Legoland Windsor

Author's product rating:   

Transport links

Excellent

Advantages:	Great day out for all the family,  rides not too scarey, easy to park,
Disadvantages:	Expensive for a one off trip and long que's in peak season

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

For those of you who might not have heard about Lego Land, it's a large theme park built around the famous Lego bricks.
As I have frequented this theme park for most of the school summer holidays and the odd weekend , I decided to write a review on this very enjoyable day out. .

In the press last year , it was stated that Lego Land in Europe was closing down. This isn't the case for Windsor. Though the website is very vague, I decided to go one better and ask a member of staff what is going on just before the close of last season.

I was told that Windsor will continue to re-open for many seasons and have actually been bought out by the company that own Madame Tussauds. It's a popular attraction that brings in thousands so I couldn't understand why they would close this one down, contrary to what the press stated. This is obviousley a relief for us Annual Pass Holders with children who never want to leave the site!

This is going to be quite a long review. I want to go into as much detail as possible to help you decide on whether it is worth visit or not. I do feel it is expensive for just a days outing but with the pass, its more value for your money.

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Where is it?
Lego land is very easy to find, it is well sign posted as soon you hit (not literally I hope) the M4 towards Slough. Just follow the big brown tourist signs. In the other direction its close to the M3. If you use multi map then that will give you postcode to postcode directions. www.multimap.co.uk. There are easy transport links and a park and ride from Windsor Town centre.
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What are the parking facilities like?
There is a huge car park and unlike a lot of theme parks, they don't cram you in like sardines. If you buy the annual pass you are entitled to privilege parking. This means you can have a slot near the front if you get there by 12.30 pm. You pay an extra £2 but that's worth it as in the summer its horrendous to get in and out .

Even if you end up in the over flow, its not a marathon to the turnstiles and there are pavements leading you up to the front. Its very well lit at night but please remember what car park you are situated in. They range from A to D and then the over flows.
There are also disabled parking bays available close to the priveledge parking bays.
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What time does it open?
These vary from month to month.
MARCH 10AM TO 5PM (the park doesn't normally open until the last week of March)
APRIL 10AM TO 5PM. Over Easter it's open till 6 pm.
MAY 10 AM TO 5PM
JUNE 10 AM TO 5PM
JULY 10 AM TO 5PM The first week, then its open till 7 pm.
AUGUST 10AM TO 7PM.
SEPTEMBER various closing times dependent on the season.
OCTOBER the same as above except for fire work and Halloween night when you can ride upto 9 pm.
Bank Holidays its 6 PM close.
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What is peak time?
This too is dependant on the month in question. All Bank Holidays and when the children are off become peak times.

How much to get in?
Adults Children Seniors
Peak £29 £23 £23
Off Peak £21 £19 £19
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What is an Annual Pass?

This is a one off payment that gives you a pass to return to the park as often as you want over the next 12 months. An annual pass gives you discount to many of the restaurants inside the park and to the shops.
Pass Type Adult Child Senior
Restricted Pass £40 £37 £37
Full Pass £72.50 £57.50 £45
2 day pass £57 £43 £43
Lifetime pass £600 £600 £600

A restricted pass however will not allow you in free to the special events, sale evenings or in August. I recommend the annual if you can.
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Value for money.
In my opinion, a full annual pass is, especially if you will make good use of the park during the better weather. Paying for a one off day out, then I personally feel it is well over priced.

For example, a family of four will end up paying over a £100 in peak time for a day out, a bit extortionate. Once you get inside, the children always want ice creams, a trip to the sweet booth, a toy on the way out etc.

The shops aren't exactly value for money but with a pass, at least you get a discount so every little bit helps. This is usually 10%. The children also have a chance to join the Lego Club if they are an annual pass holder. This entitles them to a free comics and offers through the year.

There are also theme nights, such as the Firework Extravaganza and Christmas opening.

