Legoland New York recently celebrated its long-anticipated grand opening, and my LEGO-loving family and I couldn’t wait to check it out! This location in Goshen, New York is the newest addition to the Legoland family of parks, and has finally been able to entertain East Coasters after many Covid-related delays. As a theme park geared toward the 12 and under crowd, I am very happy to have a new, family-friendly resort to visit with my young son.
Legoland had a special promotion on annual passes this summer that extended a 2022 pass all the way to December 31, 2023. The daily admission prices for Legoland are not cheap, so we decided to go for it because this deal would pay for itself in 3 visits! We became Elite Annual Passholders which gives us blackout-free admission to Legoland New York, free parking, and discounts on dining, merchandise, and hotel stays. On top of that, it includes free admission to any park in North America owned by Legoland’s parent company Merlin Entertainment. This means we can also use our passes to visit other Legoland Resorts, like when we’re in Florida or California!
Our first visit to Legoland New York was excellent. The theming is very immersive, and my LEGO-obsessed son instantly fell in love with seeing Brick people at every turn! Because we had a discount on the hotel, we stayed for a weekend and got the full Legoland Resort experience. Here are some of the most important things we have learned to help you feel more informed before your visit!
The first thing you should know about Legoland is that the resort is entirely cashless. This probably had something to do with its Covid-era opening, but cash is not accepted anywhere in the resort. As someone who “goes cashless” all the time, I personally feel this policy is more convenient and cleaner, especially when it comes to food service. But if you’re used to only carrying cash, keep this in mind before you go. The park and hotel accept all major credit cards and Apple Pay. They do have 3 cash-to-card machines on site that will convert cash into a prepaid Visa.
As the newest Legoland, we were impressed at how the entire resort kind of has that new car smell. It feels fresh and modern, and they’re doing a good job keeping it clean. Restrooms are modern and seem to be tended to often, and there are family/companion restrooms in most locations. Staff members — called “Model Citizens” — can be seen cleaning off tables with disinfectant and disposable towels and sweeping areas often. I hope the park maintains this high level of care even when they are no longer so new.
Before your visit, it’s important that you check the website for daily park hours. Legoland New York is a seasonal park, so at certain times of year they are open only on weekends or for special holiday events. Keep in mind that this is not a late-night theme park. Even during peak seasons, Legoland has somewhat limited hours, usually only open between 10am and 5 or 6pm. Although it’s feasible to do everything in the park in a one-day visit, if one day is all you have be sure to arrive at park-opening so you don’t have to rush the fun! I have found that they start shutting down many attractions — and all food places — even a half hour earlier than their posted closing time. This rushed closure is definitely something I feel Legoland should work on improving so all guests can make the most of their tickets for the entire time the park is open.
Legoland New York is located near the Catskill Mountains in the Hudson Valley region of New York State, approximately one hour from New York City. There are some strip malls along the highway if you need to stop at a McDonalds or Target or Walgreens, but the resort is not in a particularly built-up, bustling area. Rather, it’s situated high up in a mountainous area. Perhaps because of its location, the park’s landscaping still has a bit of an unfinished look in my opinion. If you’ve ever been to Legoland California, you’ll notice a sharp contrast in that park’s lush appearance as opposed to New York. This new property may need some help in keeping its grass green and growing some bigger trees, but it makes up for these shortcomings in theming that is colorful and visually appealing.
While Legoland has some indoor shows and creative experiences, the majority of the park is focused on outdoor activities. Remember, this is New York — where it gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer — so plan your trip accordingly. The good news is that if it rains at least 2 consecutive hours on the day of your ticket, you can go to Guest Services and Legoland will issue you a Rainy Day Return Ticket which you can use in the next 365 days.
Legoland New York’s theme park is made up of 7 themed lands: Brick Street, Bricktopia, LEGO Ninjago World, LEGO Castle, LEGO City, LEGO Pirates, and Miniland, which is an enormous, incredible (hands-off) display of famous American cities and landmarks made entirely out of LEGOs. There is plenty to do and see, but you could potentially cover the whole park in a one-day visit. Keep in mind though that Legoland has very limited hours! They close at 5 or 6pm most days, so check the hours on the day of your visit and plan to be there as early as you can. Some of our favorite rides we’d highly recommend are Merlin’s Flying Machines, LEGO Ninjago The Ride, Driving School / Junior Driving School, and — our personal favorite — LEGO Factory Adventure Ride, which is an EPCOT-quality simulation of the journey you’d take from factory to kid if you were a LEGO minifigure! Speaking of minifigures, the park is a great place to make your own or meet some real-life ones who roam the lands.
