Wilkolak
Great Coasters International | Majaland Kownaty
Torzym, Lubusz, Poland
When Majaland Kownaty indoor theme park opened in September 2018, there were already plans in place to expand the park and open some outdoor attractions. That expansion is now underway with the headliner attraction “Wilkolak” (meaning “Werewolf”), a ride from Great Coasters International and Poland’s first wood coaster, stretching 618 meters.
Steve Van den Kerkhof, CEO of the Plopsa Group, which owns the park with Dutch investor group Momentum Capital, says the investment in a new wooden coaster follows a similar expansion in Belgium.
“We are very excited to open the first wooden coaster in Poland. When we opened our wooden coaster at Plopsaland De Panne (located in the Flemish region of Belgium), ‘Heidi The Ride,’ we were blown away by the success of it. It became instantly the most popular ride of the park. This was for Plopsa Group and Momentum Capital an important signal to invest further in the park and add a wooden coaster,” Van den Kerkhof says.
The coaster rises to a height of 22 meters and reaches a maximum speed of 71.3 kph. It runs two trains that accommodate 12 persons each. “The station is decorated as a haunted house, with the main character, our werewolf, howling on the roof,” says Van den Kerkhof. “In the queue lines, visitors pass small barns with some scare effects, similar to the effects that we’ve added to the ‘Sky Scream’ coaster at Holiday Park, Germany. However, they are less scary, as the coaster aims to a younger target group.”
Being the first wood coaster in Poland, “Wilkolak” offers Majaland Kownaty an opportunity to capitalize on the ride’s unique nature—a prospect not lost on Van den Kerkhof. “As tourism is growing in Poland, we are convinced our visitors will be very thrilled by the new ride. The coaster will be the fastest ride of the park, but still has a family-friendly approach to it. The visitors can enjoy a sensational first drop, where they have a clear overview of our outdoor area, followed by several surprises.”
When Majaland Kownaty indoor theme park opened in September 2018, there were already plans in place to expand the park and open some outdoor attractions. That expansion is now underway with the headliner attraction “Wilkolak” (meaning “Werewolf”), a ride from Great Coasters International and Poland’s first wood coaster, stretching 618 meters.
Steve Van den Kerkhof, CEO of the Plopsa Group, which owns the park with Dutch investor group Momentum Capital, says the investment in a new wooden coaster follows a similar expansion in Belgium.
“We are very excited to open the first wooden coaster in Poland. When we opened our wooden coaster at Plopsaland De Panne (located in the Flemish region of Belgium), ‘Heidi The Ride,’ we were blown away by the success of it. It became instantly the most popular ride of the park. This was for Plopsa Group and Momentum Capital an important signal to invest further in the park and add a wooden coaster,” Van den Kerkhof says.
The coaster rises to a height of 22 meters and reaches a maximum speed of 71.3 kph. It runs two trains that accommodate 12 persons each. “The station is decorated as a haunted house, with the main character, our werewolf, howling on the roof,” says Van den Kerkhof. “In the queue lines, visitors pass small barns with some scare effects, similar to the effects that we’ve added to the ‘Sky Scream’ coaster at Holiday Park, Germany. However, they are less scary, as the coaster aims to a younger target group.”
Being the first wood coaster in Poland, “Wilkolak” offers Majaland Kownaty an opportunity to capitalize on the ride’s unique nature—a prospect not lost on Van den Kerkhof. “As tourism is growing in Poland, we are convinced our visitors will be very thrilled by the new ride. The coaster will be the fastest ride of the park, but still has a family-friendly approach to it. The visitors can enjoy a sensational first drop, where they have a clear overview of our outdoor area, followed by several surprises.”