CARLSBAD, Calif. - With a loud bang and a mountain of confetti, Legoland unveiled its newest attraction Thursday, Ninjago World and Ninjago the Ride.
The new land is based on Lego’s popular TV and toy series, Ninjago.
“It looks exactly like Ninjago!" said Kaleb Dagraeth, who got to go on the ride early in the morning.
"It looks like the temple where Kai and the other ninjas trained,” said Kaleb. “It’s really, really crazy. As soon as you get on it, you get straight into the action."
The new ride uses 4-D technology that lets riders use their hands to interact with scenes playing out on screens in front of them. Smoke and wind effects add to the sensation that you’ve entered the Ninjago World, as riders battle characters from the show.
Ninjago riders score points based on how well they interact and can compete with fellow riders.
Peyton Wunderlich says the interactive experience and the competitive aspect makes it more fun than other rides at the park.
“It’s not a roller coaster like I usually go on -- it’s slow and it’s like a video game,” she said.
Outside the ride, training stations let kids play like Ninjas. They can spin on playground equipment, climb a rock wall or build their own Ninja toys at a Lego building station.
The world also has 22 new life-sized statues. Master Lego builders needed more than a million bricks to put them together.
While Legoland execs claim their target demo is 3- to 12-year-olds, the new ride is already attracting kids of all ages.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are,” said 18-year-old Marissa Schwartz, who went on the new ride twice Thursday. “It’s really fun and if you’re a big kid, it’s even better.”
Ninjago World and Ninjago the Ride open to the public on Thursday, May 5.
