We bought our kids a Legoland short break for Christmas. We’d been mentioning it for a while and they seemed very keen on a trip to the Legoland Windsor resort. So in late November we booked a two night stay in the Legoland Hotel for February half term. This is what we thought of our Legoland short break.
Our Booking & Plan
We booked our Legoland short break for our February half term, which worked out well as the resort was open for two weeks for half term, as different schools across the country would have half term in different weeks. Our booking was to arrive on the Tuesday, have two nights in the hotel and have two days in the park which were Wednesday and Thursday. We booked a Premier Inn for the route back on the Thursday night so we didn’t have to do the full four hour journey home after a day in the park. Legoland say you have to book reservations for the hotel swimming pool as well as breakfast and tea in the hotel restaurants, so we did that too. The it was just a case of filling the car with petrol and driving south to Windsor.
The Hotel
The kids were really excited about the hotel when we arrived to start our Legoland short break. After many hours in the car the hotel was welcoming and we arrived an hour before check in time. Perfect as we had booked swimming before check in as the hotel said this was possible. However when we arrived, I got a text saying the room was ready. So we were able to go see the room before going swimming.
The themed rooms were fantastic, the swimming pool not quite as big as I expected but still great for the children. Detail is wat Legoland is all about and the attention to this detail is fantastic. From the different rooms in the hotel where you can build things, to the statues of the Royal Family. It’s all fantastic! The staff throughout the experience were all accommodating, polite and friendly. A real asset to the company.
The Park
We went into the Legoland Windsor park on the Wednesday and Thursday. The app is fantastic as you can check on how long the queues are for different rides. We worked our way around the rides that we wanted to experience and found something for everyone. Our youngest had plenty to do, as did our eldest. From the Miniland world where different countries are portrayed in brick form, to Duplo valley, there is always something to look at or ride on. Our favourite ride was probably the Ninjago one, where you could compete to get the highest score, whilst working as a team to defeat the bad guys.
Queuing wasn’t too much of a problem either as throughout the queue there is usually something to keep kids entertained. Lego bricks to build stuff or TVs showing Lego episodes help the wait feel less boring. On the Thursday my eldest and I ran into the park to queue for Flight Of The Sky Lion as it usually had a queue of 60+ minutes. A great ride but I don’t think it’s worth an hour queuing!
Food & Drink
Breakfast was included with the price of the hotel stay, which was much better than the reviews on Tripadvisor make it out to be. Five of us ate well in the mornings and the staff were fantastic at accommodating different requests. We took a bag of food into the hotel room with us with snacks and drinks that we could use whenever we wanted, as well as taking them into the park in a backpack. After a big breakfast, a couple of snacks saw us through until tea time.
The park closed at 4pm and the hotel restaurants opened at 5pm. The Bricks Restaurant (where you have breakfast) has a fixed price menu with limited options on. I felt this was expensive for what it was. So instead we went to the Skyline Bar where we could get a few pizzas to share. We spent maybe £50 per evening on food and were all full.
What Did We Pay?
When you go to a theme park you expect to pay quite a hefty price, especially if you are staying at the onsite hotel. The two night stay plus park tickets worked out at just over £600 for us. I clicked through Quidco to get 1% cashback, better than nothing! I have looked at the same stay throughout the rest of the year and it rises to over £1000 during the summer. Yes there will be water rides open but is that worth an extra four hundred pounds? Even the second week of half term was two hundred pounds more expensive when I looked.
We booked early, which in a way was great because we secured our reservation and tickets. However the week before we were due to visit, the company started offering a free second day promotion. There are always cheaper ways to get tickets for the park too. Check cereal boxes for 2 for 1 offers for free child entry. I also saw a free entry ticket if you bought a Lottery ticket for the week we visited. This can help lower the price you will pay. You could always look at buying a Merlin annual pass too.
Unexpected Storms
We definitely picked the right dates for our trip. Not only from a price point of view, but also for the weather. With the arrival of Storm Eunice and a couple of red weather warnings put in place, the Legoland resort decided to shut on the Friday. This meant that as we were leaving, there we families arriving to the news that the park would not be open to them the following day. Understandably there were upset children and annoyed parents, but the staff seemed to be handling the situation well. From what I gather, the resort were helping sort people out and rebook their Legoland short break dates. At the end of the day though, an open park with no rides open due to high winds is not ideal for anyone. Safety first.
Whilst this didn’t alter our time at the resort, we did decide to not stay in the Premier Inn on the Thursday night. Instead, we used it as a place to get showered and get the kids bathed and ready for bed. Then we drove back from about 7pm so the kids slept. Getting home just before midnight due to traffic and accidents. The room was £31 so it was an expensive shower however looking at the weather the following day, the right decision.
Would We Return?
We would most definitely return to the park. I think our eldest would probably have another couple of years before he started thinking the rides were too slow, boring or babyish. The kids have already started saying they would like to return. They’re figuring out ways to pool their money together to pay for a trip. I think you can visit on a budget. You don’t have to stay in the hotel but you can choose the cheaper (still themed!) rooms in order to still enjoy the experience. Staying offsite might be cheaper but then you don’t have the full Legoland short break adventure.
If you have young children who will love the Legoland short break experience, save up throughout the year like we did and then book what is right for you. We loved it more than we expected. That once-in-a-lifetime trip we thought it would be will probably turn into a two or three time trip. However, remember, whilst you are spending cash, you’re also making memories!
