ColoradoMom!! Posted July 1 #1 Share Posted July 1 I've searched and read a lot on visiting Windsor Castle, and hoping for some feedback from recent or busy summertime visitors. I'm trying to decide what time for the timed entry ticket to purchase . Apparently in the busy time of early August, they are very strict on the entry times, and the queues are long. I have seen folks say there is a separate line for those who have already purchased tickets, while other recent feedback says the line is the same until you get near the front. Some say go early, and others say the days tours that jam up the lines are there early, but clear out after 1:00. We will skip the dollhouse and want to see St George's chapel but heard it may close early in the day. We will be there on a Thursday . Any recent or busy time visits? I would love to hear your experience. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dohmacc Posted July 1 #2 Share Posted July 1 Hi, we're planning on visiting in a couple of weeks so I'm following this thread for people's responses! One thing I did notice is that the Go City London Pass (all-inclusive tourist pass) that includes Windsor specifically says "Afternoon" (after 1pm) entry ONLY.. so I'm guessing that the crowds are considerably heavier in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom!! Posted July 2 Author #3 Share Posted July 2 @Dohmacc Good point about the London Pass. I’d love to hear how it goes for you, please come back and let us know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird19 Posted July 7 #4 Share Posted July 7 Ugh, just learned that the two weekdays we will be in the area and wanted to see Windsor Castle are the same two days that the castle is closed to tours. Can anyone advise what else there is to see close by in the area? We won’t have a car so are dependent on public transportation and walking. Worth walking around the small town of Windsor? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PhillyTravelBug Posted July 14 #5 Share Posted July 14 We were hoping to visit in September and just have no idea what to do with our luggage. We are staying in London for the night and would feel like we would have to yo yo back and forth just to drop off our luggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted July 14 #6 Share Posted July 14 (edited) On 7/7/2024 at 7:59 PM, Thunderbird19 said: Worth walking around the small town of Windsor? Yes, it is. Although the town centre is small, it's a nice place. Walk a little out of the centre to have a look at Eton College. There's also short boat trips along the Thames, if you are not fed up with being on water. The hop on-hop off, bus may be worth it to see the outer areas of Windsor. https://d1wgio6yfhqlw1.cloudfront.net/UserFiles/file/windsor-hop-on-hop-off-map.pdf Unsurprisingly, it is very touristy. I'd hate to live there but, then, I'm not Charlie Windsor. Edited July 14 by Harters 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phabric Posted July 14 #7 Share Posted July 14 (edited) 16 hours ago, PhillyTravelBug said: We were hoping to visit in September and just have no idea what to do with our luggage. We are staying in London for the night and would feel like we would have to yo yo back and forth just to drop off our luggage. Check out International Friends. They go on embarkment and disembarkment days. Embarkment - Pick up at certain London and LHR hotels, stop at Stonehenge then dropped off at Southampton dock. Disembarkment - Pick up at Southampton dock, stop at Salibury, Stonehenge, Windsor then dropped at the door of certain London and Heathrow hotels. Purchase your tickets for Stonehenge and Windsor through them. They also have others tours. A great way to see another part of Britain on your way to London. I have used them after my cruises from Southampton and Dover. www.internationalfriends.co.uk Edited July 14 by phabric 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird19 Posted July 14 #8 Share Posted July 14 Yes, thanks. I had just learned about them earlier this year and am indeed using them for what looks like a nice long Cotswolds tour ( they pick us up in Southampton on morning we arrive) and they will drop us off near Heathrow. I had picked a hotel closer to the airport than London center because had wanted to visit Windsor and that area since we were only staying two more nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird19 Posted July 14 #9 Share Posted July 14 Even if Windsor Castle itself is closed for tours on Wednesday, does anyone know if the public has access to any of the grounds? Would be nice to be able to stroll along The Long Walk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newport dave Posted July 18 #10 Share Posted July 18 (edited) On 7/14/2024 at 7:30 PM, Thunderbird19 said: Even if Windsor Castle itself is closed for tours on Wednesday, does anyone know if the public has access to any of the grounds? Would be nice to be able to stroll along The Long Walk! The Long Walk is open all the time, it isn't in the Castle grounds, just leading it up to it. Photo attached showing long walk with Castle in the distance. Edited July 18 by newport dave Added photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird19 Posted July 18 #11 Share Posted July 18 (edited) Thanks for that information! Will probably go ( no car so will use public transport) to Windsor area even though the cargoes closed do looking for things to do there (and hoping it doesn’t rain!). Edited July 18 by Thunderbird19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dohmacc Posted August 3 #12 Share Posted August 3 On 7/1/2024 at 7:33 PM, ColoradoMom!! said: @Dohmacc Good point about the London Pass. I’d love to hear how it goes for you, please come back and let us know! Went on last Saturday afternoon (late July) (direct train from Waterloo to Windsor-Eaton Riverside then a 10-15 minutes uphill walk to the castle) and the crowds weren't that bad. The town itself seemed really crowded, so I suspect a lot of the bigger tour groups/student groups went in the morning, and were just hanging around in the town in the afternoon. Probably around 130 when we got to castle grounds. With our London Pass, we were able to walk right into the ticket selling desk to get our tickets. There was no line at all. I suspect this is normally the line for people who don't have pre-purchased timed entry tickets. There was another line for people who already had their tickets, and then it converged with the line for people who just bought their tickets (or obtained them through the London Pass exchange, etc.). Once past that, there was a short security line, multimedia tour guide pickup line, and then you're on your own. The great thing is the grounds is huge, so just walking around didn't feel crowded. After getting the tour device, you have a fork in the road choice to go to the castle, or the chapel. Once you get to the part of the tour that goes into the castle itself, there are two lines- one for entering the doll house, and another that skips it. The doll house line was pretty long so we skipped it. You see some 'highlights' of the doll house in one of the rooms, so I don't regret skipping the main doll house area. Inside.. crowds are manageable. Most rooms have some seating, and several of the rooms are big so you can spread out. We went to Buckingham Palace tour the day before, and Windsor tour felt more spacious. We ended up skipping the chapel part, but I suspect it was much less crowded. I can't say for sure, but I suspect that the large tour groups go in the morning (hence the busy town in the afternoon), so early afternoon might be best for avoiding the huge crowds. Please let me know if you have other questions I can help with! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LINDAE3213 Posted August 9 #13 Share Posted August 9 We did golden tour stonehenge windsor castle on sat july 27. Stonehenge first and windsor castle 2nd..got to windsor 130 ish and had a little over 2 hours to explore before due back to bus. Lines for dollhouse so we did that last....prob should have skipped it. Chapel had no line. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom!! Posted August 11 Author #14 Share Posted August 11 Thank you @Dohmacc and @LINDAE3213 this is exactly the info I was looking for. Unfortunately I woke up ill on the morning we had planned to go. Even scouted out Waterloo train station the night before since our hotel was close by. I rallied by mid afternoon, and we took the train to Richmond and enjoyed a few familiar locations from Ted Lasso. I was SO disappointed in missing Windsor and hope we can return someday. Ironically I had canceled the International Friends Tour we originally scheduled for our embarkation day on Sat August 3rd to save some money and get more time at the castle. I had instead purchase advanced tickets (in May) for the train from Waterloo to Southampton Sat Aug 3rd, and it wasn't worth it to try to rearrange. My only consolation was we were able to make the Abbey Unlocked tour at Westminster Abbey the next morning at 8:30 - it was a semi private tour (only 6 of us) before the Abbey opens to the public, and was spectacular. This was where that saved money went. The tour is offered through the Abbey itself on their special events page if anyone is interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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