Legoland Windsor Resort has opened its gates for its Christmas event running from the 22nd November until 24th December 2014. The park is operating at a reduced line up for the event with rides such as Laser Raiders, Jolly Rocker, Longboat Invader and many others open. Tickets can be brought from the Legoland website and annual pass holders must buy a ticket for the event at a reduced cost. Children tickets include a free gift from Santa and adult tickets get a free hot drink or cup of mulled wine.
The entrance to the park has been dressed up with christmas lights and posters over the entrance gates saying “Deck the halls with lots of LEGO.” You do not require a ticket for the Christmas event to get into the beginning area. This area contains The Big Shop the UK’s largest shop for all things LEGO along with Star Wars Miniland Model Display open to none paying guests. To enter the park guests must go to the Hill Train renamed to the “Bricksmas Express” You enter through the sweet shop which has been transformed into an admissions area full of christmas tree’s and street lights. The Bricksmas Express is the only way in and out of the park as everywhere else has been cornered off for the event.
The Bricksmas Express / Hill Train has been transformed with new banners for the event, blanked out windows so you cant see into the park and christmas reefs on the outside of the vehicles. When boarding the Bricksmas Express Nick the guard briefed us about the park, telling us that we had to go and see Santa down in the Christmas Kingdom. Father Christmas Meet and greets can be found towards the back of the park near The Dragon. Upon walking through the park is was apparent that you had to stay when it got dark to witness how beautiful the place became when all of the lights were switched on. The park had been covered top to toe with Christmas lights with no tree or pathway without some decoration. No expenses had been spared with this event!
Down in Kingdom of The Pharaohs a 26ft LEGO Christmas tree had been erected for the event. 300 thousand LEGO bricks were used to build the tree and took six experts four weeks to build, the tree is complete is working christmas lights and is on display until the end of the event. The entrance to Laser Raiders and Scarab Bouncers has been dressed up with christmas lights draped over Pharaoh standing to the side and icicle lights on the top of the building. With all rides at the event being walk on you could stay on the rides for as long as you wanted!
Walking down towards Pirates Landing the banner welcoming guests to the area has been replaced by Christmas Lights which in the day looked good but come night time looked amazing. The area has been transformed with Christmas lights covering the trees in the area and more icicle lights covering the Pirates Burger Kitchen which was serving a festive menu where you could get a turkey burger and your free hot drink or cup of mulled wine. Just across from the burger kitchen was he elves workshop where children could colour in pictures, decorate biscuits with icing or build something out of lego to go on the Christmas display. Before visiting Santa make sure you drop by where you can write your list to him!
Knights Kingdom has been transformed into Christmas Kingdom where the father christmas meet and greets can be found along with the opening of Knight’s Quest and Dragons Apprentice. The castle has been transformed with rope lights going all the way around it and snow storms happening every 7 minutes within the castle. Christmas trees line the area with fake snow on them and christmas lights. The area looks amazing at night time and is a must see during the evening.
Time slots for the father christmas meet and greet are pre booked online with a 5 minute time slot allocated to your group. The location for the meet and greet is inside the ride area of The Dragon with the track for the ride covered in more icicles. Small christmas trees cover the area hiding all the grottos from small children with a large Christmas tree in the centre of the area. You meet father christmas in a log cabin where your greeted by an elf and taken through to see Santa. Children or Adults can sit and chat to father Christmas for around 5 minutes depending on how busy it is. This is your opportunity to give him your list that you made earlier in the elf workshop outside the pirates burger kitchen. After a photo with Santa you will then be given a LEGO Present in a bag saying “Delivered By Legoland Windsor Resort” Photos can be purchased upon exit of the meet and greet and can be brought at the Dragon ride entrance.
The park was quiet during our visit which meant that we could roam around the park and take in the Christmas atmosphere. Once the sun had set and darkness had drawn in all of the lights around the park turned on making the park look very festive. The castle and surrounding area at Christmas Kingdom looked amazing with rope lights going around the whole castle and the christmas trees lighting up the area. Kingdom of the Pharaohs also looked very pretty with the giant christmas tree all lit up. I don't think we can fault LEGOLAND with the effort they have put into this years Christmas event!
To get the best experience of the event you need to stay as late as possible and wrap up warm. The park looks completely different at night time with all of the Christmas decorations. Whilst browsing in the Big Shop we noticed that the park is also selling some limited edition Christmas ball-balls filled with LEGO bricks for kids to hang on the tree for just £5.99 each. We would highly recommend this event to everyone with children and would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
