:Gardaland
{{Short description|Amusement park in Northern Italy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox amusement park
| name = Gardaland Resort
| image_size =
| caption = Gardaland's entrance
| location = Castelnuovo del Garda
| location2 = Italy
| status = Operating
| visitors = 2,950,000 (2024)
| season = Spring-Summer & Holidays
| opening_date = {{Start date|1975|07|19|df=y}}
| area = {{Convert|260,000|m2|acre|abbr=on}}
| coasters = 7
| water_rides = 3
| owner = Merlin Entertainments
| homepage = {{Official|www.gardaland.it/en/home.php}}
| coordinates = {{coord|45|27|16|N|10|42|50|E|region:IT_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
}}
Gardaland Resort is an amusement park resort located in northern Italy. Opened on 19 July 1975, the resort includes Gardaland Park, Gardaland Sea-Life, Legoland Waterpark, Gardaland Hotel, Adventure Hotel and Magic Hotel. It is adjacent to Lake Garda. The entire complex covers an area of {{convert|445000|m2|0|abbr=on}}, while the amusement park alone measures {{convert|200000|m2|0|abbr=on}}.
Since October 2006, the park has been owned by the British company Merlin Entertainments. Major attractions at the park include Mammut, Jungle Rapids, Fuga Da Atlantide, Shaman, Blue Tornado, Raptor and Oblivion: The Black Hole which opened on 28 March 2015. The park's mascot, Prezzemolo, was popular in the Italian licensing market during the 1990s and the 2000s.
With just under three million annual visitors, Gardaland is ranked as the eighth most visited theme park in Europe.
History
The concept for Gardaland dates to the early 1970s when Livio Furini, an entrepreneur from Verona, was inspired by a visit to Disneyland in California.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Bea |date=2024-12-16 |title=Gardaland Resort: everything you need to know |url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/in-depth/gardaland-resort-all-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=Located%20on%20the%20shores%20of,inaugurated%20on%2019%20July%201975. |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blooloop |language=en-GB}} Built on the eastern shore of Lake Garda at Castelnuovo del Garda, Gardaland opened on 19 July 1975, between Peschiera and Lazise.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gardaland.it/news/News.php?id=137&lingua=it |title=Grande festa per il trentesimo anniversario di fondazione |website=Gardaland |language=it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514030025/http://www.gardaland.it/news/News.php?id=137&lingua=it |archive-date=2009-05-14 }} In 2004, Gardaland Hotel opened, which was the first hotel in Italy to provide themed accommodation. Merlin Entertainments took ownership of the park in 2006. A Sea Life aquarium opened on site in 2008. In the following years, more hotels were built. Gardaland Adventure Hotel opened in 2016 followed by the Gardaland Magic Hotel in 2019. Additionally, the first Legoland Waterpark in Europe was launched in the park in 2021.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Bea |date=2021-07-16 |title=Gardaland Resort opens Europe's first Legoland Water Park |url=https://blooloop.com/water-parks/news/gardaland-resort-legoland-water-park-open/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blooloop |language=en-GB}}
Gardaland was forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened on 13 June 2020, making it the first Italian amusement park to reopen after the COVID-19 lockdown. The maximum number of daily visitors in that season was restricted to 10,000 per day.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-17 |title=Gardaland is open again! The first Italian amusement park to re-open, paving the way in the sector and sending a positive message about the return to normality |url=https://amusementtoday.com/2020/06/gardaland-is-open-again-the-first-italian-amusement-park-to-re-open-paving-the-way-in-the-sector-and-sending-a-positive-message-about-the-return-to-normality/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amusement Today |language=en-US}}
As a result of a global deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment, a variety of rides, food outlets and hotel rooms were developed across Merlin theme parks themed around the Jumanji film franchise.{{Cite news |last=Sweney |first=Mark |date=2022-03-17 |title=Jumanji rides coming to theme parks as Sony strikes global deal with Merlin |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/17/theme-park-firm-merlin-strikes-deal-for-jumanji-themed-rides-and-rooms |access-date=2025-02-06 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} The park opened a ride called Jumanji - The Adventure for the 2022 season, featuring a large animatronic figure.