Legoland Malaysia

[Cariba]

Almost entirely under the radar, Merlin's latest money-spinner magical theme park Legoland Malaysia opened on the 15TH September.
So now that's Billund, Windsor, California, Deutschland, Florida and Malaysia, and however many Discovery Centres, with Japan and Dubai apparently under development. This park seems to follow the model set by the other Legolands, just with considerably cheaper entry prices than Windsor (140 ringgits or around £28).

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[BigAl]

How nice for Malaysia!

It's a pity that it looks almost exactly the same as the one in Windsor. Making it different would mean people have a reason to visit if they have already been to the one in Windsor. I guess it'll be fine for those who haven't and can only go here.

I still wouldn't pay £28 to get in, either!

 

[Tim]

I've been following this but only on and off, hadn't realised it was this close to opening. Thanks Cariba for the reminder. It looks fairly standard from what I've seen but I will do some more digging.

It's a pity that it looks almost exactly the same as the one in Windsor. Making it different would mean people have a reason to visit if they have already been to the one in Windsor. I guess it'll be fine for those who haven't and can only go here.

Quite likely as it's in Malaysia.

 

[BigAl]

Yes, but look at how Universal build their parks. Each one has signature attractions and/or themes (some with different takes on the favourite rides such as Jurassic Park and Jaws, etc...) but they have unique areas and rides so that people can discover something new but also go on their favourite rides and attractions.

 

[Tim]

But in the case of Universal people do travel around the world to visit each park. Legoland is mainly for young kids who are unlikely to take a long-haul flight.

Anyway they aren't exact clones. In fact Windsor is actually quite different to the other parks. For starters it’s the only park to be built over different terrain meaning they have rides like Extreme Team Challenge. But it also experiments a bit more with its rides (Atlantis being the best example) and is missing several rides that most of the other parks had/have (such as the robotic arm rides).

Sure they all have the same themes but then that's what is expected from a Legoland (Miniland, Imagination Centre, City, Castle, Pirate/Adventure ect.). And even when the rides have the same name it doesn’t necessarily mean they are clones of each other. As far as I'm aware you won't find a single Dragon Coaster that's the same, most of them are made by different manufactures. It’s only really the Mack Wild Mouse that is a pure clone.

 

[BigAl]

But there's nothing that's really different, it's all very similar to the park in Windsor. I'd also say that there's a good number of people that travel to parks for kids. I've read a few reports of people taking their children from various countries to visit Thomas Land at Drayton Manor.

 

[Sam]

There's no real competition in the country (source: I've been to Malaysia) so they should do very well, and the price seems about right. Malaysia is an up-and-coming country, with a fast-growing middle class, and this is just what they needed really.

The nearest Malaysia has to a proper theme park is the Berjaya Times Square shopping centre, with the awesome Intamin Supersonic Odyssey in it!

I'm trying to find out what their Dragon is like. Pretty much all the one's outside Windsor aren't themed anywhere near as well.

Also: call me a lemon, but why on earth isn't their website in Malay?! Or at least, in Malay by default...

 

[Sam]

Sorry for the double post, but found some images thanks to this topic! This park looks really great for Merlin, some of the theming is exceptional.

Look at that flume ride! It looks bloody great, wow!

Angkor Wat, in Cambodia.

Dragon. Looks like a Vekoma Junior?

Dawwwww.

Singapore.

YESSSSSSS.

Lots more photos at the link above.

Also, whoops:

LIIIIIIINDA!

 

[Tim]

But there's nothing that's really different, it's all very similar to the park in Windsor.

Have you actually been to more than one Legoland? I haven't but I know two people that have been to the original in Billund and the response I got from both of them was that they were surprised how different they were.

The more I think about it the more unique rides I can actually think of and credit to Merlin quite a few have been built by them. Take the new rides they added this year for example:
Billund: Polar X-plorer (brand new freefall drop coaster)
Deutschland: Ninjaga (brand new flat ride)
California: Pirate Reef (brand new shoot-the-chute water ride)
Florida and Malaysia are brand new and Windsor built a new hotel and got Atlantis last year.

As you can see none of these have been cloned from another park. Neither have I heard any plans to clone them yet, although I’m sure at least one of them will be eventually. There is also a whole list of rides that are either unique to a park or differently themed but it’ll take me a while if you want a full list.

To name the unique rides at Windsor though: (note this is all of the top of my head)
+ The Hill Tram,
+ Rocket Racers
+ Sky Rider (to my knowledge)
+ Extreme Team Challenge
+ Ballooning School
+ Mazes
+ Jolly Rocker (again to my knowledge)
+ Dragons Apprentice
+ Atlantis

And you could also include:
+ Miniland (remember that all the Miniland are unique to that area)
+ The Dragon (It’s a different make to all the others)
+ The Space Tower & Spinning Spider (both unique themes)
+ Viking River Splash (only also at Billund but it’s a completely different ride)
+ Pirate Falls (I’m sure there are other Log Flumes but not quite the same)

And at a squeeze you could say the Driving School and Boating School have different layouts but that’s probably pushing it.

