Maybe I'll Shower Today

LEGOLAND NEW YORK Resort is a popular theme park located in Orange County, N.Y., about 90 minutes from New York City. The resort includes multiple-themed lands based off of popular LEGO franchises, including Ninjago, LEGO Pirates and LEGO City. Within these lands are various experiences from immersive dark rides to interactive water fun.

Can Older Kids Enjoy LEGOLAND?

Although, I live close to LEGOLAND NEW YORK, and even featured it on this blog, I am almost embarrassed to say I only just made it to the park this spring. While my older son had the opportunity to visit the park on a school trip, life got in the way, and kept us from going as a family. As more time passed by, I wondered if my kids, now 12 and 10, aged out of the experience.

My 10-year-old had been asking to go to LEGOLAND for months. He discovered a new-found appreciation for LEGO and was eager to go to the park. Taking advantage of an extra, non-holiday, day off from school, I finally took the opportunity to bring him to LEGOLAND NEW YORK.

LEGOLAND Is A Resort For All Ages

LEGOLAND is a wonderful park for small children. Many rides have no or a small minimum height requirement, and, with an accompanying adult, even the littlest kids can enjoy the more “thrilling” rides of the park.

What makes the park fun for older kids is the low height requirement to ride on their own. As long as they are 52 inches or taller, they can go on their own. This is especially appreciated by this motion-sickness-prone mom, who prefers to sit out certain rides.

What if my child isn’t into rides? Or finds most of them too “babyish” can they still have fun? The answer is yes!

Minifigure Trading Is A Great Activity For Big Kids

Minifigure trading was a huge reason my son was so eager to get to LEGOLAND. Much like the name implies, minifigure trading is a popular LEGOLAND activity where guests can trade minifigures with resort staff. Most employees, from ride operators to custodial staff, will have a minifigure attached to their name badge and are always happy to trade. Guests can bring their own minifigure from home or make them at the park.

Aside from the fun of trading for minifigures, and possibly finding a rare item, the interaction with resort employees is wonderful for helping children with social skills.

LEGO Enthusiasts Will Love The Model Builder Experience

Another fantastic, non-ride experience at LEGOLAND is the Model Builder Experience. Included with your admission, this experience allows you to view skilled LEGO artisans (Master Model Builders) as they construct the newest creations to be placed around the resort. Guests can also take advantage of available LEGO pieces and build something using one of the many model templates, or create something from their own imagination.

My son could have spent the entire time at the park in this one area, so if you have a child who loves to build with LEGO, this is a must do.

Miniland Showcases The Numerous Possibilities Of LEGO

Speaking of Master Builds, if your child is a LEGO enthusiast, do not sleep on Miniland. Here you will find model replicas of iconic cities and regions built entirely out of LEGO. Both you and your children will marvel at the intricate details and masterful use of LEGO Technic, which bring these city and landscapes to life.

Choose The Right Ticket and Parking Option To Maximize Savings

Is LEGOLAND worth the price of admission? If you are paying the gate price ($94 as of this posting), I would say no, regardless of your child’s age or interest. If you purchase online, open-dated tickets will cost you $56. However, there is a buy-one-get-one option, which ends up being the most affordable choice, if you are OK with purchasing date-specific tickets. This is the option, I chose when I went with my child, costing me about $95 for the two of us.

Another advantage of bringing older kids (recognizing this is for neurotypical and able-bodied children) is their ability to handle the slightly longer walk from the standard parking lot. LEGOLAND is hardly Disney or Universal in Scope, and if you go on an off-day and/or get to the park early enough, you will score one of the closer spots in the standard parking lot (which will cost you $35, before tax). By comparison, premium is $55.

LEGOLAND Brings Out the Kid in All of Us

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed being at LEGOLAND. The place is filled with such warm energy and wonder. It really does bring out the kid in you. On our visit, we even encountered a group of high school students, who appeared to be having a blast. It is impossible not to smile and have a good time.