What's new
Wow that would be such an awesome entrance to a plaza around the station, do we know if there will be a pathway underneath? I just wish the track was more purple, it's such a dark shade it's barely noticeable! In pictures at least.
 
Appears to be decidedly not racing themed, which means we get to see another sexy Intamin custom zero car! I’m interested to see where they’ll go with the smaller form factor of the Hot Racer’s trains.
 
I'm excited for what looks to be a corkscrew right through that large ruin structure:

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Was onsite today. Some photos:

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I translated the park's press release for your convenience:


Walibi Rhône Alpes introduces MAHUKA, its new-for-2024 attraction!


Unique in Europe - celebrating the most waaa amusement park's 45th anniversary!


For about 45 years, Walibi Rhône Alpes has put an emphasis on reinventing itself to meet our ever more numerous guests' expectations. As the park is getting ready to turn 45, we are preparing a sizeable surprise for spring 2024.


Thus Walibi unveils MAKUHA, its brand new thrill ride! The only one of its kind in Europe, she will be inaugurated in one of 3 thematic lands of the park: Exotic Island, and will call upon its guests to roleplay archeologists uncovering a lost temple on an island in the Southern Pacific ocean.


A new step forward upgrading the park​


This - already much anticipated - new ride is part of larger capital expenditure plans, introduced in 2015, and designed with theming and upgrading the park in mind. In total, the park contributed about 50 million euros over a decade for a makeover with new rides, new restaurants, creating three new immersive themed lands and upgrading the park's various facilities for the benefit of guests but also personnel and prevail as one of France's must-see theme parks.


The new MAKUHA ride is an integral part of capital expenditure made to develop the Exotic Island themed land for this milestone year. More than 10 million euros are to be spent on developing & structuring this zone for 2024, including ride construction, installation, storytelling, location foliage work & the creation of the new Tiki Fruits restaurant to complete the zone.


Beyond capital expenditure related to manufacturing the ride - supplied by Intamin - 79% of total CAPEX was allocated to local businesses (based in the 38, 69, 73 74 départements), including for the whole structural and supervision work - installation, foliage foundations, ride controls, soundtrack, etc.)


A new, custom-made layout for Walibi Rhône Alpes and finely tuned cinematography.​


Traversing MAHUKA (meaning "to escape" in Hawaiian) - deep inside a lost temple's remnants once erected to honor a Fire God on a remote island in the Southern Pacific - guests are invited to explore. But beware not to trigger the God's sacred fire - or else one might become prisoner of the temple! Escape the remnants… escape your fears… once aboard the ride, there will be no other way out to experience thrills never seen before!


This brand new experience, which complements existing rides, is the only one of its kind in Europe, and promises lots of thrills, notably thanks to its custom layout specifically designed for Walibi Rhône-Alpes.


Geared towards the bravest, this ride offers two accelerated starts (or "launches") which will boost trains up to a maximal speed of 67km/h, on a layout promising no less than 13 moments of airtime.


Thanks to one-seat wide trains, guests will enjoy a no-neighbor, unobstructed experience for unique thrilling sensations, up close to the track. Yet such thrills are not exclusive to taller people! To ensure the largest audience continues to enjoy the WAAA, children 120cm and taller can board the attraction - which is to say on average 6 or 7 years old. (source: growth chart afpa.org)


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Press release from Walibi Rhône-Alpes
 
Some more détails:

• THRC 600 people/hour
• Base ride hardware priced around €5.5M
• max airtime -1.1G (camelback after outerbank top hat)


• double top hat was demanded from Walibi/Compagnie des Alpes from the start, to provide a visual icon

• Exotic Island new land will follow a dark vs bright pattern similar to the Festival City zone.

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