By opening the park in 2021, we're building an attraction that not only meets our high standards, it also gives our guests the best possible experience
– Stephanie Johnson, Legoland New York

Merlin Entertainments has announced that its upcoming Legoland resort in New York, US, will now open in 2021.

The delayed opening of the theme park and hotel, which was originally set for a 4 July opening, is a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and security of our team, the partners we work with, and the communities we serve," said Legoland New York Resort's divisional director, Stephanie Johnson.

"We're in an unprecedented situation that has affected businesses worldwide. By opening the park in 2021, we're building an attraction that not only meets our high standards, it also gives our guests the best possible experience."

The attraction will feature the largest Legoland theme park ever built, spanning 150 acres and several themed lands. It will more play host to more than 50 rides, shows and attractions.

One of the park's new features is a collaboration with experiential design firm Holovis and ETF Ride Systems to create a new dark ride that will transform guests into Lego Mini Figures.

Called the Lego Factory Adventure Ride, the experience will feature on-ride tracking systems, one of the world's first, that will be able to identify guests' physical attributes and map their position in the virtual space, transforming them into Lego Mini Figures before their eyes.

When open, the resort will employ more than 1,000 people. All staff who received an offer to work for the 2020 season will be offered a position in 2021.