Walibi Belgium is a theme park located in Wavre, Walloon Brabant, Wallonia, Belgium, close to the city of Brussels. The park complex consists of the titular theme park and the Aqualibi indoor water park that is located next door. It is one of the largest theme parks in Belgium; with roughly 1.45 million visitors attending in 2018.
Initially established by entrepreneur in 1975, Walibi expanded into a chain of six amusement parks located across Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The park spent a brief period in the 2000s under the Six Flags brand following Walibi's sale to the American-based theme park operator, but was reverted after being sold to Palamon Capital Partners and eventually its current owners Compagnie des Alpes.
History
The park originally opened on 26 July 1975 by entrepreneur . The park's name; "Walibi", is an abbreviated play-on-words of three local districts within the province of Walloon Brabant near where the park sits - Wavre, Limal, and Bierges. A Wallaby (a macropod cousin of the kangaroo), which became , was used as the mascot of the park to fit in with its name. The park opened with children's attractions that were themed to the Belgian comic franchise Tintin, including and , of which the park held the license until the end of 1995. The park also opened with a water skiing section which remained until 1994.
An indoor water park, Aqualibi, opened next door to the park in 1987.
Six Flags Belgium In December 1997, with an interest to enter the European market and to compete with rival Disneyland Paris, the US-based Premier Parks (later Six Flags) announced that they would purchase a controlling stake in the from Eddy Meeùs. For 1998, the park opened up a new themed area based on the Lucky Luke franchise entitled "Lucky Luke City" which contained the world's largest drop tower attraction; entitled "Dalton Terror". The addition of the area marked the last new addition to the park under Meeùs' control. For 1999, Premier added three new attractions to the park intending to make it the flagship of Six Flags' European operations.
Shortly after Premier rebranded under the Six Flags name, plans were put into place for the park potentially being rebranded under the Six Flags umbrella. On December 29, 2000, Six Flags officially announced that the park would be renamed as Six Flags Belgium. with the park's official renaming was put into place in January. The relaunch of the park would coincide with over $30 million worth of investments and changes with the most major being the addition of Warner Bros. properties into the park, including attractions based on Looney Tunes and DC Comics characters; while Walibi would be replaced with Bugs Bunny as the park's new mascot. Despite the Americanisation of the park, the Belgian-based Lucky Luke would remain. The rebranding of the park was put in place after sister park Walibi Flevo's rebranding as Six Flags Holland led to a heavy boost in attendance. The park officially reopened under its new name on 28 April, after a delay from its originally intended opening of 8 April. On 24 November 2001, Eddy Meeùs died at the age of 76.
StarParks/Grévin & Cie Following financial difficulties and other issues, Six Flags announced the sale of their European Parks division to an undisclosed buyer on 15 March 2004. The purchaser was later revealed to be the London-based Palamon Capital Partners, who rebranded the chain as StarParks. The Warner Bros. license was not included in the sale. On April 16, Palamon announced that the park would rebrand back under the Walibi name for the 2005 season, following a fan-cast polling vote. At the end of the park's 2004 season on 7 November, it was announced that Six Flags Belgium would become Walibi Belgium upon the start of the park's 2005 season on 26 March, while Walibi would return as the park's mascot (although he had a semi-return at Aqualibi near the end of 2003(); having been on a four year "world tour" and being handed back the keys to the park from Bugs Bunny. A newly introduced group of characters (deemed his "world tour" friends) and a female counterpart named Walibelle were also introduced as part of the park's new storyline. These characters would appear in Walibi Folies, which would rebrand from Bugs Bunny Land, while the 3D cinema would replace the Looney Tunes show with SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D. Walibi's promotions director Dominique Fallon had proclaimed that former owner Eddy Meeùs had cited the Six Flags rebranding as a "mistake".
In March 2006, Palamon Capital Partners sold the Walibi chain, including Walibi Belgium, to Grévin & Cie, a subsidiary of Compagnie des Alpes. This was done for Palamon to focus its operations solely on sister park Movie Park Germany.
From 2012 to 2014, the Aqualibi waterpark underwent a major refurbishment, costing €11 million (US$16 million).
In March 2014, the park's license for Lucky Luke was not renewed.https://www.looopings.nl/weblog/2276/Walibi-Belgium-ontslaat-stripheld-Lucky-Luke.