In my imaginary Michelin Guide to Theme Park Food, Legoland food doesn’t score the highest. While I don’t think it’s on par with, say, Disney, my son disagrees, and really enjoys a lot of their options. The dining selections at Legoland could use a little expansion, and I found it frustrating on our first few visits that a lot of food stands were consistently closed. That said, some eats we’d recommend are: Ninja Kitchen, Everything Taco, Granny Smith’s Apple Fries, and the yummy soft-serve at Wizard’s Frozen Wonders. Pizza is served at Brickolini’s and the Hotel, and while it’s okay if you’re really craving it, it’s not the best. And save your money on the pasta.
Speaking of money, let’s put it simply — just like everything in this part of the country, Legoland New York’s prices are not cheap. Interestingly, I found its food to be even more expensive than its West Coast counterpart Legoland California. If you’re a passholder, be sure to use your dining and merchandise discount every chance you get, because the savings do add up! Passholder or not, remember to budget well for your visit and follow my #1 Theme Park Budget Tip — bring your own water bottles! They allow bottled water through security, and at about $5 per bottle in the park, you’ll be happy you brought cheaper hydration for your family.
The Legoland Hotel is adorable, and to us, it makes our experience even more immersive. Since it’s so new it’s in great shape, and they clearly work hard to keep it clean — which is no small feat for a resort taken over by tiny mess-making germ factories! The hotel has four styles of themed Lego rooms: Kingdom, Pirate, LEGO Friends, and Ninjago (our favorite.) (If you’re not a fan of first floor rooms, steer clear of the Kingdom rooms.) Some themes are more expensive than others, and each set has various sizes ranging from regular rooms to family suites. Even the base rooms are very spacious and comfortable, and include an “adult” bed and TV and a separate area for kids with bunk beds and an additional TV. There is a cute in-room scavenger hunt for the kids when you arrive that ends in a small Lego set prize, and you also receive a couple of bottles of water and juice pouches free of charge. Rooms have mini fridges but no microwaves. Pizza room service was not offered when the hotel first opened, but they introduced it later. However, its availability is erratic and as a family resort I hope they keep this feature consistent for families who get hungry later at night when their kids are already in bed.
A word to the wise before you book: these hotel stays come with a lot of hidden fees that we don’t find at many other family resorts. For one thing, be prepared to pay for your entire stay in advance. I was surprised when I first learned the hotel expects full payment at the time of booking and does not honor any cancellations or refunds unless you pay for their hotel insurance. They also charge a $100 per night security deposit upon arrival (which falls off your credit card a few days later.)
The Hotel offers entertainment in the way of Build and Creative workshops, an arcade, and even a pajama dance party every night at 8pm! If you’re lucky, you can sometimes catch a LEGO character meet-and-greet in the lobby too. The hotel also has vending machines, a small gift shop, a pool with a snack bar (only opened seasonally), and Bricks Family Restaurant. If you’re a hotel guest, you receive a complimentary hot, family-style, table-service breakfast every morning in this restaurant, which is an excellent value since it’s also perhaps the best food on property. Go to the Legoland New York Hotel website each night of your stay and book your reservation for breakfast the next morning, because with this free perk space fills up fast! In addition to breakfast, Bricks also serves dinner, which is not just for hotel guests but anyone who wishes to make a reservation. The lobby is loud and lively and perfect for energetic kids who are welcome to run around the giant castle in the center or build with the thousands of LEGOs in the moat that surrounds it. The lobby even has The Skyline Bar which serves drinks to tired parents, as well as food from the restaurant off a smaller menu. If your family gets hungry later at night, I’d recommend bringing a few substantial snacks for your hotel room.
Legoland New York Resort is a welcome addition to the New York area. In general, “everything is awesome” here, and we plan to renew our annual passes so we can continue to enjoy all the Bricktastic fun year after year.
What Lara Wrote 