What's new to LEGOLAND?
LEGOLAND Windsor (alongside six other LEGOLAND Resorts worldwide) is running a celebration of play with the launch of an inspired new LEGO Festival event, running until 8 June.
The festival is in response to recent research which found that 76% of parents believe kids now have less time and space to play than ever before. LEGO Festival has been created to encourage families to play together in the lead up to World Play Day (11 June).
The festival is included with regular admission to LEGOLAND Windsor Resort and will be running on selected dates from 3 May to 8 June, The event invites families to explore five interactive zones to spark imaginations - Music, Creativity, Dance, Gaming, and Chill Out.
At the music zone, visitors can rock out to the ultimate LEGO Battle of the Bands show. Show off your best moves at DJ Good Vibes Dance Party in the Dance Zone, join renowned LEGO Master Model Builder, Alec, virtually, as he leads creative LEGO building adventures in the Creative Zone, or kick back and relax in a secret LEGO garden full of vibrant flower walls in the Chill Out Zone. Families can build LEGO flowers and add their creations to the flower walls. Little visitors can build along with Hopsy, the friendliest red little bunny, during the LEGO DUPLO show - perfect for preschoolers.
As a mum of two LEGO-obsessed boys, I've long appreciated the many benefits of this toy. It's helped develop their fine motor skills, reasoning and problem-solving abilities, creative, and social skills (as they share their passion with other LEGO enthusiasts). It's the toy that has held their interest throughout the years, when other toys have dropped out of popularity with each developmental stage.
I've been to LEGOLAND Windsor several times over the years with my husband and our sons Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6. It's one of our favourite places to visit and it holds many happy memories. We were thrilled to return for the LEGO Festival, and adding to the experience was the excitement of staying at the resort for the very first time.
LEGOLAND Short Stay Experience
We decided to keep this most recent visit to LEGOLAND a surprise. We set off early on a Saturday morning and told the boys we were heading to a National Trust site. They've passed by signs for LEGOLAND on many occasions on the way to other attractions, so they didn't become remotely suspicious. But, as we turned in toward the hotel car park (parking is free for hotel guests) their eyes lit up. The news that we weren't just visiting the theme park, but staying at the resort on a family short break, had them hopping around the backseat in excitement.
We couldn't check in to the hotel until 4pm. So, we left our bags in the boot of the car. But we had to go through the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel and pick up a swipe card, allowing us to take the lift up a level. We then crossed a short pathway to LEGOLAND Castle Hotel next door. As we stepped into the foyer of Castle Hotel the boys were instantly distracted by the giant LEGO wizard centrepiece, surrounded by a pit of loose LEGO bricks for kids to design their own creations. We had to pull the boys away, so as not to miss any time in the theme park. The Castle Hotel opens on to the theme park, next to the LEGO MYTHICA zone. Our theme park passes were checked by staff on a desk inside the gates to the main Castle Hotel entrance.
LEGOLAND Windsor is divided into 11 sections. THE BEGINNING is where you enter. Here is where the main ticket desk, toilets, gift store, and customer service desk are located. At customer service you'll find stations where you can pay to recharge your phone, and vending machines selling Calpol, Piriton for hay fever, and other such important items you may have forgotten to pack. There are free sun cream dispensers around the park, which is handy if you forgot to bring sun protection (but do try to remember to pop some in your bag in case they run out).
THE BEGINNING is also where there are great big LEGO statues. So, you'll want to take a few pictures here. And be sure to pick up a Resort Guide, so you can plan your route around the theme park. I'd also strongly recommend downloading the LEGOLAND app before your visit, as this will provide you with a map of the resort, but it will also tell you the current waiting times for each ride, helping you to plan your day.
Other sections of LEGOLAND Windsor include:
BRICKTOPIA - where you'll find a build and race room, 4D cinema and the exciting new Minifigure Speedway rollercoaster.
MINILAND: Stroll around at your leisure and appreciate iconic landmarks from around the world made from more than 42 million Lego bricks. There are little moving vehicles, and Reuben particularly enjoyed the launch of a rocket at the NASA model display.
DUPLO VALLEY – here you’ll find attractions for toddlers and younger children, including Dino Coaster and Duplo Airport, and Duplo Express. During the warmer months, Splash Safari and Drench Towers are open. So, be sure to pack swimwear and towels, and swim nappies are essential for younger children.
