As school in Shanghai started a new term, the end of the summer holiday led me to a spontaneous decision for a mini-trip to LEGOLAND Shanghai. After booking a package through Dianping for 835 RMB (about USD 115), which included one night in a nearby hotel, free breakfast, and private hotel pickup, my adventure was set.

No Dianping? No problem, expats/visitors can easily book Legoland tickets and packages on Trip.com

Getting There

Jinshan Bei Railway Station

Legoland is much closer to the shanghai city that I thought. I took a train from **Hongqiao Railway Station** to **Jinshan North (Jinshan Bei)** — a super quick **18-minute ride with no stops**. From there, it’s just **1.5 km to the park entrance**, and you can easily go there with a short Didi ride.

LEGOLAND Shanghai operates from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, with gates closing at 7:00 pm. There’s a LEGOLAND Hotel attached to the park, but rooms are in high demand, ranging from 1,302–2,976 RMB per night (USD 180–410).

First Impression

I arrived at 9:48 am, greeted by a cheerful brass band, and entered smoothly with my pre-booked ticket.

The moment I stepped in, I was drawn to the bright, colorful LEGO sculptures and decorations, full of photo opportunities. The BIG MERCH SHOP right at the entrance offered a chance to touch and play with LEGO blocks, bringing so much of nostalgia.

Next, I used the locker area, which has three sizes and charges a fee for unlimited access — a great convenience for storing bags, so I didn’t have to carry everything while I was exploring the park.

Staff & Facilities

Staff are well-trained, friendly, very helpful and most of them are English-speaking.
The whole park environment is spotless and sparkling clean
Toilets are frequent, clean, and kid-friendly, with squat and seated options plus refillable drinkable taps.
The whole park is non-smoking, no smoking area, strictly no smoking anywhere in the park.
The design of the park is fully accessible, and stroller rental is available

Exploring the Park: 8 Themed Areas

The best way to explore is clockwise around the park. There are eight themed Areas, each packed with creativity:

Theme Area 1: LEGO City

This felt like every child’s dream playground — a mini city with a pier, fire station, police station, and driving school.

The highlight was the LEGO Cinema: a 4D theatre with three different films per day, complete with AC, moving chairs, and water sprays. Short 15-minute bursts of fun, perfect for cooling off.

I also loved the Design & Race Your Own LEGO Car — I didn’t even need to be a kid to enjoy it.

From there, I hopped on the mini LEGO train. Designed to look like oversized LEGO bricks, it gave a charming overview of a quarter of the park.

Theme Area 2: LEGO Friends

This area has the water park, so I made a mental note to come back later with a change of clothes. I did, however, try the Heartlake Swing, my first proper ride of the day — simple but fun.

There’s also a Design Studio where you can pixelate your photo into LEGO art, and a Build-a-Boat station. The whole place buzzes with creativity.

Theme Area 3: LEGO Monkie Kid

LEGO Monkie Kid

Based on Journey to the West, that gives LEGOLAND a unique Chinese twist. However, The **water ride wasn’t ready yet**, which was a shame, but inside there’s an interactive Monkey King workshop where kids build their own LEGO Monkey King, scan it, and see it come alive on a huge screen. The results were hilarious and surprisingly entertaining even just to watch. Bonus: **strong AC inside** — a lifesaver on a 36°C day.

Lunch: Pigsy’s Food Court

After three zones, I enjoyed proper Chinese cuisine:

Seven dishes including Sweet & Sour Pork, Kung Pao Shrimp, Curry Chicken, Cantonese Steamed Fish with Choy Sum, Shrimp Cakes, and a piggy dessert.
1 drink, total 399 RMB (USD 55) for one person.
Best quality food inside the park. (Forgot to take pictures as I was starving, it happens sometimes)

Theme Area 4: LEGO Ninjago

The signature ride is a must-do:

Fully driverless vehicle, launch fireballs at enemies on screen, track individual scores.
Outdoor area features a giant LEGO cherry blossom tree, perfect for photos.

Theme Area 5: LEGO Castle

A medieval fantasy zone, reminiscent of Harry Potter with flying dragons:

Two roller coasters: a mini one and the Green Dragon, the best thrill ride here.
Ride starts slowly indoors and then speeds up outdoors with sharp turns — exhilarating and immersive.

Theme Area 6: Bricktopia

Think Zootopia, but in LEGO. It’s animal-themed, colorful, and great for toddlers ages 3–5. For adults, not much to do except enjoy the interactive show with singing and dancing. Still, it was a nice breather.

