Kinderland

A little over a year after the survey, Bobbejaanland Wintert became reality. Looopings described how the Flemish park invested 1.5 million euros in its first winter opening, running until early January. In less than three weeks, Bobbejaanland changed from a Halloween venue into a winter park, with hundreds of Christmas trees, around thirty kilometres of light garlands and many hundreds of thousands of lights.\n\nThe winter edition featured six decorated areas. Existing zones received new names, a free ice rink was placed on a pontoon in the large lake, and the offer included an alpine hut, a winter circus, a parade, fire and laser shows and meetings with winter characters. For Kinderland, the key detail was that it appeared on the list of open attractions, alongside major rides such as Fury, Sledge Hammer, Typhoon, Revolution, Dreamcatcher, Bob Express and The El Paso Special. Wondergarden, by contrast, stayed closed.\n\nFor visitors, this meant that Bobbejaanland did not start with a small Christmas trial, but immediately presented a full winter product. Director Yves Peeters said the initiative was meant to grow, just as Halloween had grown before. Bobbejaanland Wintert therefore became a strategic move: the park wanted to remain relevant beyond the traditional season.

In October 2024, it became clear that Bobbejaanland was seriously considering a winter opening. Through a public survey, the park asked guests about their interest in Bobbejaanland Wintert and presented several possible concepts. In doing so, it followed competitors such as Plopsaland, Bellewaerde Park and Walibi Belgium, which had already made more deliberate use of the winter months.\n\nThe ideas went far beyond a few Christmas trees near the entrance. The survey mentioned a laser show on the water, a fire spectacle, a drone show, a winter circus, a Christmas parade, light sculptures, an ice rink, a Christmas market and even a family-friendly haunted house with a Christmas theme. The themed areas would also receive a winter layer. Kinderland was imagined as a place where Santa Claus could appear, while Desperado City could become a toy-making setting.\n\nFor visitors, this was mainly a sign that Bobbejaanland wanted to stretch its season and use the park in a different way. At the same time, technical director Tom Knuts made clear how substantial the operation would be: maintenance, inspections and staffing were traditionally planned around an April-to-October season. A winter opening would therefore add atmosphere, but also change the organisation behind the park day.

In 2023, Bobbejaanland took another step in its move from a classic amusement park towards a more clearly structured theme park. The park was divided into seven separate areas: Welkomstplein, Wondergarden, Land of Legends, Adventure Valley, Desperado City, Kinderland and Mystery Bay. The new layout was meant to make the map easier to read, with each area receiving its own symbol and colour palette.\n\nFor Kinderland, the main change was its definition. The name no longer referred only to the familiar indoor play hall, but also to the surrounding area with Labyrinth and Oki Doki. That made the children’s zone feel broader and more visible. At the same time, Bobbejaanland introduced a smoking ban in Kinderland and Wondergarden, strengthening their family-oriented role.\n\nFor visitors, the reorganisation offered more guidance during a day at the park. Attractions, food locations and routes were grouped more clearly, while new signs in the updated house style and screens showing current wait times made the park feel more modern. The news shows that Bobbejaanland was not only investing in individual attractions, but also in how guests understand and experience the park as a whole.