Plopsaland Belgium in De Panne has announced a €25 million expansion with the new Plopsaland Plaza, which includes a new flying theatre attraction and more.
With the addition of Plopsaland Plaza, the largest expansion in the park's history, Plopsaland Belgium said it is transforming into a resort destination, and aims to welcome 2 million visitors annually.
Studio 100 co-founder Hans Bourlon said: "We strongly believe in the potential of the Plopsaland Resort here in De Panne. With Plopsaland Plaza ,we are lifting our resort to an international level and, through this investment, want to set a new standard in experience and quality.
"We are continuing to build Plopsaland as the ultimate entertainment destination on the coast."
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Due to open in 2027, Plopsaland Plaza will serve as the resort's central hub, providing the new flying theatre attraction, a bowling alley, the main station of the Plopsa Express, and the Grand Café.
The new attraction by Mack Rides is described as the first of its kind in Europe, with visitors able to fly across the continent alongside Studio 100 character Maya the Bee.
Riders will be seated in moving gondolas within a giant dome screen. During the day, guests will join Maya the Bee, and by night, different film experiences will be shown.
Gert Verhulst, also co-founder of Studio 100, said: "Maya is a perfect fit for a flying cinema. Visitors will soon take a flight across Europe together with Maya. It is remarkable that we can link a character who appeals to so many generations with such an innovative attraction.
"That makes the experience even stronger."
Plopsaland Plaza to open in 2027
For the attraction's projection and audio, Plopsaland is partnering with Barco, a technology company specialising in innovative visualisation solutions.
Plopsa Group's CEO Carl Lenaerts said: "This is a milestone in the history of Plopsaland. Never before have we invested on such a large scale.
"With Plopsaland Plaza we want not only to attract 2 million visitors per year, but above all to strengthen our position as one of Europe’s leading leisure resorts."
Domien De Witte, vice president of sales and marketing at Barco, said: “Barco is proud to be chosen as the AV technology partner for the construction of this flying theatre. By using our cutting-edge QDXs N4K RGB projectors, we aim to deliver an unparalleled visual experience."
Plopsa, the theme park division of Studio 100, operates theme parks across Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland.
