Dubai Parks and Resorts partners with Merlin Entertainments plc to build LEGOLAND® Water Park

Already making waves across the globe with the recent announcements of its upcoming attractions, Dubai Parks and Resorts (DPR), in conjunction with UK based Merlin Entertainments plc ('Merlin'), the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator and a FTSE 100 company, has unveiled the latest addition to its lineup.

Sure to make a splash when it opens next year LEGOLAND Water Park will be an exciting new addition to the wider LEGOLAND Dubai theme park which is already in development. Aimed at children ages two to twelve, the new LEGOLAND Water Park will feature some of LEGOLAND's most popular water attractions including a half-million gallon wave pool; the very popular Build-A-Raft River where guests can design and build their own customised raft; together with the interactive Imagination Station, which lets children construct bridges, dams and cities and test their designs against the flow of water.

Commenting on the plans for the LEGOLAND Water Park, Raed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Dubai Parks and Resorts said, "We are committed to offering unforgettable experiences for guests of all ages at Dubai Parks and Resorts. We are therefore very pleased to partner with Merlin Entertainments to bring this unique water park concept to the UAE as an exciting new element to the LEGOLAND Dubai theme park. We look forward to welcoming families to this immersive and interactive attraction, where children can create, build, and learn while having fun. With the addition of the LEGOLAND Water Park to our existing offering, we will now have a destination that boasts six major Parks which together have over 100 rides and attractions."

LEGOLAND Dubai, the first LEGOLAND Park in the Middle East, will cover a total of three million square feet made from more than 60 million LEGO bricks. This includes over 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions set in six themed lands – LEGO City, Adventure, LEGO Kingdom, LEGO Create, LEGO Factory, and Miniland which is always unique to every individual location and showcases some of the most iconic buildings and landmarks from Dubai and the Middle East – replicated to scale in LEGO bricks.

Commenting Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments, said: "We already have a strong working partnership with Dubai Parks and Resorts and this LEGOLAND Water Park is an exciting and natural extension to our existing Park development here in Dubai. In line with LEGOLAND Dubai, the LEGOLAND Water Park is aimed primarily at families with young children aged 2-12, offering a unique place for them to play and have fun together. The addition of the LEGOLAND Water Park will not only allow families to enjoy the LEGOLAND Dubai experience over a number of days but also help create many more truly memorable experiences of their visit. "

Dubai Parks and Resorts is set to be the region's largest multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination when it opens in October 2016. In addition to LEGOLAND Dubai, Dubai Parks and Resorts will also comprise motiongate^™ Dubai, and Bollywood Parks^™ Dubai – all connected by Riverland^™ Dubai, a unique retail, dining and entertainment walkway. The development will also feature Lapita, a Polynesian-themed resort for families. With a projected target of over 6.7 million ticketed visits in 2017, its first full year of operation, Dubai Parks and Resorts is a major step toward positioning the UAE as a major global tourist destination and fulfilling Dubai's vision of attracting 20 million visitors by 2020.