Meli Park
Location
Adinkerke, West Flanders, Belgium
51°04′51″N 2°35′55″E / 51.080908°N 2.598739°E / 51.080908; 2.598739
Status
Defunct
Opened
21 April 1935 (1935-04-21)
Closed
3 October 1999 (1999-10-03)
Owner
Family Florizoone
Theme
Operating season
April – October
Attendance
630,000 in 1994[1]
Area
> 75 acres (> 30 ha)[2]
Attractions
Total
31
Roller coasters
2
Water rides
3
Website
Meli Park was a theme park which was opened in 1935 in Adinkerke in the municipality of De Panne on the Belgian coast.[3]
The bee-themed amusement park was initiated by Alberic-Joseph Florizoone, owner of a honey company.[2] Its mascot was a bee.[4] It was one of the first Belgian theme parks. Over the years some new attractions were added.[5] The first ones were the labyrinth and the zoo. In the 1950s, a miniature golf course, french formal gardens, a fairytale forest, water organ were introduced. Over the years, it became one of the biggest attractions in Belgium as Antwerp Zoo and Caves of Han-sur-Lesse.
Into the 1970s and the 1980s, with a growing variety of rides, Meli Park's visitor numbers reached 700,000 per annum.[2] Its icon attraction was the Apirama dark ride, opened in 1979, featuring hundreds of animated bees.
The park closed in 1999 because the park was sold to the Flemish children's television company Studio 100 and rethemed as Plopsaland. In 1999 Alberic-Joseph Florizoone was inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for amusement industry innovators and pioneers.[6]
Ride
Year Opened
Year Closed
Description
Picture
Jubilé
1995
2000
The Zyklon (roller coaster) was relocated to Selva Mágica, MX in 2000
1984
late 80s
It is the only Schwarzkopf Jumbo V in the world, as it was the only one manufactured. In 1995 it was relocated to Pleasurewood Hills under the name Cannonball Express. Previously named Enigma from 2005 to 2016 when it was renamed Cannonball Express.
Marienkaferbahn
1976
1999
It reopened in Plopsaland as Dongo's Race. From 2013 until 2021, the ride's name was changed to Viktor's Race. Since 2022, the ride is called #LikeMe Coaster.
Rollerskater
1990
1999
The first Vekoma Junior Coaster.[7] It reopened in Plopsaland as Rollerskater. Since 2019, the ride is called K3 Roller Skater, and is themed to Belgian girl group K3.
Racing
1988 or earlier
early 90s
A Flitzer model, similar to FlitzeratMorey's Piers.
Ride
Year Opened
Year Closed
Description
Picture
Calypso
1988 or earlier
1992
A Mack Rides spinning ride, similar to Tiki Twirl at Cedar Point. It spins riders in two degrees of motion.
Piratenboot
1978
1999
HUSS Park Attractions Pirate ship. It reopened in Plopsaland as Piratenboot.
Splash
1989
1999
Manufactured by Mack Rides, the ride was inaugurated in 1989 by the Prime Minister of Belgium of the time, Wilfried Martens. Highest and fastest log flume of Europe of the time.[8] It reopened in Plopsaland as Het Kasteel van Koning Samson. In 2007 the ride's name changed for Boomstammetjes. In 2019, the ride was rethemed and is now called DinoSplash.
Vliegend Tapijt Djinn
1984
1999
Weber 1001 Nachts ride.
Wienerwals
late 80s
1999
Zierer Chair-O-Planes ride. It reopened in Plopsaland as Wienerwalz.
