The Great Lego Race experience

This morning, I arrive early to be among the first to pit my skills against five mini-figure competitors in the Great Lego Race, Legoland Malaysia Resort’s Virtual Reality Roller Coaster.

The Great Lego Race combines a rollercoaster ride
with a Virtual Reality experience

I can understand how the park is chuffed at the launch of world’s first Lego Virtual Reality Roller Coaster ride and a never-seen-before in a Legoland theme park experience, in Legoland Malaysia Resort today.

This is ahead of the Great Lego Race being launched in Legoland Florida Resort and Legoland Deutschland Resort in 2018.

I’m familiar with Legoland Malaysia Resort – I was here at its ground-breaking and its first day opened to the media – and clearly remember the Project X rollercoaster, a ride situated close to the park entrance.

The Great Lego Race will take you 18 meters above ground

I remember watching the cars way up there, as they precariously negotiate the winding tracks, designed some 18 meters above ground level.

If I am nearby, I often hear the wailing screams of riders in the 4-passenger cars as they careen down the steep track at an agonizing speed.

When I reach the event area for the launch of the Great Lego Race, I realise that the Great Lego Race will replace Project X in a unique way.

If you are familiar with the thrills and spills of Project X, you will be happy to know that the entire experience of the Project X ride will be enhanced with the addition of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in an exciting new adventure.

A Legoland team member distributing VR headsets to guests

I’m excited to learn that the Great Lego Race will take riders into a unique Lego environment with the addition of characters, story-telling, action and humour.

This is because the ride includes monitors that display side-by-side images of the physical rollercoaster track and the corresponding VR environment.

For the full experience of being immersed in a completely new universe, guests are encouraged to ride the rollercoaster wearing the VR headset.

Legoland working in partnership with Samsung, will give riders – both children and adults – a whole new experience where Bluetooth technology will sync the virtual visuals with the rollercoaster’s twists, turns, drops and climbs!

Whizzing way up there on the Great Lego Race

As the crowd of privileged guests swelled, the excitement at the event area was palpable.

All were grouped according to colour – five different shades of lanyards – to take our turns for the first experience of the Great Lego Race, in an orderly fashion.

I watch as Legoland team members cordon off the area and redirect public guests through a path to the other side of the park.

A guest stops to ask about joining the ride and I overhear a Legoland team member politely assuring him that he should be able to do so later when the ride opens to the public from 3pm.

A 4-passenger car coming down
the track in the Great Lego Race

While waiting for the event to start, I get acquainted with the five mini-figures chosen to represent the way kids play with Lego toys, with no regard for rules, themes, characters or time periods.

There is Pharaoh (2010) who rides an ornate canopied litter carried by mummified servants, Surfer Girl (2011) who rides a rocket-powered windsurfing rig, Pirate Captain (2012) who steers a dinghy with a turbine powered sail, Trendsetter (2013) who rides an espresso-fueled scooter with a sidecar for her tiny dog and Wizard (2014) who drives a dragon-themed hot-rod.

The duration of the ride, I soon learn, is just three minutes so it’s good to be acquainted with the characters who should be whooshing by in the rollercoaster ride!

I remind myself to keep my eyes wide open throughout the ride to recognise the mini-figure characters but in such a rollercoaster ride, I can’t be sure if I can keep my eyes open!

Maybe it’s just the exciting anticipation but it seems like a long wait for each group to complete their ride experience before it is my turn… *

Get ready for the World's First Lego VR rollercoaster

In line with Legoland’s safety standards, guests below age 4 and stand 110cm in height, are not allowed on this ride. Guests must be above age 6 and 120cm tall to be allowed to ride alone.

Legoland Malaysia Resort offers Johor residents an exclusive offer for an Annual Pass at up to 50% off. Pay as low as RM195 or top up RM125 for the Premium Annual Pass.

This promotion can be purchased from Legoland Malaysia Resort’s ticketing counters and through its website.

For more info on promotions and activities, visit Legoland Malaysia Resort’s official website: www.legoland.com.my and stay connected with the resort via social handles Facebook and Twitter.

*Suffice to say that there’s nothing like a first-hand experience! Better get yours soon.