NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Legoland Windsor

Legoland Windsor is a child-oriented theme park in Windsor, Berkshire in England, themed around the Lego toy system. The park opened in 1996 on the site of what was the Windsor Safari Park, as the second the Lego group's second Legoland (the first was Legoland Billund in Denmark). In common with the other Legolands across the world, the park's attractions consist of a mixture of Lego-themed rides, Lego models and Lego building workshops. The park was acquired by the Blackstone Group in 2005,^[1]^[2] with the Lego Group retaining part ownership (30%), and is now operated by Merlin Entertainments. Around 1.5 million people visit the park each year,^[3] with the season running from March to November. The facilities are mainly targeted at children between two and twelve, although no age groups are specifically barred. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the English town. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... â€œUKâ€ redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... This article is about longitude and latitude; see also UTM coordinate system Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (vertically) and longitude (horizontally); large version (pdf) The geographic (earth-mapping) coordinate system expresses every horizontal position on Earth by two of the three coordinates of a spherical coordinate system which... Merlin Entertainments is the biggest attractions operator in Europe and currently the second largest operating globally after Disney. ... Lego Group is a family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links Roller_Coaster_Icon. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... Theme Park is a simulation computer game designed by Bullfrog Productions, released in 1994, in which the player designs and operates an amusement park. ... This article is about the English town. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lego (disambiguation). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Windsor Safari Park logo Windsor Safari Park was a popular family attraction built on St. ... Legoland Billund, the original Legoland park, opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark. ... Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) is a prominent private equity and investment management firm founded in 1985 by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lego Group is a family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys. ... Merlin Entertainments is the biggest attractions operator in Europe and currently the second largest operating globally after Disney. ...

History

The Lego Group began research for the development of a second Legoland park, after Legoland Billund, in 1989; over 1000 sites were considered.^[1] Lego Group is a family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys. ... Legoland Billund, the original Legoland park, opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

In January 1992, Windsor Safari Park went into receivership, and this 150 acre site was chosen as the first Legoland park outside Denmark.^[1] Throughout 1992 and 1993, planning, design, site preparation and the design and construction of models began,^[1] and new homes were secured for all the safari animals.^[4] 1994 saw the installation of services, foundations and infrastructures,^[1] and in 1995, one year prior to opening, Big Ben was installed in Miniland. By this time buildings and attractions were becoming established,^[1] and in September advanced bookings were opened for entrance tickets.^[5] Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Windsor Safari Park logo Windsor Safari Park was a popular family attraction built on St. ... Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... The entrance of Legoland Deutschland. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... The Clock Tower, colloquially known as Big Ben (a name that correctly refers to the main bell) Big Ben redirects here. ...

Final installations were completed by the beginning of 1996, and at this point the Legoland Windsor staff-base was recruited.^[4] The grand opening of Legoland Windsor occurred in March 1996. During its first season, the park attracted over 1.4 million guests.^[4] Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

The first major extension to the park was CastleLand, which opened on March 14, 1998.^[6] This was the first new area added since the park opened, and contained the Dragon, the park's first rollercoaster. Also included in the new development was the Lego Mindstorms Workshop, which opened on May 1 the same year.^[6] is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Lego Mindstorms is a line of Lego sets combining programmable bricks with electric motors, sensors, Lego bricks, and Lego Technic pieces (such as gears, axles, beams, and pneumatic parts) to build robots and other automated or interactive systems. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

1999 saw three major new additions to the parks attractions. First was the Dragon's Apprentice, which opened in time for the new season.^[7] The Balloon School was not so lucky, suffering delays in construction work, and opened in April.^[7] X-Treme Challenge, a large water flume ride, was constructed on the slope in front of St. Leonard's Mansion in time for the school Summer holidays in August.^[7] At the end of the 1999 season, the Imagination Theatre was refurbished, and fitted with a truss lighting grid, lighting booth, and blackout drapes, making it much more like a theatre in preparation for the Christmas production of Peter Pan. On November 20, 1999, Legoland Windsor opened for its first Christmas season, which ended on January 3, 2000.^[8] This article is about the year. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

January 2000 saw the start of construction on the Creation Centre and Rocket Racers.^[8] Due to open at the start of this season was Wave Surfer, however delays pushed the commissioning of the ride back to April, at which time only one of the two turntables was operational, with the other up and running a couple of weeks later.^[9] At the end of the season, Bum Shaker closed, and became a picnic area. November 18 saw the start of the park's second and final Christmas Season, which concluded on January 7, 2001.^[10] One of the highlights of this festive season was the opening of The Creation Centre and Rocket Racers in December.^[10] Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

