Visited legoland this weekend. Childhood ruined...

ShadowHearth

I posted quite a bit over here before, but drifted a bit away from lego as I had other priorities. I am still a big lego fan as an 31-year adult, who got a few grand worth of lego in late 20s. Legoland was my dream since I discovered it, but I could never make that dream come true.

Fast forward to present day and Me and misses took our little ratty to legoland. Costed us a bomb, but misses promised it as communion thing for her, so we couldn't back out of it.

We got there and I still had my hopes that it will be better, but it only got worse and worse. If I can sum it up it was like super overpriced ghetto carnival with lego sticker brands.

Rides were just rebadged cheapy rides you would have in ghetto carnivals. Very few had at least some brick shapes on them, but most of them were just rides with some lego stickers on.
Park filled with teenagers at counters who clearly couldn't be arsed to be there. Again, I will repeat myself, it had ghetto carnival spirit all over the place.
My biggest issue was the state of everything. It was so ran down and in horrible state. At very least they could have put some paint. The starwars section was neat, but it was all under massive layer of dust! Looked manky!
All the lego statues and buildings were in terrible shape. All discolored, parts broken off, moldy and very dirty. At you could clearly see that its like this for months and years, not just recent disasters.
Food extremely overpriced and very low quality too.
Lego itself was very expensive too!
I was so disappointed with legoland and it was very hard for me to even try to look... excited... for the ratty, but I just couldn't.

At least she loved it and had great time. I guess thats all that matters in the end, but I wish now that I havent had this trip and have it as my little dream place.

One good thing that came out of it, is that I really want to get back to lego. Talked to misses and she would love to mess around with it. Might go to shop and buy some classic lego bricks and mix up with my own building lego, so we can have a nice night with wine and lego.

Theboinkmaster

The one in London or billund?

ShadowHearth

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

The one in London or billund?

London. I started googling it and though the other one will be better and might go there next time, but looks like same issues and its even smaller.

Salmon Leap

We were there in 2014 and it was in great shape. Heading back over soon as well. Will be interested to compare years.

Oafley Jones

Lego sold off the rights to their themepark business years ago to Merlin. Hence the value engineered product you see today. It's a shame because I'd have loved to have seen Billlund when it was at its height in the 80s.

Optimus Prime

I was there last year for four nights and we had a great time. It's defo way expensive but I thought the place itself was great. Except th indoor pool was tiny. Sorry to hear it's gone down hill if that's the case.

Cheshire Cat

Was in the one in Germany twice. It's still fairly new and we enjoyed it.

https://www.legoland.de/en/

Was in Billund as a child and remember being totally awed. But that was a VERY long time ago and it was the first theme park I ever visited.

ShadowHearth

Maybe I had too high expectations. As I said, 8 year old loved it to bits. She didnt cared, but I was just completely let down. I guess I am way more cynical at this age too.

You can clearly see the difference between new and old parts. Older park parts were just abandoned maintenance wise. On the other hand they had new Ninjago part and statues looked amazing there. Fresh bricks, bright colors etc.

Great example was miniland. Weather was not kind to it. It looks great from far away, but when you come closer, you can see how damaged models are. The water was so dirty it started to look like swamp. Lego ships were so dirty and moldy, it was just sad.

AAAAAAAAA

legoland billund is a lot better, went once as a barn in the 90s and got my drivers license there

went again a couple of months ago with my gf and her younger brother and we had a blast again, i really recommend it

slickmcvic

ShadowHearth wrote: »

I posted quite a bit over here before, but drifted a bit away from lego as I had other priorities. I am still a big lego fan as an 31-year adult, who got a few grand worth of lego in late 20s. Legoland was my dream since I discovered it, but I could never make that dream come true.

Fast forward to present day and Me and misses took our little ratty to legoland. Costed us a bomb, but misses promised it as communion thing for her, so we couldn't back out of it.

We got there and I still had my hopes that it will be better, but it only got worse and worse. If I can sum it up it was like super overpriced ghetto carnival with lego sticker brands.

Rides were just rebadged cheapy rides you would have in ghetto carnivals. Very few had at least some brick shapes on them, but most of them were just rides with some lego stickers on.
Park filled with teenagers at counters who clearly couldn't be arsed to be there. Again, I will repeat myself, it had ghetto carnival spirit all over the place.
My biggest issue was the state of everything. It was so ran down and in horrible state. At very least they could have put some paint. The starwars section was neat, but it was all under massive layer of dust! Looked manky!
All the lego statues and buildings were in terrible shape. All discolored, parts broken off, moldy and very dirty. At you could clearly see that its like this for months and years, not just recent disasters.
Food extremely overpriced and very low quality too.
Lego itself was very expensive too!
I was so disappointed with legoland and it was very hard for me to even try to look... excited... for the ratty, but I just couldn't.

