Legoland Denmark - Disappointing?

[astra]

I've just returned from a very nice, relaxing and comfortable vacation in Sweden and we've decided to drive back to Home via Denmark; to surprise our children with a visit to Legoland.

It was not my first time; in 2003 and 2005 I've visited the park also and have some very good memories of both those visits! However, my visit on the 29th of July won't make such a mark in my memory.

In my opinion it is very very obvious that 'some' commercial company specialized in theme parks came in and took over the park. Prices went up (and are very high if you ask me, even more if you decide to pay with credit card; they'll charge even extra for that). If you want to skip the queues, that's possible but also at a (steep) price, where other theme parks won't charge for that kind of service. Now I won't say anything bad about the attractions, they were good but also not very special and Lego related if you ask me. During the day all those things got me a bit irritated and that reached its maximum when we went to the part of the park that's the heart of the whole park; the Lego build cities, harbor and airport. It was old, some things didn't work, some where very weathered or damaged and (I've compared photos from 2003) for the most part things haven't changed one Lego brick!

All things considered, I left the park disappointed and I'm not thinking about going back soon or even think about visiting another Lego park. Off course this is just my own personal opinion, but that got me thinking, I can't believe that Lego wants those kind of associations with the quality of the Lego-product or their brand as a whole. And out of curiosity, am I the only one with these kind of negative 'vibes' about the park?

[caperberry]

Yeah, I had no such vibes. But sorry you didn't have a nice day. I went in May and loved it. It has a real charming atmosphere, especially compared to British theme parks I've been to. I live in london but have never been to Windsor! But the mates I was with have and they said Billund Miniland was way way better; they described Windsor Miniland in similarly depressed tones. Yes much is faded and old but heck, I can't even keep the models in my house very clean and straight!

There are new models in Miniland, I saw many. But having never been before I can't compare to times of old. Same with cost. EVERYTHING in Denmark seemed terrifyingly expensive!

Some big theme park company did not just come in and take over the Parks, by the way. TLG actively selected and invested in Merlin and turned them into a big theme park company, of which Kjeld owns a third.

[Chocolatecake]

Denmark is an expensive country to visit and to live in - but that's another story.

LEGOLAND i BIllund and TIVOLI in Copenhagen cost the same (In TIVOLI you have to buy a ticket to get in and a ticket to try the different rollercoasters)

I went to LEGOLAND last summer and I agree, some of the old building I remember from my visit in my childhood (early 90s) were still there, but there were and I guess still are, some more new places (USA, Star Wars, DONG energy ballon and Vestas Windmill).

But I really liked some of the old building even thoug they didn't have that fresh look.

Bear in mind that we had a very long winter, that first ended in the middle of april, which must have affected some of the bricks in MINILAND, and LEGOLAND opened up for the season in the easter.

The charge on Foreign Credit Cards is not something exclusive for LEGOLAND, you find it in almost every supermarkets in Denmark.

[paul_delahaye]

Having never been to Legoland Denmark, I cannot comment, but I have very similar feelings to 'Astra' regaridng Legoland Windsor, I used to love that place, and this is the first year I've not renewed my annual pass.

After last season I felt undewelmed, I used to enjoy popping there for an afternoon, but with all the stealth charges, e.g. 'parking' I just don't have the love for the place anymore, and I'm sure it's because of the commercial aspect of Merlin, since they took over, there has been minimial investment in miniland, half the moving parts no longer move. The last big change was when they revamped London in Miniland in 2008/9

In the good old days when Lego ran the show, kids used to get polybag lego sets as toys with the kids meals, now all they get is a cheap Chinese plastic medal or puzzle. It's not the same.

I think a family of 4 would expect to pay £200 - £250 for a full day out at Legoland Windsor now which I think is a lot.

However, there is another side to this which I think a lot of us forget. If it were not for Merlin's commercial experience in running theme parks, I somehow doubt that any of the Legoland parks would actually still be open today.

[astra]

I know that Denmark is an expensive country, although the Netherlands aren't exactly cheap either. And having been to Sweden and Norway in our holiday, I was used to the higher prices. However, it still amazed me when they charged me 27 euro for 4 ice creams... I didn't know that about the extra charges for using a creditcard, I've never experienced such a thing. Not in Sweden, not in Norway, not even the Burger King in Denmark. So that surprised me a lot.