During 2001 there were no new attractions, with the exception of The Creation Centre and Rocket Racers which had opened over Christmas. At the end of the season, however, The Technic Garage closed, and was refitted as a food outlet. Muscle Maker also closed, and became the Truck Stop, a set of remote-controlled model lorries that can be driven for an extra charge. Also during this time the Sky Rider is refurbished. Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

For the 2002 season, the I-Spy Express was renamed The Adventurer’s Express, and re-themed around jungle animals. At the end of this season, during Christmas closing, the lighting booth in the Imagination theatre was fitted out with two large projectors and a large quantity of control equipment, a 36-foot^[11] projection screen was rigged on stage, and a number of different theatrical effects machines (such as wind machines, snow machines, fog machines etc.) were installed in the truss rig, thus converting the Imagination Theatre to a 4D cinema. Also see: 2002 (number). ... A 4-D film (or 4D) is an entertainment presentation system that combines a 3-D film with physical effects that occur in synchronization with the film. ...

At the beginning of the 2003 season, the Mindstorms workshop was moved from Knights’ Kingdom to the Imagination Centre, replacing the Dacta Workshops, Robolabs was opened, and Lego Racers 4D was introduced in the Imagination Theatre. On June 10 Queen Elizabeth II visited Legoland Windsor, as part of British Tourism Day.^[12] Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The...

2004 saw the installation of the first major new ride in four years, The Jungle Coaster, which opened in time for the new season. This and the Wave Surfer were designated as part of a new area, 'Adventure Land',^[13] and in line with this the bottom lake was renamed the Adventure Land Lake. Also in time for the new season was the completion of the Big Restaurant's refurbishment. At the end of the 2004 season Rocket Racers closed, having never been particularly popular yet always having technical problems and large, slow-moving queues. Also, the Celtic maze of The Amazing Mazes was gutted, and a path created straight through it. Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Three new rides were built in time for the start of the 2005 season; The Fire Academy in 'Traffic', and Dino Dipper and Dino Safari in 'Adventure Land'. The Adventurer’s Express was again renamed, this time to The Orient Express.^[14] In April, Lego made the decision to sell the Legoland parks, due to rising losses across the whole company.^[15]^[16] On July 13, 2005, Legoland was acquired by the Blackstone Group, and control of the parks passed to Merlin Entertainments.^[1]^[2] Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lego Group is a family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The entrance of Legoland Deutschland. ... Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) is a prominent private equity and investment management firm founded in 1985 by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman. ... Merlin Entertainments is the biggest attractions operator in Europe and currently the second largest operating globally after Disney. ...

At the beginning of the 2006 season Digger Challenge opened, and Spellbreaker 4D was introduced alongside Lego Racers 4D in the Imagination Theatre.^[17] The park made the news on October 28 as a fire broke out in a storage barn on site during the end of season fireworks, though no one was injured.^[18] Over the Christmas closing period, both the Celtic maze and the nautical maze of The Amazing Mazes were demolished to make way for Vikings' River Splash. The Tudor maze was rename Loki’s Labyrinth, but was kept closed until August 2007, as it was in the centre of the construction work for Land of the Vikings. As such, The Amazing Mazes ceased to be. Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Whirly Birds is renamed Chopper Squadron for the start of the 2007 season, and the Mindstorms Workshop switched from using Lego Mindstorms to the NXT system.^[19] In July, Mole-in-One Golf opened, having been given absolutely no publicity, and on August 18, after severe delays, 'Land of the Vikings' opened. The new area (which was due to open in April 2007) increased the parks' capacity by 15%, and contained the new river rapids ride Vikings' River Splash, though the second advertised ride, Longboat Invader, was delayed until the 2008 season. Loki's Labyrinth also opened, though no theming was present. For the first couple of weeks after opening, Vikings' River Splash operated at a reduced capacity. Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Lego Mindstorms is a line of Lego sets combining programmable bricks with electric motors, sensors, Lego bricks, and Lego Technic pieces (such as gears, axles, beams, and pneumatic parts) to build robots and other automated or interactive systems. ... For other uses, see Mindstorm. ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... PiraÃ±a Efteling in the Netherlands Manufacturer: Intamin A river rafting ride (also commonly referred to as a river rapids ride) is an amusement ride that simulates whitewater rafting. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Areas

Like many theme parks, Legoland Windsor is split into several separately themed areas, many of which match some of the themes of the Lego products themselves.

