Gardaland

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 445,000 m² (4,789,940 sq ft), while the amusement park alone measures 200,000 m² (2,152,782 sq ft).

Gardaland Resort

Gardaland's entrance
Location	Castelnuovo del Garda, Italy
Coordinates	45°27′16″N 10°42′50″E
Status	Operating
Opened	19 July 1975 (1975-07-19)
Owner	Merlin Entertainments
Operating season	Spring-Summer & Holidays
Attendance	2,950,000 (2024)
Area	260,000 m2 (64 acres)
Attractions
Total	37[1]
Roller coasters	7
Water rides	3
Website	Official website

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 Castle garden

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

A Gardaland walkway dominated by Prezzemolo

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	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.
Villaggio Inglese		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	Picture	Type	Opened	Area	Manufacturer	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.
Kung Fu Panda Master		Steel spinning roller coaster	2016	Kung Fu Panda Academy	Fabbri Group	Family spinning coaster from Fabbri. Opened on 14 May 2016 as part of the Kung Fu Panda Academy area.
Ortobruco Tour		Steel	1990	-	Pinfari	Ortobruco Tour is a family caterpillar coaster from Pinfari and opened in 1990.

Water rides

Name	Picture	Type	Opened	Area	Manufacturer	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	Picture	Type	Opened	Manufacturer	Additional information
Jumanji - 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	Picture	Type	Opened	Area	Manufacturer	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.
Mr Ping's Noodle Surprise		Teacups	2016 (1993)	Kung Fu Panda Academy	Mack Rides	Formerly known as Kaffetassen. Rethemed in 2016 as part of the Kung Fu Panda Academy area.
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.

Other attractions

Name	Picture	Type	Opened	Area	Manufacturer	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	Picture	Type	Opened	Area	Manufacturer	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]

Gallery

Food and features

• 
  Fantasy Kingdom
• 
  Fast Food Blue Tornado
• 
  Pizzeria Saloon
• 
  Transgardaland Express
• 
  Information centre outside the park