few people in the park – I actually camped outside of Legoland Malaysia the night before to ensure that I ended up at the front of the line!

Anyway, on my first visit I snapped a whole ton of pictures to document my Legoland Malaysia experience but unfortunately upon my return I discovered that my SD card got corrupted. <insert sad emoji here>. Well, two years later, I’m delighted to be able to finally write about the complete Legoland Malaysia experience!

I had an absolute blast at Legoland Malaysia. Legoland is simply one of the happiest places you can visit if you love LEGO and in my next few posts, I’ll write about my Legoland Malaysia holiday. I was fortunate enough to be able to do everything I wanted to do and had full access to the entire resort, including a stay at the hotel.

The Legoland Malaysia Resort is split into several main areas and as such I’ll be splitting up my mega-review into several posts:

• Review: Legoland Malaysia Water Park
• Review: Star Wars Miniland
• Review: Legoland Malaysia Hotel
• Shopping at Legoland Malaysia

First up, the theme park! The Legoland Malaysia theme park started it all, opening in 2012 in Nusajaya, Johor . I’ve been in love with the idea of a LEGO themed amusement park ever since I found out that Legoland was a thing and I was beyond elated when I found out that they chose my home country of Malaysia as the site of the next Legoland.

Like all Legolands in the world, the first thing that greets you is the iconic Legoland Arch that is designed to look like it was built using oversized LEGO bricks. The arch sets the tone and your expectations from the moment you set your eyes on it. It makes such a strong statement right at the beginning – that this is no ordinary theme park.

The Legoland Malaysia theme park is partitioned into several themed sections, some of which are based on classic and familiar LEGO themes

The Beginning

LEGO Technic

LEGO Kingdoms

Imagination

Land of Adventure

There are a couple of ways to get to Legoland. I was in Kuala Lumpur and flew down using Firefly, a budget airline that isn’t Air Asia since it was a lot more convenient for me to fly from Subang Airport. Alternatively, you can also drive down but it’s quite a journey, with a round trip taking about 10 hours if you drive at a decent pace.

The Legoland Malaysia website has more detailed methods of getting to the theme park, which you can find here .

You have several options for entry into Legoland Malaysia. To be honest, the number of different packages and options is quite confusing, so it’s best to just head to the Legoland Malaysia website for more information on Ticket Prices .

There are two types of Annual Passes :

•  a Regular Annual Pass which costs RM275 for adults and RM210 for children aged 3-11 & seniors gives you unlimited access to the theme park for one year and other small perks such as cheaper Water Park tickets & discounted hotel rates
• a Premium Annual Pass which costs RM 395 for a year and gives you unlimited entry to both the theme park and water park, as well as discounts on LEGO retail merchandise as well as food and beverage. The discount to retail merchandise like souvenirs and sets are pretty good but it’s only a 10% discoun t. Unless you live in the same state, or travel to Johor quite often, it’s quite a pricey investment.

The Beginning, as its name suggests is your gateway and introduction to Legoland. The aforementioned Legoland Malaysia arch is found here, as is the Big Shop , Pick a Brick shop and another smaller retail outlet. I’ll have an entire post dedicated to shopping at Legoland where I’ll go into more detail about The Big Shop and other retail outlets in Legoland.

After I passed the gates, I took a left and ended up at the Technic section of the park. Technic has predominantly been skewed towards older and more mature LEGO fans and the Technic section of the park is similarly aimed at older kids or adults. The thing about Legoland is that it is a theme park primarily aimed at kids . If you enter the gates and expect crazy roller coasters, exhilarating rides and adrenaline pumping attractions, you WILL be disappointed.

That said, the Technic part of the park has slightly more adult and exhilarating rides. The highlight of course is the Project X roller coaster . You sit in a Technic-inspired cart and hurtle around a decently sized roller coaster.

There are no crazy loops, only one stomach lurching drop and a section where the car banks sharply to the left and right repeatedly. Compared to the other rides in the park, this is easily the most impressive, especially for adrenaline junkies. Don’t be intimated though, it’s still suitable for kids above a certain height.

Legoland Malaysia really likes it’s spinny cup rides . There’s a ride called the Technic Twister where you sit in a little Technic cup and spin around. I found it quite boring so it may not be for everyone, especially if you’re not a fan of getting dizzy.

Another cool part about the Technic section is the Mindstorms Academy , an indoor structure devoted to programming LEGO robots to battle and compete against one another. There’s a massive Einstein face that’s completely built out of bricks emerging out of the front entrance of the Mindstorms Academy which is one of my favourite sculptures in the entire park.

