Legoland New York, located upstate about 90 minutes from New York City, held its soft opening on May 29. It is currently the largest Legoland in the world, and by the end of summer, it will have seven themed areas and a hotel, all based upon LEGO’s most popular set themes from the past six decades. To visit, you must make a reservation online; the park's "dress rehearsal" is currently extended into July.
LEGO invited IGN to preview the park ahead of its big opening, which is scheduled for later this summer at an unannounced date. We spent a Saturday experiencing everything the park had to offer. Here are 10 must-do activities to ensure the best experience at Legoland NY. We’ve also included 5 tips on what to avoid; theme parks can be as frustrating as they are fun.
Ahead of your visit, download the Legoland New York app to your phone. It’s very convenient; you can buy tickets off the app, and it comes with an interactive map. Then, once you’re inside the park, it will track and update the wait times of all the rides. You can also "Reserve ‘N’ Ride" and schedule the attraction ahead of time. Be warned however: these slots fill up quickly.
On average, I waited about 20-25 minutes per ride, which felt reasonable. But once the park opens to the wider public, those times could increase. Legoland New York says it will eventually have some sort of Fastpass, queuing system, but it's not clear what that will entail just yet.
The park's themed areas are arranged in a circle. After entering the park and walking up Brick Street, you have a choice: go left to Bricktopia and explore the park in a clockwise direction, or go right to Miniland, and explore the park in a counterclockwise direction.
You should absolutely turn right towards Miniland, because nearly everyone heads into Bricktopia. I understand the impulse; Bricktopia is very bright and colorful. But enjoying an amusement park is all about time management, and massive crowds means massive lines. Go where the people aren't. And by the time you loop back around to the front of the park, the crowds will have dissipated significantly. When I visited, the wait for the Ninjago ride, located right next to Bricktopia, was two hours in the morning. The wait dropped down to 25 minutes by the end of the day.
If you're a LEGO fan like I am, Miniland might be the highlight of the entire park for you. It contains some truly impressive LEGO sculptures of well-known American landmarks. The Capitol building, Mt. Rushmore, and the Empire State Building are all standouts. There's also a sprawling model of Jackson Square in New Orleans, complete with the famous Cafe du Monde on the corner. At a distance, these models look smooth and seamless; it is only when you move closer, and see the thousands upon thousands of bricks used to create the illusion, that you get a full appreciation for what you're looking at.
Miniland is still somewhat under construction, and it will be even more impressive by the time it's completed; while I was there, I saw technicians adding interactive elements to a lot of the models. For the LEGO model of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the technicians were installing water jets underneath the front pool to create a facsimile of the actual fountain show.
There is a bit of walking required in Legoland New York, and be aware there’s a particularly long hike between Lego Ninjago World and LEGO Castle. The park designers have made sure to keep the walk interesting, though, and have dotted the paths between the themed areas with beautiful LEGO sculptures. Some of these sculptures are of life-sized LEGO mini-figures, while others are of real-life animals, like a family of wolves or a giant panda. Take a moment to admire them and take some photos. I've included some of the best sculptures in the gallery below.
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On the surface, this may seem silly; why travel all the way to Legoland to do what your kids already do at home with their box of bricks? Your children may have LEGOs at home, but they probably don't have this variety or sheer volume. And they definitely don't have a massive, eight-foot-tall ramp to test their vehicular creations. My six-year-old son and his younger cousin loved the freeplay areas, and they would have spent even more time there if the park hadn't closed.
In Bricktopia, there are two areas dedicated solely to building. The first is Test & Play, which is a massive sandbox area divided into different stations. The most popular station is the car-building area, which gets messy fairly quickly, but there are Legoland employees who are constantly collecting and recollecting the discarded pieces, and refilling the bins with more bricks. They're trying their hardest to be as sanitary as possible under the current circumstances; I saw a hand sanitizer bottle at every station, although it's largely on you to make sure that your kid is practicing good hygiene.
The other building area is the LEGO Creative Workshop, a more structured experience where a LEGO expert will teach your child construction techniques. These classes are for all ages and are designed to be accessible to everyone.
