The Ride to Happiness

Plopsaland Belgium placed this new steel work at De Panne, close to the Belgian coast, where a visitor may pass from seaside air into a park of great mechanical ambition. The project was a substantial undertaking for the park, with its build cost listed at US$21 million. plopsa.com· theinvestigation.co.uk

On 15 January 2021, Plopsa announced the ride’s name and set out the scale of the enterprise. Mack Rides was named for the technical design, engineering, and construction, and the park’s own account described a coaster visible from the motorway and altering the skyline of Plopsaland Belgium. plopsanews.com· eap-magazin.de

The engineering was notable in Europe: an Xtreme Spinning Coaster whose cars rotate freely, sending each party of passengers through the course in its own fashion. The finished ride climbs 35 metres, reaches 90 km/h, and turns visitors upside down five times. plopsa.com· plopsanews.com

By July 2021, the new coaster was receiving its first passengers, with Blooloop reporting trial rides from 1 July ahead of the formal opening period. In later park listings, it remains operating, and Plopsaland Belgium notes its 2025 Golden Ticket Awards standing as Best Roller Coaster in Europe and fifth worldwide. blooloop.com· plopsa.com