The ‘Tourist Centre of Bellewaerde’ first opened its doors in 1954 when founder Albert Florizoone saw what had been his dream come to fruition. In his ornithological park adults could admire different species of exotic birds while children could enjoy the Kabouterland (land of gnomes) with its animatronics.

When Florizoone passed away in 1967 his sons decided to remodel the park and transformed it into a safari park in which visitors could walk around among the animals, including Mony the elephant.

In 1972 the lion park was opened with guests being able to admire the animals close up from small safari trains, while two years later further expansion saw the addition of Bengal tigers. Soon after, the collection of exotic animals was enhanced with the addition of giraffes, zebras, antelopes, flamingos, gnus and other species. In 1978 a new zone was created known as the Jungle, with high cliffs and steaming cascades transporting visitors to the heart of a jungle.

The 1980s witnessed the start of the addition of many rides and attractions. The beginning of the decade saw the introduction of the first real aquatic attraction, the River Splash from Reverchon Industries, a wild water course that still operates today and is one of the park’s most popular attractions. The following year saw the opening of Frontier City, later renamed Far West, a cowboy village with a saloon, shops and attractions such as the Oldtimers and the Beetle Track roller coaster.

A monorail was added a year later while in 1984 a new Mexican village was constructed featuring, among other things, the Boomerang coaster, a world first example of the ride from Vekoma. The famous divers from the Acapulco Show also gave their first performance at the park in the same year. The Mexican village was expanded in 1986 following the purchase of additional land adjacent to the area. The latter part of the decade also saw the addition of the Bengal Rapid River, by Vekoma and Space Leisure, and Peter Pan and the Big Shute, a giant waterslide with inflatable rafts.

 

1990 saw a change of ownership for the park when the Walibi Group purchased the venue. Further attractions were added as the years went by, these including the Los Piratas dark ride, Niagara from Interlink, the highest waterfall in Europe, and the Voodoo River, which replaced the Spike and Suzy adventure attraction.

A further change of ownership came in 1998 when the Walibi Group was taken over by Premier Parks, the following year seeing the addition of several new attractions, including the Screaming Eagle shot ‘n drop tower from Huss Park Attractions, the Magic House of Houdini and the Flying Carousel.

As the new millennium progressed, Bellewaerde introduced a Halloween event in 2001 with special theming throughout, while the following year saw Pepinoland being fully renovated and transformed to become KidsPark, with seven new rides for younger guests.

As it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004, the park welcomed two Indian elephants and a new event, Wild Wild West, a country and western festival, while in the same year Bellewaerde and six other parks within the group were taken over by Palamon Capital Partners, with the European group becoming Starparks.

El Volador, also from Huss, a world premiere attraction located in the Mexico area, made its debut in 2005 and the park opened its doors for the first time over the Christmas holidays in the same year. The following year yet another change in ownership occurred when Compagnie des Alpes acquired the park, while in the years up to the end of the noughties, animal facilities such as the Island of Monkeys and the Savanne and various new films in the 4D Cinema were added.

 

In April 2011, Jungle Mission opened, this being an aquatic attraction from Intamin that takes the whole family on an expedition into the heart of the jungle. Since its inception, the ‘peculiarity’ of Bellewaerde had been to combine attractions, nature and animals to provide visitors with an experience full of emotion, discovery and a change of scenery. Jungle Mission fulfilled that objective perfectly.

Recognised officially as a zoo a few years earlier, Bellewaerde continued to add to its animal stock the following year with the introduction of a group of European bison, a highly endangered species. ‘Lion proof’ jeeps were also introduced, providing children with another way to view these animals.

The thrills were ramped up further in 2013 with the introduction of Huracan, an indoor-outdoor family coaster from Zierer. Representing the park’s largest investment since 1999, at €4m, the ride incorporates unique features, special effects and on-board music, and takes visitors to Huracan, the mythical figure from Mayan history.

Celebrating its 60th. anniversary in 2014, the park underwent a ‘style metamorphosis’ with a new logo and branding. The new look is said to reflect both “the desire to build a strong bond within the family and the desire to assert the uniqueness of Bellewaerde.” The park also welcomed endangered Amur Leopards and joined an international breeding programme during the year.

A brand new Stunt and Dive Show was introduced the following year, while two years later, in 2017, a double European first was revealed with the opening of the duelling Alpine coaster from Weigand, Dawson Duel. Representing an investment of €4m and built on a non-natural hillside, the attraction consists of two parallel tracks which allow visitors to start a ‘duel’ with each other during a race to the finish at ground level. The experience commences from among the tree tops on an impressive 25m high tower.

In total, Bellewaerde has 29 attractions, 21 of which are accessible to guests from just 1m in height. It has five water attractions, a KidsPark with nine attractions, a 4D Cinema and a variety of thrill rides. It accommodates approximately 25 different animal species and as part of EAZA (the European Association for Zoos and Aquaria) it participates in different EEPs (European Endangered Species Programmes) to play an important role in the conservation of a number of animals.

 

The park has two self-service restaurants, the Carrousel and the Texas Grill, along with several fast food and snack outlets throughout the site. Four souvenir shops provide various retail offerings.

Bellewaerde targets families with children aged between six and 12 and receives approximately 750,000 annual visitors per annum, about 70 per cent of whom are from the target market. 60 per cent of these come from Belgium with another 35 per cent from France.

In addition to all that is currently on offer, in 2017 it was announced that €17m would be invested in a new indoor waterpark at Bellewaerde, with a planned opening date of spring 2019. Bellewaerde Aquapark, as it will be known, will cover a total of around 3,000sq.m and is located in the parking lot near the Meenseweg. A wide range of waterslides and water play elements, including a play zone and kiddie pool, will be incorporated into the new facility within an oasis of greenery. A lazy river will take guests through the entire park and a wellness zone will also be provided. An outdoor area will be available during the warmer summer months.

Construction of the waterpark began in January 2018 and in addition to the attractions on offer, the facility will also contribute to the environment. A special water recuperation system will be used to limit the use of water, which will reduce the amount of waste water. The little waste water produced will be purified in Bellewaerde’s own waste water treatment plant.

2019 is clearly set to be a memorable year for the park with this latest major development and the investment being made is a reflection of parent company Compagnie des Alpes’ faith in the continued popularity and success of the venue as it moves into its 65th. season.

 

At a glance

  • Founded in 1954 by Albert Florizoone
  • Transformed into a safari park in 1967
  • Acquired by the Walibi Group in 1990
  • Huracan coaster from Zierer added in 2013
  • Approximately 750,000 annual visitors per annum
  • 60 per cent of visitors are from Belgium
  • New indoor waterpark, Bellewaerde Aquapark, due to open in 2019

 

www.bellewaerde.be

www.bellewaerdeaquapark.be