I say this with no reservation; the staff at Legoland New York was unfailingly kind, polite, and accommodating. Maybe it's hiring practices, maybe it's excellent training, but their hospitality and customer awareness were above and beyond. It was Disneyland-esque in its consistency.
Let's start with the custodial staff. When I was looking for something I had lost, a custodian noticed and stopped what he was doing to help me out. The bathrooms are very clean; in fact, the entire park is immaculate, which is impressive considering the amount of foot traffic. It tells me that not only is the custodial staff on point but that everyone else who works there is doing their part, collaboratively, to promote the park's image.
One employee took the time to explain how a ride worked to my son after it broke down. Multiple employees said hello to him throughout the day. And all the employees I met, from the restaurant workers to the ride operators, were positive, helpful, and upbeat. Enthusiasm permeated the park. [HASH=4411]#EverythingIsAwesome[/HASH], indeed.
The first major ride that you see when you enter the park is Brick Party, a massive carousel with adorable LEGO creatures and motorcycles to ride on. It's on Brick Street, right before the fork in the road between Miniland and Bricktopia.
Walk right past this ride and save it for later, when people stop entering the park and the crowds die down. I made the mistake of riding Brick Party first and my wife, son, and I waited a long time for a short ride. Brick Party is fun, but it's only worth a 15-minute wait -- not a 40-minute one.
Ninjago: The Ride is a high-tech simulation ride, where you use motion sensors to throw animated fireballs at enemies. The quicker you wave your hand, the more fireballs you throw, and the height at which you wave your hand changes the direction and trajectory of your fireballs. You wear 3-D glasses, which causes both the fireballs and the enemies to leap off the screen. At the very end of the ride, the game displays your score, and you can compare it to other people's scores in your vehicle. Equal parts whimsical and interactive, the ride gives you a sensory overload of fly-in-your-face visuals, sound effects, and physical motion.
The line queue is fun and immersive, with plenty of opportunities for photos. There's an employee midway through the queue with a green screen set-up; he takes professional photos that incorporate you and your family into the Ninjago Universe. You can pick up the photo near the front of the park at the end of the day.
When I visited the park in early June, The Dragon was not open yet, but according to guests who have visited the park more recently, it is currently up and running. The ride is a cross between an immersive, story-driven dark ride and a roller coaster. Park officials are hyping The Dragon as one of Legoland New York's top attractions, and its low height restrictions will allow even small kids to ride it. There's also the Dragon Jr., a milder roller coaster, right next door.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and safety concerns, Legoland New York is a cashless park. Several of the food stations employ self-checkout, and every retail area accepts credit or Apple Pay instead of cash to minimize person-to-person contact. You'll be in for a rough day if your cards are rejected, so check that you're prepared before heading out.
One of the unique food items across multiple Legoland theme parks is Granny's Apple Fries, which are fried apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and served with caramel, vanilla cream, or ice cream. The Apple Fries stand in Legoland New York is located in LEGO City if you want to try it out.
There is a massive LEGO store called The Big Shop near the front of the park. It's the biggest LEGO store I've ever been to. They have rare sets that are often out of stock at your local LEGO store and all sorts of cool souvenirs. They even have Legoland New York theme park sets that are exclusive to the park.
If you stop by early in the day and make your purchases, you won't have to lug them around for the next several hours. Legoland will hold onto them for you, and they'll be waiting for you near the park entrance at the end of the day.
There are two indoor dining spots in Legoland New York. The first is Smokey's Brick-B-Que, which specializes in smoked meats and is located in Bricktopia. The second is Brickolini's Pizza & Pasta, which is an all-you-can eat buffet with unlimited salad, pizza, and pasta, and is located in LEGO City. On a humid day, you might want to escape the heat and sit in the air conditioning. Both restaurants would be excellent choices to do just that.
Note: The Brickolini buffet does not serve any separate meat dish, like chicken parmigiana, sausage, or meatballs, other than as a pizza topping. Aside from the salad, the buffet is all carbs. Hopefully, the park changes that at some point. But if you're a diabetic (like I am), consider bringing in food from one of the outdoor snack spots or heading over to Smokey's instead.
