Legoland Theme Park Windsor review

What age is Legoland Windsor best for?

• Best for: Children aged 4 -11. They will likely meet the minimum height requirement (0.9m) and will enjoy most of the rides and attractions on offer.
• Still good fun for: Those aged 2-4. There is a still plenty to enjoy – particularly the new bigger and better DUPLO valley which opened in 2021 as well as the new Enchanted Forest attraction specifically for preschoolers which launched in May 2022. For those who are under 0.9m, there are fewer rides, although still some that have no age or height restriction – and they get free entry. Miniland is also very interesting for the whole family together.
• Avoid if: All your children are over the age of 11 and yearn for the thrilling delights of Chessington, Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. They won’t find too much in the way of wild rides. For more family-friendly theme parks, take a look at our roundup of the best theme parks in the UK.

How much does it cost?

Currently you need to pre-book tickets online. The key is to book at least one day in advance – you save 33% compared to booking on the day.

Online prices: Adult and child are the same. They cost £62 on the day and from £32 in advance. That’s £128 for a family of 4.

Car park fee: £8 (£7 if you pre-book)

Children under 90cm go free (that’s around age 2-3 years)

Jump to find the best discounts on Legoland tickets

How long do families spend at Legoland Windsor?

If you, and your children, can manage it, you will definitely need a whole full day – and even then there’ll be some parts you won’t experience. On busy days (and let’s face it, most days at Legoland are busy), you could spend a lot of time in queues. It’s why it really pays to plan – there are areas and experiences where you won’t queue long if at all. Alternatively, you could invest in Reserve and Ride (see more on this below), which means you pay extra to avoid having to wait around in queues.

Covid-19 update May 2022

Things have returned to normal pretty much. No social distancing required and much of the signage has been removed. There are still hand sanitizers dotted around the park as well as on entry and exit to each ride to use at your discretion.

On the Legoland app it recommends wearing a facemask/covering for indoor attractions and rides for those aged 11 or over, although when our reviewer Neve visited in May 2022 there wasn’t anyone in facemasks inside.

On the whole the park is clean, tidy and well maintained. There aren’t any specific guidelines to follow and there isn’t anybody cleaning the rides after each use anymore.

Which Legoland rides are open at the moment – and which are not?

There are currently no planned ride closures, however it is strongly recommend downloading the Legoland Windsor app before your visit for the latest ride availability information. Splash Safari, Drench Towers and Raft Racers opens when the weather warms up a little.

OK it’s a theme park, but what does Legoland really offer families?

It brings Lego and Duplo to life, with rides that have a magical feel and experiences that will capture imaginations and thrill young minds. It works as a very first theme park, and as a place to return to time and again as your children become pre-teens. One of the key features about Legoland is that it’s not just rides, so you can pace yourself, mixing high-octane thrills with the sheer delight of Miniland and other little Lego character nuggets or the simple pleasure of the Castaway Camp play area.

For a slightly different Lego experience, you could visit the Legoland Discover Centre in Birmingham or Manchester.

But the queues are big and long. We can’t stress enough, to get the most out of the day and out of the money you’ve paid, you need to plan before you go and also be flexible while you’re there (the Legoland app is a great way to do this). If you turn up and just move from ride to ride and queue to queue, you may come away feeling disappointed.

MFM tip: Check your children’s height before you come and help to set expectations. It’s heartbreaking to see children who’ve coped with a long queue only to be turned away because they’re not tall enough – and the staff are strict as they have to be for safety reasons. The children of reviewer Emma were particularly upset that they weren’t able to go on Mia’s Riding Adventure, when they found that even Emma’s eldest, Lola, wasn’t the required 1.2m.

Many of us have children of different heights and ages, so plan a day that enables all your family to enjoy some special rides, even if they can’t do everything they’d like to.

What’s new for 2022?

