All About Hot Wheels Champion Experience

Hot Wheels Champion Experience uses 3D multimedia projection technology to combine digital and hands-on play. Upon entry, every guest receives a bracelet they can scan after completing each challenge to earn digital badges. The bracelet is linked to visitors' email addresses so they can receive fun videos, photos, and more from the experience.

Track your badges at Hot Wheels Central. 

Guests are then free to enjoy the experience at their own pace and in any order they please. They can track their badges at Hot Wheels Central, located in the center of the experience.

Since we were there for a media preview, we never had to wait more than a few minutes for any of the activities, but I can imagine lines may be a bit longer for some of the more popular challenges during a regular visit.

My boys' favorite challenge was Save Hot Wheels City, which requires players to throw balls at animated onscreen monsters to rack up points. There is an easy and a hard level, and you can see the day's high score and try to beat it. We did that challenge a few times and delighted in watching our score go up each time.

The boys also enjoyed Made to Race, a video game-style race in which they used body movements to virtually race each other through various scenes. This challenge also has multiple difficulty levels, so kids of all ages can enjoy it.

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Pretty sweet ride, huh?

My Virtual Hot Wheels Drive was pretty funny. The boys saw their faces projected onto a screen to make it look as though they were driving Hot Wheels cars through a city. We later received the videos via email.

I personally enjoyed the Hot Wheels Challenge Zone, where we had to run and jump in place to maneuver monster trucks through two onscreen challenges. My tween boys found it a bit "cringe" (read: embarrassing), but there were tons of younger kids there who seemed thrilled by this activity.

There were a few other challenges that looked loads of fun, but my boys didn't participate in them because they seemed better for the younger set. In one room, kids were coloring pictures of Hot Wheels vehicles, scanning them in, and then seeing them come to life on a big screen, where they got to race them against others.

The Virtual Hot Wheels Track Room also looked really fun. In it, guests used provided soft blocks to build tracks that came to life onscreen.

There were a few small areas where kids could race Hot Wheels cars down ramps or crash them into each other. I think it would be great if there were more of these areas, or even a whole room dedicated to free play with cars. It seemed like every little kid in the place was clamoring for a chance to get their hands on some cars!

Overall, my boys and I would say this experience is best for kids ages 3-8, though both younger and older visitors will find stuff to enjoy.

Length of Hot Wheels Champion Experience

Tickets for Hot Wheels Champion Experience are valid for 90 minutes, which I think is the perfect amount of time to enjoy all of the challenges. We were finished in a little under an hour, but younger kids who want to do more of the activities would probably use the full amount of time.

Tickets and Information on Visiting Hot Wheels Champion Experience

Location

Hot Wheels Champion Experience is located on the second level of Tysons Corner Center near Barnes & Noble. The closest parking is in the Garage E deck near Coastal Flats or the C deck near Barnes & Noble's lower level.

Tickets

Tickets start at $25 for children ages 3-12 and $32 for everyone ages 13 and up. Family four-packs, which include two general admission tickets and two child tickets, start at $98. Tickets can be purchased online.

Hours and Dates

Hot Wheels Champion Experience is generally open every day except Monday with a few exceptions, but dates are subject to change. Hours also vary, but tend to be 3-9pm on weekdays, 10am-9pm on Saturdays, and 11am-7pm on Sundays. Hot Wheels Champion Experience is set to roll out of town on March 31, 2024.

More Information

Eating and drinking is not allowed in Hot Wheels Champion Experience, and there are no restrooms inside. Food, beverages, and restrooms are all available nearby in the mall. Strollers are permitted, and there is limited seating throughout.

Beware that you will exit through a gift shop with Hot Wheels merchandise, but we found the inventory to be quite limited, so you may be able to get out of there without spending any money.

All photos courtesy of the author