Fun shifted into overdrive when Ridemakerz, the first-ever car customizing experience for kids and kids at heart, opened yesterday for a limited engagement at Downtown Disney West Side. This opening follows the October 2009 launch of a Ridemakerz shop in Downtown Disney in Anaheim, Calif.

Ridemakerz invites guests into a car customizing shop where they can build a one-of-a-kind radio control car or model. Between bodystyles and colors, tires and wheels, lights and sounds, accessories and decals, Ridemakerz estimates there are more than 649 million possible build combinations, not including individual decal placement.

Ridemakerz has agreements with several automotive manufacturers to offer versions of today’s most popular cars in its line-up. Guests can choose from the Ford Mustang and F-250 Super Chief Alternative Fuel Concept Truck, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R and C6RS, Dodge Ram, Challenger, and Viper, MINI Cooper S, and Scion xB. Retro hot rods, fire engines, racecars, cab-over tow and dump trucks, and many more favorites are also available.

The completed cars range in price from $10 to $32, depending on body and paint style chosen. Radio remote control can be added for an additional $25, and custom accessories range in price from $2 for grill guards, spoilers and hoods scoops to $15 for themed kits that include a wide range of complementary accessories. The cars are approximately 12 inches long, or 1:18 scale.

Ridemakerz, which occupies the former home of the Virgin Mega Store, delivers an even higher-octane experience to visitors by incorporating a specially designated radio-control test track and real-world auto salon. Eight world-class show cars are on display, including a Chevrolet C5.R racecar built by Pratt & Miller Engineering for General Motors. The display also features an F150 NASCAR Pace Truck and Dodge Ram from the personal collection of legendary car customizer Chip Foose, as well as a MINI Cooper from the private collection of famed movie car designer Fireball Tim Lawrence. Both Foose and Lawrence were on hand for the grand opening.

“The Ridemakerz brand and this shop, in particular, are close to my heart,” said Foose. “I learned about car customizing from my dad, and now I get to help pass that experience on to fathers, sons and families across America.” Foose also serves as an advisor to Ridemakerz.

Inspired by Build-A-Bear Workshop, a partner and investor, and the increasingly popular car customizing movement, Ridemakerz currently operates six shops in Arizona, California, Florida, Missouri, South Carolina and Virginia.

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