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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

legoland windsor is overpriced, overcrowded and dirty

214 replies

crumpledinside · 19/08/2013 22:14

And overrun by wasps.

I'd seen maybe 4 or 5 wasps all summer until our trip to legoland today. Then had wasps on me and the kids all day with dd getting stung. The toilets were rank, the entry fee was massive, the markup on everything was huge and it was so seethingly full of people you couldn't go on tbe rides after midday and could hardly move in the play areas. The lego models looked weathered and tatty, and seemed to be an afterthought on many attractions.

That's £££ I won't be spending again.

OP posts:
MarmaladeTwatkins · 19/08/2013 22:15

Hmmmm.

I found it pleasant but then I didn't go in the middle of the busiest period in the year for theme parks.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 19/08/2013 22:15

Spot on, a complete rip off. And a dreadful place to work too, according to my DD.

Inclusionist · 19/08/2013 22:18

I live 20 mins away and have NO desire to ever go. My mate has a season pass though so she must like it! Maybe it's ok on a week day in November.

Damnautocorrect · 19/08/2013 22:18

You missed out how shit the food is.
Yanbu!

RandomMess · 19/08/2013 22:20

YANBU we have Merlin passes, I prefer Chessington for all those reasons! Legoland is strictly a term time only visit.

IHeartIona · 19/08/2013 22:20

They have nesting bees there that are protected and they can't get rid of. I know because one stung me last summer there and the man in the first aid room who zapped me with something that took the pain away told me.

Mintyy · 19/08/2013 22:21

Yanbu, it is horribly overpriced. Longleat, otoh, was a brilliant family attraction. Could easily have spent two days there.

Catsize · 19/08/2013 22:22

And the queuing system is rubbish. Went last year and struggled to hold son in the heat. Pushchairs not allowed in queues and no sensible parent-swapping systm. Of course, there is the elitist fast-track system!!

Justforlaughs · 19/08/2013 22:22

We went years ago out of school holidays and it was lovely. Then we went back in August (again, quite a few years ago) - never again! YANBU about the queues. I have to say that it was really clean when we were there though.

Catsize · 19/08/2013 22:22

Have to say though, the Denmark one is very good.

Inclusionist · 19/08/2013 22:23

In the summer the relief road across Windsor queues back to the M4. Not a soul in Windsor though- all legoland traffic.

Bemuses me.

LimeLeaafLizard · 19/08/2013 22:28

YANBU. You also forgot to mention that if you ever get to the front of a queue, the rides are short and boring.

DeWe · 19/08/2013 22:28

The wasps are always a problem, but it's not usually dirty, they're usually pretty quick at picking up rubbish.

You can parent swap, not sure why you think there isn't. Assuming what you mean is: If you have two children needing accompaniment then you take one then the other, never had a problem doing that. That's what they tell you to do anyway. I preferred it when they had assistants that would take your spare children on as I'm not too keen on some of the rides though.

But I never go in August. Wet weekends in April/May are the best. No queues at all.

Renniehorta · 19/08/2013 22:29

Agree the one in Denmark is spotless and so well organised. We really enjoyed our trip there.

Idespair · 19/08/2013 22:30

It is a mistake to go in August.

Silverlace · 19/08/2013 22:30

I have been to another Merlin attraction today, Warwick Castle, and felt the same. I think it is partly to do with all the kids/adults go free offers around. I saw a huge pile of vouchers at an entrance desk.

I grew up near Warwick and have always loved the castle and have been many times but today was just awful. There were too many people for the infrastructure. There was a massive queue for the loos and food.

I actually felt sorry for the ancient buildings, it really did feel like a theme park. Far too many people there.

LEMisdisappointed · 19/08/2013 22:31

We went at the very begining of the summer holidays, day one was fine, reasonable queues - day two was murder - an hour to queue to go on a fecking merry go roundHmm We did enjoy duplosplash thingy and tbh DD would have spent the whole time there if we had let her. I wouldn't be in any particular rush to return but DD kept asking me if she was dreaming and had a brilliant time so it served its purpose as it was a birthday treat.

YABU about the wasps though - we haven't noticed any wasps up until this week and the bastard things were everywhere on the beach today

SorrelForbes · 19/08/2013 22:32

It was better when it was the Safari Park (not helpful)

Pachacuti · 19/08/2013 22:36

It's fine on a weekday in term time. There are no queues at all and you can just walk straight onto the most popular rides and go round and round until you get bored. I would never go in the summer holidays.

Fakebook · 19/08/2013 22:39

We went 2 years ago in March and it was busy, overcrowded and a rip off then. My nieces and dd only got to sit on about 3 rides and two we left the queue because it was so long. Such a waste of money.

This year (after consulting MN Wink) we took dd and DS to Gullivers Land in Milton Keynes, which also had quite a few wasps and was a bit rusty too but it wasn't busy, eat all you want food, a hot drink/ice cream and cold drink included in the price, a splash zone pass in their resort part, and they were giving people two or three rides in a go on some attractions because there was no one else queuing up! They both enjoyed it a lot and it was well worth the money. The toilets were also clean and the workers seemed really happy and helpful.

LadyBigtoes · 19/08/2013 22:43

We had a nice day there this summer, before English summer holidays started (from Scotland so ours were already on holiday). I would never normally go to a theme park so yes it was pricey, but as part of a camping holiday I saw it as a special one-off treat. The mark-up on some things did shock me, but you don't have to buy them, we saw lots of people taking picnics in. (Oh and anyone who's planning to go, take swimming stuff/spare clothes for the DC for the splash zone water play bit - otherwise you end up buying some at £££££ - that was the only thing I regretted.)

We loved the lego models and actually did very few rides, just the underwater one and the sky train. The model towns and NASA area were the kids' favourite thing. Some wasps, wasn't that dirty. The thing that sticks in my mind most about the day was the number of tantrums I saw various DC having! (No judgy pants btw, mine tantrum too...)

GobbySadcase · 19/08/2013 22:52

Couldn't agree more.
Disney Paris has shown me just how bad theme parks here are.

TwasBrillig · 19/08/2013 23:00

We used the basic fast track and had a fantastic day. I agree it looked like hell if you had to queue.

Valpollicella · 19/08/2013 23:00

I would disagree about the toilets.

We were there about 3 weeks ago and honestly, they were pristine. In all the places.

Sparklysilversequins · 19/08/2013 23:01

I like it there and so do my dc Smile. It's a lot of a fun.

Chessington today however was godawful! 4 of the big rides were out of order. I have Merlin Passes but if I didn't I would have been furious to pay full whack for that.

I love theme parks though and don't get the distaste towards then on here. Disney, Florida is my dream holiday! Grin