legoland DONT GO--PLEASE

Yes, we always save our Tesco vouchers. The whole family saved them up this year and gave them to DD so that she could get an annual pass, but her OH can only get time off over the Easter weekend, so they have no choice.

They have been before, so they know that the children can cope. We took them to a different theme park last year and they were fine with the queueing. Many of the rides do have central play areas for the children, too - there is usually a large-ish area of lego tables somewhere in the queue.

Maybe you were just unlucky? I often think that it is more tiring for the parents than for the children. And when I think about it, you don't really see all that many older people at the larger theme parks. I can't see me coping all that well in ten years' time.

Can I just say that LEGOLAND parks are not owned by LEGO anymore, they are owned by Merlin.

I thought most people used their Tesco vouchers or 2 for 1 vouchers to go to these places, we always do. My grandchildren never complain about queueing here or any other theme park and we always have a great time. We always take our own food and drink to keep the cost down and leave the big rides till the end of the day.

What on earth is meant by a "media enquiry"? as mentioned on the previous page?

Phoenix same thought crossed my mind ? My DGCs have been to the park and really enjoyed the day again through voucher offers & discounts as DS1 works for Sainsburys I did pack them a lunch to take with them so they where not having to pay high prices for their lunch which I am sure many visitors would think of doing,have you thought vsmart what would happen if the park was not as popular as it is and it closed down an awful lot of people would loose their jobs and to be fair most people are aware that queuing for rides and attractions are the norm in parks like these.You also have the option of looking at the prices and demonstrating with your feet and not go.

If you read my post i said the prices were extortionate and I know that this is often the case with places that have the monopoly[-£3.50 for a small ice cream £10 for a tiny photo on the driving licence after a car ride etc]Do you not think I looked at the prices or thought of taking a packed lunch? Am I complaining about what I paid? Indeed people have to make decisions whether to accept the charge ,however they pay vouchers etc but then they should be able to experience what they are paying for in reasonable conditions. My point is about the frustration of queuing eg on16/17 april when we visited people were queuing for 30 minutes to present prepaid tickets to get in!!![not my problem -our barcoded ticket took us straight through] then the rides had over a 1 hour wait so in 4 +hours your child could have a maximum of 20 mins fun and around 4 hours of standing in a line I would not subject my gcs- i consider it cruel-- imagine a 5/7 year olds coming home from school and saying the had been made to stand for 4 hours as a punishment-- you would be outraged- and rightly so- so we did no rides-looked at the models .saw the pirate show etc and left with the idea of buying a qbot the next day -but they were sold out so reluctantly we waited for a ride and then demonstrated with our feet and left.whilst I waited in a queue - i watched and talked to people around me-- by virtue of the fact that this is a park for younger children ,there is a high % of pregnant mums -they are queing with other children- arranging toileting during an hour +wait was so difficult- the children were confused to be penned up and got fidgety- people said they wished they hadnt come and said how much they had paid- I could go on and on.the queue bot machines cost up to £70 per child--this is what people will pay just to ensure q jumping. please read the tripadvisor reviews and you will see the experience of others-. I am aware that off peak it would be different and for those of you who have had enjoyable visits thats OK but the park should not be allowed to function in the way i observed-I suggested a media enquiry this could possibly take the form a survey - a statistical analysis of how long you wait in relation to park numbers and produce some way of improvement.As it is unless they improve it will bring about its own demise..... Can I emphasise we had a really enjoyable break, the weather was brilliant particularly wed 16th ,the hotel with pool and play equipment -indoor games was great-- We dealt with the deficiencies of legoland and will not go again- I am not bitter and twisted but i was so sorry for the people there who were not so lucky and for whom this expensive trip had turned into an ordeal. and I would not want others to endure this. hence my post......We have also taken our gcs to the pleasure beach at blackpool loads of rides for 5-7 yearolds in Nickolodian land- relaxing and enjoyable

I wonder how they could improve things? If you want a media campaign you would have suggestions.

