Europe’s first “Hybrid” Coaster is headed to Walibi Holland. In a tweet from the park today, the park announced that their current Robin Hood coaster will open as a completely new roller coaster in 2019.
In 2019 gaan wij de Robin Hood ombouwen tot een compleet nieuwe achtbaan, kom jij voor die tijd nog langs voor een ritje? #hardgaan #walibiholland #newride pic.twitter.com/j2dFsN2RPw
— Walibi Holland (@WalibiHolland) February 6, 2018
(The loose translation here is: In 2019 We are going to convert the Robin Hood into a completely new roller coaster, do you come by for a ride for that time? #gofast #walibiholland #newride)
Digging deeper into the tweet’s replies, the park mentions that the new coaster will be a “mix of wood and steel,” which is all but confirmed as meaning that this will be a Rocky Mountain Construction conversion, the first such “hybrid conversion” in Europe. (Rocky Mountain’s other European coaster, Wildfire at Kolmården, was built from the ground up and not considered a hybrid.)
De Robin Hood wordt verbouwd tot een achtbaan bestaande uit een combinatie van hout en staal. Meer kunnen we hier op dit moment nog niet over zeggen! ^Anna
— Walibi Holland (@WalibiHolland) February 6, 2018
(Loose Translation: The Robin Hood is cultivated into a roller coaster consisting of a combination of wood and steel. We cannot say more about this at the moment! ^ Anna)
Robin Hood originally opened in 2000, when Walibi Holland was known as Six Flags Holland. It is one of just three Wooden Coasters to ever be manufactured by Vekoma. (Loup-Garou at Walibi Belgium and Thundercoaster at Tusenfryd are the other two.)
The park also confirmed on twitter Robin Hood will continue to operate its current version through the 2018 season before the conversion is made.
“Je kunt nog tot eind seizoen 2018 genieten van de Robin Hood zoals hij nu is!” the told a follower. (You can still enjoy the Robin Hood until the end of season 2018 as he is now!)
We gaan er van uit dat we alle verwachtingen gaan overstijgen, Kevin! 😉 ^Anna
— Walibi Holland (@WalibiHolland) February 6, 2018
Walibi was not ready to announce new ride specs or theming at the time of this posting. They do hope to “transcend all expectations,” however.
For more information be sure to follow Walibi Holland on Facebook and Twitter!
Combined with the news that White Lightning at Japan’s Nagashima Spa Land will also receive the RMC treatment, it seems like the folks at RMC are starting a bit of a “World Tour.” What other international coasters do you think will (or do you want to) receive the RMC treatment? Let us know in the comments below!
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