Relax - A sneak peek into Malaysia's Lego wonderland

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MALAYSIA - Over 40 attractions - including roller coasters, a Miniland with landmarks of Asia built with some 30 million Lego pieces, and workshops - that's what Legoland Malaysia promises.

No wonder fellow reporter Joy Fang and I couldn't wait to take a peek at the theme park, the first Legoland in Asia.

There are Legoland branches in Denmark, the United States, Germany and Britain. But Legoland Malaysia, located in Nusajaya in the southern tip of Johor, is just a short hop away from Singapore, making it a must-visit.

This was what Joy and I - along with thousands of other invited guests - did recently, ahead of the park's opening on Saturday. Our spirits were high as we spied the colourful arc of Lego bricks at the theme park's entrance from our bus.

Once inside, we whipped out our cameras and posed for shots with all things Lego, like a giant giraffe, a woman and child in traditional Malay dress and an "uncle" snoozing on a bench.

The park is about the size of 50 football pitches and, rides aside, there are exclusive items like Lego watches, apparel and various Lego sets to bring home.

There were a few disappointments, though. The park is designed largely for kids, equipped as it is with playgrounds and rides for the young ones.

On the day of our visit, a number of rides were not yet ready, such as the Dino Island ride, which will see one go splashing down a 12m-high waterfall.

Still, we were delighted to see that Singapore is represented in Miniland, with Lego versions of the Merlion and the Singapore Flyer.

Read on for our top picks of the rides and attractions so far.

Legoland Malaysia opens on Saturday. One-day passes cost RM140 (S$56) per adult, and RM110 for a child (aged between three and 11) or senior citizen (aged 60 and up). Visit www.legoland.com.my

Gwen's top picks

AHOY, CAPTAIN!

What: Take lessons at Boating School, where you can learn to drive your very own boat.

Great for: Both adults and kids who want a shot at navigating waterways.

Features: Manoeuvre your battery-powered boat along the winding waterways.

Climb aboard one of the brightly coloured boats made of Lego bricks - take your pick from a red, blue or yellow ride. Each boat can take up to three people, but I say this is best experienced on your own.

Gwen says: The free-floating boat gives you ultimate control along the narrow waterways, unlike similar boat rides, which were built on tracks, that I experienced at other theme parks.

But don't underestimate this boating ride. I assumed it would be a breeze but, boy, was I wrong.

While my colleague and other adults - used to steering a car at least - cruised through the water channels, I - a non-driver - had a bit of a bumpy time, literally.

At almost every turn, I over-compensated on the steering, bumping into wooden platforms. And my inexperience with steering even caused (eeks!) a minor collision with the boat behind mine.

Needless to say, I did not acquire my Lego boating licence that day. If it hadn't been for the queue of other eager-beaver visitors champing at the bit to take to the water, I would have been game to try the course again. Alas, I guess I have to try again next time.

4-D-MANIA

What: Catch a mini 4-D movie at the Lego Studios.

Great for: Kids who love cartoons and parents in need of air-conditioned respite.

Features: The studio seats 500 people at a time and, here, one can enjoy a 4-D adventure complete with 3-D animation, and gusts of wind, rain and lightning that echo what goes on onscreen.

Choose from three shows, lasting between 10 and 14 minutes each, featuring everything from wizards to car racers. Catch the hourly shows that start from 11.30am and end at 6.30pm.

Gwen says: I stepped into the movie studio, desperate to escape the sweltering heat.

The theme park doesn't offer much shade, and I was literally wilting in the sun as I walked around. In the end, I caught a movie called Spellbreaker, which sees a brave blacksmith fearlessly attempting to save a mediaeval kingdom from an evil wizard.

Sure, such save-the-kingdom plots are pretty predictable, but the animation proved to be a hit with kids - and the kid in me.

The entire 14-minute show was met with enthusiastic "oohs" and "aahs" from the children around me.

And they emitted happy, excited squeals as they were splattered with generous amounts of suds and water. Personally, I welcomed getting wet, as I was happy just to cool down.

Joy's top picks

SPEED MONSTER

What: Hop aboard The Dragon - a green roller coaster in the shape of a dragon - which is modelled after its famous mascot, Ollie.

Great for: Adults and kids who really love high-speed dips and curves.

Features: The ride is located within a mediaeval-style castle. What's interesting is that it goes through caves where Lego figures can be found, before the ride emerges into the daylight. The roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 60kmh.

