Bengal Express

Looopings reported on an incident involving Bengal Express at Bellewaerde Park, where one car left the track in the section between the lion and tiger enclosures. The trigger was a technical issue with the track, which the park linked to recent renovation work in the India area. For visitors, the news had a clear operational and safety impact: passengers had to leave the train and the attraction could only return once repairs were completed. The article also shows why Bengal Express is more than a simple transport ride. It travels through animal habitats and combines movement, wildlife viewing and themed atmosphere, so a disruption there immediately becomes more sensitive than on a standard park train. Historically, the incident came during a period in which Bellewaerde was improving the tiger and lion areas and adding a walking platform. That gave guests another way to view the animals while the railway section was being repaired.

In March 2021, Belgian theme parks finally received a path toward reopening, but the easing of restrictions came with a clear boundary. The government mainly allowed outdoor activities. Covered attractions therefore had to remain closed until further notice, while parks continued to discuss the exact rules with the authorities.

For visitors, that created an unusual half-open season. Plopsaland De Panne could not use Mayaland or Het Bos van Plop and was still looking for solutions for covered queues such as the one at Anubis The Ride. At Bobbejaanland, Banana Battle, Indiana River, El Paso, Revolution, The Forbidden Caves and Kinderland stayed closed. Walibi Belgium had to do without attractions including Challenge of Tutankhamon, Popcorn Revenge and Palais du Génie, while Bellewaerde could not open Huracan, Bengal Express or Het Huis Van Houdini.

The relevance was not only the list of closed doors. Indoor attractions are normally valuable in bad weather and for families with young children. During the coronavirus reopening, that sheltered quality became a limitation. For Kinderland and similar attractions, the report explains why availability and visitor flows in 2021 cannot be compared with a normal operating year.