New for 2022 is the new walk through attraction: The Magical Forest. This is a brand new realm in the story of Lego Mythica where you can see an alternative universe on your phone. The Magical Forest is an immersive experience which opened this year (May 2022) to make the Lego Mythica section of the park, which is aimed at 6-11 year olds, more appealing for preschoolers. The attraction is a walk- through woodland adventure using the Legoland app to activate an AR (Augmented Reality) experience. Scanning points are dotted along the way which you hold your phone up to in order to see the forest and mythical creatures come to life. It’s quite a cool experience for the whole family to enjoy. There aren’t any height restrictions as it’s only a walk-through experience. Younger ones will enjoy looking at the Lego creations throughout the forest. Older tech-savvy kids and their parents will enjoy using the app and watching the enchanted forest come to life with weird and wonderful creatures. It’s a fun thing to do – as long as you don’t get frustrated by technology in general and that you have enough battery on your phone! This Enchanted Forest is especially good for the little ones to go around with a parent while the older kids try out the newer rides in Lego Mythica.

LEGO MYTHICA: World of Mythical Creatures

The Magical Forest is located in the resorts recently built multi million pound land; Lego Mythica which opened in May 2021. This is a wonderful new area of the resort for 6-11 year olds. However, children of all ages will enjoy looking at the Lego models which are a complete mixture of different animals and mythical creatures.

The Flight of The Sky Lion is the UK’s first flying theatre ride located in Lego Mythica which is a huge flight simulator brought to life with sound, sights and even smells. It’s a mind blowing adventure and can be quite intense. Adults and older kids will find it exhilarating and will enjoy the thrill of flying through the air, swooping and almost crashing in to the likes of mountains and volcano’s whilst mythical dragons and monsters pop up– however little ones will find it terrifying! You must be a minimum of 1.2m to ride without an accompanying adult or between 1m-2m with adult supervision. However, we would recommend this ride to ages 8+ as it is quite scary. Reviewer Neve took her 6 year old daughter and 3 year old son on and they were far too scared to enjoy it. They cried the whole way through it and were quite shaken up afterwards.

Outside there are two towers standing 13 meters tall which is the Fire and Ice Freefall ride. This is a drop ride with a minimum height restriction of 1m (with an adult). This one is a little more suitable for the mini thrill seekers if they can stomach the drop sensation. We’d recommend going on this one after lunch!

Hydra’s Challenge is a fun new water ride where explorers get to steer their own vessel going round in circles with twists and turns -steering left or right depending on how brave you are and how fast you want to go. This is a pretty gentle but fun ride, suitable for age 3+ with a 1m height restriction accompanied by an adult. Spectators can blast you with water from the sides for extra fun!

One of the favourite parts of Lego Mythica for our reviewer Neve’s children (ages 6 and 3) was the Lava Dragon Play area. This huge Dragon climbing frame and tall slide was a hit. It’s a great place for younger ones to have fun whilst older ones are enjoying the rides.

Head to Creature Encounter where you can meet bits and bobs the lands resident Mythical character. This is a lovely little stopping point where the little ones can get up and close to a lovely Alicorn puppet. Next door is Creature Creation where the kids and parents can spend some time making their own mythical lego creatures.

DUPLO VALLEY – Bigger and Better

In March 2020 Duplo Valley was given a magical makeover and launched the world's first ever DUPLO rollercoaster. Duplo Dino coaster is a fantastic starter roller coaster. Located in Duplo Valley, this gentle rollercoaster is designed for toddlers, pre-schoolers and early schooler’s. With a minimum height of 0.9m, most 3 year olds and some taller 2 year olds will be able to ride. Children under 1.3m (around 8-9 years) must be accompanied by an adult, and as there are only two seats per row you’ll need an adult for each child.

It’s an elevated track, and you get two loops round, sitting in a dinosaur-styled coaster which thunders round giant Duplo dinos and scenery. It lasts over a minute and has one fast bend which thrills excitable pre-schoolers, while overall it’s steady enough for nervous toddlers. Reviewer Susie found both children – aged 4 and 8 – loved the ride, with the 4 year old naming it her favourite of the day.

MFM tip: The queues for Dino Coaster can be very long, but don’t be tempted to make it your first ride. It’s one of the rides that’s nearer to the entrance/exit and so queues are particularly long in the morning and also towards the end of the day, when families with pre-schoolers give it one last go before leaving. We found queues are slightly shorter at lunchtime, early afternoon or during the last hour (when lots of pre-schoolers have headed home).

