New GCI Wooden Roller Coaster to Open in Belgium in 2016

© Plopsaland De Panne

Belgium's Plopsaland De Panne will be building a family-sized Great Coasters International wooden roller coaster for the park's 2016 season.  After some teasing with the park's fans, the reveal of the ride's theme and concept art was recently done on Facebook, which is where the above image is from.

The ride will feature a very elaborate station and queue area, themed to one of the owner's many television intellectual properties.  I like how the redevelopment will closely incorporate the park's splash ride near the ride's main plaza as well.

© Plopsaland De Panne

As for the details of the ride, the park released this schematic that shows exactly what to be expected.  The ride is an out and back design, with one cross over in the middle of the layout.  It will stand around 75 feet at the top of the lift hill, meaning it will be thrilling but still family friendly.

After looking at this a bit my mind was telling me it seemed familiar, and then it clicked.  I felt like I rode this already last fall....

Which is because the layout is nearly the exact same as that of White Lighting at Fun Spot America, another Great Coasters design.  With no doubt in my mind I will proclaim that this is a great thing, as I really enjoyed the zippy design of White Lightning, so much that I think I put on Twitter that every park should have a ride like it.  It's not too intimidating that it scares away younger riders, it's fast but comfortable, has air and laterals and just screams roller-coaster-fun.  (and no this is not a paid endorsement by Fun Spot!)

So while it looks like the new Plopsaland ride will have much more theming than the Orlando version, I have a feeling riders in Belgium will be quite pleased when the ride opens next year!