Category: Belgium

The exotic additions of Walibi Belgium

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Preface

When I visited Walibi Belgium last year, I unfortunately experienced the most crowded day due to an event by the Belgian Red Cross. Walibi themselves did a great job in managing the crowd level, yet as you can imagine, I did not experience many rides. Although I managed to ride most of the new additions, I missed a ride on the Gerstlauer bobsled coaster Tiki Waka, due to its limited capacity and a resulting wait time of more than two hours. This year however, I basically started with a ride on the exotic racer.

Tiki Waka

The ride on Tiki Waka immediately starts with a tight left curve, whereupon we enter the ride’s lift. High above the park’s paths we then take a small dip and dart directly into the first block brake in a slightly winding course. The second drop of the ride is a bit more defined and is followed by a valley at lofty heights. Several turnarounds follow. After passing the second block brake, we finally go down to the ground in a curvy drop. We then pass the boat ride Gold River by a twisty hill. A likewise twisty ascent then leads us into the fourth block brake. A small dip then leads us into a series of airtime hill, which guides us into a very tight helix at which end we hit the final brakes.

Tiki Waka is a very nice addition to the park, yet it is a rather family-friendly ride which lacks a bit of the speed, lateral forces and airtime for which the model is actually known for.

Popcorn Revenge

Right next to the roller coaster Cobra there is the entrance to the interactive dark ride Popcorn Revenge. Located in an old cinema in the Indian-inspired Karma World themed area, the ride tells the story of Popcorn attacking the Cinema goers. The guests themselves are equipped with sirup cannons to calm the corn down. The trackless vehicles make their way through the theatre with brief stops in front of the screens of the highly themed cinemas, where most of the action takes place. Overall, the ride is very enjoyable and extremely entertaining. Well done, Walibi!

Fun Pilot

Located right next to mad house Palais du Genie and adjacent to the large children’s area Fun World, you can find the small family roller coaster Fun Pilot. The ride made by Zierer consists of two back-to-back helices and is a very fine entrance level coaster for all future enthusiasts out there.

Kondaa

Since 2021, the highlight of Walibi Belgium is the roller coaster Kondaa. The ride built by Intamin features an absolutely fantastic layout, as well as some very wacky elements.

The ride on Kondaa starts with a quick ascent to a high of 50 m. Here we take a very twisty drop to the ground, which is directly inspired by the first drop of Holiday Park’s famous Mega Coaster Expedition GeForce. The drop is followed by an airtime hill, which let you fly out of your seat. In the next valley, we drop onto our seats again before climbing a rather crocked hill, which bends to the right and impresses the riders with a unique airtime sensation. This is followed by the world’s only non-inverted Cobra Roll – an interestingly looking ride element, which offers a variety of great twisting sensations. A speed bump then leads us into a series of low to the ground curves and turnarounds followed by multiple twisted airtime hills. With a good smile on our face, we then hit the brakes.

Kondaa is an utterly brilliant roller coaster. The ride quickly became a fan favourite. The fast pacing, the high number of one-of-a-kind ride elements and the low to the ground airtime hills speak for themselves.  

Pictures Walibi Belgium

 

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Walibi Belgium

Choose your own fury

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Preface

My last visit to Bobbejaanland was ages ago. During that time, many things changed. Some of them were small things, like the name change of the roller coaster Dizz to Naga Bay in 2017 to better fit the theme of the immersive tunnel Forbidden Caves next door. An interesting choice when considering that Forbidden Caves already became obsolete shortly after its opening in 2015 – with this years novelty Fury and its theme area Land of Legends, Naga Bay serves as a connection between the two areas, which is just fine. In the meantime Bobbejaanland sold their HUSS Fly Away to a small french theme park, teamed up with Samsung VR to offer with Mount Mara a new and exiting ride on the roller coaster Revolution – which apart of the low resolution does a fantastic job to the old ride – and the wind energy turbine next to Bobbejaanland was removed.

Land of Legends

The Land of Legends truly sounds more legendary as it is. The theme area consist of an unappealing long queue line for the roller coaster Typhoon – which got a new paint job –, a new queue line for the HUSS Giant Frisbee Slegdehammer – whose ride has been significantly enhanced by the sight of a novelty suddenly appearing underneath –, a water playground and the roller coaster Fury. Apart of Fury, which has a never seen before feature on a roller coaster, nothing stands out. In my opinion, the Land of Legends looks cheap and plastic. Of course we have the obligatory music by IMAsore, like all the other European theme parks.

Fury

Fury itself is a reasonably large ride with some exiting and interesting elements, which can be ridden forwards or backwards. The ride gives you a choice if you want so. If you really need to ride Fury forwards, you also have the choice to wait slightly longer in line and use the queue to the left in the station. If you want to be surprised by the choice of all the other people in the train and want to take part in a small poll, keep to the right. After boarding feel free to push whichever button you like and enjoy the turntable of destiny shortly after leaving the station.