Beginning

This is where visitors begin their journey. It incorporates the ticket booths and ticket gates, guest services, the Annual Pass room and other facilities such as toilets and cash machines. This area is accessible before the park opens, during which time a barrier closes off the rest of the park. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

The Creation Centre (opened in 2001) is a building where children can watch the Legoland model makers build their models in the Model Maker's Workshop, and this area includes Lego representations of the Crown Jewels and the cockpit of a Virgin Boeing 747. Originally the Creation Centre was sponsored by Boeing, though it is now unsponsored. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Boeing 747, commonly nicknamed the Jumbo Jet, is a long-haul, widebody commercial airliner manufactured by Boeing. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Edward Boeing. ...

The Hill Train is the only attraction that was a part of Windsor Safari Park and survived through the conversion. A funicular railway, the train travels down a curved slope, connecting The Beginning with the Wild Woods area. The journey is just over 300 metres long, and the different in level between the top and bottom stations is approximately 27 metres.^[20] Refurbished from its Windsor Safari Park days, the carriages now contain stained glass windows made from translucent Lego bricks, with the designs having been created by local school children.^[4] Windsor Safari Park logo Windsor Safari Park was a popular family attraction built on St. ... Angels Flight, Los Angeles, California with gantlet track configuration Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with full length parallel tracks The GÃ¼tschbahn in Lucerne, Switzerland â€“ from an 1893 guidebook A funicular, also called funicular railway, inclined railway, inclined plane, or, in the United Kingdom, a cliff railway, is a system of...

Imagination Centre

The Imagination centre lies just above Miniland, and is the site of the park's educational workshops, as well as a small number of rides. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

The workshops consist of the Build & Test Workshops, areas filled with Duplo and Lego, the Lego Mindstorms Workshop, where visitors are taught how to use the Lego Mindstorms NXT line of robotics products, and the Robolab Workshop, which teaches different building techniques using the older Lego Mindstorms system. The workshops are sometimes closed off for school groups during term time. For other uses, see Mindstorm. ...

Rides in the area consist of the Space Tower, where guests can 'pull' themselves to the top of the tower, and then gently descend, and the Sky Rider, an aerial track with powered cars, giving good views of the rest of the park. This ride was refurbished for the 2002 season, with new restraints added, a 'non-stop' loading system implemented, and the direction of the cars around the track reversed.

Also in this areas is the Imagination Theatre, a small cinema showing 4D films. The films have changed over the years, with the theatre currently showing Lego Racers 4D and Spellbreaker 4D. A 4-D film (or 4D) is an entertainment presentation system that combines a 3-D film with physical effects that occur in synchronization with the film. ...

Miniland

Miniland consists of a number of large Lego models and landscapes depicting towns and cities from around the world. Nearly 40 million Lego bricks were used to construct the models, which tend to be on a 1 to 20 scale. The models change frequently from year to year, and contain many animated and moving pieces. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1218x987, 978 KB) Summary Photo by Paddy Briggs Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: St Pauls Cathedral LEGOLAND Windsor Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1218x987, 978 KB) Summary Photo by Paddy Briggs Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: St Pauls Cathedral LEGOLAND Windsor Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create... This article is about the cathedral church of the diocese of London. ...

A London section now includes many new buildings including the Gherkin, the Millennium Bridge, a rotating London Eye and Canary Wharf. Other famous London landmarks modelled in Lego include St Paul's Cathedral, Horseguards Parade (with the Queen) and Tower Bridge. A train system operated, modelled on the Docklands Light Railway. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Looking south down Bishopsgate, one of the main roads leading through Londons financial district. ... The London Millennium Footbridge is a pedestrian-only steel suspension bridge crossing the River Thames in London between the existing Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge, linking Bankside with the City. ... The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is an observation wheel that completed construction in 1999 and opened to the public in March, 2000. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article is about the cathedral church of the diocese of London. ... Horse Guards Parade, London Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London, at grid reference TQ299800. ... For the bridge of the same name in California, see Tower Bridge (California). ... London Transport Portal The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light rail system serving the redeveloped Docklands area of East London, England. ...