This was the one area of the park that was not operational during the preview day I visited. But based on what I could see, from behind the construction coverings and metal scaffolding, it looks promising and immersive, with a massive pirate ship, themed dining areas, and water-themed rides. LEGO Pirates will be the place to cool off on a hot day when it opens later this summer.
This is a key tip, and probably the most important one on this list. The one thing that Legoland New York lacks (and the park should rectify this immediately) is shade. There is little in the way of awnings, foliage, or big mist fans to keep guests cool. The line queues are mostly covered, but not extensively enough to protect the people at the end of the line. You will be in direct sunlight 90% of the time. And when the temperature peaks in New York later this summer, it's going to get brutal.
So bring suntan lotion and water, and definitely bring an umbrella. Your kid's going to get cranky otherwise. And definitely take note of the indoor locations and attractions nearby for when you need a break from the heat.
Legoland New York is currently in “previews” and operating at limited capacity; it will hold its official, general admission opening later this summer. To visit now, you must make reservations in advance. The hotel and one of the themed lands -- LEGO Pirates -- are closed and under construction; they are projected to open later this summer.
If you love theme parks -- and if you or your children love LEGO -- Legoland New York is worth an overnight or weekend trip in its current state. There will be plenty for you to do and see. But if you're a more discerning customer, who wants a fuller, smoother theme park experience? You might want to wait for the grand opening when all the larger wrinkles might be ironed out.
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Kevin Wong is a LEGO aficionado. Talk about your favorite sets with him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.
Continue reading...
LEGO invited IGN to preview the park ahead of its big opening, which is scheduled for later this summer at an unannounced date. We spent a Saturday experiencing everything the park had to offer. Here are 10 must-do activities to ensure the best experience at Legoland NY. We’ve also included 5 tips on what to avoid; theme parks can be as frustrating as they are fun.
1. Must-Do: Download the App
Ahead of your visit, download the Legoland New York app to your phone. It’s very convenient; you can buy tickets off the app, and it comes with an interactive map. Then, once you’re inside the park, it will track and update the wait times of all the rides. You can also "Reserve ‘N’ Ride" and schedule the attraction ahead of time. Be warned however: these slots fill up quickly.
On average, I waited about 20-25 minutes per ride, which felt reasonable. But once the park opens to the wider public, those times could increase. Legoland New York says it will eventually have some sort of Fastpass, queuing system, but it's not clear what that will entail just yet.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]2. Tip: Walk Counter-Clockwise
The park's themed areas are arranged in a circle. After entering the park and walking up Brick Street, you have a choice: go left to Bricktopia and explore the park in a clockwise direction, or go right to Miniland, and explore the park in a counterclockwise direction.
You should absolutely turn right towards Miniland, because nearly everyone heads into Bricktopia. I understand the impulse; Bricktopia is very bright and colorful. But enjoying an amusement park is all about time management, and massive crowds means massive lines. Go where the people aren't. And by the time you loop back around to the front of the park, the crowds will have dissipated significantly. When I visited, the wait for the Ninjago ride, located right next to Bricktopia, was two hours in the morning. The wait dropped down to 25 minutes by the end of the day.
[caption]
Credit: Kevin Wong[/caption]
Credit: Kevin Wong[/caption]3. Must-Do: Spend Some Time In Miniland
If you're a LEGO fan like I am, Miniland might be the highlight of the entire park for you. It contains some truly impressive LEGO sculptures of well-known American landmarks. The Capitol building, Mt. Rushmore, and the Empire State Building are all standouts. There's also a sprawling model of Jackson Square in New Orleans, complete with the famous Cafe du Monde on the corner. At a distance, these models look smooth and seamless; it is only when you move closer, and see the thousands upon thousands of bricks used to create the illusion, that you get a full appreciation for what you're looking at.
