Walibi Holland

Walibi Holland
Previously known as Walibi World (2005–2010); Six Flags Holland (2000–2004); Walibi Flevo (1994–1999); Flevohof (1971–1991)
Location	Biddinghuizen, Flevoland, Netherlands
Coordinates	52°26′24″N 5°45′45″E / 52.44000°N 5.76250°E
Opened	1971, Flevohof (old park)
Owner	Compagnie des Alpes
General manager	Mascha van Till-Taminiau
Slogan	Hard gaan
Operating season	April - October
Attractions
Total	More than 40
Roller coasters	8
Water rides	3
Other rides	ca. 30
Website	Official website

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 Avonturenpark Hellendoorn [nl]. 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	Opened	Manufacturer	Type	Notes
Drako	1992	Zierer	Family roller coaster	Rattlesnake (2011-2013) Wok's Waanzin (2005-2010) Road Runner Express (2000-2004) Keverbaan (1992-1999)
Condor	1994	Vekoma	Inverted roller coaster	El Condor (1994-2013)
Speed of Sound	2000	Vekoma	Boomerang	La Via Volta (2000-2007)
Xpress: Platform 13	2000	Vekoma	Launched roller coaster	Xpress (2005-2013) Superman The Ride (2000-2004) A clone of Rock N' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Goliath	2002	Intamin	Mega Coaster
Lost Gravity	2016	Mack Rides	Big Dipper
Untamed	2019	Rocky Mountain Construction	Hybrid roller coaster	RMC conversion of Robin Hood (2000-2018)
Eat My Dust	2023	Zamperla	Junior Coaster J2SK 200m
YoY	2025	Rocky Mountain Construction	Single-rail roller coaster	Two tracks, one family oriented, and one thrill oriented with 6 inversions^[2]

Thrill rides

Name	Opened	Manufacturer	Type	Notes
Blast	2000	HUSS	Top Spin	Excalibur (2000-2018)
G-Force	1998	HUSS	Enterprise
Space Shot	1998	S&S Worldwide	Space Shot Tower
Spinning Vibe	2000	HUSS	HUSS Magic	Il Gladiatore (2000-2010)
Skydiver	2002	FunTime	Skydiver
The Tomahawk	2000	SBF Visa	Dance Party

Family rides

Name	Opened	Manufacturer	Type	Notes
Fibi's Bubble Swirl	2000	SBF Visa	Wonder Flight	Spotted Bubbles (2005-2010) Elmer's Weather Balloons (2000-2004)
Haaz Garage	2000	SBF Visa	Big Foot	Rocky's Trucks (2005-2010) Bugs Bunny's Trucking Company (2000-2004)
La Grande Roue	2000	Vekoma	Giant Ferris Wheel
Le Tour Des Jardins	2000	Chance Rides	Antique Cars
Los Sombreros	1994	Soriani & Moser	Mexican Fiesta
Merlin's Magic Castle	2000	Vekoma	Madhouse
Merrie Go'Round	1992	SBF Visa	Carousel	Cavalli Barocca (2000-2010) Galopant (1992-1999)
Pavillon de Thé	2000	Chance Rides	Teacups
Space Kidz	2000	SBF Visa	Tweety's Clubhouse	Oscar's Treehouse (2005-2008) Tweety's Tweehouse (2000-2004)
Super Swing	1992	Zierer	Swings	Piccolini (2000-2010) Wave Swinger (1992-1999)
Squad's Stunt Flight	1994	SBF Visa	Red Baron	Joe's Stunt Kite (2005-2010) Yosemite Sam's Flight School (2000-2004) Red Baron (1994-1999)
Tequilla Taxi's	2000	SBF Visa	Bumper Cars	Speedy's Taxis (2000-2004)
WAB World Tour	2000	SBF Visa	Looney Tooter Train	Horn (2005-2010) Looney Toones Tooter (2000-2004)
Walibi Express	1994	Chance	C.P. Huntington Train	Six Flags Express (2000-2004) WALIBI Express (1994-1999) Flevohof Train (19??-1992)
Walibi's Fun Recorder	2000	SBF Visa	Crazy Cars	Koa's Komische Carts (2005-2010) Taz's Traffic Jam (2000-2004)
Zen's Graffity Shuttle	2000	SBF Visa	Flying Coach	Funny Lily (2005-2010) Daffy's Crazy Bus (2000-2004)
Wind Seekers	2023	Zamperla	Magic Bike

Water rides

Name	Opened	Manufacturer	Type
Crazy River	1994	Mack Rides	Log Flume
El Rio Grande	1994	Vekoma	River Rapids
Splash Battle	2005	Preston & Barbieri	Interactive Boat Ride

Former rides / attractions

Name	Opened	Closed	Manufacturer	Type	Notes
Aztec	2000	2009	HUSS	Rainbow	Demolished due to other Rainbows having issues.
Boris Klauter Island	2005	2010		Playground
Double Inverter	2000	2004	Chance	Double Inverter	Moved to Walibi Rhone Alps
El Toro	2000	2006	HUSS	Breakdance	Moved to Bellewaerde
Flying Dutchman Gold Mine	2000	2010	Mack Rides	Steel Wild Mouse Coaster	Moved to La Mer de Sable as Tiger Express
Kids Playground	2005	2013	Soft Play	Petanque	Boris Factory Balls (2005-2010)
Safari	1982?	1999		Whirlgig
Sherwood's Revenge	1995	2006	HUSS	Tri-Star	Moved to La Mer de Sable as Peroke
Tornado	2000	2004	Chance	Chaos	Moved to Walibi Aquitaine as Kosmic
Hudson Bay	1994	2016	HUSS	Pirate Ship	Replaced by Lost Gravity
Waikki Wave	1995	1999	Vekoma	Waikiki Wave	Replaced by Excalibur
Robin Hood	2000	2018	Vekoma	Wooden Coaster	Replaced by Untamed
Karting	2000	2022		Go Kart Track	Race Way Go Karts (2000-2010). Replaced by Eat my Dust and Wind Seekers

References

^ Marden, Duane. "El Condor (Walibi Holland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
^ (in Dutch)"Walibi Holland onthult naam van nieuwe rollercoaster: YoY". Looopings. September 24, 2024.

External links

[1] Marden, Duane. "El Condor (Walibi Holland)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 13 April 2012.

[2] (in Dutch)"Walibi Holland onthult naam van nieuwe rollercoaster: YoY". Looopings. September 24, 2024.

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