If you buy an annual pass now, you will be entitled to all attractions until this time next year. So don't worry about purchasing one mid way through the season, buy it now and will give you a years access when the park is open.
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What is a theme night?
It's a special one off day/night. For example the firework display is well worth making the journey for and the rides stay open till late (usually around 10 pm). Its not just fireworks, the music is pounding and there are the odd laser light thrown in. The display is for a good 20 minutes. This normally happens around the end of October/start of November.

In July there is a band extravaganza, Blue have played and last year it was Lemar and Brian Mcfadden.
In September there is usually a jousting event for the day. Check out the www.LEGOLAND.co uk website for exact event times and dates.
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What age range is Lego Land suitable for?
From babies to 9 year olds. Any older and they will probably be bored as the rides will be too tame for the older children.
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What is there to see and do?
The park is separated into sections.
Here is a very brief description of each part. There are too many restaurants and chocolate shops to mention; besides if I did you would probably feel sick afterwards.
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THE BEGINNING:
This has the biggest shop in the park, the annual pass room, the pick a brick shop, the pit stop café and the best look out point over Windsor you'll ever see. Look far enough and you can see the control tower at Heathrow as well as the castle.
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IMAGINATION CENTRE:
The imagination theatre, Papa Mole's ice cream shop , sky rider, build and test work shop, robolab workshops and Lego Racers 4D are all here. Great for the younger ones.
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MINILAND:
Basically it's the world in miniature Lego blocks, in two paces you can be in Paris then outside the London Eye. Very appealing for all ages. . There are also many bench seats situated around this area. New this year is the Kennedy Space Centre complete with sound effects.
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DUPLO LAND:
Whirly birds rides, Duplo play town, Duplo train ride, Theatre puppet show, Fairy Tale Brook (a very gentle and dry ride), various restaurants and the best bit - the water works.
You will need to bring the kids swimming gear for this bit.
There are jets and springs that shoot up from the floor and water hoses. Its good wet fun.

There are big stand in BODY DRIERS around this point. Like a hand drier but on a bigger scale. I found this year that some of the driers had been used as a toilet and smelt horrendous, I hope Windsor give them a good clean in time for next season.
Fairy Tale Brook: A gentle boat ride around the fairy tales of your youth made in Lego. The only difficult part is to get in and out of the boats as they are constantly moving. The boats hold four people at a push. The platform is also quite slippery with the visitors getting in and out so be careful if you attempt this with a baby in your arms.

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TRAFFIC:
The mini cars are here and there are two age ranges for driving school. The 3-5 group and the 5 and upwards. Be warned this is not inclusive of your ticket or pass. To get the driving licence of lego land it costs £4.50.
There is also a boating school here and balloon school.
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MY TOWN:
This is where the harbour is situated. There are lots of shows on around this point, watch the view board for show times. The divers are very talented and this is a popular area so get there at least 30 minutes before show time to get a seat and a view. Last year was the theme "Johnny Thunder" and escape from dragon tower. This year is a continuation called "Secret of the Scorpion Palace". Everyone gets involved by cheering and clapping and if you are there in time, you might be able to grab a water hose!

Opposite the harbour is a the BIG RESTAURANT, this is in my opinion the best place to eat in Lego Land. The food is wholesome with meals such as Stroganoff, Fresh Cod, Curry , Lasagne etc. The childrens meals are also a bit more appetising than the usual nuggets and fish fingers.
Continue round and you will find Bricadilly's Carousel (not a fast ride, even I can stomach this sedate little carousel), the Magic Theatre (inside theatre complex you just walk around at your own leisure).

The Chairoplane is a small helicopter that goes up and down at your will, the controls are in your kid's hands and it doesn't go too fast or too high.

The Gondolas is my favourite of all rides and be prepared to wait for this in peak season, anything up to an hour and forty minutes. However, around 5 pm when the crowds start to leave, you will get on the rides far quicker. It is worth staying until closing time.

You are standing in a gondola type pod that whizzes around in circular motions hitting various water jets as you go round. I can stomach this, its good fun and you get wet. My eight year old is allowed to go on this alone as he reaches the second height limitation. My two year old isn't allowed. A large bar keeps you inside the gondola and lifts up automatically. The pods come to a complete stand still before you get out.

