The Lego-experience in Denmark: Legoland, Legohouse and Lalandia
In August we were asked if the kids didn't feel like a week in Denmark to discover everything that has to do with Lego. Well uh... Bas and Elodie had their backpack ready before I sent a confirmation email. So we took off to Billund, the cradle of Lego (and Duplo – Elodie insists to mention this)
WHERE TO STAY IN BILLUND? LEGO CASTLE!
The whole Lego thing in Billund is a local pride and that becomes clear as soon as you get out of the airport. Big signposts in the direction of Legoland which is actually only a 5 minute drive from the airport. Happy kids on the back seat, because they saw those rollercoasters sticking out above the trees. We had arranged a rental car in advance, because we really wanted to explore the rest of the region as well. Arranging a rental car is super easy here by the way. The terminals of the rental companies are right at the exit, still in the airport building. You will probably find an option here.
We swiftly drove to the hotel where we checked in quickly. Nice to know that - as a resort guest - you have unlimited access to Legoland and Lalandia (with indoor playground + swimming paradise and access to Givskund zoo. More information about the Be Happy pass can be found here.
The Lego Castle itself is a fantastic place for kids. The whole hotel is in the shape of a castle and everything is Lego-themed. Elodie would say: "Everything, but really everything, everything".
Breakfast is included and continues in two shifts, although we noticed that you are of course also welcome if you deviate from that hour. No stress is the message here. Lots of stimuli, though: children's fantasies quickly run wild.
LEGOLAND: 1.5 TO 2 DAYS
To be honest, we had absolutely no idea what to expect from Legoland, whether we could do anything at all (as adults) and to what extent the kids would enter that Lego world. First asset of the park: it's incredibly clean everywhere, everything seems brand new (and we think that's an achievement with all those colours!) and thanks to the app you can download, you'll soon get an overview of the hustle and bustle - just like in some other parks. The app is very accurate. If you do have to queue up somewhere, it's very convenient that there are some Lego playgrounds in the queue so that the kids are entertained while the parents are standing in line for them. We thought that was a super nice feature, because we never had nagging children because of the waiting time. How best to prepare for Legoland? Use the app and see in advance what you would like to do. For older kids you should be at the top right of the map. In Polar Land you’ll find the nicest rollercoasters. For smaller children you can quickly stick to the front of the park. Elodie still loves the quieter attractions such as the Lego boats or the Ferris wheel of Duplo. We tried to divide our time equally. Of course there are also rides they both (and we!) really enjoyed.
LEGOHOUSE; LEGO MUSEUM WITH A TWIST
The only thing we missed a bit in Legoland was playing with Lego blocks. The whole park was designed by Lego, but we didn't build much (except in the queues from time to time). To complete the Lego experience, it's best to make a trip to the Lego house. Basically it is a museum. But it is so much more than that. Kids (of all ages that is - I plead guilty) can play, learn and discover. From a giant Duplo area for the little ones to programming your own Lego cars, to making a Lego Live Action movie to testing the solidity of your self-built racing car. The possibilities are endless. Provide just over half a day and be sure to eat in the restaurant that goes with it. Mini Chef is an experience in itself, it is above all a nicely worked out concept. You build your order from Lego cubes, slide it into a digital oven that reads your order and passes it on to the kitchen. That's where the meals are prepared, so to speak, by the Mini Chefs, the Lego men. It's a very interactive event that, oddly enough, stimulates the appetite of the kids. While they are usually not the biggest eaters (certainly not Elodie) they ate their choice with taste. Nice experience!
LALANDIA AQUAPARK AND MORE
About 10 minutes from the Lego Castle hotel (which is right at the entrance to Legoland), you will find a holiday park with holiday homes. It is called Lalandia Holiday Village. The holiday homes come in different styles, but are all very new. You can sit outside on the terrace while the children play in the garden. Here you have to provide your own food and we secretly liked that too. Ludovic went in the morning looking for a bakery and we could have breakfast on our terrace.
A holiday park is according to our children completely finished if there is a water theme park. And Tadaa ... The Aquadome of Lalandia completely fulfilled those expectations. We went half a day swimming and testing slides. The only regret was that the safety regulations were pretty strict for Elodie so she was not allowed to try certain slides although we think they were perfectly safe. But hey, safety first of course. She especially enjoyed herself in the children's park (where the slides turned out to go pretty fast as well). There is also an outdoor area and that came in very handy with the wonderful weather we had at the end of August. The wild water rapids pass by the outdoor pool so Bas could actually go all by himself, with the condition to come and say hello every now and then.
Lalandia also has an indoor playground -Monky Tonky is called that and seems very nice. Because the weather was so great and we gave priority to spend a lot of time outside we didn't test it. More info and pictures can be found here. In less good weather, certainly a great option for the kids!
For sure there is a lot more to see and do in Denmark. But if it is your aim to give your kids a super fun experience, then Legoland is where you should be. Everything has been thought through and I admit, as an adult you might pull a crooked eye when you walk into the hotel, but if you see the amazement in your kids eyes, you too are guaranteed to step into their fantasy!