There are several rooms with varying difficulties and settings, so if you or your kids are fans of robotic LEGO programming , the Mindstorms Academy is going to be a lot of fun.

It may not have been a Technic theme but the final attraction is Wave Racers, which draws inspiration from one of my favourite LEGO themes of all time – Aquazone .

The ride is fairly basic, you basically get into an Aquazone pod and it spins around like a carousel while you get hit by water jets and huge splashes. Check out the GIF above to see how the ride works. I didn’t really like the ride but I really enjoyed the aesthetics of it all.

Moving up North, you enter LEGO Kingdoms , the medieval themed area of the park that’s all about knights, swords, castles and dragons!

This happens to be my favourite themed area of the park. It’s wonderfully decorated with all sorts of little Castle-esque details. From the moment you pass the LEGO Kingdoms sign, you’re instantly transported into medieval LEGO times.

There are speakers all over LEGO Kingdoms playing medieval music – think lutes and harps. The music really sets the mood in the entire section. Early on, you’re also treated with a peek of the massive LEGO castle in the distance. Instinctively, you make your way towards it.

Along the way, there are plenty of LEGO sculptures both small and large as well as plenty of cool things for you to discover, so don’t rush your walk towards the castle.

There are also a couple of tiny attractions on the way to the Castle. One of my favourites is The Forestmen’s Hideout , a really cool playground for younger kids. I was there with one of my friends who has a 4 year old and he absolutely loves it.

If I was 4, I would love it too – there’s tons of space to run, jump and climb with plenty of stuff to play in it as well. I also dig the Wolfpack crest – I’m very fond of the LEGO Wolfpack sets .

So here we are at the Castle . It’s crazy big and actually feels like a real castle. My only complaint is that it doesn’t really look like it was made out of LEGO, so it really just looks like any old castle.

The interior is pretty cool, there’s plenty of stuff to see in it, including a shop as well as a restaurant attached to the side of the castle called the King’s Grill. There’s also a shop selling Castle toys and LEGO sets.

The Kingdoms castle is home to The Dragon roller coaster , which lends its look from the classic LEGO dragon piece. The roller coaster is all right, it’s not as exhilarating as the Project X but is still a fun little ride. Before the roller coaster even climbs, you’re taken through a passageway with plenty of cool sights, sounds and LEGO sculptures.

Do note that this is one of the more popular rides and the I found that the lines for The Dragon were especially long. For younger kids, there’s a mini version of The Dragon roller coaster called the Dragon’s Apprentice.

For spinning ride enthusiasts, Kingdoms has you covered with Merlin’s Challenge.

My favourite ride in LEGO Kingdoms is one that I can never ride since it’s exclusively meant for kids – the Royal Joust . It’s just so bloody adorable, how kids ride on these classic LEGO horses along a circuit.

In case you’re not convinced, here’s a GIF of the horse ride in action. It’s really simple but there’s this juvenile charm to the horses clopping along.

Imagination is quite a bizarre section of Legoland . It’s colourful, random and whimsical, much like the creations that happen when a kid is given a bunch of multicoloured LEGO bricks to play with.

The very first attraction that greets you upon entry into Imagination is the Power Tower . It’s a massive structure and it’s a ride that requires a little bit of physical activity – you hoist yourself all the way to the top in a race against other participants.

Imagination is the heart and soul of LEGO, so it’s only fitting that there’s an area for you to put your creative juices to use. Build and Test is an indoor air conditioned structure filled with different activities for kids to participate in, while parents take a break from the scorching sun.

The activities are quite fun with one of them requiring you to build the tallest and most stable tower out of Duplo . The architectural integrity of your Duplo is then put to the test via a simulated earthquake – only the strongest and best engineered towers survive.

Another cool game in Build and Test is a racing challenge , where you design and construct cars which you then race against other participants.

The best part of Imagination has to be Observation Tower . You ride all the way up to the top and enjoy amazing panoramic views of the entire Legoland Malaysia resort via the rotating platform.

The rotating platform also offers a nice break from the heat as there’s air conditioning and seats in it. Protip: get a seat right under the air conditioning units for best results.

You go way up high and you’re treated with a pretty great view of the entire resort.

The last notable attraction in Imagination is the LEGO 4D cinema , where you get to watch short LEGO films. I forgot to take a picture of the structure, so uhh.. here’s an image I found on Legoland Malaysia’s website. Hate to disappoint you but you do not ascend the 3rd dimension and traverse through time – the ‘fourth’ dimension is just your cinema chair rattling and gimmicks such as getting water sprayed in your face  during the movie.

