| Location | Castelnuovo del Garda |
|---|---|
| Location 2 | Italy |
| Status | Operating |
| Visitors | 2,950,000 (2024) |
| Season | Spring-Summer & Holidays |
| Opening date | 19 July 1975 |
| Area | 520,000 m2 (130 acres) |
| Rides | 37[1] |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Owner | Merlin Entertainments |
| Homepage | www.gardaland.it |
| Coordinates | 45°27′16″N 10°42′50″E |
Gardaland Resort is an amusement park resort in Castelnuovo del Garda, Province of Verona, 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 520,000 m2 (5,597,233 sq ft), while the amusement park alone measures 200,000 m2 (2,152,782 sq ft).
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.[2] Built on the eastern shore of Lake Garda at Castelnuovo del Garda, Gardaland opened on 19 July 1975, between Peschiera and Lazise.[3] 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.[2][4]
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.[5]
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.[6] The park opened a ride called Jumanji - The Adventure for the 2022 season, featuring a large animatronic figure.[7] The ride was the first theme park attraction to be based on the Jumanji franchise.[8] 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.[9]
In 2025, the park celebrates its 50th anniversary with a remodelled area named Dragon Empire, set to launch in April.[10] 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.[11]
Mascot
Gardaland's mascot is a young dragon named Prezzemolo, the protagonist of an Italian animated television series.[12] 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.[13]
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.[2] Alongside the launch of the Jumanji - The Adventure ride in 2022, four Jumanji-themed rooms were introduced to the hotel.[14]
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.[15] 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.[16]
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.[17] The four-star property was an investment of 20 million Euros and was designed around the concept of a magical enchanted kingdom.[18]
Themed areas
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Kingdom | Fantasy themed area featuring a variety of family rides. | |
| Rio Bravo | Western themed street. | |
| Dragon Empire | 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. | |
| Peppa Pig Land | A small Peppa Pig themed area with younger rides just by the main entrance. | |
| Prezzemolo Land | Medieval themed area featuring a variety of family rides, a restaurant & a playground. | |
| Animal Treasure Island | 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
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | ! class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Tornado | Suspended Looping Coaster | 1998 | - | Vekoma | The Vekoma SLC (765 m [2,510 ft] extended with helix) is situated near the entrance of the park, and stands 33.32 m (109 ft 4 in) tall from the ground. The track is 765 m (2,510 ft) long, and the main elements are a rollover, sidewinder and a double in-line twist ending with several high speed helices close to the ground. The minimum height restriction is 1.4 metres. | |
| Shaman | Steel sit down coaster | 1985 | - | Vekoma | Vekoma Double Loop Corkscrew, and is situated on the lower level of the park. The oldest coaster in the park. It stands at 30 m (98 ft 5 in) above the ground and 700 m (2,296 ft 7 in) 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. | |
| Raptor | Wing Coaster | 2011 | - | 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. | |
| Mammut | Steel sit down | 2008 | - | Vekoma | Mammut (Italian for Mammoth) is a steel roller coaster which includes a herd of mammoth. | |
| Oblivion: The Black Hole | Dive Coaster | 2015 | - | 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] The minimum height restriction is 1.4 metres. | |
| Dragon Rush | Steel spinning roller coaster | 2016 | Dragon Empire | Fabbri Group | Family spinning coaster from Fabbri. Opened on 14 May 2016 as part of the Kung Fu Panda Academy area. Rethemed for 2025. | |
| Ortobruco Tour | Steel | 1990 | - | Pinfari | Ortobruco Tour is a family caterpillar coaster from Pinfari and opened in 1990. |
Water rides
| Name | class="unsortable" ! | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | class="unsortable" ! | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Boat | Log flume | 1984 | - | Mack Rides | Log flume themed to the Americas. | |
| Fuga da Atlantide | Shoot the Chute | 2004 | - | Intamin | Fuga da Atlantide (Escape from Atlantis), is a Shoot the Chute, the Intamin Super Splash, and is situated near Blue Tornado.[19] 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. | |
| Jungle Rapids | River rapids ride | 1999 | - | Intamin | Rapids ride which passes by various Asian scenes.[20] |
Dark rides
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Type | Opened | Manufacturer | ! class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - The Adventure | Dark ride | 2022 | Oceaneering | It replaced La Valle dei Re (1987) and Ramses: Il risveglio (2009) both dark rides were set in the Ancient Egypt. | |
| Animal Treasure Island | Dark ride | 2025 | Intamin (transportation system) | It replaced I Corsari (1992), keeping the same main scenery and the transportation system. |
Flat thrill rides
| Name | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Vertigo | Drop Tower | 1998 | - | Intamin | A drop tower. | |
| Magic House | Madhouse (ride) | 2001 | Fantasy Kingdom | Vekoma | A mad house built underground. |
Family rides
| Name | ! class="unsortable" | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | ! class="unsortable" | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Legend | Drop’n Twist Tower | 2024 | - | SBF Visa Group | Family based drop tower ride located on the site of the former Sequoia Magic Loop. | |
| Flying Island | Flying Island | 2000 | - | Intamin | An observation tower offering panoramic views across the park and Lake Garda. | |