Turned into position, the ride starts with its first launch in direction of the Top Hat. It then passes the same launch track in reverse, whereupon the Scorpion Tail Jr. element follows. This is basically a slightly overbanked vertical slope, where the train loses momentum whilst the riders hang upside down for a moment. After the third launch the train passes over the Top Hat with a very small pinch of airtime and suddenly drops down in a twisty motion. At full speed, the train climbs up a giant corkscrew, where the exit of the element ressembles a Banana Roll. You basically leave the element with a change in direction. Over a hill, the train then plunges down into the entrance of a very forceful loop. After the looping, the train enters the final valley. Similar to the beginning of the ride, the train changes speed in three stages. In the first one, we climb the second Scorpion Tail Jr. element and change direction. With reduced speed we now travel across the braking track and climb the exit of the loop for some meters. When entering the braking track for the third time, the train stops on the adjacent turntable. Back in position, the train enters the station and the ride comes to a finish.

Fury is definitely a nice Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster. It fits well into the ride portfolio of Bobbejaanland and complements it. The ride itself is very family-friendly, although it features a rather intense loop at the end of the ride. The backwards option is well received and offers an exiting ride for the thrill seekers out there. For everybody else, the forward option is a permanently available one, which is a good thing for all those who are not sure (or willing) to ride a roller coaster backwards. Although Fury is not the most exiting coaster in Europe, it is a nice one to give it a try when nearby.

Pictures

 

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Bobbejaanland

On a sleigh ride with Heidi

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Preface

Without a theme park the trip from Germany to England is somehow too long and too boring. Since I was already visited Efteling just before Christmas and I had to go through the winter hustle and bustle without a ride on the Bobbaan, I drove to the Belgian coastal town of De Panne, where Plopsaland De Panne holds its Winter Plopsaland Event for more than 10 years. The main reason for the visit was the roller coaster Heidi – The Ride, which I could only visual inspect during my last visit. As the theme area of the wild sleigh ride was still under construction, the area resembled a grey concrete complex rather than a colourful Swiss village. I was also very curious about the restrictions during the park’s winter operation.

Winter Plopsaland

The first impression of the event was quite positive. Plopsaland is very nicely decorated and even has a Christmas plop at every corner of the park. However outside the entrance, this design gets very repetitive. On the other hand, the number of rides in operation is significant. Winter events are nice and good, but if nothing is in operation you can skip the event. In the morning, it truly looked like that. In the afternoon, all rides – with exception of the park’s log flume – where in use. Even the Star Flyer welcomed its guest. Due to the high winds, the ride is kinda scary.

Heidi – The Ride

From the top you have a good overview of the region, Plopsaland and the wooden roller coaster Heidi – The Ride. By the late afternoon, the queue on the roller coaster was very short, therefore it was not a problem to try each of the 12 seats; some even double or triple. Towards the evening, the ride became more popular and the park noticeably fuller.

In a short dip you leave the station, whereupon the lift hill of the ride is climbed. Once the maximum height of 22m reached, you immediately plunge down the curvy first drop. Close to the ground, you are now swerving from one side of the ride to the other in a wild s-curve manoeuvre. This is followed by a double-up element with a double-down element ensuing. Unfortunately, the three hills here are very shallow and the airtime is quite low. Back on the ground level you immediately shoot up into a turnaround where the banking of the track increases steadily before you fall down to the ground. Rushing over hill and dale the track is now running parallel with the already experienced one.

After two fairly high hills follows a slightly twisted S-curve hill, which flows into a small double-down. In a tunnel, you now whiz over a very, very small hump before you are pushed to the right side of the train in a small curve. This is followed quickly by another very flat hill, before approaching in a short left-right corner combination the break run of the ride. In the same building as the station, you quickly cross the transfer track for maintenance before reaching the station in a 180° turn. If you are lucky, say goodbye to Heidi and her friend; during my visit the screen was not in use.

Well, how should I judge the roller coaster?! After my first rides with Heidi I was really underwhelmed – it took a very long time until I was ok with the coaster. At the same time, I do not want to blame the not yet retracted condition of the ride in the morning, as in the afternoon the ride was quite similar. For me, the ride is a little bit too short, which is also due to the fast paced sections near the ground-level, especially at the end of the ride (which I don’t really like). After a great first drop and the amusing S-curve, the ride loses its pressure. The ride catches itself somewhere in the middle and offers plenty of fun in a series of airtime hills, but before you know it the finale of the ride already starts.

But one thing must be left to the coaster: It just looks gorgeous and it fits the park’s audience perfectly. The wild sleigh ride is indeed family friendly and due to the fast dispatch – which is also due to the interestingly placed luggage rack (a chest in the middle of the exit platform) – family members don’t have to wait to long, when another one is currently riding. Overall, Heidi is a great ride for the whole family.

Pictures Winter Plopsaland

Conclusion Winter Plopsaland

As far as the Winter Plopsaland is concerned, I can fully recommend it. If the weather cooperates, you can easily spend a few hours with no waiting times within the whole park. In conjunction with the swimming pool Plopsaqua you can spend with ease the whole day in De Panne.

 

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Plopsaland De Panne