GOSHEN, NY — A first glimpse of what’s promised to be the biggest Legoland in the world shows how a swath of land 65 miles outside New York City is about to be transformed.
In about two years, the Hudson Valley town of Goshen will be home to the Legoland New York Resort. It will feature more than 50 rides, attractions and shows, plus thousands of sculptures made from 30 million of the beloved plastic bricks.
The hilly plot of Hudson Valley land which will house the park was opened to reporters for the first time Thursday. It’s currently full of dirt, gravel and heavy machinery, but the park’s boosters say it’ll be a destination for families from near and far once it opens in the spring of 2020.
“You can come to Legoland New York and enjoy that Legoland experience without having to get on a plane,” said Phil Royle, the development director for Legoland New York.
Planners took the best components from Legoland’s existing parks in California and Florida to create an attraction unlike any other in the Northeast, said Julie Estrada, the head of North America public relations for Merlin Entertainments, the company that owns the parks.
The sprawling park will cover 150 acres of the 500-acre site located just off Route 17. Patch’s trip there Thursday morning took a little over an hour from Midtown Manhattan by bus.
Visitors will be able to travel through eight unique worlds such as “The Factory,” “Knight’s Kingdom,” “Bricktopia” and “Ninjago World.” Each one will have a slate of activities and what Estrada called “pink-knuckle” rides that will give Legoland’s target audience of 2- to 12-year-old kids a thrill without being too intense.
“There’s other parks that have the thrill rides and the crazy rides,” Estrada said. “We’re pink-knuckle: We want to excite them, get them thrilled about it, but we also don’t want to scare them.”
Kids and adults will be able to gawk at more than 15,000 Lego sculptures, including scale models of big cities housed in the “Miniland” portion of the park. They’ll even have interactive elements, such as a moving subway in the Lego version of New York City.
A Lego model of the park itself on display Thursday took 20 builders and five designers 1,300 hours to create from 135,000 bricks, said Jason Miller, a model designer for Merlin Entertainments.
“To walk in a park, see a larger-than-life model and realize that they can do that at home, that this is what Lego actually can be used for, blows their mind,” Miller said.
The site will also boast a 250-room hotel, which will have a play area with an adjacent bar so moms and dads can watch their kids while sipping a drink, Estrada said. The New York Legoland will be the first where the park and hotel will open on the same day.
The $350 million complex, Merlin’s biggest investment in one park to date, will be open from the spring through the fall, the company said in a news release. It’s expected to create 1,300 jobs, including 500 full-time, year-round positions.
Visitors from the five boroughs will be able to take a ShortLine Coach USA bus straight to Legoland from Port Authority Bus Terminal. About 70 percent of the park’s visitors will come from the New York City region, but it’s expected to draw Lego lovers from all over the Northeast, Royle said.
“This is experienced together as a family,” Estrada said. “You don’t get those years back.”
Here’s a closer look at each of the Legoland New York Resort’s eight unique “lands” and an aerial view of the Goshen site. See the photos above for a peek at the scale model of the park and renderings of what it will look like when complete.
The Factory
A new ride in this part of the park will guide guests through the process of how Legos are made through the eyes of the miniature Lego figures.
Bricktopia
Here, kids can put their “mad scientist” tendencies to work by building and testing their own Lego creations, Estrada said. The “Imagination Celebration” ride will also give families a spin with a Lego DJ providing the soundtrack.
Ninjago World
Named for Lego’s ninja-themed franchise, this world lets kids hone their ninja skills. Ninjas-in-training can fight bad guys with their hands on an eponymous interactive ride.
Heartlake City
Take a balloon ride over the Pinefall Woods and snack on “Granny’s Apple Fries” in the home of the Lego friends.
Knight’s Kingdom
This mystical land is home to the Dragon Coaster, which is designed to give youngsters a good first experience with roller coasters.
Lego City
Kids can train to become a firefighter at the “Rescue Academy” and even get their own Lego City driver’s license.
Pirate Shores
Adventurous rides will spin Lego lovers around and take them on a battle with “water spouts and hungry beasts.”
Miniland
These models of major cities from around the U.S. will give guests a quick tour of the nation’s landmarks.
(Lead image: The LEGOLAND New York Resort is currently under construction in Goshen, New York, about an hour’s drive from Midtown Manhattan by bus. Photos and video by Noah Manskar/Patch; renderings courtesy of Merlin Entertainments)
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