An England section includes Brighton Pier, the Angel of the North, Smiths Arms Wiltshire (the smallest pub in Britain) and Stonehenge. A Scotland are includes Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Eilean Donan, Jedburgh Abbey, Blair Atholl and Loch Ness. The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier is a pleasure pier in Brighton, England. ... Angel of the North The Angel of the North is a piece of modern sculpture by Anthony Gormley, which after several attempts to locate it elsewhere was erected in Gateshead, England As the name suggests, it is a steel sculpture of an angel, standing 20 metres tall, with wings 54... For other uses, see Stonehenge (disambiguation). ... The castle dominates the Edinburgh skyline as seen here from Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh Castle is an ancient fortress which, from its position atop Castle Rock, dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh, and is Scotlands second most visited tourist attraction, after the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and... Much of the Royal Mile is cobbled, as seen in this view looking east down the High Street past the old Tron Kirk. ... Loch Duich and Eilean Donan castle Eilean Donan castle and some surroundings Eilean Donan (Scottish Gaelic for Island of Donan), is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. ... Jedburgh Abbey from the River, 1798-99 by Thomas Girtin Jedburgh Abbey is an extremely old but important abbey in a poor state of repair, situated in Jedburgh, in the Borders of Scotland. ... Blair Atholl is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland. ... This article is about the body of water in Scotland. ...

Part way through the 2001 season an audio tour was introduced to Miniland, but it was removed at the end of the season. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Miniland contains a large number of animated models, many of which interact with each other. Cars, lorries and buses all appear to move and steer on their own, never leaving their set paths, yet not using any rails. These operate using cables buried beneath the paths that emit a low-level radio wave specific to each vehicle. The vehicles pick up this signal, and use it to steer. When a vehicle reaches one of the charging points dotted around its track, it stops, and charges its battery for a set amount of time. Outside park opening hours, the vehicles stop on the charging points and recharge overnight. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

The trains work in a similar fashion to the road vehicles, but follow tracks instead of radio signals. When a train approaches a station, the train passes over 'slow down bars', which tell an onboard microprocessor to slow the motor. When a train reaches a charging point, one of which is located at each station, it stops for a set period to recharge its battery. Unlike the road vehicles, the trains can go forwards, backwards, and vary their speed.

The boats use a simpler method of operation - they are attached to rubber loops, visible beneath the water, driven by motors. A piece of metal on the hull of the boat allow sensors along the boat's track to detect the boat, so that bridges can be raised and lowered, and locks opened and closed, at the appropriate points.

Controlling all these vehicles, along with sound and lighting effects, is a bank of 14 computers. These computers are connected to the various models, speakers and other effects using 300 kilometres of underground cabling.^[4]

Duplo Land

Originally named 'Duplo Gardens', this area is aimed at younger children. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Attractions include Fairy Tale Brook, where riders board a boat which drifts past tableaux from popular fairy tales and Chopper Squadron - (renamed from 'Whirly Birds' for the 2007 season), featuring twelve mock helicopters with the ability to rotate and move up and down at the riders control.

The Mole-in-One Golf attraction opened at the beginning of July 2007, and is one of only a few attractions incurring an additional charge. The attraction features two nine-hole minigolf courses, a yellow course and a more difficult red course. Miniature golf, also known as mini-golf, crazy golf or Putt-Putt, is a game modelled after the sport of golf. ...

Also in the area is Extreme Team Challenge (opened in 2006, originally named 'X-treme Challenge'), a pair of 100 m water slides which guests ride down in rubber dinghies reaching speeds of 35 mph.^[21]

Other child-friendly attractions in the area include the Duplo Playground play area, the Waterworks, containing fountains, water cannons, and other water play items guaranteed to get young children wet, and the Duplo Train, a short narrow-gauge railway. In addition, regular puppet shows are performed on the Willow Stage for young children (show times vary). A puppet is a representational object, usually but not always depicting a human character, used in play or a presentation. ...

Traffic

This area is themed around transport, and features the popular and well-advertised Driving School, where children can drive a Lego car around an area of intersecting tracks complete with traffic lights and road signs. Before taking to the wheel, children watch an instructional video, and when their driving time is up, they are presented with a mock license. The attraction is only open to children aged between 6 and 13 years old, with older children and adults not admitted. A smaller version of the attraction called L-Drivers is open to children aged between 3 and 5, featuring smaller cars with a single pedal. Driving School is currently sponsored by Fiat, and has in the past been sponsored by Ford and Vauxhall. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Fiat S.p. ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... For information about the football team see Vauxhall Motors F.C. Vauxhall Motors is a UK car company. ...