If your kid needs a bravery boost, take him to The Dragon's Apprentice, a smaller (and less scary) version of The Dragon, first.

Joy says: Okay, I'll admit that the ride is not as high or as heart-pumpingly scary as some rides I've been on overseas.

There aren't any 360-degree turns or sharp, steep drops that would get you screaming.

But comparisons aside, one can't deny that this ride is fun. I particularly enjoyed the Lego figures - I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of a huge Lego butcher with a cleaver.

BIRD'S EYE VIEW

What: At 60m tall, the circular Observation Tower can't be missed as it rises and rotates. Great for: Adults and kids who need a break from running around the park.

Features: The tower is the highlight of the park and its highest point. It takes visitors up to a height of 41m, and offers a panoramic view of the entire Legoland and the surrounding area. See if you can spot the Singapore Flyer at Miniland from there.

The tower can lift 1,000 visitors each hour. Everyone gets a seat, so you don't have to jostle for a good spot by the windows.

Joy says: I like the fact that the tower is air-conditioned and has seats. The ride is a little slow, however, taking a total of about 15 minutes to go up and down.

The good thing is that it rotates once when you're at the top, so you get a great 360-degree view of the place.

Still, a large part of the area is under development, so other than a good look of the park itself, expect to see a lot of sand, stone and carpark views.

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Legoland Malaysia is divided into seven themes as follows:

The beginning

This is the entrance area where all of the fun begins, where visitors will be greeted with big letters, hinting at the joy to come. The shops here will have the largest selection of Lego toys found anywhere in the region. (Features include Entry Archway, The Big Shop and Pick a Brick.)

Lego city

Kids here might have their first experience as drivers. They can captain a boat (above), drive their own Legoland cars and even apply to get a driver's licence. Catch the Fire and Rescue Academy which is another classic Legoland ride where the whole family can help put out a fire in Lego fire trucks! (Features include Lego City Fire Academy, Driving School and Boating School.)

Miniland

There will be some of Asia's iconic landmarks such as Singapores Merlion, Cambodias Angkor Wat, Indias Taj Mahal, Malaysias Petronas Towers and many more. Miniland also features animated models that interact with each other.

Land of adventure

Here, kids and families will get to travel to the past, to great civilisations where pharaohs and gods roam. Visitors can look for hidden treasure in temples and ruins and also they can test their courage at Dino island! (Features include The Lost Kingdom Adventure, Beetle Bounce and Dino Island.)

Imagination

This area is one for the ultimate Lego fan. This is a place where visitors can actually build with the bricks. Everyone in the family can contribute to the creation. Also, the Kid Power Towers will surely impress and kids can get a bird's eye view before they drop and pull themselves back up. This area is wildly popular around the world! (Features include The Observation Tower, Kid Power Towers, Build and Test.)

Lego kingdoms

This part of the theme parks turns kids into knights and princesses, and puts them in charge of their own kingdom. They can conquer and ride dragons, be the guest of honour at the knights feast or trade with the kingdom's ancient merchants at the king's market. (Features include The Dragon, The Castle, The Forestmen's Hideout and the Royal Joust Arena.)

Lego technic

Step into the future and dare to brave the razor sharp turns of the Project-X. Enjoy mind-bending exercises at the Mindstorm and academy section. (Features include Aquazone Wave Racers, Project-X and Lego Mindstorms.)

For the comfort of visitors from far away places, a hotel will be also be constructed on 2.4 acres of land adjacent to Merlins new Legoland Malaysia Theme Park Resort.

The Legoland Hotel, scheduled to open its doors in the first half of 2014, brings to life with its imaginative theming and a host of child- friendly features from low counters in the restaurant to treasure chests full of Lego in the bedrooms.

There will be three types of themed bedroom - pirate, kingdom or adventure - all with interactive challenges to keep children mesmerised for hours.

It is also interesting to note that 15,000 Lego models are being built for the Legoland Malaysia and 50 million Lego bricks will be used to build all models.

Legoland Malaysia is the sixth Legoland park in the world. The first was opened in 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The others are located in Berkshire, England (1996); Gunzburg, Germany (2002)and California (1999) and Florida (2011) in the US.

For more information on how to get there, click here.

Photos: Legoland Malaysia

A sneak peek into Malaysia's Lego wonderland

By Gwendolyn Ng, my paper, The Brunei Times/ANN | Tue, Sep 11 2012

Legoland, ultimately, is a kids' paradise.