Lego Ninjago The Ride comes to Legoland Windsor - complete with hand gesture detection and sensory overload!

A new ride opens at Legoland Windsor this weekend - Ninjago the ride, part of the new Ninjago World! 

It's the first attraction in the UK to use '4D' effects of heat, smoke and wind, alongside Maestro hand gesture-activated motion detection; specially-designed by Montreal-based Triotech. 

There's also 3D image projection throughout the ride (39 projectors in all) requiring 3D glasses and we can't wait to try it out ourselves! 

The tech enables riders to virtually throw fire balls, shock waves, ice and lightning and apparently it will also adapt to each individual’s playing style. Players are scored according to their performance and this is displayed directly in front of them. The week’s best, season’s best and all-time best scores are logged on monitors at the end of the ride. The ride has 20 four person cars like this: 

The cars travel through several 'training rooms' and players get physical feedback by way of air streams from the ride cars (above) as well as seat rumbles from a subwoofer! There are seven speakers in each vehicle.

The 3 minute 30 second ride has been a success since its installation at Legoland California and Legoland Billund last year. The ride was developed in house by Merlin Entertainments who commissioned Triotech to design the tech behind the ride. 

You can check out the tech in this video from amusement park podcast In The Loop. 

Over 20 new LEGO models have been created for Ninjago World including two five-foot guardian dragons built from 77,280 Lego bricks over the entrance, models of Master Wu and the Ninjago heroes.

In addition to the ride, you'll also find several Ninjago World training areas at Legoland Windsor to test your balance, agility, speed and creativity: Zane’s Temple Build (yep, build your own models), Kai’s Spinners (balance on a spinning platform) and Cole’s Rock Climb (a climbing wall). 

Here's a hard hat tour of the ride in California where you can see behind the scenes as the ride was built.

Liked this? Check our our super guide to the best Lego sets