The news in 2017 that LEGOLAND, the popular LEGO-themed amusement park, would build a resort in Goshen, NY—a little more than five hours by car from Buffalo—sent shockwaves through my household. My then 7-year-old son raced upstairs, began filling a suitcase with LEGO bricks and waited (im)patiently for the next five years.
OK, that’s not exactly how it went down, but make no mistake: For children and adults obsessed with building, LEGOLAND is hard to top. Located around the world, the parks are packed with rides, shows, and, yes, lots of LEGO sets.
Cut to the summer of 2021, and LEGOLAND New York officially opened its gates. In April 2022, the LEGOLAND Hotel, located just footsteps away from the park, began filling its 250 rooms with guests. With that, the LEGOLAND New York Resort was—to quote a particularly evil minifigure named Emperor Palpatine—fully operational.
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For my family, summer 2022 was the right time for a visit. Here is what we learned, and what families need to know before they go.
The hotel is literally next to the park, and worth the stay for young families. While there are many other hotel options nearby, staying at the LEGOLAND Hotel brought an immersive experience. The rooms are all themed; we stayed in a Kingdom (knights) room.
The lobby features a gulp-inducing wall of minifigures, a giant castle playground, an arcade and a shop. The latter proved useful, as my kids held off on purchasing items in the park that we knew could be bought at the hotel store.
The daily Master Model Builders workshops are a nice touch. As a LEGO build expert, my 12-year-old found these free sessions both challenging and fun. (You can sign kids up for these at the hotel’s front desk.) There are also nightly events like dance parties and storytime.
The pool was a welcome stop for our family, as was the Bricks Restaurant. We ate dinner there both nights, and a breakfast buffet was included as part of our hotel stay.
The rides are best for children and younger teens. Rides for the youngest kids are found right near the entrance in Bricktopia, with slightly more daring rides found in other lands. My 8-year-old daughter’s top pick was “Jay’s Gravity Force Trainer” in Ninjago World, while my son still raves about the “Anchors Away!” ride in the Pirates section.
Both kids were surprised at the minimal inclusion of LEGO Friends characters, but otherwise they adored every section and nearly every ride.
When it comes to attractions, my son and I agree that our favorite was Miniland, a mammoth area of more than 22 million LEGO bricks highlighting noteworthy buildings from across the country.
Be mindful of show times, soda refill spots and shade. Outside of a delightfully wacky “4D” film, we never found ourselves near the park’s live shows at the right time, so make note of those showtimes as you enter each world. We purchased large plastic souvenir cups which we were able to refill (for a fee) at Coca-Cola Freestyle spots throughout the park. While we brought our own water, my wife and I were coveting the caffeine on that 90-degree day.
There is not an overabundance of shade, although all the ride waiting areas are protected from the sun. If it is warm, bring hats and cooling towels, and apply sunscreen often.
Be prepared to navigate The Big Shop. There is no getting around it: The Big Shop at LEGOLAND is ginormous, roughly the size of about 10 LEGO Stores in one. My son was disappointed to find that the shop is only available to park guests with tickets, meaning we only hit the shop during our park day. However, we more than made up for lost time.
Beyond the park
There is plenty to do in and around Goshen. Admittedly, my family mainly stuck to the LEGOLAND New York Resort, but other fun options include:
Walk or bike Heritage Trail: This 18-mile asphalt trail runs through meadows, streams and even a wildlife sanctuary. If you brought your bicycles, it is a perfect biking spot, but it is also ideal for walking.
Hit some breweries: I enjoyed a can of the brick-themed Build It Boss from Newburgh Brewing Company during our hotel stay, and the brewery is about 30 minutes from LEGOLAND. Other nearby recommended options for craft beer lovers (and their understanding families) are Equilibrium Brewing (less than 20 minutes by car) and Rushing Duck Brewing (just 10 minutes away).
Drive into New York City: A family seated at the next table during breakfast was mapping out a trip into the city—their agenda included both Times Square and the Museum of Ice Cream (!)—and it is a sensible move, as LEGOLAND is about 90 minutes away. This will take some pre-planning, but it is sure to make the trip even more memorable.