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-15|title=Gardaland unveils huge animatronic created for new Jumanji ride|url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/gardaland-jumanji-ride-giant-animatronic/|access-date=2021-12-15|website=Blooloop|language=en-GB}} The ride was the first theme park attraction to be based on the Jumanji franchise.{{Cite web |title=World's first 'Jumanji' ride promises 'pitfalls, surprises, and dangers' in the jungle |url=https://ew.com/movies/jumanji-ride-gardaland-concept-art/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=EW.com |language=en}} In 2023, another Jumanji-themed attraction named Jumanji - The Labyrinth opened in the park, which is a walkthrough attraction featuring a mirror maze and jungle maze.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-28 |title=Gardaland Resort officially opens Jumanji – The Labyrinth, for the 2023 season |url=https://amusementtoday.com/2023/04/gardaland-resort-officially-opens-jumanji-the-labyrinth-for-the-2023-season/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amusement Today |language=en-US}}
In 2025, the park celebrates its 50th anniversary with a remodelled area named Dragon Empire, set to launch in April.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-13 |title=Gardaland Resort enters 2025, its 50th anniversary year, with a second major innovation: Dragon Empire |url=https://amusementtoday.com/2025/01/gardaland-resortenters-2025-its-50th-anniversary-year-with-a-second-major-innovation-dragon-empire/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amusement Today |language=en-US}} In November 2024, Gardaland announced an upcoming water dark ride for 2025 based on a new intellectual property registered by Merlin Entertainments named Animal Treasure Island. The 6,000 square metre ride was an investment of approximately 10 million euros.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-22 |title=Gardaland announces 2025 arrival of Animal Treasure Island |url=https://amusementtoday.com/2024/11/gardaland-announces-2025-arrival-of-animal-treasure-island/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amusement Today |language=en-US}}
Mascot
File:Gardaland (33788172624).jpg]]
Gardaland's mascot is a young dragon named Prezzemolo, the protagonist of an Italian animated television series.{{Cite web |title=Prezzemolo, il drago buono |url=https://www.film.it/news/film/dettaglio/art/prezzemolo-il-drago-buono-14443/#google_vignette |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=www.film.it |language=it}} Prezzemolo became the park's mascot in 1984. He was popularised in Italy through cartoon theme songs and Gardaland adverts. In 1993 the park ran a competition to modernise Prezzemolo's image. A local cartoonist won and was responsible for making the character more visually appealing to the public.{{Cite web |last=Pozzerle |first=Martina |title="Prezzemolo", ritorna il fumetto sulla mascotte di Gardaland - itVerona |url=https://verona.italiani.it/prezzemolo-ritorna-il-fumetto-sulla-mascotte-di-gardaland/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230127015836/https://verona.italiani.it/prezzemolo-ritorna-il-fumetto-sulla-mascotte-di-gardaland/ |archive-date=2023-01-27 |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=verona.italiani.it |language=it-IT}}
Resort hotels
= Gardaland Hotel =
Gardaland Hotel comprises 247 rooms, including 36 themed rooms. The hotel has two bars, the Wonder Bar in Wonder Palace and the Pool Bar at the Blue Lagoon pool area. The onsite restaurants are the Wonder Restaurant Buffet and the Matka Family Gourmet Restaurant. Alongside the launch of the Jumanji - The Adventure ride in 2022, four Jumanji-themed rooms were introduced to the hotel.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-15 |title=Together with the world's first JUMANJI themed ride, 4 fully themed rooms are coming to Gardaland Hotel |url=https://amusementtoday.com/2022/03/together-with-the-worlds-first-jumanji-themed-ride-4-fully-themed-rooms-are-coming-to-gardaland-hotel/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Amusement Today |language=en-US}}
= Gardaland Adventure Hotel =
In 2016, the Gardaland Adventure Hotel was inaugurated. Constructed across 15,000 square meters, the hotel features 100 themed rooms, including 90 standard rooms, 8 superior rooms and 2 junior suites. The rooms were designed with four themes: the Arctic, Arabian, jungle and the Wild West.{{Cite web |title=Dal Polo Nord all'estremo oriente: Gardaland, l'hotel da "Mille e una notte" |url=https://www.bresciatoday.it/eventi/gardaland-adventure-hotel-giugno-2016.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=BresciaToday |language=it}} The hotel, located adjacent to the Gardaland Hotel, was an investment of 25 million Euros and features the Tutankhamon Restaurant, which was designed to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.{{Cite web |last=Redazione |date=2016-03-24 |title=Nuovo hotel e Kung Fu Panda: apre Gardaland. E il Veneto è primo negli incassi |url=https://www-venetoeconomia-it.translate.goog/2016/03/gardaland-apertura/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=VenetoEconomia |language=it-IT}}
