Disclosure: I attended a press event for the ride opening and was given four tickets to LEGOLAND Florida, however all opinions are my own.
I love theme parks and I love technology, so when the two are combined, you know I’m going to be excited about the possibilities! LEGOLAND Florida has come up with an amazing new ride concept called The Great LEGO Race, which is now open. “This ride combines roller coaster thrills with virtual reality (VR) technology to put guests in the center of an action-packed road rally where the laws of physics and aerodynamics only loosely apply” How fun is that?
“Wearing optional VR headsets, riders will experience the action from every direction while riding the roller coaster up, down, forward, backward and all points in between in a dazzling environment where everything is made of LEGO bricks. Check out two of the screenshots from inside the race below.”
Check this out:
“The wild and wacky race pits guests against a LEGO pirate, wizard, surfer, trendsetter and pharaoh driving brick-built vehicles like a rocket-powered windsurfing rig, a stylish scooter fueled by espresso and an ornately canopied bed (called a “litter”) carried by mummy servants.”
On opening day, we got to see an adorable show followed by the ride being officially opened to the public. 
We even go to take photos with some of the heroes of the ride itself. Emma Kate was partial to the pirate, of course. She’s not quite tall enough to ride, but I know one day she will love it. 
Here are some “stats” on the ride itself:
-You must be 6 years old and at least 48 inches tall to wear the optional virtual reality headset.
-You must be 42 inches tall to ride, and must ride with someone at least 14 years old NOT wearing a VR headset for supervision purposes.
-headsets are cleaned in between each guest who rides
-It took 2 and a half years to develop this ride
-The ride is just shy of 400 meters in length
-You drop at speeds of 35 mph during your ride
Who are the LEGO minifigure competitors?
- Pirate Captain; Team Pirate — He steers a dinghy with a turbine-powered sail.
- Pharaoh; Team Pharaoh — He rides an ornate canopied bed (called a “litter”) carried by mummified servants.
- Surfer Girl; Team Surfer — She rides a rocket-powered windsurfing rig.
- Trendsetter; Team Trendy — She rides an espresso-fueled scooter with a sidecar for her tiny dog.
- Wizard; Team Wizard — He drives a dragon-themed hot-rod.
Be sure to check out the LEGOLAND Florida website for more details.
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