Walygator Parc

Walygator Parc
Location	Maizières-les-Metz, France
Website	www.walygatorparc.com
Opened	1989
Operating season	April – October
Area	42 ha
Rides	62 total 4 roller coasters 4 water rides

Walygator Parc is an amusement park located in Maizières-les-Metz, Lorraine, France. Since its opening, back in 1989, the park has taken on a variety of names; successively Big Bang Smurf, Walibi Schtroumpf (Smurf), Walibi Lorraine up to its present name Walygator Parc.

Contents 1 History 2 Walywood Project 3 For English speakers 4 Coasters 5 Other attractions 6 Water Rides 7 Food 7.1 Open during park hours 7.2 Open all Year 8 Location 9 External links

History

Tentatively named The New World Smurfs, the park eventually opened up on May 9, 1989 as Big Bang Smurf. Built on the site of the former steel mills of Sacilor, the park is then managed by Sorépark, a company headed by Pierre Jullien. Construction costs topped up €110 million.

• In 1991, the park, on the verge of bankruptcy, is taken over by Walibi Group. An orange kangaroo is brought alongside Peyo's little blue men: Walibi Schtroumpf was born.
• In 1998, parent Walibi Group is bought out by Premier Parks. At this point, the land on which sits Walibi Schtroumpf, totals 162 hectares of which only 42 are in use.
• In 2003, Walibi Schtroumpf becomes Walibi Lorraine and the Smurfs characters are withdrawn from the park.
• In 2004 Six Flags (Premier Parks successor), which had ownership of the park since 1998, divests itself from its European operation (apart from Parque Warner Madrid. The park changes hands to Star Parks, of London-based Palamon Partners.
• In 2006 Star Parks sells the park, in turn, to Claude and Didier Le Douarin. In the mean time, the licence to use the name Walibi is sold to French leisure giant Compagnie des Alpes. The new management team is left with no option but to adopt a new name.
• In 2007, the park opens its doors under a new name: Walygator Parc.
• In 2008, the park opens with five new attractions, including a ferris wheel and two new shows.
• In 2009, the park enters its twentieth season with two new rides and a new show, theWaly Mille Pates (kids mini railroad), Sheriff Academy (interactive cinema from "Alterface") and Le Cirque de Waly" (Family Biasini).
• In 2010, the park opens a new roller coaster, "The Monster", an inverted roller coaster from Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride had previously been anchored Expoland in Japan, and is a clone of Raptor at Cedar Point.
• In 2011, the park opens two attractions, the Krinoline and the Südseewellen.

Walywood Project

On May 14, 2009, Le Douarin brothers present another gigantic project Walywood which involves the creation by 2015 of a recreation and tourism area covering a surface of 19 ha, apart from the main park.

The project is expected to cost as much as 110 million €. On-site facilities include a conference centre, an auditorium of 800 seats, a mini-putting course, a water park, a children playground, a commercial village, a Hard Rock Cafe and a thousand of hotel rooms (a 4 star hotel of 100 rooms, a 3 star of 300 rooms and a 2 star of 600 rooms).

50 million € are planned to build a monorail connecting the centre of Amnéville to the park.

This is the final 650 jobs created over 500 full-time Philippe Brand???, Walywood: between dream and reality,

Le Republicain Lorrain, May 13, 2009.

For English speakers

Park staff, to the proximity of Germany has to speak German, some speak English.

Coasters

Name	Restrictions	Type	Maximum Height	Length	Maximum Speed	Manufacturer	Built	Duration	Image
Anaconda	> 120 cm	Wooden roller coaster	36 m	1200m	90 km/h	Bill Cobb	1989	2:30
Family Coaster	> 92 cm when accompanied by an adult	Kids' roller coaster	4m	132m	15 km/h	Pinfari	2007	1:30
Waly Coaster	> 120 cm.	Steel roller coaster	24m	590m	65 km/h	Vekoma	1989	1:25
The Monster	> 150 cm.	Inverted roller coaster	40m	1200m	90 km/h	Bolliger & Mabillard	2010	2:28

Other attractions

Name	Type	Manufacturer	Built	Comments
Caribean boat	Pirate ship	Huss Rides	1992
Dark tower	Space Shot	S&S	1998	Closed since le 01/01/2010
Polyp	Octopus	Anton Schwarzkopf	2009
Südseewellen	Orbiter	Anton Schwarzkopf	2011
Tang'Or	Topple Tower	Huss Rides	2005	Closed since le 01/01/2011

Water Rides

Name	Type	Manufacturer	Built	Comments
Aquachute	Descent inflatable boat	Van Egdom	1991
Rafting	River rafting ride	Alsthom and Soquet	1989	Right now closed for renovations
Rivière sauvage	Log flume	Soquet	1992
Splash kids	Log flume for kids	Zamperla	1989

Food

Open during park hours

• Croco'Pasta Bar: Refreshments, soft drinks, ice cream and a pasta bar
• Waly et la Chocolaterie (Waly and the Chocolate Factory)
• Croco Grill: grilled or fried food
• Croco Pizza; Pizzeria,
• Croco Gourmand: sandwiches, chips, drinks, popcorn, muffins
• Croco Magic: fries, chicken nuggets, cheeseburger, chocolate crepes, nutella, jam, candy, ice
• Waly Kebab: Donner Kebab
• Waly Waffle: Waffles granite.
• Croco Crep: Pancakes, hot dogs, and the like
• Croco Garden: Hot Dog, Beverage ...
• Village German: german's Sausage, german's beer

Open all Year

• L'Inconnu (The Unknown): Lounge Bar
• Gutschimontana: fine dining (New 2010)

Location

The park is located 15 km north of Metz, at 47.15984 N,2.988281 E. It is served by the eponymous SNCF station.

External links

• (French) official website Walygator Park
• (English) official website Walygator Park in English
• (French) News, videos and photos of the park
• (French) site containing the entire history of the park, Big Bang Smurf today through the time Walibi.