In a similar vein to Driving School, Boating School lets guests take control of boats around a course of waterways. This attraction is open to all. Balloon School, opened since the 1999 season, lets visitors take a 40 ft ride into the sky in a mock hot air balloon, enjoying a good view of Legoland.

The newest attraction for the area, Fire Academy (opened in 2006), is a ride for groups of 2-4. Guests board a 'fire engine' vehicle, which they must power to a mock-up of a burning building, where they pump water cannons before returning to the start.

LEGO City

The area of 'LEGO City', previously called 'My Town', is a mock-up of a small Lego town. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

One of the most visible attractions in the area is the LEGO City Harbour, a set where live stunt shows are performed at intervals throughout the day, including dives from the top of a lighthouse into the harbour below.

Also in this area is the boarding point for Orient Expedition, a train ride that takes you around Lego City, Traffic and Adventure Land, with safari animals constructed of Lego placed along the track. Originally named the I-Spy Express, the models around the track had consisted of a family of badgers having a picnic. For the 2002 season the ride was renamed 'The Adventurer's Express', and the models replaced with those on view now, and then for the 2005 season the ride was given its current name and a few new models added.

Indoor attractions in this area include the Explorer's Institute, featuring Lego models themed around the jungle, ancient Egypt and the Arctic, and the Magic Theatre, which contains a number of optical illusions.

A small area themed as Brickadilly's Fairground Rides contains a Carousel, Chairoplane, a small Ferris Wheel, and the Brickadilly's Circus Tent, which used to be used for circus shows such as The Toy Box, but is now used only for special events. This article is about the amusement ride. ... A Ferris wheel on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, USA. A Ferris wheel (or, more commonly in the UK, big wheel) is a nonbuilding structure consisting of an upright wheel with passenger gondolas suspended from the rim. ...

The area's newest ride, introduced in 2006, is Digger Challenge, which offers guests the chance to operate a mock hydraulic digger. The attraction is sponsored by digger company JCB. JCB is a family business named after its founder J.C.Bamford, producing distinctive yellow-and-black engineering vehicles, diggers (Backhoes) and excavators. ...

Land of the Vikings

The newest area of the park, Land of the Vikings opened in 2007, increasing the park's capacity by 15%. Situated behind the Hill Train, the main attraction is the Viking's River Splash, a river rapids ride. Built by ABC Rides, the ride is a traditional rapids ride with nine-seat rafts, interactive water features, and the 'Troll Wash', where buckets of water are emptied from the top of a four metre high bridge across the water channel. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... PiraÃ±a Efteling in the Netherlands Manufacturer: Intamin A river rafting ride (also commonly referred to as a river rapids ride) is an amusement ride that simulates whitewater rafting. ...

Other rides now considered part of the area are Loki's Labyrinth, which was previously the Tudor themed hedge maze of the Amazing Mazes, now re-branded with a Viking theme, and Spinning Spider, a spinning teacups style ride with a spider theme, previously considered part of the Wild Woods. Tudor usually relates to the Tudor period in English history, which refers to the period of time between 1485 and 1558/1603 when the Tudor dynasty held the English throne. ... An outdoor garden maze or labyrinth in which the walls or dividers between passages are made of vertical hedges. ... For the drinking vessel, see teacup. ...

Due to open in the area for the 2008 season is Longboat Invader, a swinging, spinning boat ride.

Wild Woods

This area is aimed at an older age group, and has a Pirate theme. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Look up pirate and piracy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

For the log-transport device of the same name, see Log flume. ... The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is iron disulfide, FeS2. ... Tudor usually relates to the Tudor period in English history, which refers to the period of time between 1485 and 1558/1603 when the Tudor dynasty held the English throne. ... This article is in need of attention. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Tudor usually relates to the Tudor period in English history, which refers to the period of time between 1485 and 1558/1603 when the Tudor dynasty held the English throne. ...

Knights' Kingdom

Previously known as 'CastleLand', this area was the first extension to the park after it opened, opening in 1998. It consists of a Castle-shaped building at the bottom of the park. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Lego Mindstorms is a line of Lego sets combining programmable bricks with electric motors, sensors, Lego bricks, and Lego Technic pieces (such as gears, axles, beams, and pneumatic parts) to build robots and other automated or interactive systems. ...

Adventure Land

The second newest area of the park (after 'Land of the Vikings'), Adventure Land is situated at the bottom of the park behind the newly named 'Adventure Land Lake'. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Example of studded construction. ...

