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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Legoland/Chessington or Thorpe Park??

11 replies

Twinkie · 26/03/2004 12:54

Want to visit at least one of these on the Wednesday before Easter - have taken DD to Legoland and she loved it so either that or Thorpe Park or Chessington - they are all really about the same distance from us (and all mean trying to get around the bloody M25 roadworks!!) but I just don't know which one to choose??

DD is 3 years 8 months and likes most things??

Also are they very expensive (saw £13.50 offer for Legoland!!)

OP posts:

Original poster

Twinkie · 26/03/2004 13:10

Please someone!!!!!

OP posts:

Mermaid2 · 26/03/2004 13:33

Hi Twinkie, Legoland or Chessington get my vote. Did find Legoland annoying that you have to pay to park in the neartest car park to the centre or walk an extra five mins and its free. Apart from that very entertaining. Good idea wanting to go before Easter. Not sure what M25 will be like.

bluestar · 30/03/2004 15:41

We took ds to Legoland last year (aged 2.5) and he loved it. Couldn't go on all the rides but we had a good day out. Best thing was that it was free as I had some Airmiles vouchers!

jmg · 30/03/2004 15:58

Twinkie
We've done Lego and Chessington several times and my vote goes with Chessington. There are more rides for the little ones there (mine are 4 and 5 years old) and since I like rides too there are some good adult rides.

If you go to Chessington's website they often have an offer of some sort. Last time we went we got one child free for each adult which really keeps the cost down.

Also from where we are the journey to chessington is a bit quicker, but agree about the M25!

Have a lovely time!

annh · 30/03/2004 21:18

If you get your milk from Tescos at the mo, they have peel off vouchers for Legoland on the containers which gets one child in free with each paying . Saved us a lot last weekend!

stamford · 05/04/2004 11:33

Chessington or Legoland are the best for that age. We went to Thorpe Park last year and there aren't that many things for a 3 year old to do (there are rides they can go on) - it is much more geared towards the older child whereas Chessington and Legoland are entirely devoted to the younger age group. My kids would say Legoland was the best (because they love Lego)but in terms of rides, Chessington had the most for them to do and looking at their website now, they have a new area for under 8s that sounds great.

150percent · 05/04/2004 12:06

We went to Chessington at the weekend - plenty for that age group to do, especially with the zoo bit as well. Under 4s are free though their adult ticket now includes a child under 12 anyway. DS is just 3 and there were 5 rides which he was too small for, but otherwise he could try most things.

Trifle · 07/04/2004 09:41

DP took boys to Chessington and had a fabulous time, especially at the zoo bit and not bad value either. Legoland I hate with a passion, massive hill, massively busy, crap rides, rip off. Thorpe Park is ok but as others have said geared for the older child. I did go last year when the lagoons were open (beach area with shallow water) and the boys absolutely loved it but wouldnt go if they werent open as very little else for under 4's to do. You can get a train or boat ride across to the farm which is excellent. Under 4's are free at Thorpe Park (probably due to the limited amount of stuff they can do) and you have to pay a fairly whopping price for 3 and over at Legoland and then spend the whole day queuing to put them on rubbish rides, get off, queue again blah blah blah. Probably would say Chessington is a better option.

stamford · 07/04/2004 09:56

Trifle, you've brought back dreadful memories of our last trip to Legoland. It was heaving with children, we queued for over 30mins for every ride (with a VERY impatient 2 year old who could not understand the purpose of queues so was constantly having major tantrums) and then to top it all off, my 3 year old disappeared near the water fountain bit and I spent 15 minutes tearing around like a mad thing. It was horrendous but for some reason the kids loved it. I would NEVER out of choice go to Legoland now but I know some people who love it there and have always had great times. It didn't surprise me to see that Legoland had the biggest fall in visitor numbers last year out of all the major tourist attractions.

nerdgirl · 07/04/2004 10:50

Well, we loved Legoland. Went when all the English kids were in school! Tiny queues!! :-)

I had four kids with me from 3 - 6 years old and they all had a fabulous time.

bluesky · 13/06/2004 17:57

We went to Legoland recently and they have recently done the waterplay area in the littles one area.

It is a great place to visit last just before you go home. It was wonderful, watershoots, sprays etc coming out of the ground, water falling from above, patterns, shapes etc, brilliant way to revive them.

I just took a kitchen towel (real not paper!) and clean knickers in my rucsac for afterwards so that I didnt carry much during the day, stripped little one off and he loved it!

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