Denmark - Lego Land

In France, there is much vacationing during the month of August.  We booked a trip to Denmark.

The first full day of our trip was spent in Billund.  Billund isn't terribly big, it doesn't have a lot of non-bike traffic, and it is home to Lego world headquarters!

An office building, oddly not made out of Lego

Near the Lego world headquarters, is, of course, the original Lego Land which opened in 1968.

Buildings inside Lego Land, made completely out of Lego

The kids actually had fun.  We rode the rides, we ate the food, we looked at all of the Lego creations.  It was great!


Early Arrival & Ninjas

In anticipation of crowds that might appear as the day went on, we arrived before Legoland opened, then went directly to Ninjago Wold since it was new.  We rode "Ninjago: The Ride" where we used our hands to shoot targets by waving them around.

Alex won the first round.  Dan figured out the proper technique after much ninjago studying and won the last round of the day.

Spastic Waving Hands, Alex Wins

Disciplined Waving Hands, Dan Wins

Laser Maze

Alex also had the best time in the Laser maze.  I attribute this to his smallness and stealthy ninja skills, of course.

Alex's ninja portrait

I am the green ninja!  But in ORANGE!

Fun?

How do we know that Will actually had a good time?  When he tends to never have fun?  I present photographic evidence...

More fun than being eaten by a shark

Mini Boats

Will didn't let nearly being eating by a shark deter him from the mini-boats ride.

Our parents are gaining on us!

We will escape from you!
Alex taunts while Will drives

Selfie-Dan is focused on driving to keep up with the children.

We have escaped past the US Capitol!

Now we celebrate our victory by sticking our tongues out at you!

Something Exciting?

The boys used to enjoy the "Jumpin' Jelly Fish" ride at Disney Land's California Adventure.  Lego Land has a similar ride called "Frog Hopper."  Althought the boy in the yellow rain poncho looks concerned about this frog-themed ride, Alex and Will sit calmly waiting for it to start.

No biggie!

As you can tell, while our boys are "bored," they also appear un-amused.  The screaming that you hear in the background is actually the ride next to them where some girls were also frog jumping.  However, they found it a little more exciting than the boys.

  

Giant Programmable Robot Arm Ride!

Fortunately, there was a ride at Lego Land that was more exciting than a jumping frog.

Giant Robot Arm

Arm in Action

It's called "Ice Pilots School."  There is a giant robot arm.  It has a place for two people to sit on the end of it.  First, you choose ride options.  You can select the intensity, and the different types of moves that the arm will make.  Then, it does something like this:

Alex experienced a range of emotions about this ride.  He was trepidatious, excited, annoyed, interested, and thrilled.  As for Will, he is convinced that there should be many more amusement park rides where you get to program the experience.  This was the highlight of his trip.

Rollercoasters?

As you may know, Legoland does have some roller coasters.  The boys are just not interested.  So, we only rode two of them.  The first was without the boys.  We rode on the Polar X-plorer which reaches speeds of up to 65... kph.  It also has a "sheer drop" of 5 meters.  Not the most intense roller coaster ever, but cool since I had never been on one that has the dropping action.  So, it was interesting.  And there were live penguins.  (Not on the ride, but near the ride as part of the Polar X-Plorer Tour.)

Adult Fun!

We bribed the boys to go on the quintessential Lego Land rollercoaster, "The Dragon."  Promises of future sugar were made.  It would have been silly for them to go to Lego Land and not go on a decently simple roller coaster.  They were not impressed really.  Although I think Alex is starting to like the slight bit of adrenaline he experiences on rides.  

Every flavor is awesome!

Lego Land was a bit chilly, a bit rainy, but overall quite awesome!  Maybe we should go to the one in California now?  Or England?  Or Japan?