Review of the year 2024

After two years of work, the time has come. Frederik and Gerrit present the movie about Miniatur Wunderland to cinema operators from all over Germany at the industry's internal film week in Munich. This marks the official kickoff for promoting the film to every cinema considering adding it to its program. New cinemas are added every day. There was also so much great help from the Wunderland community, we were surprised almost daily with great offers of help. We can therefore only say a big THANK YOU once again for the truly incredible support from so many friends of Wunderland, who put up almost 20,000 posters, called cinemas or shared posts and so much more.

The documentary film “WUNDERLAND - Vom Kindheitstraum zum Welterfolg” was released in incredible 523 cinemas on March 7. The excitement in Wunderland was huge in advance. The following Saturday, a special screening took place in the large Hall 1 of CinemaxX Hamburg Dammtor. Almost 1,000 seats were completely filled. At the end of the movie, Frederik and Gerrit talked on the stage about the movie and their emotions and answered many questions from the audience. The film was released in 25 CinemaxX cinemas across Germany at the same time and the performance was then broadcast live on the screens in all the cinemas at the end.

The news after the first few days seemed almost unbelievable: the film landed in 3rd place on the cinema charts on its first weekend as the best new release!

This was followed a few weeks later by theatrical releases in Austria and Switzerland.

For 11 years, the Formula 1 race track in Monaco was developed. Only a short time later, Gerrit and his team immediately had the next idea as to where the drive technology with the so-called Halbach arrays could be used. For a moving roller coaster with a loop!

Together with the rollercoaster experts from Europa-Park, they began exchanging ideas and working on a replica of the spectacular “Voltron” ride. But even after tests with the first prototypes, it is still unclear whether a realistic replica will really work. News will therefore be posted regularly in Gerrit's diary.

Energy and mobility transition at Miniatur Wunderland: many cars on our roads are being replaced and updated by the model construction team. But as is so often the case, we can't just go to the dealer and buy the parts we need, we have to do it ourselves. But it's not just electric cars and charging stations that are being integrated on a grand scale; additional solar panels, wind turbines and wind trees, electric scooters, geothermal energy and a tidal power station are also moving into the miniature world!

Aside from the model worlds, the Wunderland online store has been given a completely new look thanks to the major relaunch and provides a better overview when browsing from home.

The Kita Days start and over 25,000 children are invited to visit Wunderland for free in November and December.

A major fundraising campaign in aid of “Ein Herz für Kinder” begins on November 6 with a live event on YouTube. Gerrit and Frederik will report live from the Formula 1 track in Monaco and answer questions from viewers for over two hours. Afterwards, we will stream the live image from the camera system along the Formula 1 track for the first time. With the help of donations, the stream was extended day by day and over several weeks, more than 50,000 euros could be raised to help children.

On November 11, the Wunderland Bistro will close its doors and be completely renovated. In addition to the diner, a temporary alternative bistro will be set up in the former waiting room. The new bistro will reopen in its usual location just in time for Easter.

After nine years, it was time for a change in the Tagesschau's miniature studio: Susanne Daubner is taking over from her former colleague Jan Hofer, whose miniature figure spoke over 320,000 broadcasts at the touch of a button, while also bringing fresh news topics from Knuffingen and the surrounding area. Susanne Daubner personally placed her character in the high-tech miniature news studio and ceremoniously started the new program at the touch of a button. Afterwards, we were able to take a look at ourselves in full size. We couldn't believe our eyes when we marveled at a loving report about Miniatur Wunderland in the real 8 p.m. newscast.

With over 1.52 million visitors, more guests came to Wunderland in 2024 than ever before in a single year. This is truly incredible, a huge motivation and makes us look forward to working on the next sections.

While the Atacama Desert continues to be built in the model-making workshops in Hamburg, the model for the Amazon rainforest, including several tens of thousands of trees, is being created in Pilar, near Buenos Aires. Last year, model builders were regularly on site and built the new 107 m² section together with the Martinez family.

At the end of 2025, beginning of 2026, this section should make it possible to discover Machu Picchu, the Iguazu waterfall and the rainforest settlements around Manaus in Wunderland.

2024 marks the end of a year that will be hard to beat in terms of the wealth of events. But there is no shortage of ideas in Wunderland and we are looking forward to the coming year with great anticipation.

We wish you all the best, a happy and fulfilling Christmas season and all the best for the coming year!