As theme parks go it’s a pretty good situation to have these two big parks located within a 45-minute drive from each other. Both are within 45-minutes drive or transport from London too so they’re very popular.
Here I’ll dive right into a head-to-head comparison between two of the UK’s big theme parks: Legoland Windsor and Chessington World of Adventures.
Grab your bar restraints because this is going to be one rollercoaster of a ride. You might be considering these if you have toddlers or bigger kids so there’s an element of parts that will suit certain audiences more.
Here we will judge them on the following categories;
1. Size
2. Number of Rides
3. Quality of Rides
4. Family Friendliness
5. Food Options
6. Value for Money.
But first let’s get into the numbers for both Legoland and Chessington as London theme park options
| Legoland Windsor | Chessington World of Adventures | |
| Size | 150 acres | 128 acres |
| Number of rides & attractions | 55 rides | 40 rides |
| Adult entry cost | £29 to £39 depending on date | £29 to £39 depending on date |
1. Size
Legoland UK is sits nicely in a green forest area near Windsor, Legoland is a huge 150 acres of different themed lands, the beauty of this is that everything is themed around Lego figures, models and popular toys over the years. It’s definitely bigger in size but both theme parks are probably too big to fit all in one day anyway.
Chessington World of Adventures theme park covers about 128 acres. While slightly smaller, it still crams in so much and you likely wouldn’t notice the difference in size after spending a full day in both theme parks. Chessington does fit in an adventure park, zoo, and Sea Life Center into that space.
Winner: Legoland
2. Number of Rides
Legoland has over 55 interactive rides, live shows, and attractions and is a proper paradise for kids and Lego lovers. It does fit more rides in but that’s due to the fact that Chessington has animal attractions.
Chessington UK has 40 rides and attractions, so a little less but not far behind. I’d say this park has more adrenaline-pumping roller coasters like Vampire, Mandrill Mayhem Jumanji rollercoaster, and Dragons Fury plus so many smaller kids rides.
Winner: Legoland
3. Quality of Rides
At Legoland UK the rides are themed and tailored for Lego fans and are orientated towards children from 4 to 9 as the main age range but kids outside these ages certainly get a lot of ride choices, the interactive elements are a bit more popular here. However, I think that hardcore thrill-seekers might find most rides a bit tame.
Chessington UK offers a more balanced mix of rides that I think cater to all ages, from intense roller coasters that even adults can enjoy to gentle rides for toddlers. I actually took a 1, 3, and 11-year-old here and found that all three could all enjoy more of their favourite rides at Chessington. Plus you get the animal attractions on top.
Winner: Chessington
4. Family Friendliness
Legoland is designed with families in mind. You get Duplo Valley for the littluns to Lego City for the bigger kids. The Lego theme makes it exciting with so much brick detail dotted around the park. There are toilets and change stations around but it is more hilly so it is harder with prams.
Chessington is also incredibly family-friendly, I would say the attractions offer a bit more for everyone though. The added bonus of a zoo and Sea Life Center probably pips it in favour of Chessington in case anyone gets bored of rides. Again toilets and change stations are in most lands but the park is flatter in general, good for prams and wheelchairs.
Winner: Chessington
5. Food Options
Legoland has a few dining options which are either quick bites to sit-down meals but the sit-down meals aren’t as prominent. The themed restaurants, like the Pirate’s Burger Kitchen offer a bit more than the usual restaurant but the bigger food places seem a little more scarce.
Chessington has multiple decent restaurants dotted throughout and you can enjoy food for all ages here. I’d say the options here are a bit more diverse. From pizza and pasta to Asian dishes and hearty pub meals. It’ll keep the adults happy to get a good scran anyway.
Winner: Chessington
6. Value for Money
Tickets to Legoland can be on the pricier side, especially during peak times of year e.g. school holidays. However, the place is a Mecca for Lego lovers so they do have that themed edge.
Chessington offers a bit more bang for your buck as they are part of the Merlin Group so you can get combo tickets that include access to the London Eye and Sea Life London. The overall experience feels more rounded and diverse for the price.
Winner: Chessington
As a money-saving tip you can get both of these on a Go City London Pass so you would save up to 50% if you fit these in as two attractions plus another few.
7. The final Verdict
So, who’s the ultimate champion in this theme park showdown in Legoland Windsor vs. Chessington World of Adventures? Here’s the breakdown:
This was very close for me and actually hard to call. While Legoland is amazing for younger kids aged 4 to 9 and Lego fans, I think Chessington World of Adventures offers a wider variety that covers younger toddlers, kids, and adults all in one go.
For those families into Ninjago and Lego brick building, Legoland might pip it for you especially when you see the Lego-built cities of the world.
Chessington has that extra value for money plus it has the animal attractions on top as a little added bonus. Whether you’re there for the rides, the animals, or the food, for me Chessington just brings it all together so well in one wrapped-up theme park package.