Walibi Holland Explained

Walibi Holland
Location:Biddinghuizen
Location2:Flevoland
Location3:Netherlands
Homepage:Official website
Owner:Compagnie des Alpes
General Manager:Mascha van Till-Taminiau
Opening Date:, Flevohof (old park)
Previous Names:Walibi World (2005–2010)
Six Flags Holland (2000–2004)
Walibi Flevo (1994–1999)
Flevohof (1971–1991)
Season:April - October
Rides:More than 40
Coasters:7
Water Rides:3
Other Rides:ca. 30
Slogan:Hard gaan| footnotes = }}

Walibi Holland (previously called Flevohof, Walibi Flevo, Six Flags Holland and Walibi World) is a theme park in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands.

History

The park was opened in 1971 as 'Flevohof'. It was an educational theme park themed after agriculture and farming. Having struggled to compete with more modern family attractions, Flevohof went bankrupt in 1993, and was subsequently purchased by the Walibi Group that autumn, who redeveloped the site as an amusement park. After a major winter-long programme of reconstruction the park reopened as Walibi Flevo on 7 May 1994, featuring the world's first Vekoma suspended looping coaster (SLC), El Condor.[1] The park also adopted the wallaby mascot of its sister park, Walibi Wavre in Belgium created in 1975 by Eddy Meeùs, a Belgian businessman. (The name 'Walibi', incidentally, is derived from the first two letters of three towns in Belgium put together to form a single word: Wavre - Limal - Bierges).

The Walibi parks, including Bellewaerde in Belgium, were purchased by Premier Parks Inc. in 1998, who subsequently overhauled the Flevo park, removing the 'Walibi' branding and building thirty new attractions as part of its transformation into Six Flags Holland in 2000. Six Flags's nominal expansion into Europe saw a similar refurbishment of the Belgian Walibi theme park, which was renamed to Six Flags Belgium. Both parks benefiting from the group's rights to use Warner Brothers characters within them, leading to the creation of a Looney Tunes-themed area and a powered-launch coaster themed around popular comic figure Superman, later changed to the Xpress.

In 2004, Six Flags Holland and its sister parks were purchased by financiers Palamon Capital Partners, who grouped the attractions under the name "StarParks". The park reverted to Walibi branding in 2005; numerous attractions having been rebranded as the sale of the parks also meant the loss of any references to Looney Tunes and DC Comics characters rights.

In the second half of 2006, the parks were sold for the second time in as many years to the French group Grévin & Cie (Compagnie des Alpes), most notably the operators of the French themed resort Parc Astérix, who also purchased two other Dutch attractions - the Dolfinarium Harderwijk and . In 2011 the park was renamed as Walibi Holland, which introduced new mascots.

The adjacent associated event grounds were originally developed with Scouting Nederland for the EuroJam 1994 and the 18th World Scout Jamboree in 1995. It is or has been the location of many festivals such as the Lowlands music festival and the Defqon.1 music festival.

Attractions

Present rides

Roller coasters

Name OpenedManufacturer TypeNotes
Drako 1992Family roller coasterRattlesnake (2011-2013)Wok's Waanzin (2005-2010)

Road Runner Express (2000-2004)

Keverbaan (1992-1999)

Condor1994Inverted roller coasterEl Condor (1994-2013)
2000BoomerangLa Via Volta (2000-2007)
2000Launched roller coasterXpress (2005-2013)Superman The Ride (2000-2004)

A clone of Rock N' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios

2002Mega Coaster
Lost Gravity2016Big Dipper
Untamed2019Hybrid roller coasterRMC conversion of Robin Hood (2000-2018)
Eat My Dust2023Junior Coaster J2SK 200m

Thrill rides

Name OpenedManufacturer TypeNotes
Blast2000Top SpinExcalibur (2000-2018)
G-Force 1998Enterprise
1998Space Shot Tower
Spinning Vibe2000HUSSHUSS MagicIl Gladiatore (2000-2010)
Skydiver2002FunTimeSkydiver
The Tomahawk 2000SBF VisaDance Party

Family rides

Name OpenedManufacturer TypeNotes
Fibi's Bubble Swirl2000SBF VisaWonder FlightSpotted Bubbles (2005-2010)Elmer's Weather Balloons (2000-2004)
Haaz Garage2000SBF VisaBig FootRocky's Trucks (2005-2010)Bugs Bunny's Trucking Company (2000-2004)
La Grande Roue 2000Giant Ferris Wheel
Le Tour Des Jardins 2000Antique Cars
Los Sombreros 1994Mexican Fiesta
Merlin's Magic Castle 2000Madhouse
Merrie Go'Round 1992CarouselCavalli Barocca (2000-2010)Galopant (1992-1999)
Pavillon de Thé 2000Teacups
Space Kidz2000SBF VisaTweety's ClubhouseOscar's Treehouse (2005-2008)Tweety's Tweehouse (2000-2004)
Super Swing 1992SwingsPiccolini (2000-2010)Wave Swinger (1992-1999)
Squad's Stunt Flight1994SBF VisaRed BaronJoe's Stunt Kite (2005-2010)Yosemite Sam's Flight School (2000-2004)

Red Baron (1994-1999)

Tequilla Taxi's 2000SBF VisaBumper CarsSpeedy's Taxis (2000-2004)
WAB World Tour2000SBF VisaLooney Tooter TrainHorn (2005-2010)Looney Toones Tooter (2000-2004)
Walibi Express 1994C.P. Huntington TrainSix Flags Express (2000-2004)WALIBI Express (1994-1999)

Flevohof Train (19??-1992)

Walibi's Fun Recorder2000SBF VisaCrazy CarsKoa's Komische Carts (2005-2010)Taz's Traffic Jam (2000-2004)
Zen's Graffity Shuttle2000SBF VisaFlying CoachFunny Lily (2005-2010)Daffy's Crazy Bus (2000-2004)
Wind Seekers2023Magic Bike

Water rides

Name OpenedManufacturer Type
Crazy River 1994Log Flume
El Rio Grande 1994River Rapids
Splash Battle 2005Interactive Boat Ride

Former rides / attractions

Name OpenedClosedManufacturer TypeNotes
Aztec20002009HUSSRainbowDemolished due to other Rainbows having issues.
Boris Klauter Island20052010Playground
Double Inverter20002004ChanceDouble InverterMoved to Walibi Rhone Alps
El Toro20002006HUSSBreakdanceMoved to Bellewaerde
20002010Steel Wild Mouse CoasterMoved to La Mer de Sable as Tiger Express
Kids Playground20052013Soft PlayPetanqueBoris Factory Balls (2005-2010)
Safari1982?1999Whirlgig
Sherwood's Revenge19952006HUSSTri-StarMoved to La Mer de Sable as Peroke
Tornado20002004ChanceChaosMoved to Walibi Aquitaine as Kosmic
Hudson Bay 19942016Pirate ShipReplaced by Lost Gravity
Waikki Wave19951999VekomaWaikiki WaveReplaced by Excalibur
Robin Hood20002018VekomaWooden CoasterReplaced by Untamed
Karting20002022Go Kart TrackRace Way Go Karts (2000-2010). Replaced by Eat my Dust and Wind Seekers

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. El Condor. Walibi Holland. 770. yes. 13 April 2012.