= Gardaland Magic Hotel =
The third themed hotel opened in 2021. Gardaland Magic Hotel comprises 128 rooms with three themes: Enchanted Forest, Magic Ice Castle and Great Wizard.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Bea |date=2019-06-06 |title=Merlin announces opening of Gardaland Magic Hotel at Gardaland Resort |url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/merlin-gardaland-magic-hotel/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blooloop |language=en-GB}} The four-star property was an investment of 20 million Euros and was designed around the concept of a magical enchanted kingdom.{{Cite web |last=Mander |first=Michael |date=2018-09-07 |title=Gardaland to open €20m Magic Hotel |url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/gardaland-magic-hotel/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blooloop |language=en-GB}}
Themed areas
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| align=center | Fantasy Kingdom | align=center | 110px | align=centre | Fantasy themed area featuring a variety of family rides. |
| align=center | Rio Bravo | align=center | 110px | align=centre | Western themed street. |
| align=center | Dragon Empire | align=center | 110px | Formerly an area based on Kung Fu Panda with family rides, from 2025 it has been partially re-themed due to ending of Dreamworks license for the use of Kung Fu Panda brand. The rides in this area also changed name and partially got re-themed to eliminate any references to the franchise. |
| align=center | Peppa Pig Land | align=center | | align=centre | A small Peppa Pig themed area with younger rides just by the main entrance. |
| align=center | Prezzemolo Land | align=center | | align=centre | Medieval themed area featuring a variety of family rides, a restaurant & a playground. |
| align=center | Villaggio Inglese | align=center | | align=centre | Pirate themed area, representing a typical English Victorian Era village, that used to house the biggest Italian dark ride (I Corsari, opened in 1992). In 2025 this are has been partially rethought to better fit the new ride, Animal Treasure Island, that shares the same facility of I Corsari, but with some new updated pieces of scenery, new animatronics and more modern technological effects, besides a new story, which is a new and original intellectual property of Merlin. |
Attractions
=Roller coasters=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | ! class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center |Blue Tornado | {{N/A |
|-
| align=center | Shaman || {{N/A|}}110px || align=center |Steel sit down coaster || align=center |1985 || align=center |- || align="center" |Vekoma || Vekoma Double Loop Corkscrew, and is situated on the lower level of the park. The oldest coaster in the park. It stands at {{convert|98|ft|5|in|m|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} above the ground and {{convert|2296|ft|7|in|m|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} long. Its main elements are a double loop, double corkscrew and a rising helix. In 2009 the classic Arrow Dynamics trains have been replaced with the new model of Vekoma. The minimum height restriction is 1.2 metres. In the 2017 season the ride was rethemed and renamed as 'SHAMAN' and featured a Virtual Reality experience. The VR was removed prior to the 2018 season.
|-
| align=center | Raptor || {{N/A|}}110px || align=center |Wing Coaster || align=center |2011 || align=center |- || align="center" |Bolliger & Mabillard || Raptor is the prototype Wing Coaster by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard. It opened on 1 April 2011. The minimum height restriction is 1.4 metres.
|-
| align=center | Mammut || {{N/A|}}110px || align=center |Steel sit down || align=center |2008 || align=center |- || align="center" |Vekoma || Mammut (Italian for Mammoth) is a steel roller coaster which includes a herd of mammoth.
|-
| align=center | Oblivion: The Black Hole || {{N/A|}}110px || align=center |Dive Coaster || align=center |2015 || align=center |- || align="center" |Bolliger & Mabillard ||Oblivion: The Black Hole opened on 28 March 2015 and is a dive coaster manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard. It's based on the prototype dive coaster at Alton Towers which is called 'Oblivion'!{{Citation needed|date=September 2020|reason=}} The minimum height restriction is 1.4 metres.
|-
| align=center | Kung Fu Panda Master || {{N/A|}}110px|| align=center |Steel spinning roller coaster || align=center |2016 || align=center |Kung Fu Panda Academy || align=center |Fabbri Group || Family spinning coaster from Fabbri. Opened on 14 May 2016 as part of the Kung Fu Panda Academy area.