The play area in Duplo Valley area has also been revamped as Duplo Playtown, and the Duplo Valley Airport has some new helicopters (it’s a fun ride as long as your toddler isn’t too scared of heights). Susie found the 4 year old absolutely loved it as she could influence the helicopter’s ‘flight path’.

There’s also a new show at the Duplo Valley Theatre – The Frog Prince – which proved a peaceful breather from a day of rides, walking and queuing

Our favourite rides and attractions

According to our 4 reviewers and their families, their favourites were:

• Hydra’s Challenge – Great fun for 4+ year olds to steer their own jet boats. A fun water ride with twists and turns.
• Miniland – the most incredible Lego brick experience, don’t overlook this for the big rides – no queues and a wealth of wonder

• Haunted House Monster Party Ride – exhilarating sensory ride that entertains parents as much as children. So just how does it work?
• Enchanted Forest – Fun Immersive walk-through experience for all of the family
• Fairy Tale Brook – enchanting water ride suitable for toddlers (and parents – we LOVE it) taking you through fairy tale adventures
• Lego Ninjago The Ride (below) – put on the specs, aim high, aim low, and move your arms for a 4D immersive experience and see who gets the most points (no minimum height but little ones may find it a bit scary)

• Legoland Express – a colourful train ride around the park suitable for all heights – watch out for the squirty bits
• Duplo Dino Coaster – introduce your pre-schooler to the thrills of a rollercoaster
• Duplo Airport - Great fun for pre-schoolers and primary aged kids to steer their own helicopters
• Mia’s Riding Adventure – one for older children (1.2m minimum), this spinning ride lets you ride horses in the air
• Lego City Driving School – 6+ get their first driving lesson while proud parents watch their children drive beautifully/wreak havoc
• Coastguard HQ – No minimum height and allows pre-schoolers to steer a boat, but queues can be long

What are the queues like?

Be prepared: at peak times, the queues can be very, very long – well over an hour for the most popular rides during weekends and school holidays. That’s a big ask for a young child, and even more so for a toddler. To get the most out of your visit, you MUST make a game plan. Some queues are longer than others (see our waiting times list below) so make a list at home of which rides you really want to go on (don’t miss our guides to best rides for 2-4 year olds and best rides for 5-9 year olds).

Downloading the Legoland app is also worthwhile as it gives you the live queue times for each ride. This will help you decide where to head to for shorter queues.

Queue times for Legoland rides

Long queues (often 60 minutes or more at peak times)

• Lego Ninjago The Ride
• The Dragon
• Lego City Deep Sea Adventure
• Viking River Splash
• Pirate Falls: Treasure Quest
• Fire Academy

Queues (often between 30-60 minutes)

• Duplo Dino Coaster
• Lego City Driving School
• Legoland Express Train
• Haunted House Monster Party
• Mia’s Riding School
• Jolly Rocker
• Coastguard HQ
• Laser Raiders
• Balloon School
• Destiny’s Bounty

Shorter queues (often 5-30 mins)

• Duplo Express
• Duplo Airport
• Fairy Tale Brook
• L Drivers
• Desert Chase
• Thunder Blazer
• Aero Nomad
• Spinning Spider
• Scarab Bouncers
• Merlin’s Challenge

8-step brilliant Legoland gameplan – to ensure you get the most out of your day

1 Pre-plan and choose which rides you really want to go on – don’t forget to check our handpicked tried and tested recommended rides for 2-4s and 5-9s.

2 Mix in attractions that have short queues or no queues at all – accept you might not be able to try all the top rides in a single day during school holidays or on weekends

3 It’s all about pace. It’s too tiring and unrelenting to do queue/thrill/queue/thrill/queue/thrill – you need some quieter activity too. The 4D cinema, Duplo theatre, Miniland and some of the little Lego models dotted around the park are fascinating and a great way to reduce the intensity while keeping energy up

4 Download the free Legoland app before you set off

5 Get there when the park opens or as early as you can. Remember, though, that the park may open 30 mins before the first ride starts – you don’t want to spend the first 30 mins standing in a non-moving queue

6 When you arrive, head straight to one of your top rides that has the longest queue times. Most visitors join queues at the first rides they encounter when they arrive, so the queues for the rides deeper in the park are shorter

7 Use the app to monitor queue times during the day so you can take advantage if one ride gets a little quieter

8 The park is busiest from 11 to 4 – so if your family has the stamina, leave some of the most popular rides until the last couple of hours, when the park will start to quieten down

Is it worth buying Reserve and Ride at Legoland Windsor?

