Merlin Entertainments has opened its latest Legoland attraction in Winter Haven, Florida, US.
The new 150-acre (60.7-hectare) Legoland Florida is the fourth Lego-branded park and features more than 50 rides and shows across 10 themed zones.
These include The Beginning, which boasts an Island in the Sky, a 31m rotating platform ride with a 360 view of the entire park, plus one of the biggest Lego shops in the world where, uniquely, visitors can create their own 'mini figures'.
Merlin has already revealed details of its continuous investment programme for the park with a waterpark scheduled to open in 2012, and the addition of accommodation and other second gate attractions from the Merlin portfolio over time.
Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments, said: "Legoland Florida is one of the most exciting and important projects Merlin has ever developed.
"It provides a unique opportunity for us; Florida is the biggest family tourist centre in the world; and as a result of this project we have already agreed to be part of a major new retail and leisure plan for Orlando bringing three more of our 'midway' brands to the area."
The park is located on the grounds of the former Cypress Gardens theme park, which Merlin acquired for $156m (114m euro, £100m) in 2009.
Varney told
Attractions Management that the advantages of going into an existing theme park were huge.
"The development of the park only took little more than two years and it cost much less than a new build would have done. We had relatively few problems with planning because it was already zoned and licensed.
Most of the big things that cause the problems are infrastructure, from car parking through to laying down the drainage. These were already there, plus we had support from the local community," he said.
"What's truly spectacular about Legoland Florida is that although it's a new theme park, it looks like it's been there for ever. It's just beautiful."
For a full interview with Nick Varney, look out for Attractions Management Q4 2011 (p.22) - out beginning of November.