|-
| align=center | Ortobruco Tour || {{N/A|}}110px|| align=center | Steel || align=center |1990 || align=center |- || align="center" |Pinfari || Ortobruco Tour is a family caterpillar coaster from Pinfari and opened in 1990.
|}
=Water rides=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ | ||||||
| Name | class="unsortable" ! | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | class="unsortable" ! | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" |Colorado Boat | {{N/A |
|-
| align="center" |Fuga da Atlantide || {{N/A|}}110px || align="center" |Shoot the Chute || align="center" | 2004
|| -|| align="center" | Intamin || Fuga da Atlantide (Escape from Atlantis), is a Shoot the Chute, the Intamin Super Splash, and is situated near Blue Tornado.{{Cite web |url=http://www.intaminworldwide.com/amusement/WaterRides/Super+Splash/tabid/139/ProductNumber/Super+Splash/language/de-DE/Default.aspx |title=Super Splash |website=Intamin Amusement Rides |language=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906035531/http://www.intaminworldwide.com/amusement/WaterRides/Super+Splash/tabid/139/ProductNumber/Super+Splash/language/de-DE/Default.aspx |archive-date=2012-09-06 }} The ride begins with a cable lift hill, then the car/boat turns on a shallow helix and plummets down a steep drop on a track with water jets into a pool. The ride progresses to another similar element.
|-
| align="center" | Jungle Rapids || {{N/A|}}110px || align="center" | River rapids ride || align="center" | 1999
|| -|| align="center" | Intamin || Rapids ride which passes by various Asian scenes.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gardaland.it/park-en/ATTRACTIONS/Adventure-en/junglerapids-en/ |title=Jungle Rapids |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919130626/https://www.gardaland.it/en/our-rides/adventure/jungle-rapids |archive-date=2016-09-19 |url-status=dead}}
|}
=Dark rides=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||||
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Type | Opened | Manufacturer | ! class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center | {{vanchor|Jumanji}} - The Adventure | {{N/A |
|-
| align=center | Animal Treasure Island || {{N/A|}} || align=center |Dark ride || align=center | 2025 || align=center | Intamin (transportation system) || It replaced I Corsari (1992), keeping the same main scenery and the transportation system.
|}
=Flat thrill rides=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |
| Name
! class="unsortable" | Picture ! Type ! Opened ! Area ! Manufacturer ! class="unsortable" | Additional information | |
|---|---|
| align=center | Space Vertigo | {{N/A |
|-
| align=center | Magic House || align=center| || Madhouse (ride) || align=center | 2001
|| Fantasy Kingdom || align=center | Vekoma || A mad house built underground.
|-
|}
=Family rides=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||||||
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | ! class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=center | Wolf Legend | {{N/A |
|-
| align=center | Flying Island || {{N/A|}}110px ||Flying Island || align=center | 2000 || align=center |- || align="center" | Intamin||An observation tower offering panoramic views across the park and Lake Garda.
|-
| align=center | Baby Pilota || {{N/A|}}110px || align=center |Spinning ride || align=center | 2000
||Prezzemolo Land|| align=center |- || The planes rotate and move up and down.
|-
| align=center | Peter Pan || {{N/A|}}110px || align=center |Spinning ride|| align="center" | 1986
|| - || align="center" |Mack Rides||Fast spinning family ride.
|-
| align="center" | Monorotaia || {{N/A|}}110px || align="center" | Monorail || align="center" | 1990
|| - || align="center" | Mack Rides || Monorail with views across the bottom section of the park.
|-
| align=center | Mr Ping's Noodle Surprise || {{N/A|}} || align=center |Teacups || align=center | 2016 (1993)
|| Kung Fu Panda Academy || align=center |Mack Rides || Formerly known as Kaffetassen. Rethemed in 2016 as part of the Kung Fu Panda Academy area.
|-
| align=centre | Il Trenino di Nonno Pig || {{N/A|}} || align=centre | Junior train ride || align=centre | 2018 || Peppa Pig Land || align=centre |I.E Park || Children's train ride.
|-
| align=centre | La Mongolfiera di Peppa Pig || {{N/A|}} || align=centre | Balloon ride || align="centre" | 2018 || Peppa Pig Land || align=centre |I.E Park || Balloon ride with scenic views.