Basically yes if you have the money, but it is very expensive – prices start from £15 (off-peak) until 20 May, and then from 5 September 2022. Between 21 May and 4 September, prices are from £25.

Reserve and Ride has replaced the previous Legoland Q-Bot and enables you to jump the queues of the busiest rides or at its cheapest, it lets you reserve your place in a queue without physically having to do it – a bit like someone queuing for you while you do something else.

With the ultimate package you really don’t need to queue at all – simply fast track your way to the front of each queue. If you have the money to spend, then it will enable you to pack in a lot more rides and free you from the dreaded queues. It would make a big difference to your experience if you can afford it!

If you’re smart, it’s not essential. Use our gameplan, and you’ll still have a brilliant day out.

What to watch out for

There are very strict height rules for rides – no matter how much you might try to plead with the ride/height master, or your child tries to stand on their tiptoes, your child will not be allowed on the ride if they come under the measuring rod. Best to measure your child before you go, and prepare them for the rides they can’t yet go on.

Some of the rides are very wet – particularly Pirate Falls: Treasure Quest. If it’s open, Drench Towers and Splash Safari require swimwear as they’re giant fountain splash areas – so don’t forget to bring a towel, plus a change of clothes. And remember, you HAVE to pre-book a free slot to have access to Drench Towers and Splash Safari.

There are driers close to the wettest rides, where the whole family can get a glorious blast of drying heat, but this comes at an additional cost.

While some rides, such as Laser Riders and Lego Ninjago The Ride don’t have minimum height restrictions, this doesn’t mean they’re suitable for very young children. “My 4 year old cried non-stop on Laser Raiders,” says reviewer Puneet, “because of the spooky elements.”

Don’t lose your child in Castaway Camp! Castaway Camp is a large climbing/play centre in Pirate Shores that can get extremely busy aimed at 5yrs+. While children are supposed to be ‘supervised’, it’s very easy to lose sight of your children (especially the younger ones) on the equipment and height may be an issue at times for some. Try to give your child a rough idea of how long they should disappear for! We saw parents calling high and low to try and locate their children.

For once, you also don’t have to exit through the gift shop. There are several Lego shops at various points in the grounds, including one right by the entrance/exit, but most of the products on offer are £10+. If you can set expectations at the beginning, with the treat being the day out at Legoland rather than a gift at the end, it will definitely save you money.

Food and drink at Legoland Windsor

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to food at Legoland but as you’d expect from mass catering to a captive audience, it’s expensive. The City Walk Pizza & Pasta buffet restaurant in Heartlake City offers an all-you-can-eat deal – but it’s very expensive particularly if your children aren’t that hungry. To be honest the pizzas and pasta are very basic and not particularly enjoyable for parents. Puneet also found it wasn’t great for her little one who didn’t want any of it, but you still need to pay a set price. She also found it a little dimly lit and a bit sticky and grubby, but perhaps to be expected with so many children pouring in.

In Duplo Valley our reviewer Neve ate at Farmer Joe’s Chicken Company. It was a handy stopping point in Duplo Valley offering the classic chicken burgers or chicken nuggets and chips – perfect for the standard fast food type lunch. Neve’s kids enjoyed the chicken nuggets and chips. The quality of the chicken was good and the children gobbled it all up before moving on to the next ride but it wasn't cheap – they paid £35 for for 2 x kids chicken nugget meals and 2 x adult chicken burger meals with drinks.

Baby food can be requested from a member of staff at the Hill Top Cafe, Knights Table Rotisserie & Heartlake City Cafe.

By far the cheapest and healthiest way is to bring your own food. If it’s dry, there are plenty of green spaces throughout Legoland to have a family picnic. Come armed with snacks and water, especially on warm days.

What are the toilets like?

