By Helena Hodson, age 9
Legoland Windsor is bigger and better than ever because of two new attractions – Splash Safari and Drench Towers in Duplo Valley. Last Sunday I went with my best friend Talia and our dads. Even though we arrived at 9.45am and stayed until it closed at 6pm, there was more than enough to do in one day. It was an amazing day out and we really enjoyed it.
As soon as we got there, we hired some Q-bots. These are devices which you can use to reserve rides – the Q-bot does the queuing for you. It will beep when it’s your turn, meaning you can go on other rides and “queue” at the same time.
All the rides were great, but my favourites were Viking River Splash, which is an exciting water ride, The Dragon, which is a rollercoaster, and Spinning Spider, which is like spinning teacups. I also loved Laser Raiders, where you shoot mummies and skeletons with a laser gun, and the Atlantis Submarine Voyage, where you go underwater and see lots of tropical fish and sharks.
The new Drench Towers in Duplo Valley looks fantastic, with water slides and a giant brick that tips loads of water on you – I wish I had brought my swimming costume!
There is a lot more to Legoland than just the rides. There are lots of other attractions and you don’t need to queue for them. Miniland is a miniature Europe with all the main sites built out of Lego. It’s very realistic – we saw Big Ben, the London Eye and Wembley Stadium (although where was the Eiffel Tower?). I also loved the Lego animals which are spread out around the park.
On my favourite ride, the Viking River Splash, part of the fun was that when you were not on the ride, you could spray people with water jets. I managed to spray a few people in the face!
Be warned: if you go on the wet rides, be prepared to get soaked all over. Take a poncho or cagoule because the ones you buy at Legoland are £3.50 (which is quite expensive), or you can pay to stand in a whole-body dryer, which costs £2.
I liked the Driving School, but it was a bit annoying because there was not a reverse so when I had an accident and drove into the pavement, the man had to turn me round to get me going again!
When you get to lunchtime, I would advise you to bring your own drinks, as they are a bit expensive. You can also bring your own food and eat out on the grass, although the sausage sandwiches we had were yummy.
My 5 top Legoland tips
1. If it is a busy day, then buy a Q-bot
2. Get there early and go to the big rides first, like The Dragon and Laser Raiders
3. Take a poncho for the water rides
4. When you first arrive, don’t take the hill train because it will slow you down
5. Don’t forget to take your swimming costume
How to do it
Legoland is open every day until 9 September and then on selected dates until 4 November. Entry costs £34.20 for adults, £27.45 for children, if booked online. The Regular Q-Bot costs £15 per person. More details on the website. Next month (1 – 30 June) is Minifigure Month at Legoland with a Minifigure swap shop, treasure trail, meet-and-greets with Minifigure costume characters and a free Minifigure for every child.
Holiday details: Take a holiday to Paphos before 31 October 2013 and Prestige Holidays is offering reduced rates and free half board upgrade for stays of 5 nights or more. For example, a weeks stay at Almyra Hotel would usually cost £1,127 but fly on 5 June and you can save £297 pp. Almyra is a contemporary design hotel which sits directly on the beach and offers a range of leisure activities from table tennis to yoga. This deal includes return flights from London Gatwick.
