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Walibi Belgium ready for its transformation!

KristofWB

Hyper Poster
An article appeared in a French-Belgian newspaper, featuring an interview with the parks manager Jean-Christophe Parent. In this interview, mr. Parent explains the growing popularity of Walibi Belgium in France, growing number of visitors for aswell Walibi Belgium as its waterpark Aqualibi, its competition with parks such as Plopsaland De Panne, Belgian zoo Pairi Daiza and Efteling,...

Mr. Parent also said that big changes and major improvements are in sight for the park. Starting from 2018 till 2023, the park will have a profound reconfiguration, concerning 70% of the whole park being 'transformed' by the start of 2023. There are no details given further, because some of the right permits still have to be delivered, but this 'transformation' will have a budget of tens of million euros.

At this moment, there are rumors that in the very near future, a big new rollercoaster and a brand new dark-ride is rumored for the park.

Source: l'Avenir - april 2017
 

ECG

East Coast(er) General
Staff member
Administrator
Ten million Euros isn't a heck of a lot for a new coaster, new dark ride and a park transformation. Upgrading and improving the park will bite into it, so it'll be interesting to see exactly what they get with that budget.
 

peep

CF Legend
I'm intrigued to see how this park changes over the next few years, a shame this is probably an end for the WAB characters.
 

KristofWB

Hyper Poster
I'm intrigued to see how this park changes over the next few years, a shame this is probably an end for the WAB characters.

Actually, the WAB characters in the Belgian and Dutch Walibi parks are gone for like two years now. Only in Walibi Rhône-Alpes the mascots are still present in the park. For Walibi Holland, even the kangaroo is disappeared since a season or two. In Walibi Belgium, the kangaroo and the Fibi character are the only two characters that can be seen in the park.
 

Pokemaniac

Mountain monkey
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Ooh, big new rollercoaster? Wonder what it'll be? Something like Test Track that recently opened at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is obviously a hot candidate. But they could also feasibly get an Intamin Impulse coaster, or a Sky Rocket, or maybe even a Vekoma Big Air or a GIB. If we're really unlucky, it may just be an extended Disc-O or a Family Boomerang. I guess an Intamin Half Pipe isn't totally out of the question either.
 

TheCoasterCruiser

Giga Poster
^ Nah, it'll be dueling butterfly's
Joking aside this is obviously good news. The park seems to be going in the right direction and seeing a big - full circuit (GOD FORBID IT) - roller coaster added in the coming years would be great! - Btw. I absolutely adore Pulsar <3
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
Given that Walibi seem to have started a good relationship with Mack, I could see them getting one of those Xtreme spinning coasters Mack announced last year. Get the turntable or switch track station, then they've got a decent, compact, ride, and it'll be different enough to the other coasters on park.
 

KristofWB

Hyper Poster
A spokesman from Walibi Belgium has confirmed to Dutch website 'Looopings' that their are big plans with Walibi Belgium. Some of the plans will be revealed in June!
 

KristofWB

Hyper Poster
Tomorrow, Walibi Belgium will send around a press release about their big changes for the following 5 years. Some things that already appeared in Belgian newspaper 'La Capitale':

* La Coccinelle, the parks kiddiecoaster will be removed from the park after 18 years of service. A brand new ride will open during Easter holiday 2018. Removal and construction of this new ride will begin in September.
* An expansion from 700 square meters for Aqualibi, Walibi's waterpark.
* Walibi Belgium will remove several little rides from the park the following 5 years and replace them with new rides. Two to three signature major rides are expected to open between 2018 and 2023.
* Expected budget for this, what they call 'transformation' and as we can see, new rides: 100 million euros!

More news tomorrow!
 

TilenB

Strata Poster
* La Coccinelle, the parks kiddiecoaster will be removed from the park after 18 years of service. A brand new ride will open during Easter holiday 2018. Removal and construction of this new ride will begin in September.
My money is on a Vekoma Family Boomerang. Or dueling Butterflies...
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
As much as people love to joke about the place having shuttle style coasters, I do think a junior boomerang would be a good fit for the place.

Be interesting to see what exactly they add in 2018 though, since removing the ferris wheel leaves a pretty big space too which they'll presumably want to fill quickly.
 

Hixee

Flojector
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
* La Coccinelle, the parks kiddiecoaster will be removed from the park after 18 years of service. A brand new ride will open during Easter holiday 2018. Removal and construction of this new ride will begin in September.
@Jake, will be relieved! ;)

They can't get a Junior Boomerang. They just can't... surely? :D
 

Alaeriia

Roller Poster
I don't get the shuttle coaster thing. They've got three, each of which is a fundamentally different experience (launch into loop, reverse chain pull, water ride with volley launch). They also had that weird chairlift coaster thing in '07 (how was that, anyway? Looked like a glorified sky ride to me). I think the Pulsar decision was to add a high-thrill water ride and the shuttle splash was the smallest option. Odds are they'll be putting in a full-circuit design with a lift. Either a Big Dipper or a Mack Mega-Lite.
 
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