Retail

Retail within the park can be split into two distinct categories: food and drink, and souvenirs.

Food and drink

Unlike other UK theme parks, all food and drink outlets within Legoland Windsor are currently owned and operated by the park, with the exception of the recently added Cinnabon. The main outlets are as follows: Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... For other uses, see Pizza (disambiguation). ... Bionicle is a line of toys created by the Lego Group that is marketed towards those in the 7â€“17-year-old range. ... Sea Life Centres are a chain of sealife themed attractions. ... Merlin Entertainments is the biggest attractions operator in Europe and currently the second largest operating globally after Disney. ... Cadbury Schweppes plc (Cadbury Trebor Bassett) is a chocolate and beverage company with its headquarters in London, UK. Jacob Schweppe developed a method to make mineral water in Geneva, Switzerland in 1783. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A barbecue in a public park in Australia A barbecue on a trailer at a block party in Kansas City Pans on the top shelf hold hamburgers and hot dogs that were grilled earlier when the coals were hot. ...

Souvenirs

There are a number of outlets within the park selling both Legoland-specific souvenirs and general Lego products. The main outlets are as follows: Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Screenshot of Lego Racers LEGO Racers is a computer game from LEGO Media. ... An on-ride camera is a camera mounted along side the track of a roller coaster (or a similar ride) that automatically photographs all of the riders on passing trains. ... Three types of lightsticks in several colours A lightstick, also called a glowstick, is a transparent plastic tube which contains chemical fluids held apart in two compartments. ...

Operating calendar

Legoland is open from mid-March to the beginning of November each year, though it is closed on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays in May, September and October. During this time, the park operates a variable opening times system, which roughly follows the school holidays in the UK. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

The park always opens at 10am. By default, the park closes at 5pm. During the Easter holidays, other select public holidays (such as bank holidays), weekends in June, July, September and October, and during the end of season celebrations and fireworks, the park closes at 6pm. During the summer holidays, (late July to the beginning of September), the park closes at 7pm. During the After-Dark event, which is held in the Easter holidays, the park closes at 9pm. A Bank Holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and also in the Republic of Ireland. ...

Special events

Each year Legoland Windsor hosts a number of special events. Most are annual, and take place year on year, but occasionally one-off events are held. Regular events are as follows:

After Dark

Held during the Easter School Holidays, the After Dark event spans three days, during which the park’s opening hours are extended to 9pm. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2848 Ã— 2136 pixel, file size: 1. ...

As the name suggests, most of the event takes place after sunset, when a laser show can be observed over the Lego City Harbour, or, in more recent years, over the Adventure Land Lake. This is often accompanied by small pyrotechnics, and in recent years water displays. Pyrotechnics is a field of study often thought synonymous with the manufacture of fireworks, but more accurately it has a wider scope that includes items for military and industrial uses. ...

To celebrate Legoland’s 10th Anniversary in 2006, a large water projection screen was created over the Adventure Land Lake, and was used to project various images onto, including the 10th Anniversary logo.

These events are also given themes, for example the 2007 event was given a Batman theme. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ...

Most rides within the park usually stay open until the park closes at 9pm. This excludes certain rides such as Boating School and Fairy Tale Brook, which close at dusk as they do not have sufficient lighting; a large safety issue as they are water rides. Rides such as the Dragon Coaster become very popular after dark, as without trackside lighting they take on the feel of an indoor dark ride.

Legoland Live!

A recent addition to the parks special events, Legoland Live is a concert aimed at young children, which takes place in July at the start of school summer holidays.

Various activities are held around the park, such as circus skills workshops within Brickadilly’s Circus Tent. Entertainers in costume also walk around the park.

The highlight is a concert-style performance, showcasing performers for young children. For example, the 2007 Legoland Live! concert featured Barney & Friends, Bob the Builder and Pingu. Barney & Friends is a popular childrens television show produced in the United States, mainly aimed at preschoolers. ... Bob the Builder is a childrens television clay character created by Keith Chapman. ... Pingu Pingu is a Swiss animated childrens television series about a family of penguins who live at the South Pole. ...

Amazing Machines

Another recent addition to the special events calendar is Amazing Machines, which is held over a weekend in September.

Monster Trucks and motorbikes perform various stunts in the arena. Classical vehicles are also brought into the park and are showcased in various different areas. 2005 Bigfoot monster truck racing in Arizona A monster truck is an automobile, typically a pickup truck, which has been modified or purposely built with extremely large wheels and suspension. ...

