Legoland parks in Florida, Germany and Malaysia will soon transform their respective “Project X” roller coasters into the virtual reality-driven The Great Lego Race.
The virtual reality (VR) roller coasters will open at Legoland Malaysia in late 2017 followed by 2018 debuts for Legoland Florida and Legoland Deutschland in Germany.
Each of the three Project X roller coasters are a Mack wild mouse-style coaster. They stand just over 51 feet tall and feature a 50-foot drop, reaching a top speed of 35 mph.
Guests, equipped with VR headsets, will experience “action from every direction – up, down, forward, backward and all points in between – in a dazzling environment where everything is made of Lego bricks.”
The ride experience will feature a “colorful lineup of racers drawn from the ranks of the popular Lego minifigure mystery assortments.
The Great Lego Race will place riders in a “rollicking race against wild, brick-built contraptions driven by (Lego characters) Trendsetter, Pharaoh, Surfer Girl, Wizard and Pirate Captain, including a rocket-powered surfboard and a stylish scooter fueled by espresso.”
Riders will first notice the coaster’s new entrance complete with the sounds of roaring engines. The coaster’s queue will resemble a “pre-race space where pit crews for each of the five Lego racers are preparing for the competition.”
The queue will also feature interactive, hands-on elements to entertain waiting riders.
During the ride, Bluetooth technology will sync the virtual visuals with the roller coaster’s twists, turns, drops and climbs, creating an all-new experience filled with thrills, spills, surprises and humor – an experience only LEGOLAND could create.
“The Great Lego Race was inspired by the way kids play with Lego toys at home,” said Candy Holland, senior creative director for Merlin Magic Making.
All Images © Merlin Entertainments Group
“It’s a unique Lego adventure that lets kids enter an epic imaginary world made entirely from Lego bricks, featuring a host of different themes and fun Lego characters, all mixed up together.”
Guests can opt to ride The Great Lego Race without the VR headset. A preshow video will offer guests a side-by-side view of the physical coaster track and the VR equivalent.
The VR experience is being developed and designed by Merlin Magic Making, the creative division of Legoland parent company Merlin Entertainments Group.
Children must meet the minimum height requirement to ride and must be at least six years old to ride with a VR headset.
What do you think of Legoland’s plans for VR coasters? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
It would be cool if you could do a test track type thing and virtually create your own Lego car and then race in it with the VR. The interactive aspect is a missed opportunity in my opinion.
This looks okay.The only time I used VR on a coaster,it didn’t work.