Combining both physical and digital components, Build & Race taps into the natural creativity and wonder of the LEGO brand for visitors of all ages.
The racing adventure is partitioned into three zones, each offering a unique experience to learn, create and enrich. Upon entering, Zone One greets guests with historical insight into the Ferrari brand and how it came to be. A life-sized Minifigure named Dena engages with audiences, sharing fun facts and original images and videos from Ferrari. Historical photos adorn the Italian-themed garage, with the focal point being a full-sized replica of a Ferrari F40, made entirely of LEGO bricks. With flashing headlights, a revving engine and doors that open to allow for photo opportunities, the model took a team nearly 2,000 hours to create, utilizing nearly 360,000 LEGO bricks.
With newly acquired knowledge of the brand, it’s off to Zone Two where excitement mounts and harnessing the creative spirit of LEGO begins. The sounds of a mechanic’s garage fill the room as building stations are positioned throughout the space, giving the littlest builders the ability to dream and design. After their Ferrari creations have been built and are in hand, four test tracks await to test the functionality, aerodynamics and speed of the racecars. The first of these tracks is designed to test basic racing capability. A large LEGO Ferrari engine sits at the end of the track and, if successfully navigated over the finish line, a Ferrari engine revs for all to hear.
The next two test tracks showcase a Ferrari tire positioned at the base of the ramp. If the newly-built car is able to jump through, sensors along the track and inside the tires are triggered, indicating a successful jump and then providing slow-motion video playback of the feat. That video is displayed throughout the zone for all to see. Once racers overcome these challenges, the final test track provides the perfect opportunity to compete against friends and family members. All racers stand atop this, the longest ramp in this immersive racing garage, and after a brief countdown, racecars are released to see which crosses the finish line first — displaying time to bestow bragging rights. Now, it’s time to experience the ultimate thrill in Build & Race — a showstopping digital race on the Pista di Fiorano, Ferrari’s real-life test track.
Built and tested to unique perfection, visitors take their model racecars to Zone Three, an immersive area where the physical and digital worlds become one. Racers digitally scan their Ferrari in a state-of-the-art scan station, capturing three different angles of the car where it’s then scored based on the car’s aerodynamic specifications. The car’s engine and tires can be modified to best suit the real-time racing and weather conditions of the Pista di Fiorano, along with various customizations to make each car unique. Finally, it’s time to race! Utilizing a 10-inch touchscreen and two capacitive touchpad LEGO buttons — one for speed bursts, the other for switching lanes — racers compete against the field for the fastest lap and the rights to be displayed on the daily leaderboard. When the checkered flag has been waved, racers can display their creations on LEGO’s Wall of Fame to inspire future car builders.
LEGO Ferrari Build & Race is an edge-of-your-seat racing adventure that offers a whimsically exciting experience, putting children of all ages behind the wheel for a race they’ll never forget. With the checkered flag waving — may the best LEGO Ferrari win!
Partners
Merlin Entertainments, LEGOLAND California Resort, Ferrari