If you’ve got kids, chances are you’ve got Legos. If your kids love Legos, consider a family getaway to Legoland Billund. Melissa Curran Kalker has put together a handy guide to tell you all you need to know to make the Danish theme park your next family adventure.
Like most kids, mine are crazy for Legos. I’ve lost count of the number of lego blocks that have taken up residence in our home, which is why a trip to Legoland seemed the perfect school holiday break for our family. It seems everyone we know, with school-aged children, has been to Lego basecamp in Billund, Denmark and raved about the experience.
Our own experience was nothing short of a fun-filled, long-weekend for the whole family. At ages nine and seven our daughters were the perfect age (and height) to fully enjoy the park experience. While Lego appeals to a wide age range, we found the park filled with mostly young families; we encountered few teenagers.
Tickets & Accommodation
The park’s website is very clear and easy to navigate; information is provided in several languages as well as currency conversions. Be sure to check the Legoland visitor calendar and opening hours before you go. Outside of the summer months there are several days when the park is closed, or has shorter opening hours.
Legoland, Billund is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2018 with special passes, birthday shows, and new rides. Purchasing tickets through the website in advance for day passes, meal passes, and accommodation can save you a few euros per visitor.
There are several accommodation choices offered by Legoland itself, or by registered third parties in the vicinity, in combination with a day pass. The nice thing about Billund is that it is very compact. The Legoland Hotel, for example, is on the park premises with direct access and offers a wide range of themed rooms and a restaurant. We booked a celebration package (tickets and accommodations) through the website which gave us three nights at the Legoland Holiday Village and two days entrance to the Park.
Legoland Holiday Village is located only 450 meters from the entrance, in one of the Wild West Cabins. It offers a range of accommodations: motel, cabins, teepees, and camping. Our cabin had beds and bunks for five with a kitchenette, table and chairs, and bathroom; just enough to be comfortable for a short stay. The Village itself offers a supermarket, restaurant, several playgrounds for young children, as well as activities – upon arrival our children participated in a scavenger hunt with the possibility of winning a lego set!
Next door to the Holiday Village is Lalandia, a destination in and of itself, and very similar to Center Parcs. They offer several types of bungalows, but their big draw is an indoor facility and the Aquadome Water Park. We visited the indoor pavilion and had dinner one evening in one of their theme restaurants. If the weather is not good for being outdoors, this really can be the perfect place to entertain yourself for hours.
Getting There
As Billund is roughly 750 kilometers from Amsterdam, we chose to drive. It is a fairly easy drive – first to Hamburg, then head north into Denmark – and also scenic, with plenty of rest areas along the way. The only real traffic you may encounter is in and around Hamburg.
However, you can fly in and out of Billund easily. The airport is located across the street from the park. KLM offers 5 flights a day an a return trip is less than €200 per person.
Inside Legoland
Legoland is all about families. At the entrance they offer free children’s wristbands for emergency contact information. There are also a variety of picnic areas scattered around the park. Take a cue from the locals and bring your cooler (and backpack or boulder car) stocked with food for the day. The park is very clean; smokers have a designated area.
If you’ve visited and enjoyed Madurodam, then the recreated villages and structures in Legos will be familiar. It is very pleasant to get an ice cream and stroll through the gardens while you admire the impressive engineering.
There are a range of rides for all age types, even toddlers for whom the Duplo area is specifically intended. The roller coasters are compact, reasonably tame, and enjoyably thrilling – no upside-down moments, an important point for my youngest. We highly recommend the Polar X-plorer; I believe we rode it no fewer than 10 times.
You will be able to see and enjoy most of the park in one day depending on visitor numbers and ride wait times. With a two-day pass we could take our time and go back on rides we enjoyed the first day. Don’t forget to visit the Aquarium or see one of the 3D or 4D shows.
Meals
Within the park there are a variety of food options from fast-food to buffet style dining. Many dietary options are available. To save money we had breakfast in our cabin, and we packed lunch and snacks for the day. We only spent money on ice cream (€20 for 4 cones) or dinner (€100 for 4 hamburger meals with drink, ouch!). Outside of the park there are a few restaurants in Billund mostly catering to the tourist diet of burgers and pizza. There are, however, local supermarkets, which make it easy to cook for yourself.
Language
Language was not an issue and while, naturally, you will hear several Nordic tongues, English was widely spoken and signed everywhere we went.
Currency
The Danish use the krone; 1 EUR is a little over 7 DKK. You will feel the cost of things, both the currency exchange and being subjected to tourist/amusement park prices. Thankfully, we did not need to exchange cash and we were able to PIN everywhere using our Dutch bank cards.
BONUS: Lego House
Finally, and not to be missed is the newly opened Lego House located in the town center of Billund. You will need a separate pass (about €25pp) for entrance as it is not connected with Legoland. The Lego House is a combination experience center and museum. You will be given a personalized wristband which connects to the Lego House App. At various points throughout the House you can scan you wristband and photograph your experience as you build and interact with legos. You can later download your photos as a memento. The basement floor offers a mini tour of the history and evolution of Lego. Allow 3-4 hours in order to fully experience the Lego House. Each level of the building offers a different playground experience, a peek inside the building, and a view of surrounding Billund and all of your adventures from the rooftop.
Photo Credits: Melissa Curran Kalker
Melissa Curran Kalker
Melissa Curran Kalker is a professional organizer who runs her own business sorted.by Melissa. As a former ex-pat who now calls Holland home, and as a working mother and partner, she understands the unique stresses and needs of those who may be re-locating far from family and friends. Her mission is to help working families find more space, focus, and time for a richer quality of life. She shares her organizing & minimalism journey on her Blog and Facebook page.
