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Original poster

THE LEGOLAND 2015 tips hints and reviews thread, all your questions answered here!

370 replies

HRHQueenMe · 14/03/2015 09:17

Link to the 2014 Legoland thread

Please ask away, and feel free to add your own hints and tips and reviews! Legoland is daunting, esp for parents going on their own so any tips and hints are much appreciated.

None of the regular posters on this thread are employees or associated with Legoland, we are mostly local parents with Annual passes and know the place very well as its our local playground.

Happy Legolanding!

OP posts:
PlayingHouse · 25/07/2015 11:28

I've never known Legoland not to be Madness in August. Let the crazy commence Grin

DebbieFiderer · 25/07/2015 20:36

I was there today and it was very busy, but we still managed to have a good day. Didn't do many rides (by choice; didn't want to queue), but made the most of the shows and playgrounds and didn't set our expectations too high, which helps.

Baddz · 26/07/2015 19:26

How far in advance do you need to book tickets?
It's now got in to be first weekend in October for us...only on the Saturday.
Can you get tickets for one day?
What is qbot?

DebbieFiderer · 27/07/2015 08:17

You can book in advance but not if you are using any vouchers (tesco, nectar, kelloggs etc). Yes, you can get tickets for only one day but they are currently doing an offer to come back next day for £5, not sure if that will still be on.

Qbots are a device to allow you to skip the queues. There are different prices; the cheapest allow you to select a ride, will give you a time to ride it which is equivalent to the time you would ride it if you queued normally, you can then do other things until your time comes up, then skip the queue and ride straight away (although on busy days there may be a queue for qbot holders on busy rides, you will still get on quicker than non qbot people though). The more expensive ones cut the queue time; medium one you have to wait for half the time of the current queue, most expensive gives you instant access.

Baddz · 27/07/2015 08:27

Thank you!
I can't believe how expensive it is! No vouchers, sadly :(

DebbieFiderer · 27/07/2015 08:47

Keep an eye out for vouchers, there are always loads around, on cereal boxes, crisps, etc. Also check Ebay or local facebook selling sites, a lot of people sell on their Sun vouchers. There is no benefit to booking now rather than a week or two before you go, so take the time to hunt around for deals.

Baddz · 27/07/2015 08:52

Oh thank you, I will!

christmasmum · 27/07/2015 08:55

Meant to add in a quick review, thanks so much for all the tips! We had an amazing time at the start of July, 3 days midweek. There were some school groups but not too many, we didn't need a queue bot and even got to stay on some rides for a second go round (eg Viking river splash and Mia's riding adventure - which my daughter and I did 5 times!!). We stayed in the hotel which was good but perhaps not worth the money apart from getting to drive in and out quicker.

Loved pirates show and saw it twice, DD7 did enjoy the friends show though.

Thanks again for tips!

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 02/08/2015 09:43

We were there twice last week - Monday was quiet, Friday was manic but still managed everything we wanted to do with qBots.

On Friday we went straight down to Knight's Kingdom and Pirate bit at opening, and it was so much easier to get on everything - we normally start at Atlantis and get to Knight's after lunch.

I'd say my only tip is don't go on Viking RIver just before a long drive home. I got totally drenched and was rather uncomfortable...

ISpyPlumPie · 02/08/2015 21:32

Thanks so much for this thread. We're going for three nights in a fortnight's time (I know, I know but August was the only time we could get leave) and have just got a couple of questions

  1. I've read all the advice about qbots being essential, but seeing as we'll have two full days in the park and two half days (got a three days+one free offer and we're a three hour drive away so thinking first and last will be effectively half) and DC are 5 and 2, I'm hoping there'll be time to spread things out. Basic plan is to go for the extra half hour as we're staying at the hotel and do Atlantis/Driving school. If it gets unbearable in the afternoon we'll head back to the hotel's splash pool then go back to the park when it's quieter. Does this sound ok or are we doomed without qbots?
  1. If we do need qbots will the two year old need one?
  1. Food - after reading this thread, will definitely be in picnic format. Where's the best place locally to get picnic bits we can easily sort frim the room?
  1. Is the buffet restaurant in the hotel any good for the evening meal, or are we better going out?

Thanks in advance.

DebbieFiderer · 02/08/2015 22:48

I don't know about the food questions, but the other parts of your plan sound fine. You could always see how much you get some on the first day and a bit, then decide about qbots for the second full day; some of the queues are ridiculous so if you want to get all rides done without wasting an hour plus in a queue each time then they might be a good idea. You wouldn't need to pay for the two year old but he/she would be able to go on the rides with you.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 03/08/2015 09:56

Even on a really busy day there are some shorter queues. On Friday we walked on to Dragon's Apprentice, Knight's Quest and Dragon at 10.15am, and mid-morning the kids walked on to the swinging chairs and Scarab Bouncers. Dino Safari is usually a short queue, too.

