Construction of Plopsaland Belgium’s new Flying Cinema is about to enter one of its most important phases.
Next week, crews will begin installing the attraction’s massive dome screen, a process expected to take approximately six weeks. The screen will cover 250 square metres and measure 16 metres in diameter, making it one of the largest components of the new attraction and a crucial step towards the opening of Plopsaland Plaza in 2027.
The installation marks a significant milestone for what is already the largest investment in Plopsaland Belgium’s history. The €25 million project will transform the area near the Dorpsplein into a new central hub combining attractions, dining, entertainment and transportation facilities.
The heart of the attraction
While visitors often focus on ride vehicles and theming, the dome screen is arguably the most important element of any flying theatre attraction.
The Mack Rides Flying Cinema will place guests inside a moving gondola suspended in front of the giant curved screen. Combined with motion systems, special effects and projection technology, the attraction creates the illusion of flying through virtual environments. During the day, guests will accompany Maya the Bee on a journey across Europe. Different film experiences are planned for evening operations.
For projection and audiovisual technology, Plopsa has partnered with Belgian technology company Barco, which will provide the attraction’s projection systems.
More than just a new ride
Although the Flying Cinema is the headline attraction, it represents only part of the wider Plopsaland Plaza development.
The new three-storey complex will become the resort’s central meeting point and will house several different functions under one roof. In addition to the Flying Cinema, the building will include the new Grand Café restaurant, a bowling and arcade area, sanitary facilities and a redesigned station for the Plopsa Express. The train line itself will also be rerouted as part of the project, with a new covered platform replacing the existing station.
The project is intended to strengthen the transition of Plopsaland from a traditional theme park into a full-scale resort destination, complementing existing facilities such as Plopsaqua, the Plopsaland Theater Hotel and Plopsaland Village.
A European first
Plopsa has repeatedly described the attraction as the first Flying Cinema of its kind in Europe.
The attraction is being supplied by Mack Rides, the German manufacturer behind numerous major European roller coasters and attractions. Visitors will board a motion-based gondola that lifts into position in front of the enormous dome screen, creating the sensation of flight through synchronised movement and projected imagery.
The ride is expected to become one of the flagship attractions of the resort when it opens in spring 2027. Plopsa hopes the broader Plopsaland Plaza development will help increase annual resort attendance towards two million visitors.
Construction enters a visible phase
Over recent months, visitors have seen the large structure steadily rise behind construction walls. The arrival of the dome screen now signals the start of a new phase in which key show elements are being installed rather than merely constructing the building itself.
With six weeks of screen installation ahead and theming work on the retro cinema-inspired façade progressing, the project is beginning to resemble the attraction guests will eventually experience.
For a project that aims to redefine the centre of Plopsaland Resort, the installation of the giant screen is more than a construction update. It is the moment when the future Flying Cinema begins to take shape.
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