LEGOLAND BGW: How Would It Look

[Nicole]

With all of the current speculation about Merlin buying parts of SEAS, I thought it might be fun to think about how BGW could be turned into a LEGOLAND park. Honestly, I think the two properties might suit each other fairly well.

So, I have created this thread for everyone to share their concepts for places where LEGO might fit in the Old Country.

I'll start with my idea for MINILAND EUROPE.

At LEGOLAND Florida there is an incredibly cool area, called MINILAND USA, made up of recreations of iconic buildings and neighborhoods from major US cities. Georgetown University and the Kennedy Space Center are my personal favorites. Regardless, I think a similar display, using architecture from BGW’s countries, would be completely appropriate.

Here are some ideas off the top of my head:

England -- Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral
Scotland -- Loch Ness (with Nessie, of course), Edinburgh Castle, Wallace Monument
Ireland -- Trinity College, Blarney Castle, the Four Courts
France -- Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower
Germany -- Nuremberg Christmas Market, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate
Italy -- Colosseum, Grand Canal, Leaning Tower of Pisa, St Peter's Basilica, Pantheon

I think there are a ton of other ways LEGO IP could be integrated into BGW.

 

[Luke]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

Pusheen Gardens would be more betters.

 

[warfelg]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

I've never been to LEGOLAND so it's hard to really understand how their concept works, but I would think that Merlin could use their Europe ties to really bolster BGW no?

 

[Nicole]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

For the purposes of this concept thread, the idea is that they would merge the existing European theme with their traditional LEGO theme.

For example, Escape From Pompeii could be modified to have the scenes recreated out of LEGO bricks.

At LEGOLAND Florida, all of the attractions have LEGO integrated in some way, and there are amazing LEGO sculptures everywhere. Their carousel, for example, uses horses that look like LEGO horses.

 

[halfabee]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

At long last, Verbolten's wheels would look as square as they roll!

 

[Youhow2]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

I sincerely hope they don't turn BGW into a legoland.

 

[Zachary]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

I love BGW's original theme and execution as it exists today and I'd be crushed to see it altered.

That said, LEGO Gardens could legitimately be the best option out of a very bad situation. Busch Gardens will never have the money to return to its previous old-world grandeur. Right now we are struggling to tread water—and I'd honestly argue that we are still taking on water.

Merlin/LEGO has shown that they can take over a park and not turn it into a souless IP showcase. Maybe that is the best option we have...

 

[Nicole]

RE: LEGOLAND BGW

There seems to be confusion about the purpose of my post. I've edited the title for clarity.

All of this is an interesting debate and perhaps someone should start a discussion elsewhere about the pros and cons of a Merlin purchase. This thread, however, is a concept thread (which I was asked to set up) about what a LEGO overlay on BGW might look like.

It is like any other concept. The purpose is not to debate whether the community wants that integration, but to speculate about where the two themes might effectively mesh.

In other words, the purpose is to discuss HOW it would look, not WHETHER it should exist.

 

[tursiops]

Turn the wasted space in Castle O'Sullivan in to an area for kids to play with Legos. Have all sorts of Lego statues in there and workers helping kids build things. Then after they are done leave them therected and pay nothing, or you can buy your creation.

 

[halfabee]

Interesting idea. They could weigh each kid's contraption on the way out the door and charge the parents by the ounce.

You get the decision paralysis and gross margin percentages of a froyo shop; the sanitation needs of a high-occupancy ball pit; and the occasional sensory experience of treading barefoot on sharp gravel.

Just kidding. I'd be in there all the time.

 

[jornor]

Lego Museum of BG's History / Through The Years / etc. (mini or full scale).

 

[CastleOSullivan]

Turn the wasted space in Castle O'Sullivan in to an area for kids to play with Legos. Have all sorts of Lego statues in there and workers helping kids build things. Then after they are done leave them therected and pay nothing, or you can buy your creation.

OR they could re-create the entire show with Legos! Just kidding.

Actually, some type of build your own toy area sounds really cool. Maybe they could put something like this in the empty Land of the Dragons show area. If Castle O'Sullivan stagnates too much longer, I might even settle for something like this in there.

Not directly related to Legos: I know Playmobil isn't a major them park chain (there's currently only one in Germany), but I think at least Land of the Dragons could remain unchanged as a play area, since Playmobil is based more on real life rater than blocks. In fact, SeaWorld has/had some toys that were either from Playmobil or were very good knockoffs.

It's just a thought.