So do I- but it should happen-I have already made my suggestion here but I will be writing to legoland

Sorry, I cannot see the improvements you recommend - apart from people staying away.
Would be interesting if you could be a bit clearer.

I wonder how they could cut down on the queueing? That looks like the biggest problem, apart from the astronomical prices. I have not been there, but it sounds to me that there are more visitors at any one time than can use the rides.

Could they close the gates when there were a certain number of people in? That would lead to a lot of disappointed people having to turn round and go home, or wait in their cars in the carpark (but would that be big enough?) and then only as many let in as came out. I cant see that being a welcome answer.

Could they sell tickets for timed slots? But they would then have to find those whose time had run out, and chuck them out to make room for the next batch. That would cause some tears and tantrums.

Could they hike up the prices so far that some people are put off going? From the prices quoted, it sounds as though they are doing that already, and it still doesn't work!

Families go there in droves, in spite of the high prices and the long waits for rides. Everyone must know by now about these things, but still they arrive.

I am sorry, vsmart I can't think of any way to stop the queues while the place is so popular. Can you?

Alton Towers in Staffordshire is £124 for two adults and two under 11s. That is for one day.

Legoland for two adults and two children is £132 with an on line day booking. £180 at the gate.

You either love or hate such places.

Many years ago I used to go to Alton tower on a Sunday afternoon for free with the kids when OH's Brass band was there playing in the bandstand there.

I have written that an enquiry could possibly include a survey-a statistical analysis of how long you wait in relation to park numbers to produce some way of improvement. I warned against going to legoland in school holidays to prevent people being so disappointed and children frustrated not as away to improve the park.i have since discovered legoland has a social media executive and I will write to this person to urge improvementsThe distress I witnessed is my concern- but also when you think about it legoland offer rides which cannot be experienced in any acceptable amount due to the time constraints at certain times ,and this in itself is not delivering the service customers have paid for and would probably fall foul of the sale of goods act. !!!! The legoland rep has given up responding to the last few outpourings on trip advisor but it is so upsetting to read things like we had been saving up for this and we spent the day queuing-- the children were so upset.... We managed 5 rides in 2 days...I know I' m not Mother Theresa but.having seen this at first hand I felt it had to warn others.

Nellie, I used to go to Alton Towers on Sunday School trips when I was very young! The last time I went with the DC was 37 years ago when it had just been sold with the intention of turning it into a theme park.
I remember the model railway and the boating lake.

The thing about these theme parks as with any commercial commodity is that as long as people will buy the product/services offered at the price charged then it will continue to thrive and charge those prices.

If people stay away because it is too expensive then they will either lower the prices or close down.
I think it is known as supply and demand in a free market economy - capitalism.

A lot of people will look at sites such as Trip Advisor before deciding to go somewhere like Legoland.

Same here- when we lived in the Potteries, from 71 to 75- we loved to go to Alton Towers- before it became a theme park. It was lovely. Whenever I had to go with end of year school trips (as a teacher) I always escaped and went down to the gardens- heaven of peace, beautiful trees, the Orangerie and Pagoda- and had my picnic there. We still have good friends in Alton village- a lovely part of the world, but the traffic is a nightmare.

I just asked my son what he thought about it, did he mind perhaps not getting on many rides when we went at busy times. He said, he never counted the rides, he just loved the place. As his birthday is at the end of march, we always went at Easter. I suppose you either like it, or you don't. We always took enough money for an ice cream, tea, coffees, cold drinks, and took a picnic. There are very few tourist places where you can go now where ice creams are cheaper than £3.50 - try London, going round museums and art galleries, during the summer holidays! You have to search very carefully.

My DDs took DGDs on a teacher training day on a cold wet day. They wore waterproof suits and wellies, soup and sandwiches and had a whale of a time.

I expect the soup kept them warm...

Had a wee look at trip advisor,certainly seems to be a lot of complaints on there.

Ana - took, TOOK soup and sandwiches. iPad is eating words now! Now have a vision of DGC wrapped in soggy soupy sandwiches!