The Best Rides and Attractions at LEGOLAND Windsor

LEGOLAND Windsor features dozens of rides, shows and exhibits. The vast majority of these are aimed at young children, although some have universal appeal to guests of all ages. Our reviews are designed to help you decide which ones to prioritise, but if you only have a short period to explore the park then make sure to experience the attractions below.

Be warned: LEGOLAND Windsor is enormous, and navigating involves walking up and down a large hill (or catching the Hill Train). The rides are scattered across 11 themed lands: The Beginning, Imagination Centre, Miniland, DUPLO Land (due to be overhauled in 2013), Traffic, Kingdom of the Pharaohs, LEGO City, Land of the Vikings, Pirates Landing, Knights Kingdom and Adventure Land.

The rides in Imagination Centre get busy first, due to its location near the park’s entrance, but queues die down later in the afternoon. It takes slightly longer for guests to reach Traffic, but once they do (from mid-morning onwards), queues for popular rides such as Driving School grow exponentially. Start at the back, and work your way forwards.

Families with young children (aged 2-7):

Driving School or L-Drivers – seemingly every kid dreams of getting behind the wheel of a car, and the realistically-themed Driving School (aimed at kids aged 6 and over) and L-Drivers (aimed at kids aged 3-5) offer them the chance to do just that. Both are moderately educational, and kids will love their mock “driving licenses” (a chargeable extra).

Miniland – exploring Miniland is a must for guests of any age group. Famous landmarks from across Europe and beyond are recreated in stunning detail, and young kids will have fun pushing buttons to make some of these move.

Fire Academy – among LEGOLAND Windsor’s most unique (and insane) attractions, Fire Academy offers kids and their parents the chance to extinguish the flames on a mock “burning” building. Equally popular among kids and competitive dads.

Fairy Tale Brook – hidden away in Duplo Land, Fairy Tale Brook is often unfairly overlooked. It takes guests on a tour past various fairytale-inspired scenes, with kids able to enjoy spotting their favourite characters, and parents able to appreciate the humour on show.

Boating School – it’s no match for Driving School, but young sailors will still love captaining their own boat around a short canal.

Digger Challenge – based on a simple premise (use a JCB simulator to move balls from one area to another), Digger Challenge is surprisingly good fun. Younger kids may need some help from parents to control the various levers, but will still enjoy the experience.

Dragon’s Apprentice – aimed at those too young or not yet tall enough to ride the nearby Dragon, Dragon’s Apprentice is a fun substitute coaster for little ones.

Adults, teenagers and older kids:

Laser Raiders – it may be slightly less impressive than Tomb Blaster at nearby Chessington World of Adventures, but LEGOLAND Windsor’s laser gun game is still deservedly very popular. Hit it early to avoid a lengthy wait.

The Dragon – OK, so it’s hardly on a par with Thorpe Park’s mega-coasters. Still, The Dragon is a fun combination of a dark ride and an outdoor family coaster, and offers enough thrills for riders of every age group to have a good time.

Miniland – teenagers may be slightly bored by Miniland’s models, but adults will appreciate the craftsmanship on show.

Vikings’ River Splash – as with all river rapids attractions, the thrill on Vikings’ River Splash comes from not knowing how wet you’ll get. The theming is nice enough, and this one of few LEGOLAND Windsor attractions that won’t underwhelm adults with a short ride duration.

Atlantis Submarine Voyage – a unique combination of a dark ride and a Sea Life marine exhibit, Atlantis Submarine Voyage was an innovative addition to LEGOLAND Windsor in 2011. It’s a little on the short side, but sharks have universal appeal.

Pirate Falls Dynamite Drench – while it’s a litte tamer than many other log flume rides, Pirate Falls Dynamite Drench still gets the basics right and features some neat theming.

Star Wars Miniland Experience – it’s basically a walkthrough shop window, but that won’t stop nostalgic sci-fi fans from enjoying the Star Wars-themed Miniland area. Many of the models required hundreds of hours to build, and it shows.

SQUID Surfer – there are few other water rides like SQUID Surfer in the UK, and it’s as fun for teenagers and adults as it is for kids. Take a spin on one of its “jet ski” vehicles, and try and avoid getting soaked by “water bombs” set off by spectators.

The Pirates of Skeleton Bay – grab a takeaway from one of LEGO City’s many dining locations, and settle down in area’s harbour to watch some impressive, death-defying stunts.