Legoland Shanghai Resort opened to the public on 5 July, giving China its first Legoland and, at launch, the largest in the global franchise. The 318,000-square-metre park sits in Shanghai’s Jinshan District, roughly 50 kilometres from the city centre, and becomes the 11th Legoland worldwide. Developed for about US$550 million by Merlin Entertainments in partnership with the LEGO Group and local authorities, the resort incorporates more than 85 million Lego bricks. Visitors can explore eight themed zones and more than 75 rides and shows, including Miniland replicas of the Temple of Heaven, the Bund and other Chinese landmarks, all overseen by a 26-metre Lego figure nicknamed “Dada.” Opening-day tickets sold out even as Shanghai issued an orange heatwave alert with temperatures exceeding 37 °C. Reuters reporters observed thousands of families queueing for attractions; park staff distributed water and handled at least one case of heatstroke. Many guests had already purchased annual passes during trial operations that began in June. Travel-platform Qunar said hotel reservations in Jinshan surged between three and 4.5 times from a year earlier, underscoring the park’s potential to stimulate local spending. LEGO Group Chief Executive Officer Niels B. Christiansen called the resort an “integral part” of the company’s China strategy, while tourism analysts highlighted the project—as well as Shanghai Disneyland nine years earlier—as evidence that branded theme parks are becoming anchors for domestic tourism growth.