The major queues were always Boating and Driving School. The new Riding Adventure one was quite long, too.

You can get a qBot cheaper in the afternoon, so if you had really wanted to do something and missed out, you could go for that.

GobblersKnob · 03/08/2015 10:04

We go every year and have done for years have never used or needed a qbot.

We always get there a little late and stay until the bitter end, ime after six ish you can get on nearly all the big rides with no more than a five minute queue, often none at all.

You can also do mini land after seven, they don't chuck you out until gone eight, the shop is often open until nearly nine.

There is no need to pay for parking if you leave after eight Wink

ISpyPlumPie · 03/08/2015 10:43

Thanks everyone. Sounds like wait and see is the best way to go with the qbots.

omama · 06/08/2015 23:09

hi we're planning a trip to legoland in a couple of weeks time with ds (5) & dd (8 months) so i've been reading through this very usefu thread but have a couple of questions;

Only one of us will be able to ride with ds at any one time ( as one will be with dd & pushchair). So if we just get 2 qbots, can we alternate which adult goes on or are they person specific? ie can we get away with 2 or will we need 3.

i read something about 2nd day entry for £5 on here but cant find any info elsewhere about it. how do we get it? or is that offer finished now?

dh wants to drive down after breakfast (we're a good 4 hours away) spend the afternoon in the park, stay overnight, do the following morning in the park then head home in the afternoon. Is this going to be enough time to get round everything or would we be better staying 2 nights?

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 07/08/2015 11:48

QBots are not person specific so you will be OK there.

Re: time - the first time we went we did a full day - second time we ended up doing two days as we felt like we'd been a bit rushed.

DebbieFiderer · 09/08/2015 19:03

I think it depends on what time you will be arriving/leaving. Getting there about 12ish and leaving next day at 4 or so, fine. Being there at 2 and leaving next day at 2, not so fine.

houseofstark · 10/08/2015 21:16

So we'll be arriving on the Bank Holiday weekend - not ideal I know but if we plan ahead I'm hoping it will be fine!

We'll arrive early on Saturday and are staying in the hotel. We'll then leave late on Sunday. Any general tips for survival (I have read the thread btw!)?

Also, specific questions:

  1. Do we have to pay for parking, even though we are staying in the hotel? I probably should know this.
  2. Can we get early entry to the park both days?
  3. Can we use the hotel pool and park both days?

Thanks to everyone for the info and tips shared already. It's so very helpful.

DebbieFiderer · 10/08/2015 22:42

Do as many rides as you can early before the queues build up. From about 11/11.30, do other stuff; shows, playgrounds, mini land, etc. Eat dinner once kids are free (5 pm now I think) then do rides again as the park will be thinning out by then and queues will die down.

DebbieFiderer · 10/08/2015 22:44

Sorry meant to say I don't know about your specific questions, sorry.

houseofstark · 10/08/2015 23:26

Thanks Debbie, much appreciated.

OiledBegg · 15/08/2015 13:05

Hi all - I am off to legoland on Monday for two nights in the hotel with my mum, DS and his best friend!

We want to get a qbot for one of the days - dunno if we should do it on the first day we are there to get most of the must-do rides done, or suss the queues on Tuesday and then if it's been awful do the q bot on the weds? Or just do it for both days?!

What would you do?

EaglesNest · 17/08/2015 10:33

Even the quebotters were moaning about to having to queue yesterday. It was heaving. They stayed open till 8 but we left at 5.30 as the place was heaving and showed no signs of getting quiter. We had done;

Rapids
Log flume
Big dragon rollercoaster
Spinning spider
Jolly rocker
squid surfer
Mia's adventure
Atlantis
helicopters
fairy brook
the tiny blue train for dd3

and spent an hour in the pirate park, ran around the maze, watched the Lego Friends show and little red riding hood in the Duplo theatre.

Not our most productive day at Legoland but not bad considering how busy it was.

Anyone else annoyed they have closed car park C for coaches? That was the best place to park to get out quickly.

They switched the water park off yesterday and apparently had problems with the dragon ride and the log flume. That would have annoyed me if we weren't annual pass holders.

Ginandtonic100 · 17/08/2015 17:36

Hi,

My daughter has just fractured her arm and I'm worried she'll still be in plaster when we visit at the beginning of September... has anyone been to Legoland with an arm in plaster?

The "accessibility guide" online seems to suggest she'll hardly be able to go on anything, but I can't believe that's right?!? Does anyone know if that's advice, or will they stop her going on the rides?

In case anyone thinks I'm a v bad parent, I obviously wouldn't let her go on anything really dangerous, but the online stuff seems overkill!!

Thank you!!

EaglesNest · 17/08/2015 18:17

When I was pregnant pretty much everything bar the most gentle of rides was ruled out. Not sure if a cast is comparable though.

But if the rules say that online I would imagine the staff will enforce it because of H&S and insurance.