It’s probably fun for kids but this was one attraction where once was more than enough for me. The best part of the cinema was the air conditioning!

Legoland Malaysia’s Land Of Adventure is the stomping ground of famed LEGO Adventurer Johnny Thunder whose exploits span expeditions to the Desert , the Jungle , Dino Island and even the Orient . The Land of Adventure is split into two distinct zones based on LEGO sets that Johnny Thunder has starred in – Egypt (Desert) and Dino Island .

The Egyptian area houses rides and attractions aimed at younger kids such as the Beetle Bounce , a simple ride where you are raised and dropped repeatedly. It’s pretty short so don’t be too intimidated by it. It’s very tame.

There’s also another pretty large multi level play area called Pharaoh’s Revenge that my friend’s four year old thoroughly enjoys.

The centrepiece of the Egyptian area is the Lost Kingdom Adventure ride . I didn’t get on the Lost Kingdom ride this time, but from memory it is an on rails ride where you get into a four seater car and go through a circuit and zap lasers at stuff . The ride itself is pretty average but I did enjoy the sculptures and details you can spot along the journey.

I was most impressed by the huge LEGO Pharaoh sculpture that sits outside the ride.

The centrepiece of the Land of Adventure is Dino Island , a massive and I mean MASSIVE ride/attraction. It’s easily the most visually impressive ride in the entire park due to the sheer size of the structure.

I loved the dinosaurs and brick built minifigures hidden throughout the attraction.

The gist is that you hop in a little boat and a slow ride into the heart of an ancient ruin which has King Kahuka welcoming you! First you climb quite a long distance up into the ruins before entering a passageway with tons of interesting scenes and LEGO sculptures before plunging down a slide which ends in a huge splash at the end!

It’s a pretty fun ride but my only complaint is that the lines for his ride are excruciatingly long so be prepared to wait for what seems like an eternity before even getting in the boat.

The final themed zone is LEGO City , a massive area with all sorts of urban rides and attractions. Unlike other sections of the park, the attractions in LEGO City are mostly meant for younger kids. Most of the activities here require a lot of physical activity and interaction, rather than just strapping yourself into a ride.

The exception would be the City Airport , where kids can hop in a plane and “fly” around in colourful aircraft.

It’s a pretty kiddy ride, but should still be fun for the whole family. Adults are welcome to sit in the airplanes and chaperone their young pilots.

There’s a funny little baggage screening scene next to the City Airport. It slightly bothered me that only the minifigures are built out of LEGO and everything else isn’t.

LEGO City is also home to the Market Restaurant , the main eatery at Legoland Malaysia. I didn’t eat here, but because it’s indoor, it’s a fairly popular with families looking to take a break from the heat. Like all theme parks, the food here is obscenely expensive but when you’re hungry and thirsty, you probably won’t bat an eyelid when you’re paying crazy prices for food and drink.

Here’s the inside – there’s plenty of LEGO sculptures littered about the restaurant.

Like the other areas, there’s a fairly huge open air playground called The Shipyard in LEGO City. Kids love playgrounds and there were always tons of toddlers running and jumping about every time I walked pass the Shipyard – even in the sweltering sun!

The LEGO City Fire Rescue Academy is my favourite attraction here. It’s an interactive game which requires you to roleplay as the brave LEGO City Firemen who have to come to the rescue and put out a burning building.

The game is quite physical, first you choose a rescue vehicle such as a Firetruck. When the game master blows his whistle, you have to pump a sea-saw type mechanism to propel your vehicle towards the burning building. Once your vehicle arrives, you hop off and aim your water cannons at building to put the flames out.

It’s a race against other participants , so there’s a fun little competitive angle as you try your best to beat every one else.

In LEGO City, kids get to play as adults and do all sorts of cool stuff such as learn to drive a car or boat from the respective Boating and Driving School s. The driving school is split into two streams, one for Juniors and one for slightly older kids.

Kids get to hop in cars and drive through a circuit and if you don’t crash into anyone, at the end of your driving lesson you’ll receive a driver’s license (which you have to pay for) to commemorate the entire activity. This ride was extremely popular with kids.

The Boating School is similar except with boats. You get to travel through the course and try your best not to bump into the edges or other boaters. The course is pretty large and looks like a lot of fun. Unfortunately, since I was a bit too old and self conscious, I didn’t try out the boating school. Maybe when I have kids of my own!

Downtown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

As an adult LEGO fan, I have to say that I absolutely loved the crap out of Miniland . I could spend hours at Miniland checking out the intricate structures and models and still not get enough of it.

