Is it worth taking a toddler to Legoland Windsor? It’s a question I’ve been asked a lot since we visited the theme park a few weeks ago* (read our top tips here). It’s a lot of money to spend on a day out, and it’s a two hour drive for us here in Cardiff. So is there enough for toddlers to justify the cost?

(* we paid for our trip ourselves and weren’t there in an official reviewing capacity)

I’ll be honest: if my three-year-old toddler was our only or eldest child, I’m not sure if we would have gone all that way.

However, he’s the youngest of three, with a brother aged 5½ and a sister aged 7. We thought they were the perfect age to be visiting, so he got to go by default.

We knew there would be some rides he could not go on, but actually the majority of the park was fine for him. If he was less than 90cm, it wouldn’t have been great for him, ruling out a lot of attractions. The fact he loves all things Lego was certainly a bonus too.

Rides at Legoland are mostly categorised by height restrictions as follows:

• no restrictions: 26 rides and attractions
• must be at least 90cm to ride: 12 rides
• must be at least 100cm to ride: 4 rides
• must be at least 120cm to ride: 1 ride
• guests under 90cm/110cm/130cm must be accompanied by an adult
• driving schools: one for age 3-5 and one for 5-13s
• two Lego building attractions: ages 5-12 and 5-13

So, being over 90cm meant he could go on most rides.

We’re lucky that he’s quite chilled out and wasn’t too bothered about his siblings going on things he couldn’t. One of us would take him off to something he could go on, before taking the other two onto one of the older rides.

There was definitely plenty he loved there and he was so excited all day. Having a child who doesn’t meet the height restrictions might limit what you can do at Legoland but if you plan well, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have an action-packed memorable day.

Rides and attractions my toddler (under 100cm) loved at Legoland Windsor

1. Lego MiniLand

No height restriction; no queues

Famous buildings from across the world reconstructed out of Lego. Toddler might not have recognised many (any?) of the buildings, but he ran around shouting “castle” “train” “boat” “bridge” and so on and we had to carry him out of the area to head somewhere else, so it was a definite success.

2. L-Drivers

Ages 3-5

Toddler absolutely loved driving the electric cars around the track on the L-Drivers, for ages 3 to 5. He didn’t even seem to mind that every 10 seconds all the toddlers would collide and the staff would have to separate the cars. We grown ups thought it was hilarious though. Ages 6-13 can go on the Lego City Driving School.

3. Atlantis Submarine Voyage

Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult

We loved this so much we went on it twice! Visitors step into a yellow submarine, with pretend controls, and are submerged under water, where they can view (through the large viewing panes) all manner of fish and sea creatures, plus underwater Lego creations, including deep sea divers, and Nemo and Dory.

4. Duplo Train

No height restriction

Toddler could have gone on this short figure-of-eight train ride unaccompanied… but it was funnier to see Cardiff Daddy squeezing into the brightly-coloured carriages alongside him. It looks just like the Duplo trains he has at home.

5. Duplo Valley Airport

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

I wasn’t sure if Toddler would find being hoisted into the air a bit scary… but he loved using the controls to go higher and lower and to spin around.

6. Duplo Theatre

No height restriction; no queues

This was a great live puppet show for younger children, and a good chance for a sit down for tired feet. We saw The Elves and the Shoemaker, but other shows include Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs.

7. Pirates of Skeleton Bay Stunt Show

No height restriction; no queues

This was fantastic! It’s a live action show that sees swashbuckling pirates acrobatting and somersaulting into the water. Toddler loves pirates, so he thought this was brilliant.

8. Fairy Tale Brook

Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult

All five of us enjoyed this gentle boat ride, where fairytale favourites were brought to life alongside the water. We saw Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs and many more.

9. Heartlake City Express

Toddler loves anything to do with trains, and there were hardly any queues, so this was another one we went on twice. The long steam train takes visitors on a gentle ride around the park, with Lego safari-themed Lego animals and explorers to spot en route.

10. Desert Chase

Guests under 1.1m must be accompanied by an adult

The traditional carousel was a real favourite of seven-year-old Little Miss E, but it took Toddler a while to warm to the idea. He wouldn’t sit on the horses themselves, but after he’d watched his siblings, he was happy to go in one of the carts, along with a parent.