Fireworks

By far the most popular special event is the end of season fireworks, and this is the only event to have occurred every year since the park opened in 1996. Usually spanning two weekends, the end of season fireworks often bring the park to capacity.

Activities take place around the park all day, and have included such things as treasure hunts and dance workshops. Rides usually close one hour before the show commences, and some reopen after the show to alleviate congestion on the exit roads.

The fireworks are usually fired from Adventure Land, with the whole area being cordoned off and used as a firing area and fall-out zone. The exit road also constitutes part of the fall-out zone, and so during the show it is not possible to leave the park. The show is regularly described as one of the largest firework displays in the south of England.

The main viewing areas are the Lego City Harbour, and the bottom of Miniland. At these locations, large public address systems are set up which play the music for the show. There is also a pre-display show, with special lighting effects and sometimes video, which ties in with the theme of the event. As the park is on a moderately steep hill, and the fireworks are detonated from the bottom, it is possible to have a good view from most of the park, though it is not possible to hear the music or see the pre-show from many areas.

The event is always themed, usually around a range of Lego products. Previous themes have included Rock Raiders, Lego Insectoids and Bionicle. LEGO Rock Raiders was a Lego theme started 1999, and was discontinued in 2000. ... Bionicle is a line of toys created by the Lego Group that is marketed towards those in the 7â€“17-year-old range. ...

Christmas openings

During the Christmases of 1999 and 2000, Legoland Windsor opened for special "Christmas Seasons". During these seasons, the park operated as normal (i.e. all rides were open), but with special shows, events and attractions relevant to the season. For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ...

For the 1999 Christmas season (November 20, 1999 – January 3, 2000), the following attractions were present:^[8] This article is about the year. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

For the 2000 Christmas season (November 18, 2000 – January 7, 2001), the same attractions were put in place, with the following exceptions:^[10] This article is about the play by J.M. Barrie. ... Captain James Hook is the villain of J. M. Barries play and novel Peter Pan. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the play by J.M. Barrie. ... Wendy Moira Angela Darling is a fictional heroine and main female protagonist in the Peter Pan stories by J.M. Barrie, in all their theatrical, literary, and motion picture adaptations. ... Wire-flying is a theatrical stunt which involves suspending an actor from from high-tension wires, normally with a harness concealed under the costume to simulate the action of flying or falling, especially in the presence of other actors. ... Gustave DorÃ©s illustration for Cendrillon Cinderella (French: Cendrillon) is a popular fairy tale embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. ... The Twelve Days of Christmas is an English Christmas carol which enumerates a series of grandiose gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Pyrotechnics is a field of study often thought synonymous with the manufacture of fireworks, but more accurately it has a wider scope that includes items for military and industrial uses. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

In the years following these two festive seasons, the park has opened the Big Shop during the time between seasons, as well as the rest of the Beginning (much like the beginning of a standard day, with the exception being that the main path to the rest of the park is boarded off as opposed to roped off). During these periods the Big Shop has had large sales, and one year a KUKA Robocoaster was installed. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... The Twelve Days of Christmas is an English Christmas carol which enumerates a series of grandiose gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. ... The New Year is an event that happens when a culture celebrates the end of one year and the beginning of the next year. ... KUKA industrial robots welding a car body in the white section of a production line. ...

Awards

Since opening in 1996 the Park has won a number of awards: Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

This article is about the year. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Legoland Windsor - The History of the Legoland Parks (PDF).
^ ^a ^b BBC News – Troubled Lego Sells Theme Parks.
^ Royals get to grips with Legoland's bricks.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Legoland Windsor Souvenir Guidebook, 1997
^ Legoland Windsor: Where the Fun is Building, Park Brochure, 1995
^ ^a ^b Legoland Windsor Park Guide, 1998
^ ^a ^b ^c Legoland Windsor Park Guide, 1999
^ ^a ^b ^c Christmas at Legoland Park Guide, 1999
^ ^a ^b Legoland Windsor Park Brochure, 2000
^ ^a ^b ^c Christmas at Legoland, Promotional Leaflet, 2000
^ Legoland Windsor Show Times, March 12 - July 8, 2005
^ BBC News – Royals get to grips with Legoland’s Bricks.
^ Legoland Windsor Park Brochure, 2004
^ Legoland Windsor Park Guide, 2005
^ BBC News – Lego to Sell Parks as Losses Rise.
^ BBC News – Ailing Lego nears Theme-park Sale.
^ Legoland Windsor Park Guide, 2006
^ BBC News – Fire at Legoland during Fireworks.
^ Legoland Windsor Park Guide, 2007
^ Google Earth
^ ^a ^b Legoland Windsor: The Official Guide, 2006
^ Christmas at Legoland Show Times, 1999

is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Google Earth is a virtual globe program that was originally called Earth Viewer and was created by Keyhole, Inc. ...

