Where?
Legoland Windsor is a must-see for children of
all ages - and adults, too. Make savings by buying your tickets
online: the gate price for an adult is £45.60; online, it is
£34.20. Under-threes are free.
Getting there
It is two miles from Windsor. A shuttle bus runs from the two
rail stations in Windsor; or a Green Line coach runs from
Victoria.
What to see?
Young children - girls or boys - will love Legoland. It has
rides, themed areas (knights, Vikings, Egyptian Pharaohs, pirates),
and a new Duplo Valley, particularly suited to children up to five
years old. One of the main attractions is the Star
Wars-themed area with music, special effects, and amazing Lego
sculptures of things and people that appear in the films. My
three-year-old daughter was overwhelmed by the noise level and the
darkness, however; so it is more suited to older children. My son,
who is five, loved it.
Another area we liked very much was Miniland: London in
miniature, including the Gherkin, and the Millennium Wheel - all,
of course, made out of Lego. This makes a good photo as you stand
like a giant in the middle of the "city". One of the most
successful rides of the day was an underwater voyage on the
Atlantis submarine. As you enter the water you can see sea
creatures such as hammerhead sharks and turtles.
We visited Dinosaur Land, where you are surrounded by intricate
Lego models of triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, and stegosaurus; and
a train journey took us on safari through the African plains, where
we saw Lego elephants, giraffes, zebras, and crocodiles.
Refreshments
There are a number of places to eat, from sit-down family
restaurants to quick-bite stalls. If you are on a budget, however,
it would be a good idea to bring your own food and drink.
Disabled access
Legoland has been designed to accommodate disabled visitors.
High points
It is a fantastic experience for the whole family. There are so
many exciting things to do and see that not only children but
adults as well will never get bored. I felt that a day was not
enough, and I would definitely go again. The shops sell everything
from cameras to suncream to macs; so you won't get caught out by
the weather.
Low points
Queueing! We went in the middle of the school summer holidays,
and there was a queue of at least 40 minutes for each of the main
attractions. This could be a problem for younger children; so come
prepared with things to do in the queue. Also, the cost can be a
problem: everything is expensive.
www.legoland.co.uk