Legoland makes colorful and crowded debut

It may be “slow-motion Goshen” to residents, but Orange County”™s town of 13,000 will see life kick up a notch or two now that Legoland New York officially opened its gates on July 9. It didn”™t take long for the parking lot to fill up, either.

Legoland
Legoland opened July 9. Photo by Kathy Roberts

After seeing its original opening date pushed because of the pandemic, Merlin Entertainment”™s $500 million investment had a “soft” opening three months ago, admitting season passholders and offering a limited number of discounted tickets at the gate.

With the virus restrictions lifted in June, state and local officials joined Merlin”™s representatives on July 9 to cut the ribbon and formally open its doors, albeit a year later than originally planned.

Seven themed “lands” make up the parks”™ character, including Lego Castle, Ninjaworld, Miniland and Bricktopia. (Yes, every ride looks as if it”™s made of Legos.) The new New York theme park also features the first Lego Factory Adventure Ride, transforming its riders into “minifigures” to give them a bird”™s eye view of how Legos are made. For guests who use wheelchairs, it features a specialized vehicle capable of carrying them along for the ride. It is one of the many amenities Legoland strives to include for children with disabilities.

Construction of a 250-room Legoland Hotel with heated pool on site is nearing completion and is already booking reservations for Aug. 6.

Legoland
The hotel is expected to open in August. Photo by Kathy Roberts

The hotel, geared toward the 3-12 age group, has rooms that include a separate children”™s sleeping area and offers entertainment and scavenger hunts for the younger set on the premises.

Legoland New York is Merlin”™s third entertainment park in the United States and its 10th Lego-themed park worldwide. The company had first sought to build in Rockland County and had targeted the former Letchworth Village property in Thiells, but with no buy-in from the surrounding community, Merlin set its sights on Orange County. The company bought 500-plus acres on Harriman Drive, the site of the former Arden Hill Hospital, for what would eventually become its 150-acre amusement park.

After Merlin obtained all the necessary approvals to proceed with construction in 2018, the company spent more than $40 million (with a $10 million assist from the Empire State Development) to relocate and reconstruct Route 17”™s Exit 125 interchange, building an on/off ramp across the highway to access the property and a third westbound lane to improve traffic flow on what will eventually become Interstate 86.

Merlin negotiated a 20-year payment in lieu of taxes for the project, saving the company approximately $37 million. The PILOT calls for Merlin to pay $60 million to the Goshen Central School District, $5-plus million to the Goshen Fire District and another $10 million to Orange County annually. Merlin also agreed to pay its host community an annual fee based on park attendance, to discount residents”™ admission and to provide well water.

Legoland will also pay Orange County”™s hotel tax, expected to generate a minimum of $500,000 annually. The park”™s construction has helped to create hundreds of union jobs as a result of a project labor agreement with the local trade. It expects to employ 800 full- and part-time workers during its peak season.

If you”™re planning to visit the park, leave the cash at home: these days, it”™s either plastic or Apple Pay; all of Merlin”™s theme parks have gone “cashless.”