A Day at LEGOLAND NY

For the last two summer since Legoland, NY has opened we have been at least 10 times. Each time exploring something new or seeing a new show and I am sharing all my tips and tricks with you!

LEGOLAND New York is the biggest LEGOLAND Amusement park Merlin Entertainment has ever built, and for us it’s only 50 minutes away!

Tickets:

As of Summer ’22 you must make a reservation if you are an Annual Pass holder or if you have non-dated tickets. You can make those reservations here.

Remember to keep your email or take a screen shot for easy access for the reservation they might make you show it as your tickets are being scanned. I have had to show mine about 50% off the time. No need to print it out just show them on your phone.

For parking, you can also pay at the time you purchase your ticket for convenience. There is no deal to pay ahead of time. They scan your parking ticket as your leaving the parking lot.

Getting to LEGOLAND NY

You will have trouble getting to Legoland with your GPS. Just be aware that there is not a big flashy sign that says Legoland. There is a small Lego sign as your turning into the long road to the parking lot so just keep a lookout.

When you get to the parking lot don’t forget to look at where you are parked. At this time there are no lane letters or markers in the parking lot so we counted the garbage cans and said “we are in between the 3rd and 4th.”

Security

The first line you will come to is to check bags and go through the metal detector. If you have a large bag they will check it. If you have a small bag you will probably just go through the metal detectors and you will be fine.

If you have a stroller make sure you look for that line specifically.

Which Way to Go?

When entering the park, the first ride you will come to is the carousel. Skip it for now. Everyone heads there first but the line will most likely be long and it tends to be slow. At the end of the day before you leave the lines are much shorter or even nonexistent.

Our favorite way to enjoy the park is to go past the carousel and down through Miniland. It’s up to you if you want to stop and enjoy it now or save it for later.

The beginning of the day is when you will have the shortest lines in Pirates Island for Splash Battle as well as Rogue Riders. So we love starting out this way.

What to Pack:

• Reusable Water Bottles – there are plenty of refillable water stations all along the parks trail.
• Food and Snacks – We didn’t bring in much food. I brought in small snacks in individual packs. These were great to pull out if there a long or slow moving line. The only food we have purchased there so far are hotdogs and a stand across from the theater. They are $7 for a large hotdog that my kids split. Other than that I found my kids are so busy they are not even thinking about eating..unless it’s the down time in a line.
• Hand wipes – I wipe hands before snacks, and they’re just good to have.
• Phone Charger – A small travel charger is always a necessity so you’re not worried about your phone dying.
• Hat or personal fan – If you’re going on a hot day there is very limited shade. The trees are new and small and the umbrellas are limited so it can get very hot. They have started putting in more umbrellas and now misting poles have started to pop up! (Affiliate Links) I suggest this fan or misting water bottle.

Download the LEGOLAND App

The LEGOLAND app is nice to have. It has showtimes (even notifications), how long wait times are for the rides, and will tell you when rides are closed etc. I have referenced it many times each time we have gone. You will only be able to see the ride wait times while you are in the park.

Other Tips

• LEGOLAND is cashless, so bring your credit card, debit card or payment app.
• Don’t forget your Minifigures! You can bring your own minifigures and trade them around the park!
• If you’re looking for the LEGO Masters winning build from season one, its located in “The Big Shop” gift shop at the entrance of the park.

Rides

The first time I went I was alone with my two kids, some of the rides they were both able to go on but because of their height they both needed to be accompanied by and adult rider. I was able to go on the ride with one child while the other child waited with a staff member (who were so great) and then switch off with the other child.

Check height requirements before you go on the ride so there are no surprises.

The 4D Lego Movies is really fun. It might be sensory overload for sensitive kids. My son, covered his ears the whole time because it’s loud as well as kept his 4D glass off…but…he loved it.

Free Play Area

There are many places to sit and rest and have your child just build along the path.

Also in Bricktopia there is a Build & Test area building which is a great place to rest your feet, get into the air conditioning and have your children test their building skills with the shaking platform and test tracks.

You can definitely see all of Legoland in one day but with the annual passes it relieves some of that pressure and you can visit during all the events as well.