Legoland Malaysia welcomes tourists with new experiences

COMING from a strong year for the Malaysian tourism industry, travelers are now invited to try out Lego adventures both old and new at the Legoland Malaysia Resort.

Last year, Malaysia saw 29 million tourist arrivals. For the Lego-themed resort in particular, Filipinos are among the top five markets coming to visit.

“Over the Easter period, we had a lot of guests from the Philippines. But I see international travel is happening throughout the year. Even in short windows we’ve seen people integrating the park into their itineraries coming from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore,” said Thila Munusamy, Legoland Malaysia’s director for sales and marketing, at an April 17 media briefing in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The themed resort has been open since 2012 and is run by Merlin Entertainments. Located in Johor, Malaysia, one of its key thrusts is letting children’s imaginations run wild as they build their own Lego structures in different areas of the park, facilitated by guided activities.

“Lego is the core DNA of our park, and the core DNA of Lego is imagination, creativity, bonding time,” Ms. Munusamy said.

“One thing the pandemic taught us is that the time we spend with family or for ourselves, be it traveling or quality time with kids, is important,” she added.

This year, the theme park is offering special promotions such as “Book Early and Save,” which gives discounts to those who book tickets way in advance.

NEW ATTRACTIONS, ACTIVITIES
There are a number of newly opened attractions plus special activities lined up throughout the year.

MINILAND Amazing Malaysia is a segment of the park that showcases Malaysia’s iconic landmarks, cultural scenes, and natural wonders, all built from Lego bricks.

It recently added shade structures in keeping with the rest of the park, to ensure that visitors can wander around the attraction despite the heat.

There is also a new themed room at the Legoland Hotel. Joining the Pirate, Kingdom, Adventure, and Ninjago rooms is the Friends-themed room, popular among girls and boys who want to stay somewhere with a fun, trendy aesthetic. All rooms can accommodate five to eight people, perfect for families, and they automatically come with an equivalent number of breakfast buffets.

Legoland Water Park will have a Splash Carnival this July, following a tropical beach theme, to give kids a chance to refresh with water-based activities.

For the month of October, the resort will put up spooky decorations and hold Halloween celebrations, encouraging kids to come in costume. The usual Lego character mascots will be joined by Lego Dracula, and the Lego 4D Theater will add The Great Monster Chase to its 4D movie lineup.

For the year-end holiday season, Legoland Malaysia will install Asia’s largest Lego Christmas tree. Lego Santa will also be making appearances at the park.

Finally, SEA LIFE Malaysia, the underwater aquarium segment of the resort, will be reintroducing its exclusive SEA LIFE Underwater Dining experience. It allows guests to have a meal in the aquarium after hours, followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of marine life care.

“We’re bringing bigger activities for families and friends, which will position Legoland Malaysia as a top reason for Filipinos to visit Johor,” said CS Lim, Legoland Malaysia’s divisional director, at the press conference.

The resort is three hours away from Kuala Lumpur, and almost an hour away from Changi Airport in Singapore, he added, making it a great option to include in Filipinos’ travel plans in the region.

For deals on day tickets and experiences, visit their official website: https://www.legoland.com.my/tickets-passes/day-tickets/offers-deals/. — Bronte H. Lacsamana