A Reception Class to Legoland, Windsor

Time for summer fun with a trip to Legoland, Windsor to kick off the summer holidays with thrill rides, mini-land, and splash park!

For the Lego-obsessed 5 year old and her friends, a trip to Legoland is a dream come true. My fellow Class Reps and I organised an unofficial end of year Reception Class trip to Legoland Windsor. As there was a huge party of 20 kids and 18 adults, Legoland offered us generous weekday school group rates. What better way to kick off the summer holidays than visiting Legoland with your classmates? The kiddos were beyond excited!

Legoland “Awesome Awaits”: Top Tips

Located in the leafy corner of Windsor, Legoland covers 150 acres with 55 rides and attractions across 12 themed lands, including Ninjago, Pirate Shores, and LegoCity. It is one of the most visited theme parks in the UK with easy access via the motorway and on the train into Windsor & Eton Riverside or Central. 

Legoland Windsor caters to the whole family, but is perfect for primary school-aged children up to 10 years old. Children under 90cm go free with a paying adult and can enjoy around a dozen rides, a wander around Mini World, Duplo Valley, Splash Safari and numerous playgrounds. The real fun begins at 1.2m when the kids can enjoy all rides with an accompanying adult. For older children over 1.3m, they are free to go on rides on their own. Personally, I think 5 years old is the perfect age for an inaugural trip to Legoland! If this is your maiden voyage to Legoland where “Awesome Awaits,” here are some top tips for making the day enjoyable for the kiddos and parents. 

Pre-Book Tickets and use Priority Parking

If you are not going with the school group, you should pre-book your day passes and parking online to save money. You may find 2-for-1 vouchers with participating vendors. In any case, be sure to book tickets in advance especially during the busy school holidays. 

If you are driving, I highly recommend pre-booking for ‘priority’ parking online to avoid queuing to buy parking tickets. Trust me, you’ll be doing a lot of queuing so save yourself time and hassle. Priority parking is the closest lot to the main entrance and exit so you can get on the motorway in no time. Some friends mentioned it took them over an hour to exit the parking lot a few years ago. 

Plan your Day, Arrive Early, and Prioritise Rides

Visiting any theme park can be overwhelming and exhausting. To make the most of your trip to Legoland, be sure to measure your child and plan your day strategically. I would recommend visiting all your “must do rides” first. In the summer months, Legoland is open from 10am-6pm but you can arrive as early as 9:30am and wander around The Beginnings area before making your way to your first thrill ride. 

Download the Legoland App to help you plan your day and see how long the queues are for each ride. I recommend visiting the themed lands at the rear of the park first such as Lego Mythical or Knight’s Kingdom and make your way towards the front, ending at the Splash Safari and Miniland.

 

Bring Snacks and Lunch

Bring lots of snacks, lunch, water, and more snacks! As with any theme parks, expect lots of time in the queue. You do not want to be caught out with a ‘hangry’ child (or parent!). If queues run into lunch, at least you can eat whilst you wait in line. In an ideal situation, we would have loved to have a picnic lunch at the Heartlake Harbour Area for a live show. In reality, most of our group ate our lunch quickly in the queue, or at one of the designated picnic areas. On that note, be sure to pack easy sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and more snacks in a cooler bag. 

Extra Clothes and Rain Gear

Legoland has a nice Splash Safari with designated changing rooms. During the summer months, it is not a bad idea to head to this area to cool down. Be sure to bring swimming costumes, towels and an extra change of clothes. There are some rides that involve water so be sure to save those for the end of the day. 

Final Thoughts

• At the end of the day, parents were completely shattered but it was worth it creating happy memories. The kids had the best day and were on their best behaviour. Personally, it is a lot of fun going with a group of little friends as they can keep each other entertained in the queue. 
• Speaking of queues, expect lots of time queuing! Be sure to prioritise your rides or pay extra for a “Reserve & Ride” pass which is Legoland’s version of a fast track. The worst queue was the Legoland Driving School, which I would suggest you skip altogether as personally it was not worth the wait. Even the queue at the Ben & Jerry Ice Cream shop was slow. 
• And if you don’t get through all the rides, do not fret as there is always an excuse to return to Legoland where “Awesome Awaits.” 

Happy Summer!