Park News
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Group’s new look is music to guests’ ears
Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) plans to make Walibi “a landmark brand in European family entertainment” with a new family of characters that will extend the life of the franchise outside of its four Walibi theme parks in France,
Belgium and the Netherlands. The chain’s famous kangaroo mascot has been given a more modern and edgy look (as seen above), pitching him and his friends closer to the “tween” market. To achieve this, the project team from CDA engaged some of the best design, scriptwriting, cinema, sculpture and costume-making talent. The central theme for Walibi’s new world is music, and the characters have been divided into two competing rock bands, WAB and The SkunkX, with rival songs called Hello World and We are The SkunkX. Their musical battles will be turned into comic strips, games, music and video clips available via the Walibi website. Inside the parks, guests can see the characters perform in new live shows and as stars of their own 4D adventure. “The creative work went much further than simply
re-inventing our mascot,” highlights Serge Naïm, CDA deputy director general. “We wanted to create a major European brand in family entertainment – personalities
and a universe which people would want to take home with them, and with whom they want to live even outside the parks.”
Belgium has a rich tradition of animation and families were first introduced to the Walibi kangaroo mascot and logo 35 years ago when the original Walibi park was opened in Wavre near Brussels by creator Eddy Meeùs. For a brief spell the Walibi name disappeared during the ownership of Six Flags, but was reintroduced by new owners Palamon Capital Partners in 2005. A year later CDA acquired four parks including the Walibi Belgium operation in Wavre, Walibi World in Holland and Walibi Aquitaine and Walibi Rhône Alpes in France. Walibi Lorraine, sold to a French fairground family, is now known as Walygator and no longer part of the chain. The four remaining Walibi parks entertain 2.8 million guests a year. The fresh look for Walibi, work on which began three years ago, is part of Compagnies des Alpes new “Great parks, Great brands” focus, which aims to, “Increase its growth potential and multiple its capacity for expansion.” Earlier this year CDA sold some of its smaller parks to HIG Capital France and Laurent Bruloy, while taking a 45% stake in Futuroscope, from which many of the group’s creative efforts will now be lead. By 3012, €15 will have been invested in the Walibi parks.
Speed of Sound at Walibi Holland, themed by P&P Projects in keeping with Walibi’s new look
Intellectual property (IP) is becoming big business at parks in Europe. To discover how operators in Great Britain are developing new branded attractions, read “IP UK” starting on page 26.
JUNE 2011
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