Walygator Grand-Est

Location| Maizières-les-Metz, France
Coordinates| 49°13′31″N 6°09′22″E﻿ / ﻿49.2253°N 6.15611°E﻿ / 49.2253; 6.15611
Status| Operating
Opened| 1989 (1989)
Owner| Aspro Parks
Operating season| April–October
Area| 42 ha
Attractions
Total| 39
Roller coasters| 4
Water rides| 5
Website| www.walygatorparc.com

Walygator Grand-Est is an amusement park located in Maizières-les-Metz, Lorraine, France. Since its opening in 1989, the park has had a succession of different names: Big Bang Schtroumpf (Smurf), Walibi Schtroumpf, Walibi Lorraine and now Walygator Parc.

## History

[edit]

First designed within the extant halls of Sacilor's Laminoir by the Leisure division HHCP Architects in Maitland, Florida, the theme park was named The New World of the Smurfs, or Le Nouveau Monde des Schtroumpfs. After a decision was made to abandon the mill, the park was re-designed by Grady Larkins and eventually opened up on May 9, 1989, as Big Bang Schtroumpf. Built on the site of the former steel mills of Sacilor, the park was then managed by Sorépark, a company headed by Pierre Jullien. Construction costs topped €110 million.

* In 1991, the park, on the verge of bankruptcy, is taken over by Walibi Group. Walibi's orange kangaroo mascot 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 Walibi Schtroumpf sits, totals 162 hectares of which only 42 are in use.
* In 2003, Walibi Schtroumpf becomes Walibi Lorraine and the Smurfs characters are removed from the park.
* In 2004 Six Flags (Premier Parks' successor), which had ownership of the park since 1998, divests itself of its European operations (apart from Warner Bros. Movie World Madrid, which was sold back to Time Warner and renamed Parque Warner Madrid in 2006). The park changes hands to Star Parks, of London-based Palamon Partners.
* In 2006 Star Parks, in turn, sells the park to brothers Claude and Didier Le Douarin. Around the same time, the Walibi brand 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 2010, the park opens a new roller coaster, "The Monster", an inverted roller coaster by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard. The ride had previously anchored Expoland in Japan, and is a clone of Raptor at Cedar Point.
* In 2013, the park, once again on the verge of bankruptcy, is sold to a group of investors made of Jacqueline Lejeune, Franck Déglin and Francois-Jérôme Parent.
* In 2016, Jacqueline Lejeune and Franck Déglin sell Walygator Parc to Aspro Parks.
* In 2020, the park was renamed Walygator Grand-Est following the purchase of Walibi Sud-Ouest and renaming as Walygator Sud-Ouest.

## Coasters

[edit]

Name | Restrictions | Model | 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 |
Comet | > 120 cm. | Hurricane | 590m |  | 65 km/h | Vekoma | 1989 | 1:25 |
Family Coaster | > 85 cm
when accompanied by an adult | Kids' roller coaster | 4m | 132m | 15 km/h | Pinfari | 2007 | 1:30 |
The Monster | > 140 cm. | Inverted roller coaster | 40m | 1200m | 90 km/h | Bolliger & Mabillard | 2010 | 2:28 |

## Other attractions

[edit]

Name  | Type  | Manufacturer  | Built  | Informations

|
|
|
|

Accrobranche | Tree climbing |  | 2013  |
Caribbean Boat | Swinging ship | Huss Rides | 1992  |
G-Lock | Air Race  | Zamperla | 2014  |
Longchamps | Pony trekking | Soquet | 2008  |
Mistral | Wave Swinger | Zierer | 1992  |
Space Shoot | Space Shot | S&S | 1998  | Closed from 2010 to 2012

* Accrobranche

* Caribbean Boat

* Longchamps

* Mistral

* Space Shoot

## Water rides

[edit]

Name  | Type  | Manufacturer  | Built

|
|
|

Aquachute | Descent inflatable boat  | Van Egdom | 1991
Dino-Raft | River rapids ride | Alsthom and Soquet | 1989
Rivière Sauvage | Log flume | Soquet | 1992
Splash Kids | Log flume for kids  | Zamperla | 1989
Waly Boat | Tow boat ride | Mack Rides | 1989

* Dino-Raft

* Rivière Sauvage

* Splash Kids

* Waly Boat

## Location

[edit]

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

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Walygator Grand Est.

* (in French) official website of Walygator Park
* (in English) official website of Walygator Park in English

* v
* t
* e

Six Flags

Amusement parks|

* California's Great America
* Canada's Wonderland
* Carowinds
* Cedar Point
* Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
* Frontier City
* Kings Dominion
* Kings Island
* Knott's Berry Farm
* La Ronde
* Michigan's Adventure
* Six Flags America
* Six Flags Darien Lake
* Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
* Six Flags Fiesta Texas
* Six Flags Great Adventure
* Six Flags Wild Safari Adventure
* Six Flags Great America
* Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor
* Six Flags Magic Mountain
* Six Flags México
* Six Flags New England
* Six Flags Over Georgia
* Six Flags Over Texas
* Six Flags St. Louis
* Valleyfair
* Worlds of Fun

| Themed areas|

* Camp Snoopy
* DC Universe
* Gotham City
* Kidzopolis
* Planet Snoopy
* Whistlestop Park

|

Water parks|

* Carolina Harbor
* Castaway Bay
* Cedar Point Shores
* Knott's Soak City
* Oceans of Fun
* Schlitterbahn
* Six Flags Great Escape Lodge
* Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
* Chicago
* Concord
* Darien Lake
* Oklahoma City
* Phoenix
* Rockford
* San Antonio
* Splashtown
* Six Flags White Water
* Soak City
* Kings Dominion
* Kings Island
* Valleyfair
* South Bay Shores
* Splash Works
* WildWater Adventure

Former locations|

* Bellewaerde
* Japanese Village and Deer Park
* Movieland Wax Museum
* Six Flags Atlantis
* Six Flags AstroWorld
* Six Flags AutoWorld
* Six Flags Belgium
* Six Flags Elitch Gardens
* Six Flags Holland
* Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
* Six Flags New Orleans
* Six Flags Worlds of Adventure
* Stars Hall of Fame
* Walibi Lorraine
* Walibi Rhône-Alpes
* Warner Bros. Movie World Germany
* Warner Bros. Movie World Madrid
* Wild Waves and Enchanted Village
* Wyandot Lake

Cancelled locations|

* Old Indiana Fun Park
* Six Flags Dubai
* Entertainment Village

Events|

* Fright Fest
* Glow in the Park Parade
* HalloWeekends
* Halloween Haunt (Canada's Wonderland)
* Holiday in the Park
* Knott's Scary Farm

Other|

* Angus G. Wynne
* Cedar Fair
* Fast Lane
* Great Southwest Corporation
* Incidents
* Mr. Six
* Six Flags (1961–2024)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template