We love LEGO and we are also huge fans o0f LEGOLAND. We go to the LEGOLAND Windsor once a year and Maxi and I were lucky enough to visit Legoland Florida earlier in the year too. On Fathers Day The Mad Blog Awards hosted their first #MadDayOut at LEGOLAND Windsor and we were lucky enough to be asked to come along and help at the event.
My boys are 132cm and 127 cm, so can go on every ride. Maxi, who is the taller child can go on them all independently. Mini can go on most independently, but needs to be accompanied by an adult on some of the others. We were also gifted a gold VIP wrist band, which I believe is the equivalent of a Q-BOT Ultimate. This meant that we skipped the queue on every ride. We managed to go on every ride in the p-ark in one day and there were no queues! Was it worth it? Well once both the boys are over 130cm we will buy then a Q-BOT Ultimate each, as it made the day so much more special and as a trip to LEGOLAND is a once a year thing for us I would rather save up and do it in style.
So What are our top tips for making the most out of your visit to LEGOLAND?
- Get there early – The park opens for general visitors at 10am. Get there early for the park opening. It is quietest first thing on a morning.
- Pick up a lost parent wrist band at the beginning of the park (Guest Services). These are invaluable. There are a lo0t of children and it is easy to lose one as Penny will tell you.
- Head for the rear of the park first. The most popular rides are driving school and boating school, so it pays to get the queuing out of the way first and we found the queues much less on a morning. We start at the back and work our way forward.
- If you stay in the LEGOLAND Hotel you get access to Atlantis 30 minutes early.
- Be prepared to get wet. Splash rides include Pirate Falls Dynamite Drench, SQUID Surfer and Vikings River Splash. We use poncho’s to ensure that we have dryish clothes!
- Take swim wear or UV wear for children. The new DUPLO Splash Valley and Drench Towers is a superb water area with slides, fountains, water guns and much more. There is a toddler area and an older child area. It is great fun and perfect for when your children are flagging. We managed to both grab a cup of tea whilst the boys made the most of the water.
- There can be a lot of walking and waiting, so if you have a buggy take it. Even if your child doesn’t normally use it.
- Make use of all your time. We stayed till closing time, a lot of people leave earlier so the queues get shorter.
- Turn up for the Pirate of skeleton bay show early (20 mins approx before the start) and put down a picnic blanket a little to the right of the control booth on the corner. The show is brilliant and will be enjoyed by all. The harbour coffee shop does starbucks quality lattes. Even better this is the perfect place and time to have your lunch in front of the show, its fab! And bring a picnic as food is ridiculously expensive.
Ways to keep costs down
- Take a packed lunch. There are areas for eating your packed lunch or snacks. You can also go back to the car to get it. There are also lockers at the beginning if you want to store your bags, but they do not refund your coins.
- Kids eat free after 3pm in certain restaurants
- Get a refillable drink for £7, especially if it is warm. You can use the drinks bottle once you get home too.
- Get the shopping over with at the beginning. Set a budget and make sure you stick to it! You can also leave your purchases their to collect on your way home.
- Keep an eye out for 2 for 1 deals by search on line.
- If you are travelling the park have an affiliation with a number of hotels and you can get your second day free. It is worth checking out booking both hotel and park entrance with these hotels.
We had THE best time, in fact Mini called it Epic. To see more pictures why not take a look at our LEGOLAND 2013 Google+ picture album
Was so good to see you again, and all of your tips are very relevant! I’ve pinned this onto the collaborative Family Days Out board, hope you don’t mind?
I love love love legoland.. but hate waiting in the queue for rides:( Thanks for all the tips!
Thanks for the mention! I would add, if you do write your phone number on your child/their wristband, do remember to tell them what you have done and why so they remember to tell people they have your number if they do get lost!
Fab day and great tips! Was lovely to bump into you over lunch! Our lost child interlude was quickly forgotten and the staff were great at sorting it!
Great tips! I didn’t know about the wristband one, but fantastic idea x
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I can’t believe this hasn’t got better reviews?! When we went it was brilliant, definitely couldn’t have asked for a better day! There is so much to do & see that we didn’t get to it all & we arrived as soon as it opened and stayed all day, the rides are fantastic as are all of the models of different monuments etc. I would love to go back again!
You will have to pay for two people £10 each, they do not distinquish between adult and children, no name is taken so you can swop with no problems. Not sure what will happen for the under 3, but a lot of the q bot rides have height limits and I wouldn’t have thought they would be tall enough. (unless really tall off course:D) Thanks thats good to know. Hoping as it’s midweek and only some schools have broken up that it may not be necessary, plus weather isn’t looking great.
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post