Please tell me I won't HATE LegoLand Windsor

[clumsymum]

DS is desperate to go (Got the legoland computer game for Christmas, seen videos of it etc)

He's been in a cycle of poor behaviour at school, I'm suggesting to dh that if ds can be good from now to end of term, then we MIGHT go to LL Windsor in the summer hols.

But I'm afraid we'll hate it. Are the queues horribly long, is it dirty and noisy, can we get anything edible there? Do we need more than 1 day, as the 'bargain breaks' suggest.

I'm disabled, and find standing in queues really tiring, and frankly dh isn't the worlds most patient man.

We live 150 miles away, so will need hotel, plus put dog in kennels etc etc. So the trip will cost us about £350 in all, Tell me I won't regret it (or tell me if I will, and need to think of something else).

As you are disabled, you can get a stamp on your hand which lets you enter the rides on the exit and avoid the queues!

They didn't say anything about stamping my hand when I rang up to ask about disabled access. They suggested I borrow a wheelchair to sit down in queues (I try to avoid wheelchair use if poss when out with ds)

I went with my DS who is disabled and we entered via the exits

umh, we live nr and tbh I wouldn't make the effort if we had to stay over/drive a long way. Although ds likes it, it is only an overpriced somewhat tacky-in-places theme park! Faves are the water area/mini-town/driving bits. Really depends on the kid though but there's no way you ds need more than 1 day!
Food v expensive and rather horrid, plenty of places for picnicking though and there's waitrose/tesco in windsor. If you do decide to make a w/e of it, windsor is nice enough - castle/river trips/park/savill gardens etc so at least there's sth in it for you!

Maybe that's only if the child is disabled?

Thanks MissChief, I am afraid of it being an expensive disappointment. Glad to know we would only need one day, if we go at all.

I used to know the Windsor area quite well, about 20 years ago, and I'm sure we could find other things to do as well (I fancy the Castle, but that's quite expensive too isn't it?).

From their FAQ on the website..

Guests with Disabilities
LEGOLAND has been designed with the needs of guests with disabilities firmly in mind ? the park is 95% accessible to wheelchair users. The pathways are level and suitable for wheelchairs, but can be steep on the ascent. An alternative route is to take the Hill Train.
For full details please request a copy of our Guide for Guests with disabilities, available from Guest Services.

• Car park for guests with disabilities is situated near the entrance, follow the signs to the Disabled Car Park
• Free admission for registered personal assistants with documented proof of disability
• All ticket booths have induction loops, please look for the signs
• Guests in wheelchairs can enter the turnstiles through one of two gates at either end of the turnstiles
• Accessible toilets
• Fully accessible restaurants, shops and show venues
• Many rides and attractions accessible to wheelchair users via entrance lines. The following rides can be entered via the exit: Jungle Coaster, Sky Rider, Extreme Team Challenge, Duplo Train, Boating School, Dragon Coaster and Dragon?s Apprentice
• Ride exit passes for guests (with disabilities), where appropriate. Exit Pass stamps are available to children who are mentally impaired and do not understand the concept of queuing. The Exit Pass is available from Guest Services at The Beginning and in LEGO City. Exit Passes are issued to the child and up to three members of the party in order for them to be accompanied. Height and age restrictions still apply. For specific questions please contact us at [email protected]

So it doesn't look like you can avoid queuing I'm afraid. We try and avoid going when it's busy, but we've always had a good time. It's usually clean, the food is expensive but OK (prefer to take our own, but we're only an hour away) We've never managed to do everything in one day, but tbh after a day there I figure they've done enough anyway!

Check out Lastminute.com for good deals on breaks - might be a bit cheaper too.

Cheers serenity for that. I don't intend to avoid queueing, as long as the queues aren't hours (i.e. in a 6 hour day spend 3 hours queuing).

My intention is to come sometime during the week of 29th July, not at a weekend. Do you think it would be OK, or are all days in the school hols overcrowded?

partypooper again here, I'm afriad it is overcrowded every day in hols. Unless you arrive late in the day that is, after 4ish but then obviously less time to do stuff. sorr-rry!

why don't you promise ds a w/e in sept instead? still warm enough but much cheaper, much less hassle as much less crowded?

I'd avoid it if I could

The only times we've gone in the school holiday we went on the friday before the August bank holiday and it was fairly quiet - I assume it was because most people planned it as a holiday weekend thing to do (we've done that twice) I'd have thought beginning/midweek would be quieter, based solely on the fact that people might not want to have a busy weekend followed by a day out but I'm probably talking b%ll*cks

Have a read of this for tips if you do decide to go.
I went for the day in 1/2 term, and the queues were not that bad.

Have a read of this for tips if you do decide to go.
I went for the day in 1/2 term, and the queues were not that bad.

Hmmmm, looks like that might be out then.

I wonder if he'd settle for a couple of days in Scarborough?

Thanks for the link Jasnem

We live down the road from legoland and the kids loved it. I haven't tried goign peak time yet, but if you don't want to spend all day queuing at least there is the lego to see, some workshop type things and the water park bit. The food isn't that bad, and I didn't even think it was that expensive. It was about £4.50 for a meal burger chips onion rings or whatever. Junk food, but on a day out, it doesn't really matter. WE got our food and sat watchign a show.

If you decide against it, chessington might be better, because there is the zoo and if you don't want to queue you can buy fast track passes. It is soo big that the queues arent too bad anyway, especially for kids rides. They might be more considerate of disabilities too. We've been their twice this year so far.

oh, and a tip from soemone at chessington, bank hol mon is a good day to go, as everyone expects it to be packed and stays away!