Located in Orange County, the 500-plus-acre Legoland New York will be more similar to the Florida and California theme parks than the current indoor-only Legoland Discovery Center in Yonkers. While the park will only be open from April through November, the grounds will also house a year-round, 250-room Lego-themed hotel.

Although exact features for the park haven’t been announced, visitors can expect an elaborate recreation of the New York City skyline in Miniland, a Lego Factory complete with Master Builders and a Lego Dragon roller coaster. Other areas will include Lego City, Pirate Shores, Ninjago Zone, Bricktopia and Heartlake City with Lego Friends, as well as a Driving School and Rescue Academy. The park will be geared toward kids ages 2 through 12.

Lego Ninjago will, of course, have its own dedicated section at the theme park.

The project has not been without its hurdles. Wary Orange County residents have vigorously shared their concerns about the massive addition to the sleepy rural area, citing traffic and environmental concerns, as well as zoning laws. The theme park is expected to attract about 2 million people each year, according to Empire State Development. 

To help alleviate some of the traffic issues, New York State is investing $25 million in the project to make improvements to Route 17, including relocating the exit interchange, building a new bridge and upgrading traffic signals. And while the infusion of construction and park jobs are welcomed by some residents, others are more concerned about the effect the project will have on the area’s water sources and property values.

Merlin Entertainment currently operates eight Legoland parks in the world. In addition to the Florida and California locations, there also parks in Denmark, England, Germany, Malaysia, Japan and Dubai.

Legoland New York will encompass over 500 acres.

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All renderings are courtesy of Merlin Entertainment.