Toverland Revitalizes Water Ride and Six Flags Qiddiya Takes Shape
Toverland Reimagines ‘Expedition Zork’ Ride
Toverland breathes new life into its “Expedition Zork” water rapids ride this spring with a brand-new storyline, theming, and surprises for guests to enjoy.
The renewal is an opportunity for the Netherlands park to revisit the Mack log flume ride, which has been entertaining guests inside and outside Toverland’s Wunderwald (Wonder Forest) hall since 2004.
“Toverland’s quality standard is getting higher and higher, and we think it’s very important to include our older themed areas, as well,” says General Director Jean Gelissen Jr. “Even in these special times, we want to continue investing. At the moment, we think that renewing ‘Expedition Zork’ fits best with our strategy.”
Visitors already float past a green ogre embedded in the ride’s rock work. But, until now, the park has never explored the character’s background. “‘Expedition Zork’s’ new storyline will connect all the existing elements of Wunderwald: an alpine village, an eccentric inventor, a water rapids ride, and an unknown mountain monster,” says Toverland’s Lead Creative and Senior Designer Peter van Holsteijn.
Six Flags Qiddiya Moves a Step Closer
The first Six Flags park in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is a step closer to reality after Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) awarded a 3.75 billion Saudi riyal contract to build Six Flags Qiddiya to Bouygues Bâtiment International (BBI)—a subsidiary of Bouygues Construction—and Saudi Almabani General Contractors. The park is taking shape at Qiddiya—set to be Saudi Arabia’s capital of entertainment, sports, and arts.
Six Flags Qiddiya covers 320,000 square meters. It will offer 28 rides and attractions, designed exclusively for Qiddiya, across six immersive lands: The City of Thrills, Discovery Springs, Steam Town, Twilight Gardens, Valley of Fortune, and Grand Exposition.
The team behind the park says it will feature five record-breaking rides: “Falcon’s Flight,” the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest coaster; “Sirocco Tower,” the world’s tallest free-standing shot tower ride; “Gyrospin,” the world’s tallest pendulum ride; “Spitfire,” the world’s tallest inverted top hat coaster; and “Iron Rattler,” the world’s tallest tilt coaster.
“We look forward to building Six Flags Qiddiya together, delivering a world-class theme park with several exciting new ride concepts,” says Abdullah Aldawood, board member and managing director at QIC. “Six Flags Qiddiya will be a key entertainment attraction for Riyadh, the Kingdom, and the world at large.”