External links

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Simple animation in Flash MX; a square moving across the screen in a motion tween, one of the basic functions of Flash. ... Google Maps (for a time named Google Local) is a free web mapping service application and technology provided by Google that powers many map-based services including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder and embedded maps on third-party websites via the Google Maps API. It offers street maps... Lego Group is a family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark and best known for the manufacture of Lego-brand toys. ... For other uses, see Lego (disambiguation). ... This article describes the History of the LEGO Group. ... Lego Group logo This article lists notable events and releases in the timeline of the Lego Group and Lego products. ... This is a list of Lego themes, or lines of Lego sets. ... ... Throughout the history of the Lego company, they have published many board games based around current product themes. ... The Duplo logo. ... Lego pneumatics is a variety of Lego bricks which utilise air pressure and specialised components to perform various actions utilising the principles of pneumatics. ... Lego Baby is a line of blocks by the Lego Group for very young children. ... Space, Castle, and Town minifigures Minifigures are small, plastic figural toys produced by Danish toy manufacturer Lego, which are usually sold with Lego sets, as characters intended to populate modular Lego environments. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Godfred Kirk Christiansen (July 8, 1920 - July 13, 1995) is the son of Ole Kirk Christiansen, the founder of LEGO. Lego Group Categories: | | | ... Chief executive of Lego, Billund, Denmark-based toymaker, since 1979. ... JÃ¸rgen Vig Knudstorp is the current CEO, and has been, since 2004 of the Lego Group. ... The entrance of Legoland Deutschland. ... Legoland Billund, the original Legoland park, opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark. ... Legoland California is the third LEGOLAND park, that is located in Carlsbad, California. ... Legoland Deutschland is a Legoland park located in GÃ¼nzburg, Germany. ... BrickFest is a convention for Adult Fans of LEGOÂ® (AFOL). ... Brickworld is a convention for (AFOLs)adult fans of Lego. ... A typical FLL robot from the 2004 season, using the RIS platform The FIRST Lego League (also known by its acronym FLL) is a competition for elementary and middle school students (ages 9-14, 9-16 in Europe), arranged by the FIRST organization. ... Robofest Logo Robofest is a competition for 5-12 graders where a team of up to 5 members builds and programs 2 robots to complete multiple missions in 2 minutes autonomously. ... Adam and Eve from The Brick Testament website The Brick Testament is a project created by Brendan Powell Smith in which Bible stories are illustrated using still photographs of dioramas constructed entirely out of LEGO bricks. ... A brickfilm is any film made using LEGO bricks, Mega Bloks bricks, or other similar plastic construction toys. ... Clone Bricks are imitation LEGO Bricks, such as Mega Bloks, Tyco bricks, and others. ... Irregular Webcomic! is a webcomic created by David Morgan-Mar, an Australian physicist. ... L gauge is the unofficial term for toy trains built from LEGOÂ®. There are many different sizes within the nomenclature. ... LDraw is a popular system of free software tools for modeling Lego creations in 3D. The LDraw file format and original program were written by James Jessiman. ... Lego Serious Play in action (Photographs: David Gauntlett) Lego Serious Play, an official product of the Lego Group, is a form of business consultancy fostering creative thinking, in which team members build metaphors of their organisational identities and experiences using Lego bricks. ... Lego Magazine is the Official Magazine for Lego, or, more specifically, the Lego Club. ... // General LUGNETâ„¢, The LEGO Users Group Network, is one of the largest online LEGO-oriented communities. ... MLCAD is a program for building with LEGOs, akin to the computer game LEGO Creator. ... Modulex logo Modulex head office in Billund, Denmark. ... My Own Creation (MOC), is a specialized term given to custom designs built by individuals utilizing the popular Lego bricks, or similar construction toys usually modeled directly like Lego. ...

Coordinates: 51.46351° N 0.65114° W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Contents

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