As part of a multi-year master plan and a €100m investment, Compagnie des Alpes is re-imagining its Belgian Walibi theme park as a collection of “worlds”, each with an immersive theme for its landscaping, attractions, restaurants, and shops. The first of these zones, which will reinforce existing themes and introduce new ones, is Exotic World, featuring a South Seas theme. Jora Vision was commissioned to bring this design to life.
The zone immerses guests in a tropical paradise, sprinkled with Walibi color and whimsy. The main attraction, called Tiki-Waka, is a single-car family coaster that reaches heights of up to 20m and speeds up to 55km/h. The ride is dressed in a tropical race car theme, with carved wooden textures and lush vegetation all around. For aesthetic reasons, the station building was to be made of real Robinia wood, seemingly tied together with rope. This presented a challenge. How to construct something which looks ramshackle, but isn’t? To achieve this, structural loads were tested at the Eindhoven University of Technology.
SLIDESHOW:
The façade of Challenge of Tutankhamon, the zone’s existing dark ride was redressed so that it now blends seamlessly into its surroundings. The theater too got a makeover, and is now called the Tiki-Theater.
The visual language of Exotic World, with its carved wood and fresh color scheme, extends to play elements all around. Tikis spray water, emit sounds and can be interacted with like musical instruments. Landscaping elements such as bridges and lighting are constructions made out of bamboo, wood, seashells and tropical foliage. The food & beverage outlet sports shading made of tikis and thatched parasols, and even the restrooms follow the theme.
“The project has been a complex one, but we’re very proud of the quality we’ve been able to deliver”, says Jan Maarten de Raad, C.E.O. of Jora Vision. “It’s a wonderfully immersive world full of details, and a lot of craftsmanship went into it.”
Jora Vision previously worked with Walibi Belgium on the indoor coaster Psyké Underground and splash coaster Pulsar. Exotic World is now open at Walibi Belgium.