Miniland is still somewhat under construction, and it will be even more impressive by the time it's completed; while I was there, I saw technicians adding interactive elements to a lot of the models. For the LEGO model of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the technicians were installing water jets underneath the front pool to create a facsimile of the actual fountain show.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]4. Must-Do: Stop For Photo Ops
There is a bit of walking required in Legoland New York, and be aware there’s a particularly long hike between Lego Ninjago World and LEGO Castle. The park designers have made sure to keep the walk interesting, though, and have dotted the paths between the themed areas with beautiful LEGO sculptures. Some of these sculptures are of life-sized LEGO mini-figures, while others are of real-life animals, like a family of wolves or a giant panda. Take a moment to admire them and take some photos. I've included some of the best sculptures in the gallery below.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="slug=legoland-photo-gallery&captions=true"]
5. Must-Do: Spend Time Building In The Freeplay Areas
On the surface, this may seem silly; why travel all the way to Legoland to do what your kids already do at home with their box of bricks? Your children may have LEGOs at home, but they probably don't have this variety or sheer volume. And they definitely don't have a massive, eight-foot-tall ramp to test their vehicular creations. My six-year-old son and his younger cousin loved the freeplay areas, and they would have spent even more time there if the park hadn't closed.
In Bricktopia, there are two areas dedicated solely to building. The first is Test & Play, which is a massive sandbox area divided into different stations. The most popular station is the car-building area, which gets messy fairly quickly, but there are Legoland employees who are constantly collecting and recollecting the discarded pieces, and refilling the bins with more bricks. They're trying their hardest to be as sanitary as possible under the current circumstances; I saw a hand sanitizer bottle at every station, although it's largely on you to make sure that your kid is practicing good hygiene.
The other building area is the LEGO Creative Workshop, a more structured experience where a LEGO expert will teach your child construction techniques. These classes are for all ages and are designed to be accessible to everyone.
[caption]
Credit: Kevin Wong[/caption]
Credit: Kevin Wong[/caption]6. Must-Do: Interact With The Staff
I say this with no reservation; the staff at Legoland New York was unfailingly kind, polite, and accommodating. Maybe it's hiring practices, maybe it's excellent training, but their hospitality and customer awareness were above and beyond. It was Disneyland-esque in its consistency.
Let's start with the custodial staff. When I was looking for something I had lost, a custodian noticed and stopped what he was doing to help me out. The bathrooms are very clean; in fact, the entire park is immaculate, which is impressive considering the amount of foot traffic. It tells me that not only is the custodial staff on point but that everyone else who works there is doing their part, collaboratively, to promote the park's image.
One employee took the time to explain how a ride worked to my son after it broke down. Multiple employees said hello to him throughout the day. And all the employees I met, from the restaurant workers to the ride operators, were positive, helpful, and upbeat. Enthusiasm permeated the park. [HASH=4411]#EverythingIsAwesome[/HASH], indeed.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]Tip: Put The Brakes On The Brick Party
The first major ride that you see when you enter the park is Brick Party, a massive carousel with adorable LEGO creatures and motorcycles to ride on. It's on Brick Street, right before the fork in the road between Miniland and Bricktopia.
Walk right past this ride and save it for later, when people stop entering the park and the crowds die down. I made the mistake of riding Brick Party first and my wife, son, and I waited a long time for a short ride. Brick Party is fun, but it's only worth a 15-minute wait -- not a 40-minute one.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]Must-Do: Ride Ninjago: The Ride
Ninjago: The Ride is a high-tech simulation ride, where you use motion sensors to throw animated fireballs at enemies. The quicker you wave your hand, the more fireballs you throw, and the height at which you wave your hand changes the direction and trajectory of your fireballs. You wear 3-D glasses, which causes both the fireballs and the enemies to leap off the screen. At the very end of the ride, the game displays your score, and you can compare it to other people's scores in your vehicle. Equal parts whimsical and interactive, the ride gives you a sensory overload of fly-in-your-face visuals, sound effects, and physical motion.
