Play Session At Legoland Discovery Centre, Manchester

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We have been Merlin pass holders for years now and I actually can’t remember when we didn’t own annual passes. We visit Alton Towers the most throughout the year however as there are more attractions now in the North we can now choose from the Tower, the Sea Life centre and Madame Tussaud’s in Blackpool and the Legoland Discovery Centre and Sea Life Centre in Manchester.

We have been to the Legoland Discovery Centre many times in the past. It is in the Trafford Centre which is just outside of Manchester City centre. Last week we visited for the first time since lockdown and if I am honest it was our favourite visit to the centre by far.




The Legoland Discovery Centre is working on two play sessions per day. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each session runs for approximately two hours and has to be pre-booked




We arrived 10 minutes before our afternoon session began and there was quite a queue as everyone was getting their tickets checked and also their temperature. Once inside we were given the rules of how the two hours play session work. As you enter the main part of the attraction you are encouraged to go on the ride Kingdom Quest. The ride is closed at approximately 1 hour after the session begins allowing everyone to take a turn on the ride.




Kingdom Quest is a small ride inside the centre. The ride takes you around the kingdom and every now and then stops in front of a large screen where are you then pick up your gun and shoot at the screen to score points and try and save the princess. The duration of the ride is probably less than five minutes long but lots of fun.



Next we headed into Miniland which was unusually quiet. Miniland is a smaller version of the Miniland at Legoland Windsor. It is made up of attractions from the North West. The attractions are made out of Lego such as a football stadium, horse racing stand, Blackpool promenade and Alton Towers.




The boys got to play on the football mini game, watch oblivion at Alton Towers and see Blackpool turn from light to darkness.




After a quick toilet break we then decided to pay for the boys to go on the VR attraction. It costs £5 per person unless you are an annual pass holder and it will then cost £2.50 each. The boys seemed to enjoy the VR experience however it was less than two minutes long so at £5 per person it seems quite expensive.




If you have been to Legoland Discovery Centre before you will know that the main area is for Lego building, especially cars. This Area is still available however you are given your own bag of Lego bricks which stay with you throughout the session. So you can still enjoy making and racing cars however as it’s your own bricks there is no cross contamination. Once you finish you hand them back and you receive a pop badge. 




Other attractions available are the Ninjago climbing wall, Merlins Apprentice ride, the 4D cinema and the café.




Whilst at the centre it was so easy to enjoy the attractions and building without it being overcrowded which it has been many times in the past. For us it was definitely more enjoyable as we where building. We had our own space, own lego bricks, and the queues for the rides and the Ninjago wall where short. 




The Ninjago soft play and the toddler play area towards the back of the centre are closed for now and also the Forest Pursuit electric car ride.

Towards the end of our session we headed to the café for a quick drink and snack before heading home.




I would definitely recommend heading to the Legoland discovery Centre in Manchester this summer.Two hours was plenty of time to enjoy all the attractions and have a good building session too. Having the space to play and build without lots of kids running round made it more enjoyable. Masks have to  be worn inside the Trafford Centre however once inside the Legoland discovery you can take your mask off should you wish. You have to put the mask back on as you exit through the gift shop at the end of your session. 

Overall, we enjoyed this more than any time we have been before. The social distancing requirements have made the attraction a more relaxing environment for all. 

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Michelle

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Visiting Alton Towers Gardens

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Alton Towers holds very special memories for us. As individuals John, Big J and I have all been separately with friends. As a couple John and I have visited for over 20 years now and John proposed to me during the fireworks. We got Merlin Passes when big J was young and every year we would visit the fireworks and start a Christmas tradition of visiting Santa at his Sleepover at the Alton Towers Hotel. When little J was born we continued with our Merlin Passes and he has now turned out to be the biggest thrill seeker of us all, loving rollercoasters. We visit the Alton Towers Resort at least 6 times a year so not being able to visit this year has been hard. When Alton Towers announced they were going to open the gardens I was eager to visit however I wasn't sure whether it would feel weird especially for the boys not being able to go on the rides. We decided to go anyway for a day out and we all really enjoyed it.

Obviously when you think of Alton Towers you think of a theme park but the gardens are actually quite a big part of the resort. I think we have maybe walked through them less than a handful of times and that was to get from one ride to another if the sky ride was closed, we have never stopped to actually appreciate how beautiful they are.

