My father gets a kick out of telling me that while gold, due to its scarcity and high demand, is often seen as a “safe” investment, the value of Lego has actually outpaced gold, with prices steadily rising year after year. (Shoutout to JAG Business Solutions—contact him for more financial advice.) What makes Lego unique is that no two sets are alike, with different figurines, shapes, designs, colors, and instructions to build them. Many Lego sets are themed after hit films such as “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and “Barbie.
In 2021, Legoland New York opened in Goshen, about 50 minutes from Bergen County, raising the beloved toy to a tremendous scale. Visitors are immersed in life-sized Lego set attractions, almost as if they’ve become the toy in their very own Lego set. I visited Legoland New York with my wife, Ahuva, our newborn baby, Koby, and Ahuva’s sister’s family, the Schonbruns, for an unforgettable trip.
In preparation for our visit to Legoland, we downloaded the Legoland New York app, something I highly recommend you do. It allowed us to easily upload tickets, check showtimes and view the park map with guided directions to each attraction. The drive to Legoland was straightforward, following Route 17 and then Route 6. There’s a quick turn near the end to enter the park. (I actually missed the exit, so it’s important to drive slower when approaching the park.) Ample parking was available right outside the park entrance, and helpful employees directed us to an empty spot. From there, it was a short walk to reach the park.
Upon arriving at Legoland, Ahuva, Koby and I were greeted by the grand entrance, where the bold “Legoland New York” sign stood proudly, flanked by vibrant Lego brick structures. On the left, there was an Asian-themed Lego Ninjago setup, while a Lego castle tower stood tall on the right. To the far left of the entrance in the distance, we could see the brightly colored Legoland Resort, designed to look like it was built entirely from Lego bricks. Although we didn’t stay at the resort, I definitely hope to return one day and experience it—especially since it seems like a fantastic, immersive place for younger children. As we walked into the park, epic music played from hidden speakers, making us feel like we were embarking on an exciting adventure. The pavement was spotless, and I was immediately struck by the impressive attention to detail, cleanliness and immersive theming. It was on par with what I’ve experienced at major theme parks like DisneyWorld and Universal Studios in Florida, something I didn’t expect to find at a New York theme park.
After going through security and scanning our tickets, we met up with the Schonbruns. The first location we entered was called “Brick Street.” Much like Disney, guests first enter Main Street U.S.A., which is an assortment of shops and stores; Brick Street welcomes guests to a variety of Lego souvenir stores right out of the gate. We decided to head to our first ride, The Minifigure Skyflyer, which was an enclosed gondola system that transports guests from Brick Street to Lego Pirates. All in all, there are seven themed areas in Legoland New York: Brick Street, Lego Pirates, Bricktopia, Miniland, Lego Ninjago World, Lego City and Lego Castle.
While waiting in line for the Skyflyer, cute images told a story of how the park’s engineers (in Lego form) had to come up with a way to transport guests across the park—ingeniously, this waiting area was powered by dance! Only children could participate, as this was an exclusive kidzone area designed for them to have fun and burn off energy. A video of a Lego character instructed them to copy his dance moves. It was a brilliant tactic to keep kids entertained and prevent them from getting restless in line. Ahuva’s niece and nephew had an incredible time busting out their moves.
The views from the gondola were stunning, giving us a bird’s-eye perspective of much of the park. We had especially great views of Miniland, which features Lego replicas of famous landmarks like Mount Rushmore, the Empire State Building, the Capitol, Independence Hall, and more. While we weren’t able to visit Miniland (newborn baby struggles—thanks, Koby!), the Skyflyer gave us a good chance to appreciate the impressive structures. The gondola ride itself lasted about two minutes and was very relaxing. I’d actually recommend riding it later in the day, as the line tends to be longer in the morning, since it is one of the first attractions visitors encounter. The wait times were noticeably shorter later in the day.
After arriving in Lego Pirates, we dove into a few pirate-themed attractions. The first one we tried, Rogue Riders, was a water ride where each rider could captain his/her own mini Lego pirate boat, complete with a skull and crossbones with an eyepatch painted on the side. The boats followed a circular track, spinning around continuously, but what made it fun was the steering wheel on each boat, which allowed riders to make sharper turns. I discovered that by turning the wheel all the way in and then all the way out, the sharpness of the turns was maximized, making the ride surprisingly thrilling for a children’s theme park. To add to the excitement, water cannons sporadically splashed us with water, ensuring that no one walked away dry.
