LEGO is such a major toy and media brand all over the world that it is no surprise that they have gotten their own line of theme parks, starting with their first at Billund in Denmark (near the original LEGO factory site). Today, Legoland is a major tourist destination, with no less than eight theme parks under that banner in seven countries.
Merlin Entertainments, the UK-based theme park company that is the majority owner and operator of the Legoland parks, has three more projects underway: two in Asia and the third stateside, Legoland New York which has just started construction.
It was Merlin Entertainments CEO Nick Varney, who declared the official launch of Legoland New York. Construction would begin soon at the proposed site at Goshen in Orange County, New York following the approval of the town board.
Once building is completed sometime in 2020, the park, located due south of the former Arden Hill Hospital, is expected to open seasonally from April 1 to November 1 and will be the ninth Legoland in the world. While the theme park itself is seasonal, Merlin Entertainments is also erecting a nearby Legoland Hotel, one that will be open all year round.
The Legoland parks pride themselves on being a world of fun and adventure for families with young children. Their rides and attractions are mostly being given educational and learning elements, geared for child guests of ages 2 to 12. The same can be said of the Legoland Hotel, with its interactive environment featuring plenty of LEGO models and brick-themed guest rooms.
The New York theme park will join with its older Legoland siblings in Denmark, UK, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Dubai and the US (Carlsbad and Florida). A tenth Legoland in South Korea is also in the works with a 2019 completion date.