Here are a few tips and hints to make the most out of your day.

1. The gardens are open daily from 10-4pm and as the theme park is closed the gardens cost £12 per person or £1 if you are a pass holder. You have to book online and they will not accept walk ups.

2. Upon arrival by car you head towards the coach parking / disabled parking area. Someone will be there to show you where to park. When we got there, there where only about 20 cars.

3. Heading towards the main entrance you will see a pop up tent. Here they will take your temperature and check your bag. All staff had masks on.

4. If you are familiar with Alton Towers then the toilets to the right of the entrance are open as are the ones in Mutiny Bay.

5. Once inside you can choose to head straight to the gardens via the 3 entrances or you can head up towards X Sector and the Towers for a stroll. It was so quiet but it was actually lovely to walk around taking nice photographs of the boys next to their favourite rides, Spinball Whizzer and Smiler.

6. You cannot go inside the Towers at this time but you can walk along the front.

7. Once inside the gardens you can choose from 3 routes. There is a map available to download online which will show you a suggested route, an alternative route and an accessible route.

8. Some of the pathways are uneven and some paths have steep steps to get up and down so always check your map for an alternative way if these paths and steps are unsuitable for you.

9. There are 13 points of interest in the gardens including Conservatories, fountains, a swiss cottage and even Stonehenge.

10. You are more than welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy in the gardens and their are plenty of bins around to dispose your litter.

11. There is a snack shop open just by Mutiny Bay selling hot and cold drinks, ice creams and snacks.

12. In the Mutiny Bay Courtyard there are approx 12-15 picnic benches under cover which is a nice place to enjoy a snack if it is too hot or raining. Just watch out for the hungry birds and ducks!

13. Enjoy

We are actually really happy we went. It was lovely exploring the grounds and not rushing from one place to another. 

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Michelle

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The World Of David Walliams at Alton Towers

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It's no secret that we are huge fans of Alton Towers and having a Merlin Pass means we usually visit at least 6 times each year. When we visited at Halloween last year we saw teaser posters for the new area of the park 'The World Of David Walliams'. The books are not stories we are familiar with however we have just watched Gangsta Granny and now little J cannot wait to visit again in Spring. 

The World of David Walliams which is set to be unveiled sometime in Spring will also see a new attraction, Gangsta Granny The Ride.  The new ground-breaking family attraction that brings to life David Walliams’ most popular children’s novel Gangsta Granny.

If you are unfamiliar with the book, Gangsta Granny tells the story of Ben who discovers that his Granny is secretly an international jewel thief. The thrilling new 4D ride experience will see guests join the main characters as they attempt the greatest heist in the history of the world, to steal the Crown Jewels.

Guests will board a Royal Carriage, and set off on a Crown Jewels tour only to be caught up in Ben and Granny’s audacious adventure. The ride will whizz, twist and spin passengers 360° through a series of scenes where they will see, feel, hear and even smell an electrifying and unique re-telling of the Gangsta Granny story. Using state-of-the-art special effects, 3D projection-mapping and animation inspired by the artwork of Tony Ross, guests will descend with Ben and Granny into the sewers, be chased through the streets of London and even come face to face with the Queen, but will the madcap scheme succeed?

As well as the ride a whole area of the theme park will be transformed, inspired by ‘The World of David Walliams’. The themed area will also feature a host of other rides and attractions where guests can

Pick up a crazy bargain in Raj’s Shop

Race on a regal thoroughbred on the Royal Carousel

Giggle with delight on Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp

Encounter other surprises and twists along the way

The fun doesn't stop at the theme park, fans of David’s books can also enjoy the ultimate sleepover with an overnight stay in one of four Gangsta Granny themed bedrooms in the Alton Towers Hotel.

At this moment there is no official opening date for The World of David Walliams it is just 'opening in Spring' but as soon as I know I will update.

Will you be visiting Alton Towers this Spring?

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Michelle

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Travel | Five Reasons To Stay At The Alton Towers Resort

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A trip to Alton Towers can be so much fun for all the family but it can also be very exhausting. Even though we don’t don’t live to far away we usually make the most of our visit by booking a night stay at the Resort. Staying the night has lots of benefits but here are our top five reasons why we think you should stay at The Alton Towers Resort.

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