At least she loved it and had great time. I guess thats all that matters in the end, but I wish now that I havent had this trip and have it as my little dream place.

One good thing that came out of it, is that I really want to get back to lego. Talked to misses and she would love to mess around with it. Might go to shop and buy some classic lego bricks and mix up with my own building lego, so we can have a nice night with wine and lego.

....was there on Monday with my 4yr old,loved it,vey much geared for kids his age and below 12!....place was jammers but found app was great for determining queue times!
,......could have easily spent another day there,will likely go back again but stay in hotel next time,....the souvenirs were pricey but have more sense then to go there expecting to buy Lego sets!

syboit

sugarman wrote: »

Was in Windsor as a kid in the 90s and thought it was pretty rubbish then, doesnt sound like its changed too much.

But I was in Legoland California a few years back as an adult mid 20s, group of us with no kids and we all thought it was absolutely brilliant craic!

Its like with anything, the UK/Irish version is usually a half arsed watered down, over priced version.

Went to the one in florida last year, and thought the opposite comparing it to the UK one. The one in the UK seemed to have more rides and they seemed better aswell, especially the submarine one that goes in circles (it just seemed to go faster).
Did think the staff in the UK weren't that great, and not enough staff on some rides causing longer than expected queues. You could definitely feel them trying to save a penny or two.

ShadowHearth

I did not wanted to upset anyone by my post, its just how I felt. I am not a child anymore and I am a lot more cynical person then when I was a child.
I am pretty sure kids still have fun there, in fact they do, our ratty had a lot of fun.
I guess I was just too late to experience it properly as a child.

Anywho, on monday we went to shop and I picked up all this. All 3 of us had fun just building random stuff. If not legoland, I would not have done it. So I guess some good came out of it.

L1011

Windsor is easily the worst of the three in Europe. Merlin definitely don't maintain them to the old standards

ED E

Was there the guts of 15yrs ago now I think. Was grand then, but it does look a bit naff by todays standards.

cee_jay

OP I went to Legoland Windsor in July also, and had some of the same feelings as you.
The day we were there the app was completely unreliable for the queue times. We tried to plan our rides based on the app - Ninjago ride was supposed to be a 20min wait - we queued for an hour. The same day was really hot also (32 degrees). Miniland was quite rundown, discoloured bricks, dirty and some broken. It was still quite amazing to see some of the builds, it would just have been nicer if they were in good condition. The Star Wars section was wow though.
When queuing for the log flume ride (app said 1 hour queue, ended up being 15 mins max) we got chatting to another group who were complaining to Legoland on Twitter about their experience that day. They felt it was subpar from when they had been there before, all TVs in the queues for entertainment were turned off all day, the waiting times etc.
The food was overpriced, and not even that tasty. Lego itself was overpriced - I had planned on buying the London Skyline architecture set, it is €39.99 on the Lego Store - think it was £49 there. However, it was this price in London also.
The 11 year old I brought was very very excited, and loved every second of it. I did enjoy it, but the above experiences just took it down a level.

average_runner

We had a great time at Legoland, its not for adults, its for the kids.

We stayed in the hotel, daughter stayed in Lego Friends with her mum and my boy in the adventure room with me.

Restaurant is poor but the buffet is great for the kids. You can allow the kids go up and get their own food, they love the independence.

Evening entertainment was good and the playstation room in the hotel was good.

As for the rides, the water one was brilliant, the main roller coaster was cool and the shootout in the tunnel was cool.

We bought the premium q-bot for both days, so no queuing issues for us, we figure life is too short to queue.

Ninja ride was rubbish though.

Overall the kids had a great time and want to go back again next year, but its Disneyland next in Paris. Only then I can really compare them.

Tom Mann Centuria

I went last summer, spent two days there, night in an off-site hotel. It's definitely tired and the Lego link on a lot of the rides is tenuous, and it's not great value for money.

Lego shop there is a bit sparse and, no bargains to be had, I didn't try the food so can't comment on that.

Queue wise, early on the times were pretty accurate, but after lunchtime they were way off.

