I have visited Legoland many times over many years, as well as having made and heard suggestions from many, many families over
years. It has given me a set of “rules” that have become invaluable in attacking and surviving a day out at Legoland in Windsor.There really can be nothing worse than planning a trip to Legoland and to turn up just after park is open at 10am. This is first fatal move. You will end up queuing almost as soon as you get off M4 motorway (see Getting To Us for directions). This inevitably means you get to Legoland park some time after 10am, more likely nearer 11am, then queue into parking area, queue to get tickets, queue to get through ticket barrier, queue to get on train down hill and then you continue your day with a bit more queuing on all rides. Lovely!
I think you can all see picture I’m painting here! I will just add that this is normally only this bad on peak days in summer, at weekends and during school holidays, but it can happen at any day to a greater or lesser degree depending upon weather – it suddenly turns hot and sunny, everyone decides to go to Legoland – or there’s a special offer on you didn’t know about – all locals with their Legoland annual passes turn out for day.
So how do you start off on right foot?
The most important thing to remember is that Legoland park opens at 10am, and by park I don’t mean parking, pay points, Lego shop or hill top restaurant!
Yep you guessed it, this is all open earlier, about 9.30am! This is when you should be rolling up to parking area. From previous scenario you are already 1 hour ahead of those less fortunate who are about to get stuck in traffic queues off M4!
So you’ve arrived and parked up, its 9.40am and you’ve unpacked kids and are wandering off to ticket booths, but of course if you’ve planned ahead – which you should have because you’re reading this for a start – and have bought your Legoland tickets online and hopefully got a better deal…. You can pass straight into Beginning, get your bearings, form The Plan of attack, and try and keep children away from shop! Check out Model Makers Workshop and Hall of Fame – some amazing Lego models, a near life size 747 cockpit amongst many other exhibits. The Rocket Racers may even open early, or just get a coffee at Pitstop Café. There is plenty to do here for ˝ an hour to chill out and relax before you hit Legoland proper. The Plan will help you get an idea of where to head first, which rides your children want as well as those with height restrictions and times of shows throughout day.
It is getting towards 10am, head down to Hill Train. Now it may not be worth getting on train, particularly if there is already a queue, after all, purpose of this guide is to cut down queuing, so why would you want to start day in one! Just wait until they let you past and walk on into park.
It’s all downhill into park, but it’s now time to follow The Plan you thought about earlier. The basic rule is to walk to back of Legoland and work your way forward. Its important to get to major rides as soon as you can, do them and then you can relax and make most of park for rest of day.
In my opinion best rides at Legoland in 2004 were Dragon Ride, Pirate Falls, Jungle Coaster and Driving School. The one thing you can guarantee is that by midday there will be at least a 45 minute queue for all these rides, so its best to try and tick them all off you list as soon as possible. Of course if your little lovelies are too small or just into something else, then make sure you have it in The Plan.
