LEGOLAND is officially the crappiest theme park I have ever been to ........................

[mosschops30]

So we went yesterday and luckily were blessed with the weather.
However our vouchers were not valid (must read small print in future) so paid full price.
Wish I hadnt bothered, having just gone to Alton Towers 2 weeks ago, it made legoland look like a gypsy run fairground.

The ride operators were so slow they were almost going backwards, the toilets were filthy even at 10am in the morning. The queues were unbelieveable, having queued at AT for a maximum of an hour even on big rides like Air and Rita, I foud myself queuing in excess of an hour for the Dragons Apprentice (WTF?) and Pirate Falls.
There were just too many people there and not enough room for them, the bins were overflowing, there were no real green areas for you to eat your picnic.

I am gutted I spent £61 to go when AT is the same price and far better organised, cleaner, more staff, better rides.

If I thought it would get anywhere Id complain but I really cant be bothered

Have a completely different take on this as lucky to live locally and have a season ticket. We went for our 5th visit yesterday from 1530-1700 (about as much as I can bear!)and didn't even go on a ride (miniland and lego workshop). have only done one full day visit and that was in term time. I agree that for a full price, full day visit in the school holidays it is simply not worth it.

I'm so glad someone agrees with my impressions of the place. Took my ds about 4 years ago now (he was 5 ish) and swore I'd never go back as it was so dreadful.

We were there for a full day and got on 6 rides. I thought was dire for a whole day out, but was told that was pretty good really for Legoland (!?!). And yes I picked an inset day but that made no difference at all. Co-incidentally a school friend of his went idependantly the same day with his parents and siblings, they managed only three rides!

Have been to lots of theme parks (including AT years ago now), and have taken ds to Disneyland (california) and other theme parks uk and abroad. Ds loves roller coasters and rides in general, so a day out with only 6 rides is awful. One time at Disneyland we went on pirates of the Carribean 6 times in a row and didn't have to queue a single time!

I have to say I have never experienced queues anywhere else so awful as we had at Legoland. Not even disney/universal in florida pre ds! And when you do queue elsewhere they do at least entertain you in the queues. It was dismal and we have never been back and never will.

Never been to legoland but interested to read comments as ws contemplating going last week.
In the end we went to Chessington as it seemed to have more than legoland for really little ones when we compared the web sites.
Having been to AT loads of times pre DS (2 yrs) I was super impressed by Chessington.
It was smaller more compact, had a nice zoo, aquarium and lots of littley friendly rides, soft play area and tree bridges thingy! There was so much for little people that we didn't get to do everything we wanted (we were worried we'd be bored), and there were also some pretty cool big people rides too that Daddy and Aunty got to play on.
Out of interest what do you think the youngest age for alton towers is...it seems to be 3/4 from the site...still have a while to wait it seems til DS will enjoy it.

As the poor country cousins from the colonies, we loved Legoland when we went in June - yes expensive but then everything is in England IMO.
Still reeling at spending 15 pounds (that's over $30 to any Aussies reading on a crap undrinkable coffee, two sandwiches and a chocolate brownie at some awful naff 'trendy' establishment called Cafe Nero.

I go to Legoland frequently, as it is not far away. Go during term-time weekday though, so no great trouble with queues. Cleanliness of toilet facilities and the park generally I find to be quite a good standard, but it is quieter during term-time.

Went to AT about 3 years ago, and it's showing it's age. I found the buildings to be looking shabby. Walk distances between rides was also quite long - AT to me at least seems a lot bigger in area, rides spaced out more.

Legoland I feel is for under 8's. Whereas AT I feel is aimed more towards the teenage market. Just my view though.

Interestingly, Legoland and Alton Towers are owned by the same company Merlin Entertainments.

Has anyone every been to Legoland in Denmark? Is it any better? I can't face the whole day trip from East London only to queue for hours (ds hates queueing so it would be an all day whinge fest for us), but I like Denmark and wouldn't mind a long weekend there with one day at the park.

we also went on Wed, didn't pay (got annual passes with tesco points when we went for ds1's b'day last year, and single tesco entry for my mum), didn't notice rubbish, queues were terrible, but ds1 (5.10) and ds2 (2.6) both had a really good time.
We had about 10 rides (but no really BIG ones), the boys played in the water bit, we had a long look at mini-land and then went on the chair swings and carosel 4/5 times at the end of the day (no quing).
I certainly wouldn't pay full price, but then I wouldn't pay that sort of price for a day out anywhere.

