The LEGO Group partners with Pixar and NASA to float 43217 ‘Up’ House

To promote the release of 43217 ‘Up’ House, the LEGO Group has partnered with Pixar and NASA to float a giant-sized version of the set.

LEGO Disney fans were treated to the highly-anticipated release of 43217 ‘Up’ House earlier this month, with a 598-piece build based on the animated movie. The set includes the colourful abode from the Disney/Pixar film, complete with multiple balloons and exclusive minifigures of Carl Fredricksen and Russell, plus a dual-moulded Dug the dog figure.

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To promote the recent launch of 43217 ‘Up’ House, the LEGO Group teamed up with Pixar and a NASA space engineer to float the set using actual balloons and then attempted to repeat the challenge with a much larger version of the model. The stunt was all part of a new five-episode series, Making Wonder, which continues on YouTube with Episode 3 of the show taking place at Pixar’s headquarters.

Pixar Chief Creative Officer and director of Up, Pete Doctor, was on hand to help hosts Mari Copeny and Nicole Laeno prove that 43217 ‘Up’ House can actually fly, with the help of 20 helium balloons, that is. They then go on to attempt the same feat with a giant-sized version of the build, one made up of 27 different coloured elements, 68,753 bricks and weighing over 40 Kgs.

To achieve that task they roped in the assistance of Joan Melendez Misner, a NASA space engineer who provides the hosts with some scientific advice and 22 weather balloons. When attached to the larger version of 43217 ‘Up’ House, the balloons provided enough lift to successfully float the massive brick-built construct into the sky. 

43217 ‘Up’ House is available to purchase now and is priced at £49.99 / $59.99 / €54.99. Be sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming review of the set to find out what we thought of the LEGO Disney build.

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