LEGO CITY – Reuben loved spotting the sharks in among the rays and exotic fish on LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure - a submarine ride. Kids can also earn their licence at LEGO City Driving School, or L-Drivers for smaller children.
KNIGHTS KINGDOM – Fly through the treetops and meet animated LEGO models on The Dragon - a thrilling rollercoaster for kids over 1.0m, and a favourite with Odhran and Reuben.
LEGO MYTHICA – Flight of the Sky Lion is one of our favourite rides at Legoland. This simulator makes you feel like you’re flying through the air, swooping and almost crashing into mountains, and dodging mythical flying creatures and sea beasts. Reuben loved the Lava Dragon Play - a large dragon climbing frame with a tube slide, and there’s no need to queue. During the warmer months, we also love Hydra’s Challenge, a steer yourself water ride with twists and turns.
HEARTLAKE CITY – Here you'll find rides such as LEGOLAND Express and Autumn's Riding Adventure - the ride seats are like sitting on a pony's back on a spinning disk that moves backwards and forwards. Odhran and me didn't enjoy this ride, as we founds the seats uncomfortable. On a practical note, first aid and comfortable baby-change facilities can be found in this section.
PIRATE SHORES - Highlights here are Pirate Falls: Treasure Quest log flume (before visiting any theme park with water rides or a chance of rain you might want to buy some ponchos online, where you’ll find them at a better price than forking out at the stores on site, and the Jolly Rocker is good for little thrill seekers.
KINGDOM OF THE PHARAOHS - Little ones can climb inside a Lego basket and get a view of the park in Aero Nomad or discover the secrets of ancient Egypt at Laser Raiders.
LEGO NINJAGO WORLD – LEGO Ninjago The Ride is always one of the first rides Odhran and Reuben want to go on when we visit LEGOLAND Windsor. You put on 3D glasses and move your hands over sensors for a 4D immersive experience, where you must strike targets and see who can get the most points.
Is there enough for kids under 90cm to enjoy?
We spent the entire day exploring the park, and my sister-in-law, her partner and their nearly two-year-old daughter took a train from London to join us for the day out. Children under 90cm receive free entry. Sadly, despite being a hot day the Splash Safari wasn't on, but there was plenty to keep the boys' toddler cousin (who is just under 90cm) occupied, with no height restriction on rides such as LEGO City Deep Sea Adventure, Coastguard HQ, LEGOLAND Express, DUPLO EXPRESS, Balloon School and Aero Nomad. Unfortunately, you do need to be 0.9m to ride on DUPLO Airport, which had caught her attention. But there was also Miniland, The Magical Forest, the playground, and shows running as part of the festival. Overall, my sister-in-law told me they really enjoyed their day out at LEGOLAND and found it worth the effort of travelling by public transport from London with a toddler.
Our top three rides at LEGOLAND Windsor
These are the top three rides you won't want to miss on a visit to LEGOLAND
Minifigure Speedway - this was our first time on the ride, which opened last year, and we loved it. With a minimum height of 1.05m, it's a good one for bigger kids. It's the world's first LEGO themed duelling rollercoaster that not only races forward but also races in reverse.
Flight of the Sky Lion - The UK's first ever flying theatre ride takes you on a thrilling journey. We've been on it several times and never tire of it (minimum 1m to ride).
The Dragon - This rollercoaster is one of our top attractions at LEGOLAND. We love the theming, and it has just the right thrill factor for early rollercoaster riders (minimum 1m to ride).
Back at the hotel
After a fun-filled day at the theme park we headed to check-in at the Castle Hotel. I received a notification at 3pm that our room was ready, but we didn't want to leave the park until closing time (and we had to include a visit to the gift shop, where the boys spent their saved pocket-money).
But, as we returned to the hotel, and picked up our key card we were very excited to see what our room looked like. It's worth mentioning that £5 per room per night pre-authorization is held on your credit or debit card when you check in. This amount is held as a security deposit against potential damage or extra charges. If no charges are incurred, the £5 is released back to your account within 5-10 working days after check-out.
We were booked to stay in the Knight's Room, and as we stepped through the door, the boys raced inside to explore. There's a little treasure hunt, which involves finding the answers to clues hidden in the room to work out a code to unlock a treasure chest. But the code hadn't been reset so the chest was hanging open and the boys spotted the treasure straightaway without having to do the hunt, which was a bit of a shame. But the prize of two LEGO towels, a LEGO polybag each, and two LEGO lanyards was great. (I'm now using my cheerful LEGO lanyard at work!).