There are plenty of free toilets (all themed according to the area they are situated in) with sinks and hand dryers positioned lower down, perfect for smaller children. However, in some areas, the boys and girls toilets were located separately. In Heartlake City, Puneet’s son and daughter both needed to go, but the girls’ and boys’ toilets are at separate ends and when her son ran off to go, she took a little time finding him again. The loos are fairly clean, but not immaculate due to the large numbers of families using them throughout the day. Beware – towards the end of the day we found a distinct lack of toilet roll (a nightmare when you have a child who is mid number 2 and you realise too late!). We recommend coming prepared with tissues.

What to bring to Legoland

Lightweight pushchair – Bring a lightweight pushchair for under 4s, as there’s a lot of walking and even the most energetic toddlers will need a rest. The buggies are great for helping to carry your bags too. There are rails for parking your buggies against while you are on rides but these are not manned, so park and leave at your own risk. If you have a cheap stroller, bring this. If you forget your pushchair or don’t own one you can hire a buggy/double buggy from the park.

Weather-appropriate clothing – Prepare yourself for the British weather and check the forecast – bring sunscreen on warm days, waterproofs if there’s a hint of rain, thick tops/coats if it’s even a bit chilly. You’re going to be outside for most of the day. And don’t forget comfy shoes.

Spare clothes – Some spare clothes for children may come in handy – on some rides you do get very wet! There are waterproof ponchos for sale in the park – and if you’re planning to go to another theme park, you can keep them to reuse. There are also ‘drying stations’ for £1-2 to dry off after getting soaked – it’s almost like a hairdryer for your body.

It’s worth noting that if it pours with rain, Legoland doesn’t offer refunds. There are a number of indoor rides including Haunted House Monster Party Ride, Lego City Deep Sea Adventure, Laser Raiders, Lego Ninjago The Ride, Scarab Bouncers, Lego 4D movie theatre and Lego Education Centre but the majority are outdoors.

Bring adults as well as children – Finally, bring enough adults. Most rides require any child under 1.3m to be accompanied by an adult – so if grown-ups are massively outnumbered by young children you could face issues. Reviewer Puneet took her 4 children on her own and found certain rides tricky. “My two eldest children would choose a ride and while my third child was technically allowed on, she was just short of the 1.3m height you need to go on without an adult. And since my youngest was less than 1m, and not allowed on at all, 3 of us had to sit these rides out. We faced this issue with Viking River Splash, Pirate Falls: Treasure Quest and The Dragon.”

There is a Parent Swap facility on many rides where you queue as normal and then accompany one of your children, while the other waits with the Legoland ride supervisors. When the ride finishes, you swap children so the one that’s just ridden now waits with the supervisors, and as the adult you ride for the second time. Reviewer Susie has done this on many occasions, and it works well – as long as you can stomach ride-after-ride!

Pushchair/wheelchair access and special needs

The park is very pushchair and wheelchair friendly.

Legoland offers buggies to hire as well as wheelchairs, subject to availability. Hire the ScooterBugs strollers for £10 per day for a single, £15 for a double. You can pre-book them on the Legoland website and collect them in the Legoland store on arrival.

Legoland also has a sensory space, located in Heartlake City, which offers a quiet, calming sensory environment for visitors with special needs, who require a little break from the hubbub of the park.

There are also facilities for visitors with physical or invisible disabilities, who are entitled to a Ride Access Pass enabling faster access to 10 chosen rides throughout your visit. Guests with disabilities will be charged the full admission price but full-time carers will be granted a free ticket if proof is presented at a ticket sales window. Guide dogs are also welcome but not allowed on rides.

The website has lots of information on how to plan your visit if you or your children have any disabilities and staff are on hand to help sort out any issues. A full list of all the rides in Legoland is available in the accessibility section, but with added information for guests with disabilities, including a ride safety guide.

All the shops, restaurants and toilets are wheelchair accessible, and there is a disabled car park close to the resort. Manual wheelchairs are also available to borrow, but on a first-come, first-served basis. Some wheelchair users may not be able to go on certain rides for safety reasons, so it’s worth speaking to Guest Services for full disclosure of what you may and may not be able to ride.

Rides for which wheelchair users can stay in their chairs include: Miniland, Hill Train, The Lego 4D Movie Theatre and Aero Nomad.

