Legoland

[akaJamiesMum]

Is it worth the money?

Planning to go mid-week at the beginning of July - Me, my Mum and DS.
Have got one of those Tesco vouchers which would mean one of us could get in free.

DS is 4.5 - is there plenty for a child of that age to do?

If you've been - would you recommend it?

I think so. I say I think so because I have not been myself but DH took DD and her friend last year when she was 3.5 and he and the girls were raving about it for days. We are planning to go back this year when we are in the UK in August.

I think a picnic was taken though as the food was quite expensive as it ususally is in these places.

I will watch this wit interest as we are planning to go this Tuesday.

Take a picnic - definitely as the food is expensive and mediocre (unless chicken nuggets and chips are your fave!). Duploland is one area that has rides for the little ones - Fairy Tale Brook, Helicopters and train. Also climbing frames to climb over. Also the Theatre show is good - we saw Jack and the Beanstalk last Saturday and ds2 (3.5) loved it. Can also go on the driving school - perfect for ages 3-5. We've done the boating school but I didn't really like that much as ds1 and ds2 were fighting over who was driving and I was worried about falling out! The Orient Express is good for everyone - just beware of the water spray!
I suggest you get there early and get the hill train down. Start at the back and then work your way back to the start. Oh, and Miniland (miniature landscapes) is also very popular with my two.
HTH

Hey COV - will you report back and let me know what it was like?

Arrive half an hour before it opens.

Take the train down to the bottom asap and work your way back up.

Lots of places to eat picnics. I would have lunch early and then just snack (whilst you're waiting in line.)

Google for vouchers for cheap/free entry. You should be able to find one that gets your ds in free with one adult - with luck you'll only pay for one of you, with the voucher you have now.

Have a great time!

Loads for that age, mainly in Duploland but the Knights Kingdom is also worth a visit, the Fire Engines and Ride on Cars. Go midweek before schools break up and take a change of clothes/waterproofs as some of the rides are wet !

I thought the food was actually ok - you can get a picnic package from the Baguette Bar (near Ballon schoo and Boating Lake) which includes fruit, roll of your choice, drink etc and a Lego toy for less than you'd pay in a department store restaurant. Hot food more variable but a fair choice.

DS (3.7) has an annual pass and it is just about his favourite place. We usually spend a whole day there but only go on a couple of rides as there is so much else to do and see.

Make sure you take swimming costumes for children so they can go in the wet play area at Duploland.

Took 4 year old and 2.5 year old today - it was quite busy given still in term time, guess a lot of schools must have had inset days.

Which rides your DS can do will depend on his height. 4 year old whom I nanny has recently got to the 1m mark, so can now go on The Dragon rollercoaster and loves it

Agree with the others that heading to the back of the park and working forwards is the best way to do Legoland. Some areas of the park have later opening times to others, not sure if that is the case in peak season or just off peak, but worth keeping in mind (Adventure Land and Knights Kingdom have latter opening times).

Take the hill train down if it isn't too busy. When it is busy (it was today), we walk down, through miniland, keeping as close to the route of the hill train as possible.

Today we went to The Dragon, had a coffee and muffin (children had a snack and drink from the picnic basket) at Crossed Ribs BBQ, then went on Carousel, Chairoplane and Orient Expedition. Then had picnic at the City Harbour show area (didn't get another coffee, but we could have done from Ice Cream & Doughnuts), then went on to Dino Dipper... Dino Safari is popular but today had a large queue so skipped that one out. Then up to Duploland for a play in the playground and trip on Duplo Train. Then it was back home as getting hot and irritable.

When we went last week it was quieter and we managed 10 rides in the day, not bad at all for us.

Tend to find that lack of things to do isn't a problem, it's more that we run out of time. So make a full day of it.