En Voyage_Issue#11_Flickbook

Sixty years ago, the simple idea
of adding tubes inside a plastic
brick turned into one of the most
exciting and influential toys in
history – the LEGO ® brick. Since
then the little plastic piece has
taken the world by storm, with
the magic made possible by
its introduction only growing
with each passing decade.
Take Legoland Windsor for
example; boasting more than
50 rides and attractions spread
across 12 different lands, the
theme park is far removed from
the smaller and more sedate
attraction I once visited as a
child some 20-odd years ago.
What was incredibly exciting in
terms of LEGO ® usage back then
would seem fairly ordinary now,
such is the massive leap the toy
giant has made – and is likely to
continue making in the future.
PIRATE SHORES
PROVIDED A WAVE
OF NOSTALGIA AS
THE KIDS PANNED
FOR ‘GOLD’ AT
PIRATE GOLDWASH
Exhibit A was the first stop on
our jaunt around the park – the
LEGO® Star Wars Miniland
Model Display. The intricacy
and creativity used to make the
models was breath-taking and
certainly didn’t disappoint my
little Yoda fans. We followed
the chronological path through
the Star Wars timeline (and our
childhood) and were able to
show the kids models of the most
famous scenes from the Star Wars
saga which were fantastically
brought to life with lighting
effects and authentic sounds.
Although we enjoyed the
models, when you’re four and
five, nothing beats posing for a
photo with LEGO ® brick C3PO
or wielding a light sabre against a
full-size LEGO ® Darth Vader.As we
strolled down the paths we came
across an attraction I very much
remembered from my childhood
visit. Pirate Shores provided a wave
of nostalgia as the kids panned
for ‘gold’ at Pirate Goldwash. The
medal I won as a child resides in
the kids’ toy box at home to this
day. Now they have their own,
which are a little shinier than mine.
After so many rides on Spinning
Spider that we lost count, we
found ourselves in Heartlake City
where Poppy was in heaven. The
surroundings are so well themed
you feel like an extra in Honey
I Shrunk the Kids. We enjoyed
a live performance at Heartlake
Harbour Arena and stopped for
lunch at City Walk Pizza & Pasta.
Every eatery we saw looked
inviting but the buffet style here
meant everyone was well catered
for. The self-serve ice-cream
station was a winner too.
Throughout the morning we
tried to persuade the kids on
to the log flume ride but to no
avail. Poppy warmed to the idea
slightly by lunchtime but I think it
was the Vikings’ River Splash raft
ride that truly proved to Reuben
that water rides are fun. So we
made our way back to Pirate
Shores to ride on Pirate Falls –
twice. Legoland is full of little
touches to make a family day out
easier and the poncho vending
machine by the entrance and the
full body drying pods by the exit
of water rides do just that.
PIRATE SHORES ‘GOLD’ MEDALS
POPPY & C3PO
REUBEN & DARTH VADER
60 YEARS AGO, THE SIMPLE IDEA OF ADDING
TUBES INSIDE A PLASTIC BRICK TURNED
INTO ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING AND
INFLUENTIAL TOYS IN HISTORY
BRAVING THE LOG FLUME
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