A trip to Legoland Windsor is fast turning into an annual tradition for us. It is genuinely hard to tell who enjoys it more, the kids or us!
Before our first visit I wasn’t entirely convinced. Legoland (and all theme parks) are renowned for being overpriced and overcrowded. I am not a fan of overpriced and overcrowded.
But if you time your visit right and plan ahead then you can minimise the time spent in queues and maximise the fun.
And there is a lot of fun to be had, there are over 55 rides and attractions at Legoland Windsor. So whether you are a fan of Ninjago, Lego Friends or just theme park rides in general, a trip to Legoland is a must.
So as a Legoland convert, let me try and convince you too by answering some of the questions I had before our first trip.
Table of contents
Looking for quick answers? Skip straight to the section you are looking for below.
- What age is best for Legoland Windsor?
- When is the best time to visit Legoland Windsor?
- How long to spend at Legoland Windsor?
- Where to eat and drink at Legoland Windsor?
- How to beat the queues at Legoland Windsor?
- What is Mythica like?
- What are the hotels like at Legoland Windsor?
- Which hotel at Legoland Windsor is best?
- What are the hotel restaurants like?
- What facilities are there at Legoland hotel?
What age is best for Legoland Windsor?
I would say kids aged 4-12 would probably get the most out of a trip to Legoland, but there is plenty to entertain everyone. As I said, I think we love Legoland at least as much as the kids do, so there isn’t really an upper age limit!
There are only a few rides that aren’t suitable for really little ones and have minimum height restrictions. Most rides are either unrestricted or just need an adult to ride with those under a certain height (1.2m or 1m).
I would say the top rides for under 5’s would be Dragons Apprentice, Driving School, Fairy Tale Brook and anything in Duplo City. For the 6 and over, Dragon Ride, Viking River Splash and Haunted House Monster Party are favourites. There are also rides such as Laser Raiders, Ninjago Ride and The Flight of the Sky Lion which are loved by all ages (including us grown ups!).
For any Lego fans that are not so keen on rides, there are exhibits like Miniland and Planet Legoland as well as the 4D cinema. These are also great options to break up the day and have a rest from the crowds and queues!
So Legoland is suitable for all ages and as the kids get older you can try out different rides. I can see us returning year after year for a long time!
When is the best time to visit Legoland Windsor?
Legoland is open from April to November, plus some special events for fireworks night and Christmas.
There isn’t really a best time to visit Legoland, except to say that a trip during school holidays is going to be extremely busy!
Top tip! If you are visiting with kids then try booking for a school inset day. You will avoid the peak weekend queues and have much more time and space to enjoy the park.
The park opens at 10am each day and it is worth arriving from 9.30am to get ahead of the queues. Ride queues tend to be shorter at the start and end of the day, so saving your favourite rides for these times may be best. Lunchtime is another time you might be able to beat the ride queues, as the queue for a burger might be longer than some of the rides!
If you can manage a weekday or term time trip then you will have a much better experience. We loved our trip last October when the park was Halloween themed and decorated throughout. The kids enjoyed searching for the ghost and Halloween figures hidden in Miniland. There was an enchanted forest with plenty of spooky photo opportunities, plus some spooky characters available for meet and greets throughout the day.
There was a brick or treat trail via the app where the kids can collect clues to win a Lego prize at the end. This was definitely a highlight for them.
How long to spend at Legoland Windsor?
We have had some really good day trips to Legoland. The park isn’t too big, so you can get between rides fairly quickly. Inevitably, the most popular rides regularly have queues of an hour or more. So if you are keen on ticking off the most popular rides, you may only have time for 4 or 5 rides in a day.
To really make the most out of a trip to Legoland, consider staying overnight at one of the on site hotels. By booking an overnight stay you will get to spend 2 full days in the park, so you won’t have to miss out on any of your favourite rides!
The first time we stayed at Legoland the 2 day tickets were included in the price of the stay. However our latest trip only included 1 day at the park, with the option to add a second day at a discounted price. So it’s worth keeping an eye on exactly what is included in the package when you come to book.
Where to eat and drink at Legoland Windsor?