Theme Area 7 & 8: LEGOLAND Creative World & Highlights

The heart of LEGOLAND is here, and it’s where I had my best moments:

LEGOLAND Boat Tour: Floating past miniature recreations of Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai, Potala Palace, Himalayas, Guilin, and the Three Gorges. Stunning. I wanted to ride it twice.
Big LEGO Coaster: The star of the entire park. Bigger, faster, more exhilarating than the Green Dragon. I rode it twice (and then again before leaving).
Indoor Miniland: Perfect for AC, with a snack café and LEGO cityscapes, I can easily spend an hour or two in there to go through all the incredible details of these miniature cities, there are so many, and my photos below don’t justify how awesome they are!! The whole space has its own Day/Night lighting, which alternates every 10 minutes or so. There are also some moving parts, like vehicles, boats, and even the subway! Visitors can also build the Great Wall of China with LEGO blocks!!
Light Show (5 pm): A spectacular display as lights danced over the miniature landmarks, and told the story of LEGO and creativity. I enjoyed it a lot.
Lookout Ride: Slowly spinning to the top, offering a panoramic sunset view of the entire park. Magical way to end the day.

Of course, I finished with ice cream (48 RMB for 2 scoops) and one last wander through the BIG SHOP. Eight hours flew by without a single dull moment.

Total: Almost 8 hours of non-stop fun and exploration.

What I Loved

It’s new, clean, and well-designed, and is unique for China.
Kid-friendly facilities: toilets everywhere, non-smoking park.
Rides for both kids and adults
Photogenic corners, quirky easter eggs, and LEGO art everywhere.
The app works flawlessly for maps and wait times.
Staff were consistently smiling, helpful, and bilingual.

Areas for Improvement

Merchandise: Cute designs but not enough adult sizes.
Ride photos: 88 RMB per print + 20 RMB for digital, or 199 RMB for a keychain. Hard to justify.
Crowds: My visit was quiet (maybe 300 people total). On a holiday? I can’t imagine. My advice: avoid public holidays or summer vacation.

Quirky Detour: Pinghu Mountain Sea All Day City

I stayed overnight at Xiangdu International Hotel in Pinghu, 6 km from LEGOLAND. Next to the hotel is Pinghu Mountain Sea All Day City — a quirky, tacky amusement park with Chinese mystic sculptures, rides, and NPC-style characters.

Ticket: 20 RMB for one adult
Individual rides extra; total ~200 RMB, including the biggest water slide raft ride.
Park lit up beautifully after 6 pm, though eerily empty.
Newly built (January 2024) with no English signage.
Fun for sightseeing and quirky photos, but small and quick to cover (<2 hours).

For dinner, I returned to Bingo Mall, near LEGOLAND, with countless restaurants including Korean, Japanese, hot pot, teppanyaki, and Chinese options — highly recommended.

Who Should Visit

LEGOLAND Shanghai

Ideal for young families with kids aged 2–12, the primary audience.
Great for adults who have a nostalgic connection to LEGO from childhood.
Perfect for young couples or friends who love taking photos and appreciating the creativity and artistry of LEGO designs.

Pinghu Mountain Sea All Day City

Best for those who want to experience an authentic Chinese amusement park.
Great for visitors who enjoy live performances and traditional rides.
Suited to anyone open-minded enough to navigate a Chinese-speaking environment and immerse themselves in a uniquely local experience.

Practical Tips

Visit off-peak or weekdays for shorter lines.
Must-do rides: Big LEGO Coaster, Green Dragon, LEGOLAND Boat Tour, Heartlake Swing, Miniland Light Show.
Packing: Sunscreen, comfy shoes, water bottle, power bank, and a change of clothes for the water park.
Nearby Fengjing Ancient Town (5 km) is worth a short visit if staying overnight.

Final thoughts

LEGOLAND Shanghai is a perfect blend of creativity, thrill, and nostalgia for adults and an absolute paradise for young children, ideal for both kids and adults. Combined with the quirky Pinghu detour or a visit to the historical Fengjing Ancient town nearby, it makes for a unique, fun-filled weekend. From immersive rides and an interactive LEGO-themed area to photogenic spots and helpful staff, it’s a park that exceeds expectations — just plan your visit during off-peak times to fully enjoy the experience.

Thank you for reading this long blog post, I hope the information is helpful, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or contact genie@genieyip.com.

LEGOLAND Shanghai Review 2025: Rides, Food, and nearby Adventures