Access for wheelchair users varies from ride to ride, sometimes via the Ride & Reserve entrance, the exit or via a lift. Some rides still require some standing or walking for a few minutes as pushchairs and wheelchairs have to be left outside the entry gate.

How to save money on Legoland tickets

Legoland is an expensive day out but you can find ways to make it more cost-effective.

• Take your own lunch – as at all attractions, food outlets are not cheap (see our food section below for more details). Legoland features lots of grassy areas where you can sit and have picnics, including in view of Miniland.
• School holidays are the most expensive time to visit. Legoland tickets are cheaper in September.
• If you live close enough to Legoland to make it easy to return, you may want to buy a Legoland annual pass. For £49 you can get an Adult and Toddler pass which is great for young families with toddlers off of nursery or preschool during the week. It’s off-peak entry only and valid for 1 child under 4 years old.
• The other option is the Silver pass for £99 per person (adult or child). This annual pass gives you free entry at both peak and non-peak times – but not ‘super peak’ times (some Easter holiday days, May half term and most of August). If you want to be able to use your annual pass at any time, you need to buy a Gold pass, costing £119 per person (you’d only start saving money on the 4th visit within a year).
• If you already have an annual pass but it was affected by the COVID-19 lockdown periods over 2020 and 2021, you can get a new expiry date by entering your original expiry date in the expiry date calculator.
• Legoland is owned by a company called Merlin, which also owns 30 UK attractions including Chessington, SeaLife, Madame Tussauds and London Eye. A Merlin Annual Pass is a big investment ranging from £89 per person for a Discovery Pass to £299 per person for a Platinum Pass each with different perks and discounts. Although this will cost you a lot upfront it will save you money if you’re planning to visit several of these in the space of a year. Keep an eye on the Merlin website for the sales as these can significantly lower your annual pass price. There is a sale on at the moment starting at £69 for a Discovery Pass.
• For well priced tickets take a look at Attractiontix.

Where is Legoland Windsor?

Nestled in the Berkshire countryside, 2 miles from Windsor city centre, you can travel by train to Windsor & Eton Central/Riverside Train Stations and there’s then a regular shuttle bus to the park. If you’re driving, the postcode for sat navs is SL4 4AY. However, make sure you follow the brown tourist info road signs directing you to Legoland, as some sat nav systems may direct you to a residential street.

Is Legoland Windsor worth a long car journey?

If your kids adore Lego, it can be a dream come true. It offers a full day’s value and if you live far away, it is worth planning a two-day visit and staying overnight in one of the Lego hotels. Offers, such as second day at the Park for free, ride priority hour and a free Legoland gift in the room, are available, so keep an eye out.

Tips for getting to Legoland Windsor

Driving to Legoland Windsor is fairly easy – from the M4 it’s approximately 10-15 minutes by car if there are no tailbacks. There are plenty of signposts along the way and ample car parking space, although you will be walking around 10 minutes from your car to the entrance. Make a note of where you are parked – it all looks the same on the way back!

Is there a hotel at the Legoland Windsor resort?

Yes, there are two - the Legoland Resort Hotel and the Legoland Castle Hotel.

The Castle hotel offers a slightly more premium option than its sister hotel, Legoland Resort, which is next door. With an incredible knights and wizards theme throughout, it makes for a magical (but pricey!) experience.

Read our full review of the Legoland Castle Hotel here.

You can also find nearby family-friendly hotels on Booking.com, or holiday home options on Airbnb.

Nearby attractions for a longer day out

You’re likely to spend a full day or more at Legoland, but if you’re staying in the area for longer then other days out include Windsor Castle, Windsor Duck Tours and Extreme Motion adventure playground.

Opening dates and times

Legoland is seasonal: it’s closed during Jan, Feb and some of March. Opening hours get longer through the summer but often the rides will close up to an hour before official closing time and won’t open until 30 mins after official opening time. Always best to check the website before planning your visit.

MFM verdict on Legoland Windsor:

Legoland Windsor offers a thrilling day for 3 to 10 year olds – magical enough to become a treasured family memory - but you do NEED to plan ahead and download the app.

Visit the Legoland Windsor website

See more reviews of Legoland on TripAdvisor

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