Looking back over 2007
Last season Bobbejaanland headed in a new direction, which proved highly successful. Besides its traditional assets – attractive verdant surroundings, friendly staff, short queues and over 50 attractions – there has been heavy investment in the park experience. Horse Show The Legend and the B00H!-show were a big hit with the whole family. The various street entertainers put people in a holiday mood.
Bobbejaanland also staged a packed programme of events. In collaboration with partners like Het Laatste Nieuws and VTM, there were performances from Udo and Natalia, and we organised the "Tien Om Te Zien Classic". The circus opening and Kids’ Halloween’ closing events were also a great success.
The 4D theatre – the new attraction in 2007 – could look forward to being equally successful. During the 4D film ‘Haunted House’, visitors were taken on a trip through a really spooky house, …
The combination of new attractions, street animation, quality shows and a well-filled programme of events made the 2007 season the best-ever. Their 25 millionth visitor was proof of the appeal of Bobbejaanland. Even Kim Clijsters bade farewell here to the huge number of fans who came to see her at Bobbejaanland.
All these elements combined to ensure that Bobbejaanland was the world’s most pleasant country, a top-class modern theme park for the whole family.
All of this was more than enough reason to continue on the same path this season too.
Bobbejaanland invests 5 million euro
A series of studies confirmed the gut feeling that staff had in Bobbejaanland: theme park visitors want above all else to escape from reality. Both children and adults want to be immersed in a holiday atmosphere, an imaginary world of fun and entertainment. This has been translated into a number of important park investments. The square at the park entrance has been given a thorough facelift. Fun areas have been set aside in the park where families can take unique photos. They have even laid out 2 beaches where you can cross the water on a raft.
However, most attention was devoted to the construction of two brand new attractions: Banana Battle and King Kong. You will find both attractions in the Banana Jungle, a themed area, specially created for our new attractions.
Banana Jungle
The Banana Jungle is a completely themed area, a primeval forest of some 2, 500 m², completely under cover. With 300 seats, it is the busiest catering outlet in the park. It will be supplemented with the Bamboo Bar, where you can eat a healthy snack or just take a break. You will find the Banana Jungle in front of the former entrance of the Revolution.
The Revolution, which is still one of the most popular attractions at Bobbejaanland, will be given a new theme and a new entrance, to match the Banana Jungle theme.
Banana Battle: an original concept
The first of two new attractions within the Banana Jungle is the Banana Battle. This is an interactive boat trip within an adventurous "jungle" setting. Together with family or friends, you navigate the mysterious River Amazon, and battle with water cannons not just against the monkeys, snakes and crocodiles, but most of all against each other!
What is special about this attraction is the way it is set up: the Banana Battle is a "dark ride", in other words the first indoor "splash battle" ever. In addition, this attraction offers extremely appealing targets, and not just water targets: you can also shoot at the people in the other boats. Why are they building the Banana Battle? Because water attractions are the most popular attractions among their visitors.
The Banana Battle has a capacity of 700 people per hour, is 110 metres long, lasts about 5 minutes, and cost 3, 000, 000 €.
The attraction is expected to be completed by the beginning of May.
King Kong: a world premiere
If you venture deeper into the jungle, then you will come face to face with King Kong. With this attraction, you take a bus, which is lifted twelve metres into the air by the giant gorilla and shaken around. Mist and sound effects complete the experience. An unforgettable ride, and a world premiere, because you will not find this attraction in any other park in the world! The King Kong takes 24 people on each ride, and has a capacity of 600 visitors per hour. The King Kong is built by Hüss, a German company specialising in the design of theme park attractions, and also built the Sledge Hammer, the Fly Away and the Flying Orca for Bobbejaanland. The total investment in this attraction is 1, 500, 000 €.
The King Kong will be operational from the beginning of July.
Shows & street entertainment – Of course, Bobbejaanland is far more than a park full of exciting attractions. Our shows and street entertainment will also be a fixture in this year’s programme. All year round, the world’s most pleasant country treats its visitors to spectacular shows and great acts in various settings and venues throughout the park. All shows are staged in cooperation with Zuiderkroon Events, the production house that has already proven that it can put on fantastic shows.
Horse Show
Arne is a 10 year-old boy, with an incredible admiration for horses. When he goes to sleep, he always dreams about them. He dreams of plains with wild horses, Zorro’s valiant steed, jockeys riding their horses around the racetrack at incredible speed, Lucky Luke and Jolly Jumper, … On a screen in the middle of the stage, the projected images of Bob’s dreams give rise to unique scenes featuring our 8 stunt riders. Zorro, Lucky Luke and Spirit are brought to life in an original manner in this lively and surprising show. At the end of the show, dream and reality merge in a sparkling finale.
BOOH!
Don Carlos has definitely had enough. Two years in a row, he has come off worst in the Bobbejaanland shows. The battle to establish whose show it really is, has gone against him every time. But this time around, he has been able to work on it for a whole year, and he is better prepared than ever before. Humour, dance and music are important ingredients once again, but due to the use of the decor from the series, the story will become more important. The atmosphere created by the VTM television series is transferred onto the Bobbejaanland stage in this third edition of the BOOH! show.