I do agree with paul_delahaye, if it wasn't for Merlin, than the parks probably wouldn't be here at this moment. However, I would like it a lot more if Merlin would emphasize the 'Lego experience' instead of adding another roller coaster which I can find in any regular park. I'm visiting Legoland, not six flags! I'd rather have less attractions and a properly maintained miniland, then the other way around...And that's my feeling I'm trying to describe, it feels more like a standard park with some scattered Lego bricks than an real Lego experience and that disappoints me.

[antp]

I guess I can be happy to have visited it in the 90s, as from what I remember it was more a Lego-oriented park than a standard park. I should not go there again or I would be even more disappointed than a new visitor then...

Edited August 4, 2013 by antp

[questforcastle]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

I visited LEGOLAND Billund for the fourth (and fifth) times this summer, previous visits were in the 1980s and once in 2012. What I like about the park is how they've left the core alone, there is something very unique and Scandinavian about the older parts of the park. It certainly doesn't feel like any amusement park - there has always been non-LEGO things there, even in the 1980s, like the driving school and the western town, but it has a very unique feel to it. The newer sections of course are more amusement park like, but I have enjoyed them as well. I think they've struck a balance quite nicely. I can see the concern/doubts people have for the new managers, but I can't say I have been disappointed yet - so I can't say I share the bad sentiments some have had. I have enjoyed each and every visit to LEGOLAND and so have the people travelling with me, including comments like - quote - "the best vacation ever". I expect to go and visit it again some day.

As for Miniland, I can't of course deny what people have posted here, because I don't have any recent experience on its updating frequency. The Miniland certainly has been updated since the 1980s, and this year they had a new Chima Miniland, but I'm sure for someone wanting just a fresh Miniland experience visiting newer LEGOLAND's elsewhere might be a better destination? Although, I don't know if the Miniland ever has changed that frequently. Hasn't it always been fairly static, because that's kind of the point? Personally, I liked the fact that the Miniland has a very classic aura to it - while I'm sure many things have changed there since 1980s, it still felt very true to what the Danish LEGOLAND in my memories should be, miniature Danish countryside, cities and castles and so forth. If they had replaced it with something completely different, I would have been disappointed. Also, I didn't get the feel that things were broken, I think overall Miniland was functioning nicely.

Just my thoughts on the matter. I'm sorry some of you left disappointed.

In case someone is interested, I have posted some LEGOLAND pics e.g. here: http://questforbrick...rn-to-legoland/ and http://questforbrick...egotop-billund/ and http://questforbrick...y/lego-places/

In the good old days when Lego ran the show, kids used to get polybag lego sets as toys with the kids meals, now all they get is a cheap Chinese plastic medal or puzzle. It's not the same.

Slightly on topic, at the Hotel LEGOLAND in Billund, kids get LEGO Minifigure Series polybags with non-alcoholic drinks at the hotel bar - and of course polybag sets waiting in the hotel room too. This has been my experience in 2012 and 2013.

[Duq]

I visited the park in Billund in 2012 and again last week (I also visited in 1981, 1994 and 2005). In miniland I didn't notice any new models apart from a wind-turbine factory-ship in the Scottish section. Models are meant to last a long time so it's not all that surprising that they don't change every year. Some areas were looking well-worn (like the Danish fishing village) while others had clearly been cleaned up over winter (like the Scottish village). It was early season and the park needed a bit of work; the water levels were too low (despite enough rain!) so ships were hovering above the water and Amsterdam didn't seem to have any moving cars. Overall it looked much better than what I remember from Windsor.

I agree with the complaint about prices. €4 for a soft-icecream cone and €7 for a proper icecream is madness. It's no surprise so many families enter the park with large picnic baskets...

There's been a major change in the park; the mine/timber rollercoaster has made way for the new Haunted House. I think that little ride had been there almost since the opening of the park. Along with the ride the buffalo hunt relief has gone and the Mount Rushmore sculpture has been redone. All these changes were not an improvement in my opinion. The haunted house is okay but not great and the new Mount Rushmore doesn't look half as good as the old one. Judge for yourself:

Mount Rushmore 2012 by Duq, on Flickr

Mount Rushmore 2014 by Duq, on Flickr

[Legogal]

I had not seen the Billund Park before, but agree on your Mt. Rushmore comparison. There was not enough detail to make it click.

I did enjoy Chief Sitting Bull and am sorry to hear that part of his set was taken out for the Haunted House, which I did not have time to enter.