11. Aero Nomad

No height restrictions but guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

A miniature version of a traditional big wheel, this gave beautiful views across the park, but without going to high or too fast for little ones.

12. Thunder Blazer

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m.

He was a bit apprehensive about the swinging chair style carousel to start, but I sat on the swing next to him and he really enjoyed it.

13. Dragon’s Apprentice

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

While his big brother and sister went on The Dragon (minimum height 1m and rather fast!), Toddler tried this smaller roller coaster out. It was faster than we were expecting, and I think he was a little scared at times… but he asked to go on again, which makes it a success in my book.

14. Spinning Spider

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

This was a great one for all five of us to go on together. Riders sit in circular log-themed carts and spin around, using the controls to go even faster.

15. Laser Raiders

Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

An Egyptian themed tomb, that sees riders in carriages with laser guns, where you have to shoot your way through a labyrinth of evil mummies, skeletons and traps. He didn’t score many points, but he certainly had great fun.

16. Brickville

Toddler loved the interactive play village, with a fire station, police station, clown cake shop, and princess castle. He also had a good play on the older children’s play area with its knights’ castles and pirate ships even though he was officially too small, as it’s aimed at 5+.

Also worth mentioning: the Hill Train (if you don’t want to walk from the entrance to the main park); Remote Control Boats on Miniland Lake; Traffic Games remote controlled trucks; The Lego 4D Movie Theatre; Imagination Factory for Lego free play; Pirate Goldwash; Lego Star Wars Miniland Model Display and Gallery; Enchanted Forest.

17. All the amazing Lego builds around the park

He loved the Lego build around the park. In particular, this St George and the Dragon, which he spent about 10 minutes running around, and these giraffes.

Rides he could have gone on but didn’t want to

Space Tower

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

Miss E and Little Man went on this one… but Toddler wasn’t interested and I think he probably would have hated it! You pull yourself up to the top of the tower, where an alien spaceship is hovering, and then descend back down to earth by letting go of the cable.

S.Q.U.I.D Surfer

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

This is a fast-paced ride that sees riders whizzing around on themed jet ski pods, trying to avoid getting soaked by water squirters in the pool area, plus those operated by spectators. My other two children were happy to go on with their daddy stood behind them, but Toddler was not at all interested (which I was glad about because they spin round really fast and I could just imagine him falling in).

Raft River Racers

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

Teams of two people jump on board and inflatable dinghy and race down a waterslide at up to 35mph. The app says “Be warned, it is sure to be wet and wild.”

Scarab Bouncers

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m

Although this ride seemed popular, none of my kids liked he look of being bounced up and down 15ft in the air. I think Toddler would have been petrified, and I was surprised to see he was big enough to go on unaccompanied.

Things we didn’t get to go on but which I think he would have loved

Duplo Splash Safari

We’d packed our swimming gear but accidentally left it at home in Cardiff. What bad parents! We refused to buy three lots of new swimming costumes and towels at the onsite shop. Even worse parents! In fairness, the splash pad wasn’t open on the first day we were there, and the second day was so jam-packed they seemed to forget about it… but I know Toddler would have loved splashing around in the water park and all the animals that look just like the Duplo ones we have at home. Ah well, there’s always next time!

Sky Rider

I think I was the one who wanted to go on this the most. The over-head aerial track looked like fantastic fun, taking you 20 feet into the air, but it wasn’t open on our first day, and opened late on the second and always had a queue of at least an hour. I think Toddler would have been really excited to have tried this one out though.

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

Balloon Ride

Again, there were stupidly long queues for this one, so we gave it a miss, but it operates in a similar eay to Duplo Valley Airport, with riders pulling the cable to go up and down.

No minimum height but guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

Fire Academy

Guests must be a minimum of 0.9m. Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult.

This looked like fun, but not worth queuing an hour or more for! Kids sit in the fire engine, while the grown ups have to power a fire engine and put out a ‘burning’ building.

Coastguard HQ

Guests under 1.3m must be accompanied by an adult

We’d wanted to have a go at sailing these battery powered boats around an obstacle course, but the queues were so busy we ended up not bothering.

Rides he was too small for

Height 100cm

1. The Dragon

2. Vikings’ River Splash

3. Pirate Falls Treasure Quest

4. Jolly Rocker

Height 120cm

Mia’s Riding Adventure

Age 6

Lego City Driving School

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