| Baby Pilota | Spinning ride | 2000 | Prezzemolo Land | - | The planes rotate and move up and down. | |
| Peter Pan | Spinning ride | 1986 | - | Mack Rides | Fast spinning family ride. | |
| Monorotaia | Monorail | 1990 | - | Mack Rides | Monorail with views across the bottom section of the park. | |
| Rocket Factory | Teacups | 2016 (1993) | Dragon Empire | Mack Rides | Formerly known as Kaffetassen. Rethemed in 2016 as part of the Kung Fu Panda Academy area. Rethemed again in 2025 removing kung fu panda. | |
| Il Trenino di Nonno Pig | Junior train ride | 2018 | Peppa Pig Land | I.E Park | Children's train ride. | |
| La Mongolfiera di Peppa Pig | Balloon ride | 2018 | Peppa Pig Land | I.E Park | Balloon ride with scenic views. | |
| L'Isola dei Pirati | Junior boat ride | 2018 | Peppa Pig Land | I.E Park | Spinning boat ride. | |
| La Casa di Peppa Pig | Walk-through attraction | 2018 | Peppa Pig Land | A walkthrough where you go through Peppa Pig's house. | ||
| Giostra Cavalli | Merry go round | 1988 | Camelot | C and S | Double deck carousel. |
Other attractions
| Name | class="unsortable" ! | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | class="unsortable" ! | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Life Aquarium | Aquarium | 2008 | - | Sea Life | Located outside the park at the back of the car park. | |
| Gardaland Theatre | Theatre | 2006 | - | Theatre that houses various shows over the years. | ||
| Legoland Waterpark | Waterpark | 2021 | - | A waterpark themed around Lego that also features a Miniland.[21] | ||
| Jumanji - The Labyrinth | Mirror walk-through maze | 2023 | - | A walkthrough mirror labyrinth attraction themed to Jumanji. | ||
| Il Bosco degli Gnomi | Walk-through attraction | 2023 | Rio Bravo | A gnome walkthrough. |
Former attractions
| Name | class="unsortable" ! | Picture | Type | Opened | Area | Manufacturer | class="unsortable" ! | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sequoia Adventure | Steel roller coaster | 2005 | - | S&S | An inverted rollercoaster that reopened in 2019 as "Sequoia Magic Loop". It was standing but not operating in 2022, then removed.[22] |
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.[16] 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.[23] 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.[24]
References
- ^ "Gardaland Park Map". Gardaland. Archived from the original on 2015-04-26. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- ^ Mitchell, Bea (2024-12-16). "Gardaland Resort: everything you need to know". Blooloop. Archived 10 February 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Grande festa per il trentesimo anniversario di fondazione" (in Italian). Gardaland. Archived from the original on 2009-05-14.
- ^ Mitchell, Bea (2021-07-16). "Gardaland Resort opens Europe's first Legoland Water Park". Blooloop. Archived 20 December 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "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". Amusement Today. 2020-06-17. Archived 15 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (2022-03-17). "Jumanji rides coming to theme parks as Sony strikes global deal with Merlin". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Gardaland unveils huge animatronic created for new Jumanji ride". Blooloop. 2021-12-15. Archived 19 December 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
- ^ "World's first 'Jumanji' ride promises 'pitfalls, surprises, and dangers' in the jungle". EW.com. Archived 30 January 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Gardaland Resort officially opens Jumanji – The Labyrinth, for the 2023 season". Amusement Today. 2023-04-28. Archived 15 November 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Gardaland Resort enters 2025, its 50th anniversary year, with a second major innovation: Dragon Empire". Amusement Today. 2025-01-13. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Gardaland announces 2025 arrival of Animal Treasure Island". Amusement Today. 2024-11-22. Archived 6 February 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Prezzemolo, il drago buono" (in Italian). www.film.it. Archived 17 June 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ^ Pozzerle, Martina. ""Prezzemolo", ritorna il fumetto sulla mascotte di Gardaland - itVerona" (in it-IT). verona.italiani.it. Archived 27 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
- ^ "Together with the world's first JUMANJI themed ride, 4 fully themed rooms are coming to Gardaland Hotel". Amusement Today. 2022-03-15. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Dal Polo Nord all'estremo oriente: Gardaland, l'hotel da "Mille e una notte"" (in Italian). BresciaToday. Archived 17 June 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Redazione (2016-03-24). "Nuovo hotel e Kung Fu Panda: apre Gardaland. E il Veneto è primo negli incassi" (in it-IT). VenetoEconomia. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Mitchell, Bea (2019-06-06). "Merlin announces opening of Gardaland Magic Hotel at Gardaland Resort". Blooloop. Archived 19 December 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Mander, Michael (2018-09-07). "Gardaland to open €20m Magic Hotel". Blooloop. Archived 17 June 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Super Splash". Intamin Amusement Rides. Archived from the original on 2012-09-06.
- ^ "Jungle Rapids". Archived from the original on 2016-09-19.
- ^ "LEGOLAND Water Park opens at Gardaland Resort". Blocks Magazine. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ "Sequoia Magic Loop" in Gardaland bleibt 2022 geschlossen – Zukunft der Achterbahn ungewiss". Parkerlebniss.de. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ papamichael, margreet (2019-05-09). "European theme park attendance 2018: great weather and a popular pig make for a steady year". Blooloop. Archived 17 June 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.
- ^ Ralph, Owen (2024-04-19). "The top 20 theme parks and amusement parks in Europe". Blooloop. Archived 19 December 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-02-06.