We were visiting Legoland on a Danish bank holiday but we need not have feared as the longest queue took just 15 minutes and the sheer scale of the site meant that the crowds were never overwhelming. The welcome we received from staff could not have been more enthusiastic.
Toby (aged four and a half) had studied the map to Legoland Billund extensively on-line before we left the UK and at Billund airport he made a beeline for the print version to ascertain which ride needed his attention first. Surprisingly on arrival, his very favourite ride (which we went back to five times) was the Lego Safari adventure, where he rode a safari vehicle along a track amongst beautifully constructed Lego animals. Before the visit, he had favoured the Knights Castle and Pirate Land but it was the independence of his own vehicle that set the Safari ride apart.
Visiting with a 14 month-old toddler was not the challenge I had imagined as there were enough of the slower boat and train type rides, making their way through scenic Lego landscapes that she could join in on and the changing and indoor facilities were excellent. There was also a fabulous Duplo land section, featuring familiar Duplo toy sets magnified by 15 times so that it was big enough for a toddler to play inside the Duplo farm and police station. Pippa’s absolute favourite spot was the Lego Playzone, an indoor play area where she could potter between great big tubs filled with assorted Duplo. It was a welcome indoor break from relatively fresh weather and a truly calm stop off from the busy park.
Jon and Toby took in the brand new 4D Bob the Builder movie which was a slick production with the added bonus of 3D glasses and surround sound. Toby was particularly impressed by the girders and Lego blocks which swung around and spilled out of the screen at various moments making him gasp, along with the rest of the audience.
One of my favourite and most unexpected Legoland memories was the Atlantis underwater world where we walked through a giant transparent tunnel between two real aquariums which effectively mixed Lego divers and submarines with real tropical fish and sharks. Toby even got to hold a crab, much to his delight.
Miniland, the miniature versions of cities and famous landscapes captivated Toby and Pippa (and Jon and me for that matter) just as much as the rides.
We spent eight hours at Legoland on the first day and still went back for more. Whether we were riding the Pirate Wave Breaker at Pirate Lagoon, watching a show by the Knights Kingdom or getting wet in the canoe ride in the Wild West the attractions looked great and staff added the extra human touches that make such a big difference to the experience.
Throughout the visit we found all Legoland's staff to be engaged, entertaining and without exception bilingual. They were all in costume and were happy to play their part.
Half-way through our second day we stopped off at a playground where Toby managed to fall head first onto a wooden deck. We went straight to the medical centre where a brilliant first aider tended Toby’s wounds and gave him a cold pack to take away for the sizeable lump on his head, as well as a Bob the Builder Lego set which immediately cured him!
For our days out at Legoland I packed picnics and there were many other families with packed lunches and plenty of designated areas to eat them.
Legoland Billund is an incredible and fantastic day out for the whole family – creative, fun and full of surprises. Lego is a classic toy and the park is a classy celebration of everything that makes it great.
Alex Bell and her family's trip was sponsored by www.ryanair.com, www.lalandia.dk/uk and www.visitdenmark.com/uk