Disneyland/Legoland

[annie0000]

As our boys are getting grown up (11 and 10 this summer) we have decided to throw caution to the wind and to arrange a family trip/experience while they are still children. The years just seem to be flying away and I guess we dont have too many years left to do these things with them. We are not feeling particularly flush at the moment (who is?!) but we could afford to spend about £1k with a bit of careful saving.

The main two options we have are Disneyland Paris for 3 days or legoland in Denmark where we could get 5 days for roughly the same price.

They are not really nuts about big rides and i guess are too old really for disney characters so I am wonderig if we have maybe missed the boat for that. They do love lego, but maybe there wouldn't be enough to keep them occupied there.

I have asked them if there is anywhere that they would really like to go without propting and I guess they keep their ambitions small! One wanted to go to the local car track to watch motorbike racing, the other mentioned the safari park (we live near it and they go about twice a year!)

Does anyone have a view on what would be a better experience?

[annie0000]

or suggest anywhere else?

[redcrx]

i dont know how big legoland in denmark is, but the UK one doesnt have many big rides and can be done in 1 or 2 days.
disney has a lot of good rides and is spread over a reasonable sized park.

one thing i would say though is that disney offers free child places for kids under 12, If you decided to go next year the jump in price ould be a lot.

Oh and kids are never too old for Disney! I first went to florida one at 15 and loved every bit. we took our 2 to paris last year for 5 days and we all loved it!

[smart1]

Center Parcs ?

[annie0000]

Thanks redcrx - I think the one in Denmark is roughly about the same size as the one in the UK - surpisingly it just works out easier and cheaper for us to go to Denmark! I am certainly leaning more towards disney - especially as you say it is cheaper at the moment if we book soon- we wont be going until October.

[redcrx]

well we went early september (just after school started) and the weather was pretty good, we'd been told thats one of best times to go so i should think october ought to be fairly good too.
If you could afford it, try and get a hotel in disney as the buses from the outside hotels can get pretty busy. The eurostar is also a great way to get there.

[mazie]

Hi annie. The weather will also be a consideration in October. Here's a link for Denmark weather

http://www.mapsofworl.../denmark-weather.html

[annie0000]

Cheers smart - we are going to centerparcs as part of our summer holiday - we have been a few times it is fantastic and they do love it there.- definitely a good choice if we hadn't been. They love swimming and water slides so it is ideal. We tend to do a lot of outdoorsy, countryside, mountain type stuff which is why I wanted something that for us would be a bit different.

[redcrx]

btw, if you are looking at legoland UK or any of the other themeparks here you can often get hotel and ticket packages pretty cheap on www.superbreak.co.uk
we always book weekends at legoland through them and save quite a lot.

[mazie]

Disneyland Paris would be my choice even if 2 days shorter. Best to have 3 funpacked days than 5 rain soaked bored ones. I have been to Disney but not lego, so can't help with that. have uyou visited their denmark website annie?

[redcrx]

ive just looked at a map of the legoland in denmark and have to say it doesnt look much bigger than UK if at all. very unlikely that you could fill 5 days there

[annie0000]

Hmmm - looks wet in Denmark for October then, that's probably why it works out a good deal!

[Davethedog]

Annie there is no doubt that Disney "do it" If you take your boys to Disneyland you really cannot go wrong.

I have never done Legoland but I always get the impression it caters more to the under 10's (If i'm wrong please don't shout)

You could do Alton Towers.

[mazie]

Looks like so special offers direct with disney annie

http://www.disneylandparis.co.uk/index.xhtml#

[JMR27]

I'd go for Disneyland. We went to Legoland yonks ago and half a day was enough although it's bound to have improved since then. Denmark's pretty enough but there's far more to do in Disneyland/Paris.

[Zeuhl]

Mine went to Legoland UK around 11-ish and were pretty disgusted at being taken to a place with 'baby rides'

We took them to Disney Florida at 11 and 8 and I think that was pushing it - the 11 year old in particular was more into Universal etc and neither was too excited to meet Mickey Mouse!
.

[annie0000]

Eurostar not really an option as we are in scotland - we would be flying so even with easyjet you are still taking £4-500 for flights and then we would need transfers - we were thinking of going for the cheaper two hotel options i.e. the Santa Fe or Cheyenne - figure we wont spend much time in the room anyway. Where did you stay red?

[milly143]

I've heard there is about as much lego in Lego land as there is in a tuna sandwich.

[Ankou]

i would say disneyland, went there last year with my 2 girls and we are going again this year in june.

yours are a bit older, but they will stil enjoy it, perhaps the studio park more than my little'uns which does seem to be more 'grown up'. but as said, you are never too old for disney, you will all love it. even if it allows you be kids again.

if you can, go for the disney hotels as entry tickets are included in the price and you can with most of them, walk to the gates, if you can afford it go half board as eating out can be expensive. the meals are all buffets, so you can take a spare bag and stock up! (its what most .... er ...germans do i'm told....)

[annie0000]

Thanks guys - looks like Disney it is then - just need to talk mr annie into it now! He has agreed in principle but think he was leaning more towards legoland. Dave, I did think about Alton towers, more for the pool than anything else. Zeuhl - that is my fear really that we have missed the boat in terms of their age. My eldest is very quiet and is being assessed for High Functioning aspergers and doesn't like big rides (unless they are in water park and strangely he is fearless!). I think he would enjoy the disney studios etc more than the rides.