Miniland looked better than I thought it would being so old. Because those countries' buildings tend to be so ancient, the bad condition of some of the structures' bricks did not bother me too much. The thing I did notice as a gardener is that there was nutgrass at the far end of the Bergen build. I wanted to jump the fence and pull it like I do at home, but managed to exercise some restraint. Weeds bother me more than old looking bricks. (And I did notice some weeds in other locations!)

The Danish parts of Miniland were stunning, which is as they should be. Can't wait to download my photos once my eyes uncross from jet lag. The palaces and parliament, etc., are just first class builds. They took my breath away.

The other thing that truly amazed me was the fabulous landscaping! The selection of plants was extraordinary and very fitting. Many of the plants we have put in our yard at home, and I know how much maintenance they require at the normal size. But to bonsai them is an unbelievable amount of work every day of the growing season. Many of my Miniland photos were of plants because they provided the perfect setting for the structures. And early May could be the best time of the year because so many plants are blooming. The flowers and buds were downright lovely. Their bulbs were still blooming on Saturday, a month or two after ours normally bloom.

My focus during the past eleven months has been to visit all six Parks and bring home photos of Miniland for my family. The landscaping is as impressive as the structures at all of the Parks except for LL Malaysia, which has just new plants. In a few years, it, too, will look more mature from a landscaping point of view. There is a real art to selecting plants that look outstanding and that fit the scale of the builds. The widespread use of Japanese cypresses and junipers is just brilliant. The few Japanese maples ialso are stunning, especially when the new leaves arrive.

Billund Miniland is very satisfying in my mind because of the way the structures and plants interact and create a feeling of reality. Where there are thriving plants, there is life. And the plants definitely bring the bricks to life and life to the villages. The landscapers have my full admiration and gratitude because their work makes the Parks so darn happy. (Notice I avoided the use of "awesome," which has been trampled to death the past three months.)

Side Note: As to the prices, I voted with my wallet. And bought nothing inside the Park. However, I did trade six Simpsons minifigs for ones I wanted at the cash registers in the Shop. I stopped at Lalandia on the walk back to the Village to grab something to eat until dinner. The grocery store there was helpful, and their little bakery was sweet. By the time I walked out of the Park around 1500, it was raining and blowing so hard that I had to hold my umbrella sideways in front of me to keep it from blowing away. (It is 94F outside at noon now, and I have finally thawed out.)

If I spent much time in Denmark, there would be much less of me because of the horrendous food and drink prices. But yes, food prices in the Park were frightening. So were clothing and LEGO set prices. They say that one gets used to it over time. BUT I would not let it keep me from visiting such a lovely part of the world.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Legogal

[Legogal]

Many of you have made multiple visits to LL Billund over the last few decades. What do you see as the Park's high and low points?

[large88]

Mount Rushmore does look more realistic, the orientation of the heads now resembles the real thing much better. However it has lost the "brick" feeling and it is very clear that this is a model rendered by a computer and then built according to the 3d model.

[Calanon]

After visiting the park last week I willc ertainly say that there feels a lack of things to do in the park, I had finished by about 3PM. I did spot a few differences in Miniland but it is hard to drastically change things.

[Cwetqo]

It was my first visit to LL Billund, after being twice in LL Gunzburg. Comparing those two, I found german version of minland more attractive, most likely because of more international theming. Other things are so so, but it was ok, because I didnt expected a lot more. Park is really nicely done, with all lawns, small trees etc... For adults attractions are a little on the soft side, but for the target audience I think that they are more than good enough. We went there with our son and all enjoyed it, but dont know if I would bother again, if I would be in Billund alone.

[Aredhel]

I visited the LL parks in Billund, Günzburg, and Windsor for more than once. IMO the weathering is not avoidable, even with cleaning and repairing the models from time to time. The LL Billund is, as legogal said, fitting very good to the flowers and trees around. The models are really fantastic and every time, even when you go there you figure out something new though you already thought you know the display.

That the miniland is in the centre of the Legoland parks is well done. You can take a break of waiting at the attractions and place yourself on a bench.

Food is really really expensive but that's not only the LL parks but many other amusement parks too. It's always nice to eat something "out of the row" but I prefer to bring my own bit of food and sit under trees than on the terrace of such restaurant where everything is too crowded.

For many people another fact is influencing the visit of those parks - the weather

The miniland of course is nicer when you walk around in the sun and the trees and flowers around just give you a little feeling of a holiday than walking around in early spring and rainy weather.

All in all I live the LL parks not because there are roller coasters or cheap food, I like to see how much life the designers bring to the models and how detailed they manage to create thing to the real castle, town, harbour or airport!