The Fire Engines was a new ride for 2005 season. Expect a long que for a very hard ride. There are four fire engines waiting for departure. You have to pump the engine to race to the other end and then jump out asap and pump the hose to put the fire out. There is no real fire obviously and the pumps are not to vigorous, except when you have to pump it for the water.

The children love this but its really hard work and quite painful on the shoulders. The engines are very hard to move and you really need two adults to do this. It's also quite stress full as you don't want to loose and be the last engine back. Your engine number is called over the loud speaker if you are the last, which I was! Great fun for the kids, absolutely exhausting for parents.
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WILD WOODS:
Gold wash is here and its not free. Expect to pay £5 for your kids to find a small gold nugget in the wash and swap it for a medal at the end. My brood always get soaked and covered in sand doing this and I now by pass it with a vengeance.
Pirate Falls is a fast wet ride, like Loggers Leap. You will get wet here. The ride starts off quite tame as the boat gently takes you around the circuit, then be prepared for a big drop right at the end and a wet bum.

There is also an Amazing Maze and Enchanted Forest to walk around. I got lost first time I did this. Word of warning keep an eye on the little ones as they zoom off and you can easily loose them.
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KNIGHTS KINGDON:
There is a man made castle here with a shop and a restaurant. You have to walk over a drawbridge to gain access. There are disabled ramps and slopes everywhere though.
Dragons Apprentice is a small roller coaster but still it's fast in my eyes! It doesn't go upside down and there is only a bar to hold the kids down and yourself in. A smaller version is the Flying Fish which is just about enough for me, el whimpo.
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NEW ADVENTURE LAND:
Here is where the big JUNGLE COASTER lives . My husband went on it, not me and he said it was quite tame. His example of tame is Nemesis at Thorpe Park, yeah right!

There is a Climbing Wall which isn't free, once again hand in your pocket time. Only available for age 4 to 7 years. It costs £3 this season and the kids get a certificate.

Dinor Ride:
We waited for over an hour to get on this in the summer and it was not worth it. One of the three new rides this year, aimed at babies and toddlers. It consists of small cars that travel around the circuit on a mona rail, weaving in and out of the lego made dinosaurs. They don't move, you don't get wet and its very quick. Blink and you'll miss it. Only two in a car so makes it awkward if you have two or three children with you.

Runaway Train:
Not for the weak stomach. Its basically a trail of connecting carriages that speed around the track in a circular motion , going up hill and down dale. Age range is for 5 years and up . Adults have to accompany the children on this. I sat through it once and felt very sea sick and woozy, my kids on the other hand loved every minute. Quite a popular ride if you dare!
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Is there a height limit on rides?
Yes and its strict. Don't cue up for ages on the chance they will let your youngest on the roller coaster without checking. The staff all have height gauges and if little Johnny doesn't meet the barrier, he doesn't get on.
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Is there adequate baby changing facilities?
Loads of them and mother and baby feeding rooms. I do feel though that these rooms really need a good clean as by the end of the day it really is quite pungent in there with the smell of stale nappies. Yes I understand the sheer volume of people that go to Legoland will create more work for the toilet attendants but I feel there should be someone in there every thirty minutes at peak times. On the plus side the toilets all have low sinks for children and a low level hand drier.
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Are there disabled facilities?
Lots. Disabled people are catered for just as well as the children for most facilities. Don't worry about getting through the barriers with a wheelchair, the main gates are opened for double buggies and disabled access.
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FOOD:
If you tire of your picnic and want some sustenance before you go home, treat yourself to a meal in the CROSSED RIBS outside restaurant. Its BBQ food and very moorish, though a bit over priced (but then what isn't). Kids meals here are about £5 and adults expect to pay £8 for your meal with a basic drink. A fancy coffee or milk shake puts the price up. This place is situated in the Wild Woods Town at point 45 on the map.