Pirate’s Cove had several other kid-friendly attractions, including a seesawing pirate ship ride and Splash Battle, where guests could spray each other with water guns from their own pirate ships. The area also featured a pirate ship playground and impressive Lego structures, like a giant alligator. Nearby, we passed by a water play area called The Oasis, which featured a giant bucket that dumped water, and several small water slides. Although The Oasis is only open during the summer, it provides a great way for younger guests to cool off from the heat. The water slides were a bit small, especially compared to the moderately thrilling slide at Diggerland’s Water Park, which is part of a similar mini waterpark within a theme park. (See Jewish Link issue 488, https://bit.ly/47GDcNo). It kind of reminded me of a larger version of the waterpark area at the JCC.
Next, we walked over to Lego City, one of the highlights of the day. Lego City is a replica of a bustling town filled with streets, buildings, restaurants and a movie theater reminiscent of the Chinese Theater, all adorned with facades made entirely of Lego. We first participated in the Fire Academy, which was a unique combination of a ride and an interactive workout. Half a dozen mini fire trucks lined up by the gate, and my brother-in-law and I took turns using a handcar device to pump the firetruck forward by pushing up and down. Meanwhile, my nephew Usher steered the vehicle from the front, which was less strenuous but still an important role for our team. In the heat, we quickly began to perspire until we reached the second half of the ride, where we had to put out a fire in a “burning” building. We hopped out of the truck, and Usher used a water cannon to aim at the virtual windows with flames flickering behind them. After enough water doused the fire, the flames disappeared, and leftover smoke billowed from the building, enhancing the realism of the experience. We then quickly jumped back into the truck and pumped our way back to the gate. This attraction became even more enjoyable as we turned it into a competition with other guests in nearby trucks. Two other teams managed to put out the fire and return before we did, adding an exciting element of rivalry. This ride ingeniously inspires younger guests to feel like real firefighter heroes in a realistic, interactive simulation that is both fun and engaging.
After the workout at the Fire Academy, a few of us headed to the movie theater to catch the film “Lego City 4D—Officer in Pursuit.” This 12-minute short featured a high-speed chase between a police officer and a robber. Throughout the film, various 4D effects enhanced the experience, including wind from fans, fog, water sprays, and even a whip-like motion at the feet, all synchronized with the action on screen. Every 20 minutes, a different show plays, offering three film options in total. While the first few minutes of the 4D film were entertaining, it soon began to drag with repetitive slapstick humor and a lack of a real plot. Perhaps the film was aimed at a younger audience, but it fell short compared to other 4D experiences at places like Universal Studios or Disney World, which I found equally enjoyable for both kids and adults. For thrill-seekers, a nearby VR coaster promised an exciting adventure, though it came at an additional cost of $8 per rider.
Following the movie, we made our way to Lego Castle, home to the park’s most thrilling rides. The highlight is the coaster “The Dragon,” which boasts a unique combination of a dark ride and a roller coaster experience. As riders glide through a full-scale Lego castle filled with enormous Lego figurines, including knights, wizards, damsels and a dragon, the ride transitions into a coaster that reaches speeds of 28.5 miles per hour. The roller coaster cart resembles a giant Lego dragon and the ride lasts over two minutes. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit, but I watched a YouTube POV video, and it looked incredible.
For those under 42 inches, or anyone looking for a fun ride while waiting for The Dragon to reopen, The Dragon’s Apprentice offers a great alternative—a smaller coaster designed for younger riders. Usher and his dad, Baruch, had a blast on it. Another attraction, the Tower Climb Tournament, is a workout-style ride where guests pull a rope to lift their seats up a Lego tower, racing to see who can climb the fastest. I missed out on that one since it was my turn to hold Koby, but it looked like a lot of fun. We also browsed the gift shop in the main castle, which had unique Lego sets, including Harry Potter-themed options and exclusive Legoland sets.
With the castle conquered (although the dragon wasn’t vanquished—next time I’ll make sure to ride it, if it’s open), Ahuva, Koby and I hopped on the Minifigure Skyflyer to take us back to the front of the park. We attempted to ride the carousel called Brick Party, but Koby was too small to participate. Next, we headed over to Bricktopia to try the Lego Factory Adventure Ride. This was another ride only for children who could sit up unassisted, so Koby wasn’t permitted to ride. Ahuva and I decided to take turns instead, with Ahuva going first while I waited outside. A few minutes later, she emerged and shared that it was a cool experience, but she felt a bit scared riding alone, especially during one scene that was completely dark. When it was my turn, I was mind-blown by how high-tech and creative the ride was.
