Official Public Viewing of LEGOLAND New York

By Jennifer L. Warren

GOSHEN – Thursday was a day of firsts at 214 Harriman Drive in Goshen. It was the first time a public audience had a peak, look, and for some-a helicopter view of the LEGOLAND New York Resort. It was also the first unveiling of the intricate Master Model that the over 150 acre Park will replicate. Further, it will be the first major theme park to open in the Northeast in decades when it officially kicks off for business to all of the public in the spring of 2020.

Last week was an opportunity for some special guests to get a small sampling of the enormous main courses that are going to be served up in less than two years. They are offerings that are likely to drastically alter both Goshen, and its surrounding area, for the better, on a variety of levels.

“This is the biggest and best LEGOLAND we have built (the other two are in Florida and California), having over 50 rides, shows and LEGOLAND attractions,” explained Matt Besterman, Public Relations Manager for LEGOLAND New York. “I’m incredibly excited what this will do for our area; it will be the exact kind of family destination place that we have needed, creating over 1300 jobs by the time we open, and given all the new attractions in this area-Water Park, Bethel Woods and others- we will have about six and a half million more visitors coming to our area than there are today.”

When guests come to the LEGOLAND New York locale they will have a full day of activity, as it features eight different “Lands,” each highlighting a distinct theme, flair and accompanying attractions. Whether it be the initial stop: “The Factory” where you can magically become a mini size, or the “Ninjago,” a place offering the opportunity to control animated fireballs, lightening and ice or the final destination, “Miniland,” allowing visitors to see an entire country in one day, LEGOLAND New York has something for everyone, including a wide sampling of shops and restaurants, making it a fun, memorable place for the entire family.

The simple grand size of the venue had many in awe Thursday as they studied the Master Model layout details. Encompassing vast fields of breathtaking landscape, the site alone has its own special charm, distinguishing it from its two predecessors.

“To see this coming to fruition in New York, as the first one in the Northeast, is very exciting, as it has a very different kind of landscape and infrastructure with more hills, making for more challenges as well as opportunities pointed out Julie Estrada, Head of Public Relations of LEGOLAND North America. “This means we are able to do a lot more things that we were not able to do at the other sites.

Estrada further cited LEGOLAND’s commitment to attracting a diverse population, on all levels. Already within the company there are signs of inclusion for all.

“We really want to use the diverse cultural flair here in Goshen as well as the surrounding area,” said Estrada. “Also, there are a lot of women in leadership-executive roles at LEGOLAND, and we want to continue that here; in fact, some of our best Master Model Builders are women, as they design, build and maintain things in the Park.”

At Thursday’s viewing many of those young female builders, along with boys, could be seen wearing focused, excited and smiling faces as they played with the avalanche of colorful, multi-shaped LEGO’s that were rapidly unloaded out on to the front stage. It’s those priceless expressions, for so many, that can’t make the spring of 2020 come soon enough.