The line queue is fun and immersive, with plenty of opportunities for photos. There's an employee midway through the queue with a green screen set-up; he takes professional photos that incorporate you and your family into the Ninjago Universe. You can pick up the photo near the front of the park at the end of the day.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]Must-Do: Ride The Dragon
When I visited the park in early June, The Dragon was not open yet, but according to guests who have visited the park more recently, it is currently up and running. The ride is a cross between an immersive, story-driven dark ride and a roller coaster. Park officials are hyping The Dragon as one of Legoland New York's top attractions, and its low height restrictions will allow even small kids to ride it. There's also the Dragon Jr., a milder roller coaster, right next door.
Tip: Do Not Bring Cash
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and safety concerns, Legoland New York is a cashless park. Several of the food stations employ self-checkout, and every retail area accepts credit or Apple Pay instead of cash to minimize person-to-person contact. You'll be in for a rough day if your cards are rejected, so check that you're prepared before heading out.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]Must-Do: Eat Granny’s Apple Fries
One of the unique food items across multiple Legoland theme parks is Granny's Apple Fries, which are fried apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and served with caramel, vanilla cream, or ice cream. The Apple Fries stand in Legoland New York is located in LEGO City if you want to try it out.
Must-Do: Visit The Gigantic LEGO Store
There is a massive LEGO store called The Big Shop near the front of the park. It's the biggest LEGO store I've ever been to. They have rare sets that are often out of stock at your local LEGO store and all sorts of cool souvenirs. They even have Legoland New York theme park sets that are exclusive to the park.
If you stop by early in the day and make your purchases, you won't have to lug them around for the next several hours. Legoland will hold onto them for you, and they'll be waiting for you near the park entrance at the end of the day.
[caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]
Credit: Legoland New York[/caption]Tip: Find The Indoor Dining Spots
There are two indoor dining spots in Legoland New York. The first is Smokey's Brick-B-Que, which specializes in smoked meats and is located in Bricktopia. The second is Brickolini's Pizza & Pasta, which is an all-you-can eat buffet with unlimited salad, pizza, and pasta, and is located in LEGO City. On a humid day, you might want to escape the heat and sit in the air conditioning. Both restaurants would be excellent choices to do just that.
Note: The Brickolini buffet does not serve any separate meat dish, like chicken parmigiana, sausage, or meatballs, other than as a pizza topping. Aside from the salad, the buffet is all carbs. Hopefully, the park changes that at some point. But if you're a diabetic (like I am), consider bringing in food from one of the outdoor snack spots or heading over to Smokey's instead.
[caption]
Credit: Kevin Wong[/caption]
Credit: Kevin Wong[/caption]Must-Do: Check Out The LEGO Pirates Area
This was the one area of the park that was not operational during the preview day I visited. But based on what I could see, from behind the construction coverings and metal scaffolding, it looks promising and immersive, with a massive pirate ship, themed dining areas, and water-themed rides. LEGO Pirates will be the place to cool off on a hot day when it opens later this summer.
Tip: Bring An Umbrella
This is a key tip, and probably the most important one on this list. The one thing that Legoland New York lacks (and the park should rectify this immediately) is shade. There is little in the way of awnings, foliage, or big mist fans to keep guests cool. The line queues are mostly covered, but not extensively enough to protect the people at the end of the line. You will be in direct sunlight 90% of the time. And when the temperature peaks in New York later this summer, it's going to get brutal.
So bring suntan lotion and water, and definitely bring an umbrella. Your kid's going to get cranky otherwise. And definitely take note of the indoor locations and attractions nearby for when you need a break from the heat.
Legoland New York is currently in “previews” and operating at limited capacity; it will hold its official, general admission opening later this summer. To visit now, you must make reservations in advance. The hotel and one of the themed lands -- LEGO Pirates -- are closed and under construction; they are projected to open later this summer.
If you love theme parks -- and if you or your children love LEGO -- Legoland New York is worth an overnight or weekend trip in its current state. There will be plenty for you to do and see. But if you're a more discerning customer, who wants a fuller, smoother theme park experience? You might want to wait for the grand opening when all the larger wrinkles might be ironed out.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Kevin Wong is a LEGO aficionado. Talk about your favorite sets with him on Twitter at @kevinjameswong.
Continue reading...