In 2017, the park announced a 100 million euro make-over, featuring a re-theme of 75% of the park and adding several new rides. One of them being an Intamin megacoaster. html
Rides
Present rides Roller coasters
Name Photo Model Year opened ManufacturerArea Turbine (formerly Sirocco & Psyké Underground) Shuttle Loop 1982 SchwarzkopfDock World Calamity Mine Mine Train 1992 VekomaAdventure World Vampire Suspended Looping Coaster 1999 VekomaLoup Garou Zone Cobra Boomerang 2001 VekomaKarma World Loup Garou Wooden roller coaster 2001 VekomaLoup Garou Zone Pulsar Power Splash 2016 Mack RidesDock World Tiki-Waka Bobsled Coaster 2018 GerstlauerExotic World Fun Pilot Force 190 2019 ZiererFun World Kondaa Megacoaster 2021 IntaminExotic World Mecalodon Launch Coaster 2025 GerstlauerDock World
Water rides
Name ModelPhoto Year opened ManufacturerArea Radja River River rafting ride 1988 IntaminKarma World Flash-Back Log flume 1995 MACK RidesDock World
Thrill rides
Name TypePhoto Year opened ManufacturerArea Dalton Terror Drop tower 1998 IntaminAdventure World Buzzsaw Top Spin 2001 HUSS RidesAdventure World
Family attractions Name TypePhoto Year opened ManufacturerAreaGrand CarrouselCarousel1990Euro SujetsLoup Garou ZoneMelody RoadVintage car ride1979Mack RidesLoup Garou ZoneOctopusWipeout2000Chance RidesExotic WorldPalais du GénieMad House2001Vekoma Karma World Silverton Sidecar XL 2023 Technical ParkAdventure WorldSpinning VibeBreakdance2001HUSS ridesLoup Garou ZoneTapis VolantFlying carpet ride2001SBF VisaKarma WorldTiki-TrailPlayground2018?Exotic World Tous en Boîte Teacups 2001 Chance RidesDock WorldW.A.B Cinema 4D4D Cinema2005Sim-ExiwerksLoup Garou ZoneWave SwingerWave swinger2001ZiererLoup Garou Zone
Kids attractions NameTypePhotoYear openedManufacturerArea4x4 AdventureConvoy2001SBF Visa GroupFun WorldBubble SwirlSamba Balloon2001ZamperlaFun WorldFun RecorderRed Baron??Fun WorldGraffiti ShuttleCrazy Bus2001ZamperlaFun WorldGuitar RiffMini drop tower2000SBF Visa GroupAdventure WorldKids AirlinesRed Baron2000ETS Marcel LutzAdventure WorldKondaalaBarnstormer2001ZamperlaExotic WorldLittle SwingMini swing ride2000SBF Visa GroupAdventure WorldMini TourTrain ride2001ZamperlaFun WorldPoneysElectric horse riding track1979Metallbau EmmelnAdventure WorldSpinning TaxiMini teacups2000SBF Visa GroupAdventure WorldStormyWater carousel1999ZiererDock WorldTchou-Tchou ExpressTrain ride1990Metallbau EmmelnAdventure WorldTree HousePlayground2001?Fun World
Dark rides +NameTypePhotoYear openedManufacturerAreaChallenge Of TutankhamonInteractive darkride2003Sally CorporationExotic WorldPopcorn RevengeInteractive darkride2019ETF Ride SystemsKarma World
Former attractions
Roller coasters
Name TypePhoto Year opened Year closed ManufacturerCoccinelleTivoli19992017ZiererGrand 8Zyklon Z4719751983Pinfari Jumbo Jet Jet Star 1978 1991 Schwarzkopf Tornado Corkscrew with Bayerncurve 1979 2002 Vekoma Vertigo Mountain Glider 2007 2008 Doppelmayr
Other attractions +NameTypePhotoYear openedYear closedManufacturerBig YoyoParatower19811998VekomaBountyLooping Starship19932002IntaminGold River AdventureTow boat ride19782023IntaminGrand Prix Go KartingGo-karts20042008?InfernoEnterprise19752010HUSS RidesLa Grande RoueFerris wheel19792016VekomaLe Palais d'Ali BabaWater dark ride19852001?Le Secret de La LicorneWater dark ride19801995?MusicXpressMiniature railway19952017Severn LambRio GrandeLog flume19781994?Rio SaltoLog flume19861990?Sky DiverSkydiver20042006FuntimeTeleskiCable water ski19751994?Tuf Tuf ClubBumper Cars20012023ReverchonTurbo LiftTri Star19781984HUSS RidesWalibi's SecretFunhouse20142016JoraVision
Events
Summer Nights During 5 Saturdays in a row in July and August, Walibi Belgium has their late night openings. During those nights, the park remains open until 11:00 p.m. and offers additional entertainment. Each night ends with a firework show around the lake, sometimes with a themed show.
Halloween One of the events the park is known for is Halloween, traditionally during the last weekends of October and autumn holiday in Belgium. During Halloween, Walibi Belgium transforms into hell on earth with scary entertainment and other festivities. The park started celebrating Halloween in 2000 on a small scale, leading it to be one of the biggest Halloween events in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Since 2008, Walibi Belgium introduced a storyline around the event which is still running in 2013. Every year, the story has an open ending, making visitors curious for the following year. This happens during a finale show, including special effects, music and actors. The park also creates scare-zones, zones in the park that get a Halloween theme. The park is also known for their number of haunted houses during Halloween. For 2012 and 2013, guests were welcomed in 6 different haunted houses spread over the park. The haunted houses the park offers are nowadays known for their often strange locations and aggressive and violent actors.
For 4 to 5 days, the park also has Halloween nights, with the park staying open until 10 p.m. nightly.
Transport is in proximity.
See also Bellewaerde Walibi Holland Walibi Rhône-Alpes
References
External links
Walibi Belgium website