The Miniland in Malaysia has a distinct Asian flavour , to pay homage and highlight the outstanding architecture and landmarks from this part of the world. Located right in the middle of Legoland Malaysia, Miniland is truly a monument and testament to the amazingly cool stuff that can be imagined and created out of LEGO blocks. It’s essentially the heart and soul of all that LEGO stands for – building cool stuff. 

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

I can write an entire novel about how awesome and cool Miniland is but it still wouldn’t do it justice – this is just one of those things that you need to experience to fully understand. The pictures also don’t communicate how amazingly detailed the Minilands builds are – you’ll have to see it to believe it.

The Legoland Malaysia Miniland is unique in that it celebrates the wonderful diversity and rich flavour of popular Asian destinations such as India, China and South East Asian countries such as Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore and of course Malaysia.

Taj Mahal, India

The Master Builders who constructed Miniland out of over 30 million (!!) LEGO bricks have done an exceptional job capturing unique architectural landmarks and locations. The scale of which whole city sections and heritage landmarks have been recreated in LEGO is astounding.

One of my favourites – Karaweik Hall, Myanmar

Miniland was a joint effort of over 100 builders from around the world – firstly Legoland designers photographed buildings, roads and streets across Asia to familiarize themseles with the different landmarks. The design took about 2 years of 3D modelling and production before a training studio was established in Malaysia and work on the models was started.

Some models were built and flown in from the USA, Denmark, England, Germany and the Czech Republic while others were made locally.

Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia

FUN FACT:  The Petronas Twin Towers (once the tallest structure in the world) stands at nearly 10 metres high and is the tallest Miniland model ever built , made out of over 500,000 LEGO bricks. 

Pirate Fort

Forbidden City & Great Wall of China

Tanah Lot, Bali

While the structures and scenes are impressive when viewed from afar, it’s only when you approach Miniland and take a closer look at the remarkable level of detail and mini-scenes featuring the inhabitants of Miniland does it really dawn upon you that this is by far the best thing ever.

There are dozens of little discoveries to be made at every corner, from mechanical scenes such as this spinning nod towards Bollywood that’s found just outside the Taj Mahal , to more static references to life in Asia.

There’s also a Chima Miniland , located just outside the main Miniland. It’s not really a Miniland per se – it’s more of a giant Chima MOC.

Final Thoughts:  The Legoland Malaysia theme park is a lot of fun, but as an adult I really couldn’t get into most of the rides. The thing you have to understand about Legoland Malaysia as a whole is that it is a theme parked aimed at children and young kids . If you’re expecting massive roller coasters and cutting edge rides, you will be sorely disappointed.

However, if the idea of immersing yourself in a LEGO theme park sounds like the best thing to you, Legoland Malaysia will not disappoint. It’s an exceptional adventure for families . Personally, I really enjoyed myself despite being a bit too old for most of the rides – but that’s cause I really really love LEGO.

If you like LEGO and live within the Asia Pacific region, you owe it to yourself to visit Legoland Malaysia at least once . This recommendation gets even stronger if you have kids who are into LEGO. I guarantee that they will flip out at the awesomeness of the theme park and being surrounded by LEGO at every turn.

I really love that there’s a Legoland in this part of the world, especially since we don’t need to travel to the US, UK or Denmark to enjoy and experience a Legoland. While the climate might be a little harsh since it’s either very hot and it tends to rain a lot (especially during the rainy season), as long as you pace yourself, take plenty of breaks and take your time through the park you should be all right.

It goes without saying that you should prepare by packing enough sunscreen lotion and bottles of water that you can carry, as well as floppy hats to protect yourself against the scorching sun and heat, which usually fluctuates between 28 – 31 degrees on any given day.

It was an absolute blast getting to visit the Legoland Malaysia theme park for a second time. While I noticed a lot of wear and tear (especially in Miniland where bricks are exposed to the harsh elements), the park as a whole was still kept and maintained exceptionally well . Nearly every staff member I had the pleasure of interacting with was extremely cheerful and professional – all the things you’d expect from people working at a theme park.

If you’re anywhere near Malaysia, I highly recommend paying a visit to Legoland Malaysia.

Hope you found my review of the Legoland Malaysia theme park useful! My next few posts will continue with my experience at the Legoland Malaysia Water Park, Hotel, Star Wars Miniland as well as a Guide to Shopping at Legoland Malaysia. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!

For more pictures of the Legoland Malaysia theme park, check out the full album on my Facebook page:

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