Saying that, and has been said before, my kids also loved every minute of it, and tbf we enjoyed it too, but didn't over think it.

Da Regulator

Waste of money. More like lepin land to be honest 😂😂

munchkin_utd

Only ever was at the german Legoland and whilst I had slight echos of what the OP felt (i.e. wish there was more actual lego) I was impressed enough to go and buy a year ticket.

Over the year I've mellowed a bit, realise that theres still millions and million of bricks in the mini land, and still find new things going on there every time. Theres a pick an mix shop which is good for extra doors, windows, panels etc for the wee fella and there are lego building areas if you can tear yourself away from the rides.

On a normal day the queues for rides are bareable. Infant rides normally are little enough of a queue, the more interesting coasters 15 min to half hour.
On a Europewide holiday weekend like Mayday, its bonkers, at least an hour queue everywhere, and posh rich italians with their express zappers make it worse again with them skipping the queue and taking places from the normal punters.

Pricewise, admission is dear €40 +- per person, but theres tokens out there for 2 for 1 or half price admission that brings it way down, and then for about €20 more per person you can upgrade to a 12 month ticket, so essentially for the cost of a standard ticket you can get a yearly pass.

Food is also not bad pricewise. With a yearly ticket you get 10% off (or kids eat free after 2pm with the premium ticket, or if they press the wrong button!!) but even at normal prices there's a deal for about €6 for a half pizza, drink and fresh fruit tub for the kids, for adults a similar deal for a few euro more. We even went for the posh table service american diner place as a birthday treat and it was really nice food and was noticeably cheaper than eating out in Ireland.

Lego sets are rarely available on a deal. Again, if you've a yearly ticket you get 10% off, 20% if you've a coupon, but even then you might be better off pricewise to get it from the likes of a department store or Toys R Us who sometimes have over 40% off some sets.
On the positive they do have the hard to find sets like some of the large creator sets, the VW camper or beetle or Mini car etc which you never see in normal shops.

lemmno

Can anyone tell me if a QBot is necessary? I'm going on a so called 'green' day, first week in July mid week when the UK schools are still open.

Ajsmiles

Thinking of going to legoland Windsor on the English Easter school holidays. Anyone got any info on what airport
to fly into , hotel to stay in and will it be busy. Cheers

L1011

If you are only going to Legoland and nothing else, Heathrow.

If you are going to be going to London as well for a bit, probably still Heathrow.

Any English school holiday will be busy.

Ajsmiles

Cheers, thinking 1 day legoland 2 days around London.

uck51js9zml2yt

Ajsmiles wrote: »

Thinking of going to legoland Windsor on the English Easter school holidays. Anyone got any info on what airport
to fly into , hotel to stay in and will it be busy. Cheers

Flew into Luton last year. Stayed in reading which was a bad idea. Stay in Windsor


Or see here https://www.legolandholidays.co.uk/offers/kids-go-free-exclusive.html?agent=VC043&awc=3503_1579892786_bfe586544a1f754d7fe211a92d738ad3&utm_campaign=LEGOLAND+Holidays&utm_source=HotUKDeals_47868&utm_medium=Communities+&+UGC

Lurching

We went to the German one last year.
Felt pretty fresh, and the hotel complex was brand new by the looks of it.
We stayed in the pirate hotel, which was very well done.

Im in Manchester for a weeks holiday. Was really looking forward to Legoland Manchester, but they have a clause, you're not allowed in without a child of 17 or under.

I'm really annoyed.

I can understand Legoland could be a target for pedos everywhere but still. I'm annoyed.

I wanted to see the Lego Coronation Street

DaveNoCheese

Deleted User wrote: »

Im in Manchester for a weeks holiday. Was really looking forward to Legoland Manchester, but they have a clause, you're not allowed in without a child of 17 or under.

I'm really annoyed.

I can understand Legoland could be a target for pedos everywhere but still. I'm annoyed.

I wanted to see the Lego Coronation Street

Windsor is the same. I think this clause is only in the UK however and the likes of Legoland Denmark, Germany etc can be access by adults.

DaveNoCheese

DaveNoCheese wrote: »

Windsor is the same. I think this clause is only in the UK however and the likes of Legoland Denmark, Germany etc can be access by adults.

Thats unfortunate. More so for Lego. I'd have spent a fortune in the gift shop.

L1011

Blame the UK gutter press for making a nation of paranoid idiots.