The Pit Stop café is at the entrance of the park next to the Gift Shop. This too serves good quality food such as jacket potatoes and chilli and rice. It does get packed when the park closes as most people head there for a last minute meal. Try and avoid the pre-packed salad, its pathetic. The fruit cups however are delicious though again expensive. Its filled with strawberries, melon, grapes and orange segments.
This is open till 8.30 pm at peak times.
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The Pasta Patch isn't up to much in my opinion. The portions are small , prices are high and the taste is non existent on most dishes. Avoid this if you can, it looks better on the outside. If you order a pizza for children they will receive one slice, not a small individual pizza. The salad is limp and pathetic. I don't class a slice of lettuce, 2 slices of cucumber and a tomatoe as a salad. The garlic bread looks delicious under the lighting but by the time you get it back to your table it resembles a brick. Egon Ronay needs to pay them a visit.

There are various ice cream points and water sellers. Expect to pay over £1.60 for a small ice cream , £1.75 for a bottle of water and £2.00 for a chocolate waffle. The waffles are only for sale by the Boating School but not to be missed if you have a sweet tooth. These are delicious and I hate to think of the calorie content, but so what, enjoy!! The waffles are on a stick and are dipped in warm chocolate and sprinkles, you will get messy.
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SAFETY:
You are given a map on entrance and safety stickers for your children. You write your mobile number on them incase the worst happens and they wander off. You then collect them at the Lost Parents point near to the Big Restaurant. There are security staff everywhere, some in plain clothes and some in uniform. All carry a walkie talkie.

All annual passes are checked at the entrance so don't be tempted to swipe in half of your relations, it wont happen. Your card will be removed and you get banned from the park with no refund.

To conclude I hope you give it a try if you have never been before. It is a nice day out and even better if you time it for the grand sale in the Marquee outside the park. This is a good opportunity to get some early Christmas presents for the kids at very reduced prices. A classic example is a Bionicle bed set for £10 and the Harry Potter Castle which is greatly reduced.

I hate to admit this, but I am old enough to remember when Lego Land in Windsor was originally a Safari Park. I spent many a weekend there when I was knee high eating soggy cheese sandwiches and dodging the giraffes that once escaped into the picnic field. Hand on my heart I preferred it before it was converted to plastic bricks, but my three young one's would disagree with me completely.

Enjoy ……………………..

For full park address details or events:
Call 08705 04 04 04
Or www.LEGOLAND.co.uk
Lego Land, Windsor, Berkshire.

Sunday 18th September 2005
Just wanted to add this post script regarding the Joust weekend. Just incase they repeat this for 2006.

Even as annual pass holders you have to que to get free tickets to this event. The event is held in Knights Kingdom and the tickets allow only 1000 people at a time to watch the Joust. The event lasts half an hour and the shows are an hour apart. I never managed to get tickets to the Falconrey but then again I didnt want to fight for them either.
The organisation was pretty dire. Tickets were given out but instead of sedate que's, most people thought it was a free for all to get in. I actually witnessed parents become quite aggresive just to get into this event.
There were barriers in place for queing but it was ignored until the 3.30 pm show when security at last became involved and informed those that weren't in line would have to go back to the que. It was a stampede and quite scarey.
We were pretty close to the front of the que only as we were there an hour prior to the show starting. Within minutes of the show starting a family walked straight in front us. I did not let this go lightly and will not print what I said. The atmosphere was very fraught.
After all this, the show was very good. It consisted of 6 horses in all their glory and the so called Knights of "Norsea". I think safety is an issue here as the section where the horses galloped was so narrow and so close to the public, that if a horse kicked out the barrier would easily be down.
I dont think I will fight my way through the aggressive parents next time round, its really not worth the stress level.

New ride for 2006:

Digger Challenge: Your children get a chance to manipulate a real JCB , lifting foam balls into a silver bucket. You have an instruction briefing in the porta cabin prior to sitting in the cab of the digger. Parents are allowed to stand alongside.

Great fun but once again, be prepared to wait your turn.

Enjoy. xx