Legoland becomes the first theme park to win Autism Friendly Award, amid new entrance portal opening

Legoland Windsor has become the first theme park in the UK to be awarded the Autism Friendly Award from the National Autistic Society.

The society chose to award the Windsor theme park this recognition award, based on several criteria:

• Specialised communication skills
• A decrease of overwhelming spaces
• Easy access to information
• A generally inclusive environment.

The National Autistic Society’s South Buckinghamshire Branch said: “Having a theme park on our doorstep which takes into account the additional needs of our members and their families means we can all hope to visit Legoland Windsor feeling safe, knowing they will support us through our trips there.”

Katie McBirnie, global head of accessibility at Merlin Entertainments (operating company of Legoland), said: “Accessibility means more than just open doors – it means building an inclusive environment where every guest can explore, connect, and fully enjoy the magic of our experiences.

“But just like any great Lego build, we’re not stopping here – we’re excited to keep adding new bricks to make our resort even more inclusive, welcoming, and magical for everyone.”

In other Legoland news, the theme park in Windsor has made another step forward with the unveiling of a new entrance portal.

Finally completed on the August 8 after 2,500 hours and 7,000 Lego bricks placed, this portal was designed by a team of expert model makers to ‘create a striking visual impact’ upon arrival to the park.

Standing 32 feet tall, the sizeable build was made to make the visitor feel as though they had been shrunk to the size of a Lego figure themselves.