Legoland New York Resort, Holovis and ETF Ride Systems have announced the Lego Factory Adventure, the world’s first ride experience featuring technology that turns visitors into Lego Minifigures.
Legoland New York is opening on July 4, 2020 in Hudson Valley. It will be the largest Legoland theme park ever built, with more than 50 rides, shows and attractions across seven themed lands on 150 acres.
Merlin Entertainments and Holovis, a leading experience designer, revealed the news at IAAPA Expo 2019 in Orlando.
“Merlin Entertainments continues to grow in North America with more than 30 attractions and is already pushing boundaries with the Lego Factory Adventure before Legoland New York even opens,” said Julie Estrada, head of PR North America for Merlin Entertainments.
Visitors will see themselves as Lego Minifigures
It's the first look at the LEGO Factory Adventure dark ride vehicle! It's modelled on the real AGVs that drive around the factory! Opening July 2020 at @LEGOLANDNewYork. Now visit Booth 1378 to be turned into a LEGO Minigigure #IAAPAExpo #ETF #LEGOLANDNewYork pic.twitter.com/2738YTIVbk
— Holovis (@Holovis) November 19, 2019
“Imagine traveling through a Lego Factory and suddenly seeing yourself as a Lego Minifigure! With vision in hand, we looked to two of the world’s leading developers, Holovis and ETF Ride Systems, to create this first of its kind dark ride experience.
“I can’t wait to see the looks on our guests’ faces when they experience it.”
Lego Factory Adventure will feature the world’s first use of on-ride tracking technology. This identifies the attributes of riders and maps their position in the virtual space, before transforming them into Lego Minifigures.
Motion tracking also allows the Minifigures to move as guests move. Holovis’ HoloTrac software platform uses advanced computer vision and tracking technologies, underpinned by deep neural-network-based facial detection and recognition algorithms.
Ride through the Lego Factory with Professor Brick
Great to meet @HadasBrownWESH from @wesh-NBC at #IAAPAExpo this morning as we're getting ready for a bricktacular day launching HoloTrac with @LEGO_Group #LEGOLANDNewYork pic.twitter.com/FW2P0IIfFE
— Holovis (@Holovis) November 19, 2019
“At Holovis, we pride ourselves on the ability to own the entire technical experience, so the delivery of the Lego Factory Adventure is the perfect project for our turnkey, in-house capability,” said Holovis creative director Peter Cliff.
“Working alongside Merlin Entertainments, we have created the ultimate in on-ride guest personalization and the ETF trackless motion vehicle integrates perfectly with the non-linear ride experience.
“The Lego Minifigure transformation is the textbook use for our HoloTrac technology, and since it’s completely invisible to the guest, the experience feels like real magic when the moment occurs.”
The ride takes guests on a thrilling and unpredictable adventure through the Lego Factory with Professor Brick, where they’ll meet various characters.
The world’s first use of on-ride tracking technology
The ride vehicles are created by ETF Ride Systems, leading ride designer and manufacturer. Guests will spin in the vehicles until they face a screen. They will then watch as their vehicle becomes Lego, before they appear as Lego Minifigures.
“The vehicle we created for the Lego Factory Adventure is meant to make guests feel as if they are a part of the automatic robot machinery that you would see in a Lego factory,” said CEO of ETF Ride Systems Ruud Koppens.
“We’ve never done this kind of ride before that is based on reality versus fantasy and we are very excited to work with Holovis and Merlin Entertainments to make this happen!”