 

[halfabee]

Lego Museum of BG's History / Through The Years / etc. (mini or full scale).

Hmm, attractions and memories suitable to be recreated in miniature in the Castle O'Sullivan building:

• Gladiator's Gauntlet
• Le Mans
• Tradewinds
• Wildkatze
• Wild Maus
• Glissade
• Drachen Fire and Big Bad Wolf next to each other in a gigantic combined Lego slice of Oktoberfest
• The old Festhaus bandstand with full complement of band members up top, dancers below
• Simulator statuary: Questor Elf on the hovering bicycle; Corkscrew Hill innkeeper, witch, or horse
• King's Menagerie Petting Zoo
• Monorail and brewery guest area interior
• Haunts of the Olde Country statue of Leslie Nielsen
• Hastings miniature hamlet
• Lego fresco of the old dancing shows/revues they once had at the Magic Lantern Theatre
• Gigantic recreation of the Busch Gardens coins the performers used to toss to the audience at MLT
• Shooting gallery and magic shop interiors
• Nostramos miniature set with the big monster thing lifting him off the ground
• Old bridge between Oktoberfest and Rhinefeld, crossing the ravine behind current Mach Tower area
• Grimm's Hollow
• For the die-hards: the old, narrower guest vehicle entrance with the "Speed Limit 8 mph" signs
• Lego fresco of the original park map circa 1975
• More statuary: Illuminights pole acrobats, German marching band, and Italy street performers
• Overhead layout viewpoint on a Halloween maze
• Pompeii lit up for Christmas
• Original double decker bus parking lot shuttle
• Original Rhine River cruise boat look
• Country hoedown at the Canadian Palladium
• SPIDER!
• There was a Trabant ride ages ago

Ehhh, I think that's about it. What did I miss...?

 

[warfelg]

Lego Museum of BG's History / Through The Years / etc. (mini or full scale).

Hmm, attractions and memories suitable to be recreated in miniature in the Castle O'Sullivan building:

• Gladiator's Gauntlet
• Le Mans
• Tradewinds
• Wildkatze
• Wild Maus
• Glissade
• Drachen Fire and Big Bad Wolf next to each other in a gigantic combined Lego slice of Oktoberfest
• The old Festhaus bandstand with full complement of band members up top, dancers below
• Simulator statuary: Questor Elf on the hovering bicycle; Corkscrew Hill innkeeper, witch, or horse
• King's Menagerie Petting Zoo
• Monorail and brewery guest area interior
• Haunts of the Olde Country statue of Leslie Nielsen
• Hastings miniature hamlet
• Lego fresco of the old dancing shows/revues they once had at the Magic Lantern Theatre
• Gigantic recreation of the Busch Gardens coins the performers used to toss to the audience at MLT
• Shooting gallery and magic shop interiors
• Nostramos miniature set with the big monster thing lifting him off the ground
• Old bridge between Oktoberfest and Rhinefeld, crossing the ravine behind current Mach Tower area
• Grimm's Hollow
• For the die-hards: the old, narrower guest vehicle entrance with the "Speed Limit 8 mph" signs
• Lego fresco of the original park map circa 1975
• More statuary: Illuminights pole acrobats, German marching band, and Italy street performers
• Overhead layout viewpoint on a Halloween maze
• Pompeii lit up for Christmas
• Original double decker bus parking lot shuttle
• Original Rhine River cruise boat look
• Country hoedown at the Canadian Palladium
• SPIDER!
• There was a Trabant ride ages ago

Ehhh, I think that's about it. What did I miss...?

"Everything is Awesome" playing through the speakers as you walk through!

 

[whanna]

Great idea.
How about they rebuild the entire park (as a model), paths and trees, in Lego blocks. Anyone that's ever driven on 78 in Pennsylvania has surely seen Roadside America. A guy had a dream, and spent tons of money building his own little town, to scale, including trolleys, trains, cars, people, houses, even livestock.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g53659-d259665-Reviews-Roadside_America-Shartlesville_Pennsylvania.html
Tripadvisor link because their own website doesn't really show much of the layout.
Could either build the park as it was after all hamlets were initially open (initial rides in place), or continue to update it as items are replaced/added (BBW for Verbolten).

Edited to clarify - rebuild (as a model)

 

[Zimmy]

I think the sky ride would look nice as lego

 

[whanna]

I think the sky ride would look nice as lego

OK, some things may not translate well easily. I did build a Lego VW Bug (perfect wife!), and it was complete down to the fan belt (just an o-ring really), so it could still be done.