Hour long queues? And people do this for entertainment? I don't get it!

I took my dd1 to alton towers 8 years ago and the staff then were wonderful. I dont mind the rides but they make me feel very sick after about 4-5 rides) the staff at each other ride my dd1 wanted to go on would take her on ( she was around 8 years old and tall so could get on all the rides)

Each ride my dd wanted to go on we asked a member of staff and they each said come back in 10 minutes - which we did and they went on the rides with her, dd1 had a fab time and went on a lot of rides that day. Went on the rollercoaster oblivion? after the first ride the staff member asked if she liked it and as she thought it was wicked they got straight back on and went again!

I also noticed they do que jumpinging for parents with small children if the parents need to look after the dc whilst each other goes on the ride you only que once and then the other parent gets to que jump (no charge)

I thought AT was well thought out and very customer focused.

Drayton manor is good aswell, I went with my blind friend as she loves the rides and her and my dd1 went on all the rides togther as dd1 can lead for her, I just watched.

I just wish places would put more park benches in so you can sit and watch!

It was only two years ago that AT was bought by merlin - up till then it was the tussards group - this may explain the differences, lets hope at doesn't slip

so glad to read this thread - were going to take ds for his birthday this year but read some bad reviews so decided on the Dr Who exhib at Earls Court instead.

which BTW was FAB - they DON'T let too many people in, you have an hours slot on your ticket so it's quite controlled. The staff were amazing; ds was pretty scared, and one of the staff noticed and followed us to the gift shop and offered us another go round; then another staff member came up to him in the cafe and spent ages talking to him really kindly about the exhibition and offered to take us round again and hold his hand!

Fab experience all round. So glad we didn't do legoland!

Thanks for this thread Mosschops. Was wondering about taking the dcs but clearly tba in the summer hols.

Sainsbury's vouchers for things like this are a pita - was wondering how valid they would turn out to be.

We had something similar from them at the beginning of the year with nectar treats & we chose a family portrait - only the photographer had never heard of the offer or been contacted by Sainbury's but had been inundated with ppl wanting their free session.

heated the sainburys vouvhers were only not valid for legoland, we couldve used them at AT which makes me even more

Still havent received a reply from my customer service email

But don't the vouchers have the legoland symbol on them? It would lead me to think the offer then applied.

Hope you get a good response to your email after the wkend.

We went to legoland a few weeks ago. What got me was how tired and dirty everything looked. All the rides and lego structures looked faded and like they needed someone with a bucket of soapy water to clean them. That Fairytale boat ride was the worst. Cobwebs and leaves covering everything.
Dire.

I agree with others in that you cannot compare AT with Legoland. They are both aimed at completely different age groups. They have completely different aims. They are not comparable as one is a straight forward ride-orientated theme park and the other a park based on lego and lego models which has added a few rides.

The voucher thing is annoying, but I am surprised you did not read the small print.

Re the cleanliness, we have been to Legoland on various inset days and once during the summer holidays a few years ago and it has been clean and acceptable.
Whereas I found AT grim when I went there 6 years ago. AT may be better now though.

Shame you had a bad day. Do write to Sainsbury about the vouchers, they may compensate you as a goodwill gesture.

we had a similar experience a few years ago there (in fact, I too posted a thread and thought this was my thread resurrected!).

Last week, the nanny took the kids to Chessington and they had a marvellous time. There's much more space there and they don't queue as long as legoland. Chessington is also a bit tired but at least the kids had more fun there.

I swore I would never set foot in Legoland again after our experience (well until the kids were old enough to go on their own!).

And I wrote them a letter of complaint (Legoland) and never got a response.

We like Chessinton cos they have not only a theme park, but a zoo and a sea life centre and that is includd in the entrance price which we loved. Birthday, days out for 11 plus is perfect there too. We did this and the kids...12 loved it!

SIL lives right beside Legoland, we went once ......that was enough!

Totally agree with OldGregg!!!!

as for paying an extra £10 to queue jump

As Cod says - you really should try Paultons Park!

Have been on an inset day and it was great, DS got to go on the Dragon ride about 5 times.

Oh dear - never ever go on a Saturday in the summer school holidays (we were invited as part of Grandpa's work outing), boiling hot day (shouldn't complain but I will), DS only got to go on one of the major rides, and just the once. Terrible.