If you have ever been to Hollywood Studios in DisneyWorld, there is an attraction called Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. It is unlike any ride I have ever experienced, as there’s no real track—a computer system directs each cart on its own in a randomized sequence, allowing for smoother and more rapid motion since the cart isn’t constrained to a track. Until my visit to Legoland, Disney was the only park to utilize this kind of technology, which I thought was far more advanced than any other ride system I had seen. That was until I rode the Lego Factory Adventure Ride, which used a similar trackless vehicle. The ride’s plot was a bit chaotic, narrated by a mad Lego scientist. First, we woke up a sleeping Lego dragon, and then we were each told that we would be transformed into different mini-figures. I was selected to be a Lego clown, and my body on the screen transformed into one. Next, we were placed in a toy box packaging, and the lights went off. (This part scared Ahuva and might be a little frightening for younger kids.) When the lights turned back on, our cart rode on a virtual roller coaster, moving up and down and side to side along with the roller coaster on the screen. The whole experience lasted around four minutes and was by far my favorite ride of the day.
While Ahuva and I rode the Lego Factory ride, the Schonbruns tackled Lego Ninjago the Ride. It was like one of those 3D shooting game rides, where riders need to hit objects or villains on the screen to earn points. However, instead of using a trigger, the motion sensors picked up the riders’ movements and triggered blasts based on where their hands were pointed.
To close out the day, Ahuva and I enjoyed playing at the musical instrument Lego fountain near the front of the park. The fountain featured large instruments, including a harp, drum, trumpet, keyboard and guitar. There were platforms by each instrument on which to step as the instruments played music.
I was beyond impressed with the number of Lego statues and figurines available for observation and photos throughout the park. Ahuva and I particularly loved a pack of Lego wolves near the Lego Castle, which looked exceptionally well-made. Additionally, the Legoland park is extremely clean and feels brand new (which it is), especially when compared to Sesame Place (see Jewish Link issue 497, https://bit.ly/4dxIk7T), which I found to be a little run-down from years of wear and tear. The rides are thematically well-integrated with Lego, which I greatly appreciate, as I dislike rides that claim to be “themed” but are essentially just regular rides with only a reference or two to their supposed theme (for example, Oscar’s Wacky Taxi at Sesame Place, which has little to do with Oscar the Grouch beyond the name, color scheme and Oscar logo). Furthermore, the park’s scenery at Legoland is beautiful, as it is situated atop a New York luscious forested mountain, with trees and nearby cities visible in the distance below.
I highly recommend that if you have younger children, you visit the park as soon as you can. I can’t wait to return when Koby is older and can remember it better; by then, I’ll also be able to enjoy many more rides, as I only experienced a handful of the 17 attractions. I was disappointed by how few rides (mostly just the Skyflyer and walking around) I could enjoy with my infant, especially compared to DisneyWorld or Sesame Place, which offer more flexibility for infant riders (while held by parents for safety, of course). I’m really glad I went with my family and my sister-in-law’s family; the experience of exploring Legoland together, from the intricately designed attractions to the fun-filled areas, made for unforgettable memories.
If anyone in your family is working at Camp HASC, the park is conveniently located on the way from Bergen County to HASC, making it a great option for a staff members’ day off. For those looking to splurge, the Legoland Hotel seems like a fun place for a young family, enhancing the immersive experience into a mini-vacation. With so many rides and shows, the park provides an incredible Lego-filled day!
Admission: Prices vary. Day tickets start at $59 for adults; season tickets start at $99; call or check the website.
Hours: Closed for Sukkot. No information about Pesach. Operational calendar is subject to change without advance notice.
Address: 1 Legoland Boulevard, Goshen, NY 10924
Phone: (845) 410-0290
Website: www.legoland.com/new-york
Zachary Greenberg is a data analyst at Diversified Alternative Treatment Centers and the track coach for TABC. Zack enjoys putting cinnamon on his pizza crust whenever he makes his own pie! He recently watched the film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” in theaters. To join in on Zack’s fun adventures, make sure you are following @funzacktivities on Instagram. If you have any recommendations of fun places for him to explore, please email [email protected].