|-
| align=centre | L'Isola dei Pirati || {{N/A|}} || align=centre | Junior boat ride || align=centre | 2018 || Peppa Pig Land || align=centre |I.E Park || Spinning boat ride.
|-
| align=centre | La Casa di Peppa Pig || {{N/A|}} || align=centre | Walk-through attraction || align=centre | 2018 || Peppa Pig Land || align=centre | || A walkthrough where you go through Peppa Pig's house.
|-
|}
=Other attractions=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ | ||||||
| Name | class="unsortable" ! | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | class="unsortable" ! | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" | Sea Life Aquarium | {{N/A |
|| - || align="center" | Sea Life || Located outside the park at the back of the car park.
|-
| align="center" | Gardaland Theatre|| {{N/A|}}110px || align="center" | Theatre || align="center" | 2006
|| - || align="center" | || Theatre that houses various shows over the years.
|-
| align="center" | Legoland Waterpark|| || align="center" | Waterpark || align="center" | 2021
|| - || align="center" | || A waterpark themed around Lego that also features a Miniland.{{Cite web |title=LEGOLAND Water Park opens at Gardaland Resort |url=https://blocksmag.com/legoland-water-park-opens-at-gardaland-resort/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blocks Magazine|date=20 May 2021 }}
|-
| align="center" | Jumanji - The Labyrinth|| || align="center" | Mirror walk-through maze || align="center" | 2023
|| - || align="center" | || A walkthrough mirror labyrinth attraction themed to Jumanji.
|-
| align="center" | Il Bosco degli Gnomi|| || align="center" | Walk-through attraction || align="center" | 2023
|| Rio Bravo || align="center" | || A gnome walkthrough.
|}
=Former attractions=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ | ||||||
| Name | class="unsortable" ! | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | class="unsortable" ! | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center" | Sequoia Adventure | {{N/A |
|| - || align="center" | S&S || An inverted rollercoaster that reopened in 2019 as "Sequoia Magic Loop". It was standing but not operating in 2022, then removed.{{Cite web |title=Sequoia Magic Loop" in Gardaland bleibt 2022 geschlossen – Zukunft der Achterbahn ungewiss |url=https://www.parkerlebnis.de/sequoia-magic-loop-gardaland-2022-geschlossen_139253.html |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Parkerlebniss.de|date=21 April 2022 }}
|}
Attendance
In 2015, Gardaland reported a record year in volume and growth. Two thirds of visitors were families with children and one third (33%) were "thrill seekers" aged 15 to 25. A third of all visitors were international. The park's growth had been the result of its strategy to attract international visitors who were staying at Lake Garda by working with local hotels and campsites. Visitor numbers were also boosted by the Oblivion coaster. The park achieved an 11.5% rise in visitors from 2,600,000 in 2017 to 2,900,000 in 2018, driven by the addition of Peppa Pig.{{Cite web |last=papamichael |first=margreet |date=2019-05-09 |title=European theme park attendance 2018: great weather and a popular pig make for a steady year |url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/opinion/european-theme-park-attendance-2018/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blooloop |language=en-GB}} In 2024, Gardaland was listed as the eighth most popular theme park in Europe, having received 2,950,000 visitors in a year. It was twice as popular as Mirabilandia in visitor numbers.{{Cite web |last=Ralph |first=Owen |date=2024-04-19 |title=The top 20 theme parks and amusement parks in Europe |url=https://blooloop.com/theme-park/in-depth/top-theme-parks-europe/ |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=Blooloop |language=en-GB}}
Gallery
=Food and features=
File:Casa di Prezzemolo.JPG|Fantasy Kingdom
File:Esterno Fast Food Blue Tornado Gardaland.JPG|Fast Food Blue Tornado
File:177GardalandSaloon.JPG|Pizzeria Saloon
File:Stazioine del TransGardaland Express Gardaland.JPG|alt=Station of the TransGardaland Express|Transgardaland Express
File:Punto informativo parcheggio.jpg|Information centre outside the park
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Gardaland}}
- {{Official website|http://www.gardaland.it/en/home.php}}
{{Gardaland}}
{{Merlin attractions}}
Category:Buildings and structures in the Province of Verona
Category:Merlin Entertainments Group
Category:Amusement parks in Italy