Of course I won’t deny there is a very similar feel to each park but that is what people expect when they visit a Legoland. Likewise Disney’s Magical Kingdom parks aren’t that different to each other either so I don’t think Legoland are the only company at blame for copying some attractions. After all if it’s popular then why not?

Edit: Thanks for the pictures Sam. The Dragon is apparently a Zierer.

 

[Benzin]

Of course I won’t deny there is a very similar feel to each park but that is what people expect when they visit a Legoland. Likewise Disney’s Magical Kingdom parks aren’t that different to each other either so I don’t think Legoland are the only company at blame for copying some attractions. After all if it’s popular then why not?

Ahhhh, now this post actually makes sense... I believe the problem is that it's Merlin and therefore easy pickings for anything that could be deemed cheaply done...

Never seen Disney copy and paste their rides/areas between parks... Ever... At all... Nope...

 

[Sam]

Malaysia also has a Dragon's Apprentice, Tim.

 

[BigAl]

I wasn't talking about the other parks though, I was talking specifically about Windsor because of how similar it is to the new Malaysian park. Why, if there are other superior Lego parks, would they decide to make a park that's similar to one that's not as good?

Disney is like Universal, in that they will replicate some favourite attractions but always ensure that each park has something completely different and unique to them, to entice more people to visit. This new Legoland just looks like Windsor with a few alterations (probably for the good).

If all of the existing Lego parks are so different, why has this new park decided to mimic Windsor? I'd understand if it was just the odd attraction or land, but this just seems... well... lazy! Of course, as I stated before, most people who visit this park have either not visited Windsor or never will, but will those who have want to pay money to visit this? Will they want to visit Windsor if they've been to the better equivalent that costs less to enter?

There's nothing wrong with copying a ride or area if it's a hit with your target audience, but nearly an entire park? I'm not just saying it because it's Merlin, because I don't know any major parks that have taken one park, duplicated it, trimmed a few of the rides and made what's left better than the original. Six Flags clone entire major coasters across many of their parks, and I dislike that. As does Cedar Fair. Do they clone entire parks? Although it may look like it, the answer really is no.

 

[Tim]

Malaysia also has a Dragon's Apprentice, Tim.

I know but I only discovered that afterwards and didn't want to edit it again

on the subject of which:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF1fGIz7sA4&feature=channel&list=UL[/youtube]

and have you seen the front cart! I don't know if I should call it cute or weird.

I wasn't talking about the other parks though, I was talking specifically about Windsor because of how similar it is to the new Malaysian park.

I didn’t realise that but I have to disagree I actually think Windsor is the one park it has the least in common with. If we were to compare park maps I'd say it looks most like Deutschland:

and here's Malaysia:

Obviously the German park is built up a bit more but most of the major rides are in the same place or switched with another.

Looking at it the only rides I can see that this and Windsor share are the core essentials which all the Legoland's have (Miniland, Dring School, Boating School, Dragon & Knights Kingdom, Wave Surfer, Imagination Centre). Then there's Laser Raiders (which is almost a staple now anyway), and the Dragons Apprentice.

 

[BigAl]

I'm still not sure, even when I compare it to the Windsor map:

Even if the park is just an improved version of either of these others, it's still a fantastic looking park. Windsor wasn't bad, although when the place is heaving with children and the car park is littered with soiled nappies, I can understand why some people get put-off when they visit on a peak day.

The whole thing reminds me of each reincarnation of the Porsche 911. No matter how different it may be up-close, at a glance it looks exactly the same. I'd have to visit the different Legoland parks to get a better idea, but tbh, I never planned on visiting Malaysia. Maybe the one in Germany and Orlando (or the one in Cali, if I ever get to go)?

 

[thefatone]

Yeah, the park is based on Deutschland - apparently the park with the best guest flows etc. Looks far better laid out than Windsor, but thats easy considering Windsor is built on a bloody hill.

 

[BigAl]

That would explain the lack of a hill tram at this new park. Windsor is a very awkward park and not a pleasant place to be when it's that full they have to stop people from coming in.

 

[Tim]

I think that's the first time I've seen Windsor's 2012 map. I never realised how cluttered it is.

I always thought Windsor's hill side structure worked quite well, allowing guests to slowly fill into the park at the start of the day and slowly back out at the end. Then again I'm biased because I used to use it as an excuse to ride whore the Dragon. Obviously though you couldn't copy Windsor's layout given that it would involve building a great big hill

As for being busy... well that's the trouble with low-throughput kids ride within a park that can be busier than Alton. Luckily it can be easy to predict when these days will be, just check for the school holidays.

 

[Islander]

That would explain the lack of a hill tram at this new park.

Well, don't forget, the Hill Train wasn't built by Lego, it's the only attraction that remains from Windsor Safari Park. That's one attraction that's definitely unique to Windsor

Also: call me a lemon, but why on earth isn't their website in Malay?! Or at least, in Malay by default...

Just a guess, but strikes me as likely that it picked up your UK IP address, and so served you the English site. Could be entirely wrong though.

 

[MattyH]

Hopefully at some point, Billund and german legolands would be nice for me to do...

 

[Islander]

Feast your eyes on this:

Beautiful