When we visited Manchester in the October half-term not only did Merlin give us tickets to visit Sea Life Manchester. They also gave us the chance to explore LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester*. Having visited LEGOLAND Windsor many times I didn’t know what to expect from the Discovery Centre. The children loved it so I thought I would share with you our 7 great reasons to visit LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester.
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What Is LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester?
The Discovery Centre reminded me a bit of a soft play, but better. There are rides to go on, a MINILAND to visit, a 4D cinema and lots of opportunities to build things with LEGO. It’s a LEGO lover’s dream! As it was a busy day when we visited you get an allocated timed slot and we didn’t get the chance to do everything. Our children have asked to go back!
Where is LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester?
The Trafford Palazzo is home to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester. SEA LIFE Manchester is right next door. You can find the Trafford Palazzo next door to the Trafford Centre. Google maps use the Trafford Centre West car park as its reference point if coming via car. We ended up parking our car in the Trafford Centre. We walked to the Trafford Palazzo easily via the connecting footbridge.
Our 7 Great Reasons To Visit LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester
Seeing The LEGO Models and LEGO Themeing
Just like a visit to LEGOLAND Windsor and a stay in the LEGOLAND Hotel the LEGO theming at the Discovery Centre is amazing. From the entrance, the lifts and as you make your way into the main area of the centre you are immersed in the world of LEGO.
We took advantage of the photo opportunities along the way.
Going On The Rides
There are two rides you can go on at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester. Kingdom Quest is a ride that uses laser guns to shoot the bad guys. There is a similar type of ride at LEGOLAND Windsor which the children love. So this one was a hit and made us very competitive.
Merlins Apprentice is a bit like a carousel but you have to use your leg power to make the vehicles you are in fly high in the sky. We all found this very funny and a bit of a workout.
Exploring MINILAND
The Discovery Centre is also home to its own MINILAND. As we visited in the October half-term there were Halloween touches added to the MINILAND. We also spotted the Blackpool tower, Manchester football ground and Alton Towers. We loved watching the rollercoasters made from LEGO.
Watching Films at the LEGO 4D Cinema
The Discovery Centre is home to a 4D Cinema. It alternates the films shown there and we were able to watch LEGO® City 4D: Officer in Pursuit! There was also a Halloween-themed film showing during our visit. It was a fun film to watch and we managed to avoid getting too wet.
Playing in the LEGO Ninjago City Adventure
Little E had lots of fun playing in the LEGO Ninjago City Adventure. I was too big to follow her inside but she disappeared for ages having fun with the other children in there.
Building LEGO Racers
Another area that held the children’s attention for a long time was the LEGO Racers. In this area, you get the chance to build your own vehicle and see how fast it goes down the ramps. You have access to all different types of LEGO bricks to see how you can improve your vehicle. Little E was sure she could make the fastest car.
Exploring Space Mission
We found Space Mission as we were on our way out of the Discovery Centre. So make sure you add this area for your places to visit if you love all things space. Little E loved the mission control area. She could see herself on the screen as she took over control of the spaceship launch.
We also found a Buzz Lightyear in Space Mission.
Is There a Ride Access Pass Available at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester?
When I discovered that there are rides available at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre I knew Ethan would be very happy. But I worried as I know his autism makes queuing hard for him. I was pleased to discover they have a Ride Access Pass available. It is different from the LEGOLAND Windsor Ride Access Pass but you still need the same paperwork to qualify. The ID Card we were issued at LEGOLAND Windsor was actually accepted as Ethan’s proof of his requirement. I did also take all of his paperwork with us.
The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Access Pass is a paper version. As you enter the ride with the pass the attendant writes a time on your pass. This is the time you can go on your next ride. You can go on the rides more than once as long as you don’t return to the ride before the stated time. I was so glad this pass was available as Ethan would have never been able to go on the rides without it.
We captured the below video during our trip to the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. We had a great visit, the children really enjoyed our time there.
We love sharing our days out on our blog. Make sure you visit our Days Out and Experiences post to read all about them.
DISCLOSURE – We received tickets to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester as a gift. This was for the purposes of this post and to create our YouTube video. We always share our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, and experiences.