Our room was at the front of the hotel and had a lovely view out over the park and the water feature in the centre of the lake. Everything in the room, from the bedding to the carpet and the LEGO pictures on the walls, was perfectly LEGO Knight themed. There were LEGO builds, including a large red dragon on a beside table. The kids bunkbeds were in a separate enclosed area. Here there were loose LEGO bricks and a board on the wall to build. There was a PS4, and the boys were very excited to find that it included loads of LEGO computer games. But they were disappointed when the control pads quickly died and they discovered that the chargers were broken. The parts where the charger connects to the pads had been snapped off.
There was a TV in both the adults' and the kids' section of the room and a good supply of towels in the bathroom, which was also wonderfully themed. Our room included all the practical things you might need - an iron and ironing board, hairdryer, wooden clothes hangers, cups and a kettle with tea, coffee, sugar and milk sachets. There was also a small coffee machine with a few coffee pods, and I spotted a couple of travel cots at the top of the wardrobe, for those visiting with babies. In the bathroom there was a combined shampoo and conditioner and a bath a shower wash, which is handy if you've forgotten to pack these or wanted to travel as light as possible.
What to know about LEGOLAND Playroom
My sister previously stayed at LEGOLAND with her two kids and told me they spent a great amount of their time in the LEGO Playroom, so we were very keen to try this out. It's a large room in the Resort Hotel that those staying in premium rooms or at the Castle Hotel can access for free. If you're in a standard room you'll need to add a LEGOLAND Playroom entrance to your package at the extra stages of booking, or speak to a member of reception. This costs £10 per child, including two adults. Unfortunately, if you're in the Woodland Lodges you don't have access to the Playroom, but they do have separate exclusive facilities within the Woodland Village.
The room is a LEGO fan's dream, with a collection of themed build tables including pirates, skyscrapers and castle ruins. There's a Duplo area for little builders, and there's also a fun interactive area where you can build on screen and watch your creation come to life on a wall projection. There's a little bar serving hot and cold drinks and snacks. My husband and I enjoyed a beer as we helped the boys build. Well we didn't actually help them build, we were just following their orders to gather red bricks or grey bricks or whatever they needed to build their creations! They made friends with another little boy and enjoyed building together.
We only spent about 45 minutes in the Playroom before we had to go and get dinner. We intended to to return the following morning for some build time before our 11am booked slot at the pool, which is just opposite the Playroom. But we were disappointed to realise we couldn't enter as it was booked out for a birthday party in the morning. It's important to know that the Playroom is open daily 3pm-9pm. So factor in plenty of time during your visit for the kids to enjoy this fun part of their stay. The boys decided they didn't want to go to the scheduled kids disco, as they were keen to visit the Playroom, and I'm glad they made that decision as otherwise we wouldn't have had enough time and would have missed out the following day.
Don't overlook the playgrounds
After a busy day at the park, we sat in the evening sun at a table outside Skyline Bar to enjoy a drink. There was a character meet and greet going inside but the boys would not oblige me with a photograph as they were more interested in enjoying the playground outside Bricks Restaurant. There's also a lovely little wooden playground outside Castle Hotel, where the boys spent about an hour after breakfast playing with other kids. There is a climbing structure to explore and an obstacle course, which they enjoyed chasing each other around. Definitely factor in time for your kids to enjoy the simple pleasure of a playground and making new friends.
What about breakfast?
We ate at The Tournament Tavern, which again is a fabulously themed restaurant. We loved the giant brick dragon and his eggs in the fireplace with crackling sounds. The restaurant itself is designed like a LEGO medieval banqueting hall. It was table service and the staff were friendly and efficient (not forgetting to bring the water we'd requested, which so often happens in restaurants). We were seated straight away.
Breakfast is included in the cost of an overnight booking, and you can choose from either a continental breakfast (cereal, pain au chocolat, mini croissant, jam and butter, fresh fruit, fruit yoghurt, and fresh milk) or a cooked option - full English, but veggie and vegan alternatives are available . Kids can get a smaller version of one of these. Tea, coffee, orange, apple juice, milk are included but if you want a speciality coffee, eg Latte, you pay extra. You can also pay a £1.99 supplement for one of the breakfast specials, such as an omelette or French toast.
I had the vegetarian cooked breakfast and Odhran and Reuben had the Junior Build Classic - pork sausage, grilled bacon, hash browns, baked beans, egg, and toast. They followed this up with a waffle with maple syrup, strawberry puree and fresh blueberries, at the supplementary charge. And my husband paid the supplementary charge for smashed avocado on toast. The food was lovely and set us up well for the day.
