By Nicoco Chan and Eduardo Baptista
SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Tourists and residents in Shanghai on Saturday braved sweltering heat for the official opening of China’s first Legoland resort, the world’s largest of its kind, featuring thousands of structures built with over 85 million Lego bricks.
Entry tickets to the new resort, aimed mainly at families with children between the ages of two and twelve, quickly sold out as thousands queued to try out more than 75 rides, performances, and attractions spanning more than 300,000 square meters.
That was despite a heatwave strong enough to trigger an orange alert from Shanghai’s meteorological observatory – the second-highest in China’s weather alert system.
“The enthusiasm of the staff here makes us feel like the heat is okay, and we really liked today’s opening ceremony gift,” said 40-year-old Shanghai resident Cathy Yin of the wearable Lego mitt given out to those attending the event. “We came especially for it.”
Lego enthusiasts from all over China travelled to Shanghai for the opening, leading to a surge in hotel bookings, local media said. Lego Group CEO Niels B. Christiansen said the resort would be “an integral part” of Lego’s presence in China, and would “contribute to the economic vitality of Shanghai”.
The strong turnout highlights resilience in experience-focused spending among Chinese consumers, even as the overall economy struggles with weak consumer demand.
Multiple visitors interviewed by Reuters had purchased an annual pass, and had attended the soft opening on June 20.
EARLY SUMMER HEATWAVE
Even the extreme heat, 30-year-old visitor Tao Xiaoqing said, “didn’t stop me from coming” to the opening day.
Shanghai’s meteorological observatory warned maximum temperatures in the city’s central and western areas were expected to exceed 37 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while other forecasters warned parts of China’s eastern and central provinces are bracing for temperatures above 40 C.
“It’s really hot, but it’s still a lot of fun here,” said 9-year-old Rocky Xu.
While most visitors were upbeat, one complained to Reuters that the long queues outside to enter the venue were poorly organized. Staff handed out bottles of water to visitors, and one person received medical attention due to heatstroke.
“Even though the sun is strong, there are plenty of air-conditioned areas and water stations inside the park, so it’s still quite comfortable for a visit,” said 28-year-old Shanghai resident Charlie Chen.
Legoland Shanghai is operated by a joint venture between Merlin Entertainments, which runs Legoland parks around the world, and the Shanghai Jinshan District local government.
(Reporting by Nicoco Chan in Shanghai and Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Jan Harvey)