There are fast food style restaurants spread throughout Legoland, each of which offering a different style of food. Think burgers, pizza, pasta, fish and chips or fried chicken. None of it is brilliant quality but probably no worse than any other fast food place.
There are a number of hot dog stalls dotted around which offer a quick bite if the queues at the restaurants are looking a bit long. This is what we have tended to opt for on our most recent visits.
If you prefer to bring your own food then there are a few picnic spots in the park. Some people recommend storing your food bag in a locker at the park entrance until you need it. Whilst that might save carrying it around it may mean a lengthy walk to get your food if you find yourself at the other side of the park at lunchtime!
If you are a fan of fizzy soda then you can buy a refillable cup to use and refill at the drinks machines all over the park throughout the day. Personally we only drink water when out and about, which brings me to my next top tip…
Top tip! Remember to bring your water bottle. These can be refilled for free at the drinks machines that are all over the park.
How to beat the queues at Legoland Windsor?
As mentioned above, the best way to beat the queues at Legoland is to avoid the school holidays. After that, the next best thing you can do is to download the Legoland app before you go.
The app has live queue info on all the rides as well as a map to help direct you. The queues vary a lot during the day, so it is definitely worth checking the app before you start walking to your next ride.
Another useful feature of the app is its scheduling tool. You can plan in advance which rides you really want to go on and add them on the app. You can then tick them off as you go along, helping to keep you on track to experience everything you wanted during the day.
Top tip! The app also has all of the height restrictions on it. Be sure to measure the kids heights before you go so that you don’t spend an hour queueing for a ride they can’t actually go on. The staff won’t let them on if they are not tall enough.
If you are staying at one of the Legoland hotels then you will get a bit of a head start on the queues. Be warned though, there can still be a long queue just from the other hotel guests, especially if there is a new ride just opened!
There are plenty of things to do at Legoland where you will not have to queue at all. So if it is all getting a bit much then head to the 4D cinema, Miniland or Planet Lego to escape the crowds.
What is Mythica like?
Mythica is the new section that Legoland opened in May 2021. There are 3 new rides as well as the Hungry Troll restaurant and small play area.
The main attraction in Mythica is Flight of the Sky Lion, billed as the UK’s first flying theatre. We ended up queueing for over 90 minutes for this one but still think it was worth it. I don’t want to be giving any spoilers, but this should definitely be on your priority list for your visit. Just be sure to get there as soon as you can and check out the queues on the app.
The other rides in Mythica are Hydra’s Challenge and Fire & Ice Freefall. Hydra’s Challenge is actually an old ride that has been repurposed. It used to be SQUID Surfer, but has undergone a complete Mythica makeover and now looks amazing (as well as being great fun!). The final ride is a drop tower, Fire & Ice Freefall. There wasn’t much of a queue to get on this ride, maybe because it isn’t quite as unique as the other rides in Mythica.
What are the hotels like at Legoland Windsor?
There are 2 options for a short break at Legoland Windsor, the Castle Hotel and the Legoland Resort Hotel.
As you would expect, there are serious amounts of Lego decor throughout both hotels. They are filled with Lego models, Lego carpets, Lego bedding and Lego decals on the walls (including the bathroom!).
Both hotels offer rooms in different themes. The Resort Hotel has more options, including Ninjago, Lego Friends, Pirates, Adventure and Kingdom. The Castle Hotel has just 2 themes, Wizards and Knights.
All rooms have a separate sleeping area for the kids, which includes bunk beds, a TV and lots of Lego decor! The Castle Hotel has the added feature of a PS4 on which the kids can play Lego themed games.
The Resort Hotel is the original hotel and hosts the Bricks restaurant, the Skyline Bar, a small indoor play area and the swimming pool. The rooms can feel slightly tired, but we have always found them to be clean and comfortable. Who cares if the carpet feels a bit worn when you are surrounded by so much Lego fun!
The Castle Hotel is the premium hotel out of the two and is slightly more modern. The rooms feel a little fresher and have additional touches such as the PS4, a Nespresso machine and even more Lego decor than the Resort Hotel. Other than that though, the room layouts are basically the same in both hotels.