What's the swimming pool like?
You can book your swimming hour slot in advance of your stay, and I'd recommend doing this as quickly as possible, as the more popular times will book up fast. After experiencing the incredible waterpark at Splash Landings in Alton Towers I was worried the boys might feel a little bit underwhelmed by the pool at LEGOLAND Windsor, but they loved it. There's a deeper pool where you can swim lengths, and a LEGO themed splash area with a small slide, tipping buckets and sprinklers. We spent most of the time in the deeper pool, where myself or my husband dad pretended to be sharks chasing the boys. They did also enjoy the splash area, where they played with a lovely little boy they'd met the previous night in the LEGO Playroom. The pool was a really enjoyable way to round off our stay at LEGOLAND before drying off and heading home. I'd packed towels, but they were provided at the desk next to the pool.
What about early entry to rides?
Guests staying at the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel, Castle Hotel and Woodland Village can enjoy exclusive Early Ride Time in the Theme Park from 9.30am. Early ride access is valid for Flight of the Sky Lion, Laser Raiders and Coastguard HQ. I recommend hitting Flight of the Sky Lion first, as on our visits this has always had the longest queue time.
Tips for visiting LEGOLAND
Have a plan of action - Check your child’s height before visiting and go on the website to check height restrictions on rides. This way you can set expectations and make a list of which rides you really want to go on.
Download the app - to access show times and the latest queue times (though don’t be put off by the wait times as often you end up queuing for less time than what’s shown). The app shows a map, so you can plan your route.
Arrive at 9.30am - Rides open at 10am. But you can access Miniland, grab a coffee and used the toilets before 10am.
Beat the queues - Head to your favourite ride first, or alternatively head to the bottom of the park as these rides tend to have shorter queues earlier in the day. Duplo Valley is near the entrance to the park, so queues can be long. It might be best to leave this part of the park until lunch time or the last hour of the day when many pre-schoolers will have gone home.
Make the most of your time - Enjoy queue free attractions in the peak of the day, such as Miniland, Magical Forest (walk through), and The Brick (Lego free build area). Remember that as long as you’re in the ride queue line before the park close time, you’ll still get to ride.
Keep in budget - Pack a picnic and bring plenty of snacks and drinks. Book in advance for the best prices. Tesco Clubcard vouchers can be used to save money on entry costs. You don’t have to exit the park through the gift shop, but kids will spot it and want to go in. So set expectations in advance.
How much does it cost?
If you're visiting LEGOLAND on a day visit, be sure to book online in advance to save money. A walk up price can be £68, whereas a ticket booked online costs from £29. Though during peak summer times you're looking at around £39. When it comes to short breaks, LEGOLAND Resort Hotel and LEGOLAND Castle Hotel offer options starting from around £220 per night for a standard room. But the cost of your short break will vary depending on the time of year and demand.
We researched what a two night stay during peak summer holiday season for two adults and two children would cost for a stay at Castle Hotel, and you're looking £836 for the first weekend in August. Park entry tickets are booked separately. I have heard of people booking a stay at LEGOLAND during the Winter months when the theme park is closed, to pay the lowest price but still have the novelty of a LEGO themed room stay and access to the Playroom and swimming pool. LEGOLAND sometimes run special offers where you get two days park entry for the price of one. I'd advise booking a stay when you can avail of this offer.
Take a Break's verdict
It's a splurge, but a stay at LEGOLAND is an experience the kids won't forget. It's up there with other kid bucket list destinations, such as Disneyland and Lapland. All kids will enjoy it, but if your child is a LEGO fanatic, you'll want to try and grab that window of time in their childhood to tick this one off the list, as I'd say LEGOLAND is best suited to ages 3-12.
It certainly lived up to the boys' expectations. They didn't walk around the park, they skipped, and after returning home, they thanked me so many times for taking them. From an adult's point of view, there was some room for improvement (the broken PS4 chargers, the open treasure chest, and please get some heavier curtains that actually cover the window). I was so concerned with the boys having a good time that I hadn't considered what a relaxing break it would be for me and my husband too. But when we returned after just one night's stay, it felt like we'd been on a longer family break away. Seeing the smiles on the boys faces made it a magical experience that we'll all remember for a long time to come. Overall, we'd rate our LEGOLAND Windsor short break a 4.5 out of 5. Find out more here