... hybrid coaster (a ride made of wood and steel) that has been very popular recently, and also opened at Polish Energylandia in August 2019.“Wilkolak” is a pleasant ride. It can be classified as a family attraction with a thrill. At its highest point, the structure reaches 22 meters, and the cars can go as fast as 71 km/h while moving along the 618 m track. Therefore, the technical parameters are not overwhelming, but the ride is interesting, smooth, and not boring.Thanks to the dynamic bends and interesting elements of the track, “the Werewolf” keeps the passengers on their toes and makes it difficult to forget the ride.
The “Werewolf” is identical to “Heidi the Ride” at Plopsaland De Panne in Belgium. Its estimated construction cost was 7.5 million Euro. One car can carry 12 passengers, but two trains can run at the same time - thanks to this possibility, the maximum throughput of the structure is 635 people per hour.
The coaster stretches across almost the entire length of the outer and the inner area of Majaland Kownaty. The wooden structure blocks the view of the park from the side of the main access road perfectly, so the guests arriving at Majaland see the “Werewolf” first, and the other, smaller rides appear before their eyes afterwards.
Further Investments
During the opening of “Wilkolak”, Steve Van den Kerkhof (CEO of Plopsa) and Martijn van Rheenen (President of Momentum Capital) officially an - nounc ed that at the beginning of 2020 summer season the offer of Majaland Kownaty will be en - riched by “Splash Battle” - a water ride built by Mack Rides, and the “Disc’o Coaster” created by Zamperla. As in Plopsaland De Panne, the attractions will be adorned with motifs from the “Wickie the Viking” cartoon. Majaland Kownaty is currently the fastest growing amusement park managed by the Plopsa Group.
Majaland Kownaty
In 2008, an Amsterdam-based Dutch fund - Momentum Capital - purchased 200 hectares of land next to the A2 motorway - which at that time was still in its planning stage - that was to connect Warsaw and Berlin. The Dutch investors from Momentum Capital considered various options of land develop ment, of which the most spectacular idea was to create a park in cooperation with the French firm Puy du Fou. Eventually, Momentum Capital concluded a contract with a Belgian group called Studio 100, the owners of the Plopsa parks. Studio 100 is first and foremost a well-known media entity in Belgium, a holder of copyrights to Maya the Bee - a character that is popular both in Poland and in Germany.
Majaland Kownaty has been operating since September 2018, and is the first amusement park in Poland to feature sheltered rides and roller coasters. Majaland Kownaty, like most Plopsa parks, is divided into an indoor and outdoor zone. Such a concept is perfect for countries where the weather is not always sunny and it frequently rains. The Majaland attractions are design - ed for both children and their parents - the idea behind the whole park is to provide family entertainment.
FAST FACTS
■ Opening: 29 June 2019
■ Track length: 618 m
■ Track height: 22 m
■ Max. speed: 71 km/h
■ Ride time: 1:30 min
■ Pure ride time: 65 sec
■ 2 trains for 12 p. each
■ Capacity: 635 pph
■ Manufacturer: Great Coasters, Sunbury, USA
■ Operator: Majaland Kownaty, Torzym, Poland