On Saturday, July 26, 2025, Walibi Belgium celebrated its 50th anniversary with a full-day program of special activities, historical tributes, and entertainment.
From early morning until late evening, the park welcomed thousands of visitors for what became one of the most elaborate public events in its history. The celebration included a one-time-only flea market featuring attraction memorabilia, a tribute appearance by Manneken Pis in Brussels, the return of former mascots, and a large-scale nighttime drone show over the central lake.
The event also marked five decades of evolution from a local waterski venue to one of Belgium’s most influential theme parks.
Early Origins: From Waterski Lift to Family Destination
Walibi Belgium was officially opened on July 26, 1975, by Antwerp-born agricultural engineer and entrepreneur Eddy Meeùs. Initially, Meeùs had purchased land in Wavre to demonstrate a new waterski lift, the Telewaterski, for which he had acquired exclusive distribution rights in 1972. The land he acquired included a large pond, but the surface area proved too extensive for just one attraction. To cover costs and attract more visitors, Meeùs began adding additional features to the site. First came a playground, followed by small rides and eventually a fully-fledged theme park.
The name “Walibi” is an acronym formed from the first letters of the three municipalities where the park is located: Wavre, Limal, and Bierges. According to his son Thierry Meeùs, it was he who suggested using a wallaby as the park mascot, associating the acronym with the name of the small kangaroo-like animal. Walibi quickly evolved into a family-run business: Thierry’s sister handled administration, his brother contributed to technical development, and Thierry himself worked across operations, including catering and merchandising. By 1983, he had taken on a managerial role.
Belgian and European Firsts
Walibi achieved several notable firsts in the Belgian and European theme park landscape. It was the first park in Europe to offer a waterski lift to the public. In 1978, it opened Belgium’s first log flume ride, Wild River. That same year, it became the first European park to introduce an all-access day ticket, allowing guests to experience all attractions under one fixed price. This model, now standard across the industry, contributed significantly to its early success. Walibi ended its first season with 47,000 visitors and continued to expand each year.
Milestones of the 1980s: Kuifje, Expansion and Aqualibi
By 1980, Walibi crossed the symbolic threshold of one million annual visitors. That year also saw the debut of “The Temple of the Sun,” an attraction themed after the comic book character Tintin (Kuifje), developed in partnership with Belgian artist Hergé and publisher Le Lombard. Several Tintin-themed attractions would follow in later years. The 1980s also marked Walibi’s expansion beyond Belgium. Eddy Meeùs invested in France’s Avenir Land, which later became Walibi Rhône-Alpes. In 1991, the group opened Walibi Flevo in the Netherlands.
Another landmark came in 1987 with the launch of Aqualibi, Belgium’s first indoor water park. Built as part of the Walibi complex, it was included in the standard park admission and later opened year-round due to popular demand. The water park would become a major feature of the resort for decades to come.
Transition to New Ownership and the End of the Family Era
In 1995, Walibi celebrated its 20th anniversary with new investments totalling nearly €5 million. A year later, Eddy Meeùs handed over management to Thierry. However, the family era came to an end in 1997 when the Walibi Group was sold to American operator Premier Parks. The company, later known as Six Flags, introduced numerous changes. In 1999, the park launched the Vampire, Belgium’s first inverted coaster, contributing to a 30% rise in visitor numbers that year.
By 2001, the park had been renamed Six Flags Belgium and was re-themed with intellectual properties from Warner Bros., including Looney Tunes. More than €30 million was invested in 15 new attractions, including the wooden coaster Weerwolf. But Six Flags Europe struggled financially and began offloading its properties.
Return of Walibi and the Arrival of Compagnie des Alpes
In 2004, Six Flags Belgium was sold to Palamon Capital Partners, a UK investment firm. The park’s original name and mascot were reinstated, and new partnerships were introduced, including IPs like Lucky Luke, Bollie & Billie, and Suske & Wiske. Some attractions were also themed around SpongeBob SquarePants. Two years later, in 2006, French operator Compagnie des Alpes acquired Walibi Belgium. In 2011, the group launched a major repositioning strategy, retiring nearly all external character licenses and introducing a new visual identity for the Walibi kangaroo mascot.
Modernisation and Crisis Recovery
Between 2017 and 2023, the park underwent a large-scale transformation, modernising more than 75% of its infrastructure and thematic areas. This included new themed zones such as Exotic World, Karma World, and Kondaa, one of Europe’s tallest and fastest mega coasters. Despite setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 floods in Wallonia, Walibi Belgium remained operational and maintained its popularity among Belgian and international families.
50th Anniversary on July 26, 2025
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Walibi Belgium organised a full day of activities on Saturday, July 26, 2025. The park opened from 10:00 AM to 10:20 PM, offering extended operating hours and commemorative programming.
Flea Market with Historic Memorabilia
One of the main features of the event was a one-time-only flea market at Weerwolvenplein, where guests could purchase retired park items. These included attraction signage, ride vehicles, coaster wheels, animatronics, props, and figures from attractions such as Radja River, Psyké Underground, La Coccinelle, Popcorn Revenge, Challenge of Tutankhamon, Gold River Adventure, and Bling Bling Madness. Long queues formed early in the morning, and access was regulated on a first-come, first-served basis. The pop-up sale was held opposite the Wave Swinger attraction in a dedicated structure.
Free Commemorative Pins and Mascot Appearances
Upon entering the park, all guests received a free 50th anniversary pin. Throughout the day, former park mascots made rare appearances, including legacy characters from the 1980s and 1990s that had not been seen in decades. These figures walked the park, posed for photos, and interacted with guests, adding a nostalgic element to the event.
Tributes in Brussels: Manneken Pis in Costume
Beyond the park, celebrations extended to Brussels, where the Manneken Pis statue wore a Walibi mascot costume from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. In the City Hall of Brussels, an official anniversary ceremony was held, attended by Thierry Meeùs, son of founder Eddy Meeùs and current owner of Mini-Europe. The event symbolised the national recognition of Walibi’s impact on Belgian tourism.
Largest Drone Show in Belgium (with Delay)
The evening concluded with what Walibi billed as the largest drone show ever held in Belgium. Set over the central lake, the show was originally scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM but experienced a delay of approximately 30 minutes. Once underway, hundreds of drones lit up the night sky, forming animated sequences that depicted five decades of park history—logos, attractions, mascots, and milestones. The performance lasted around 15 minutes and was accompanied by a custom soundtrack audible throughout the lakefront area.
A Legacy Built on Family and Innovation
Looking back over the past 50 years, Walibi Belgium’s legacy is closely tied to the vision of its founder, Eddy Meeùs. From agricultural engineer and waterski promoter to theme park pioneer, Meeùs created a model that blended accessibility, novelty, and family appeal. The park’s growth into a nationally and internationally recognised destination helped shape the development of Belgian tourism. Thierry Meeùs described the early years as a time when “our family woke up and went to bed with Walibi.”
While the park has passed through different ownership structures—from family business to American franchise to European leisure group—its role in Belgium’s cultural landscape remains significant. The 50th anniversary was both a celebration and a tribute to that enduring presence.
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