Legoland Shanghai Resort marked a significant milestone by attracting over 2 million visitors in its first year of operation, ranking highest among all Legoland parks worldwide in both inaugural visitor numbers and guest satisfaction, according to officials at the resort’s recent anniversary event.
John Jakobsen, chief strategic portfolio development officer at Merlin Entertainments, the parent company of Legoland, highlighted the strong performance as an indicator of China’s expanding family tourism market and the broader vitality of the country’s cultural tourism sector. He noted that the Shanghai project is the largest undertaking in Merlin Entertainments’ history, reflecting high expectations fueled by the established popularity of the Lego brand in China.
“We have never seen guests as satisfied and positive with their experience as those here in China,” Jakobsen said, underscoring the success of the resort’s design, which draws on nearly six decades of Legoland expertise across 10 global parks. The Shanghai facility offers several China-specific features, including Monkie Kid Land—a unique attraction based on Chinese folklore—and a custom Miniland showcasing key Chinese cultural landmarks. The park has also pioneered new food, beverage, and retail concepts now being adopted by other Legoland resorts worldwide.
Chen Jie, general manager of Legoland Shanghai Resort, pointed out that the resort’s most frequent annual pass holder visited 254 times during the year. The majority of annual pass members reside within the Shanghai metropolitan area and adjacent Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, accounting for 76.5 percent of memberships. Meanwhile, visitor numbers from Beijing, Guangdong, and Shandong provinces have grown rapidly among more distant markets.
Financially, the resort has maintained a balanced revenue stream, with approximately half derived from ticket sales and half from secondary spending such as retail and dining. The on-site retail store emerged as the top-performing Lego store nationwide. Chen also noted a substantial increase in local transportation usage, with ride-hailing orders to and from the Jinshan district where the resort is located rising 735 percent compared to the first half of 2025.
Jinshan district, hosting Legoland Shanghai Resort, has seen a surge in tourism since the park’s opening, welcoming over 20 million visitors. Zhuang Jian, chairman of Legoland Shanghai Resort and Party secretary of Shanghai New Jinshan Investment Share Holding Group Co Ltd, reported that total revenue from cultural, sports, and entertainment industries in the district has quadrupled. Overall tourism revenue in Jinshan reached 6.78 billion yuan ($996 million), marking a 20.3 percent year-on-year increase, with accommodation and food services leading growth across the city in 2025.
The resort’s strategic location in Jinshan provides convenient access to the Shanghai metropolitan area and the greater Yangtze River Delta region. Passenger traffic at the nearby Jinshan North Station has surged by 44 percent since the park’s launch, reflecting its growing significance as a regional tourism destination.