A definite highlight of the hotels for the kids is the lego treasure hunt in the rooms. They have a sheet with clues to solve. The final answer is a code for the safe in the room to unlock which contains a lego treat for the kids.
Which hotel at Legoland Windsor is best?
We have enjoyed stays at both hotels, but we would tend to favour the Resort Hotel. It is less expensive than the Castle Hotel but has everything that we need and is slightly more convenient for the swimming pool and Bricks restaurant.
I am sure there will be plenty of people out there that prefer the fresher and slightly quieter feel of the Castle Hotel, but that does come at a slight price premium.
What are the hotel restaurants like?
Each hotel has its own restaurant, although hotel guests can dine in either.
It is recommended to book in advance at both restaurants for both breakfast and dinner. Try and do this as soon as you can as the timeslots can get booked up quickly.
Bricks
Bricks was traditionally a buffet style restaurant, although it is currently serving a la carte during COVID. I preferred Bricks when it was a buffet. There was more choice, you could see the food before choosing and go back for more of your favourite dish. The new a la carte offering has a limited menu and feels very over priced. A family of 4 ordering the 3 course set menu would cost over £80.
Whether buffet or a la carte, don’t expect gourmet food (even though the price suggests you should). What you do get is an easy dinner at the end of a busy day. You also get to enjoy a lot of fun Lego decorations that are all around Bricks and definitely worth a look.
Tournament Tavern
The Tournament Tavern at the Castle Hotel is a la carte and offers a more sophisticated dining experience than Bricks. Positioning itself as a gourmet restaurant, the dinner menu is limited but of a much better quality than Bricks. This is however reflected in the price. A family of 4 ordering the 3 course set menu would cost £110.
Skyline Bar
Not strictly a restaurant, but the Skyline bar does currently have a pizza menu. At £13-£16 per pizza it is significantly cheaper alternative to eating in either Bricks or Tournament Tavern. The quality is similar to what you might expect from a standard takeaway.
Other options
It is also worth noting that Windsor is only a 10 minute drive away. There are a lot of chain restaurants (think Pizza Express etc) as well as some lovely little independents. It is definitely worth considering this option if the hotel restaurants do not appeal.
The decision over which restaurant is best is going to come down to personal preference. Bricks (normally) offers the flexibility of a buffet but compromises on quality. The Tournament Tavern offers ‘gourmet’ food but less menu choice and a higher price. Both are a lot more expensive than you might pay for similar meal in Windsor.
What facilities are there at Legoland hotel?
There is a really fun splash pool within the Resort Hotel. It consists of a small pool for swimming plus a splash area with a slide, various fountains and water guns. You have to book in advance for a fixed time slot, so you will need to decide whether you want to factor this into your itinerary before you go.
The Skyline bar is situated opposite the Bricks restaurant in the Resort Hotel. It offers indoor and outdoor seating, with a kids play area attached so the grown ups can enjoy a pre or post dinner drink whilst the kids safely amuse themselves. They also serve reasonably priced pizza, which is a good alternative to eating in one of the hotel restaurants.
Both hotels have small outdoor play areas for the kids with the usual climbing frames etc. This can come in handy in the morning to prevent the little ones getting bored whilst you wait for the park gates to open.
There is a small gift shop, situated by reception in the Resort Hotel. So if you managed to get to the end of your break without buying a new Lego set / key ring / cuddly toy then you can do so as you check out!
Apparently there is an adults only gym… if we ever make it there I will let you know what it’s like.
Verdict
I think I have already given away the verdict on this one. We love Legoland and I can see us returning year after year for the foreseeable future!
If you have made it this far then I hope you have found this a useful summary. Leave a comment if you have any questions or want to share your own tips and tricks on how to make the most of a trip to Legoland Windsor!
Hi thanks for your advice very helpful ,we are planning to head straight up to Mythica, do you know the quickest route through?
Hi Nicky.
If you are staying at either of the hotels, then head left when you go into the park and you will be straight into Mythica.
If you are coming from the main entrance, it is pretty much the furthest point from there, but head straight down towards Heartlake City and go around the lake to the right.
Have fun!!