News about PULSAR

In 2024, PULSAR received attention again, this time not because of an opening or malfunction, but through a technical documentary. Theme Park Science was allowed behind the scenes at the water coaster and showed how the spectacular splash is controlled. That gave a 2016 attraction fresh relevance for fans who wanted to understand more than the visible ride sequence.

The video showed components visitors normally do not see: pumps and gates, the turntable in the station and the transition between the coaster section and the splash area. It also highlighted technical details such as openings in the rail that allow the track to absorb movement. A Walibi maintenance technician added that the wettest seats are on the outside of row five.

The documentary explained why PULSAR remains interesting. The attraction is spectacular not only because of speed and water, but because of the precise engineering that decides when the splash happens. Years after opening, the world-first still had a story worth unpacking.

In October 2021, PULSAR became part of a wider Walibi Belgium recovery story. The park had been hit by severe flooding, and when it reopened after a long closure, the water coaster was still out of service. At that point it was unclear whether PULSAR would return before the end of the year.

Technicians worked for weeks to get the 45-metre powersplash operational again. They succeeded just in time for the start of the Halloween season. From that day, visitors could ride again and almost the entire attraction lineup was back available.

The importance of this report lies in the vulnerability and resilience of a complex water coaster. PULSAR is built around water, technology and precise mechanical timing; after actual floods, that combination had to be made reliable again. Its return showed that the attraction remained part of Walibi Belgium's core experience despite external damage.

PULSAR's pioneering role also showed a difficult side in August 2016. The new water coaster had been out of service for several days due to technical problems. Walibi Belgium apologised and acknowledged that the situation was frustrating for visitors who came to the park especially for the spectacular new ride.

According to the park, the fact that PULSAR was a Mack Rides prototype played a role. A first-of-its-kind attraction can suffer from teething problems, and in this case the issues were mainly related to electronics. Even a faulty cable could trigger a malfunction, after which repairs and testing could take considerable time.

For the attraction's history, this report matters because it shows that innovation brings operational risks as well as records. PULSAR combined water, launches and moving systems in a new way. That made its first summer a learning period for the park, manufacturer and visitors alike.

In June 2016, PULSAR officially opened to visitors. Looopings tested the new water coaster and described how riders are launched back and forth between two tall towers at 100 km/h, ending in a huge splash. The attraction was presented as an 8.5-million-euro world-first.

For Walibi Belgium, the opening carried real historical weight. The park had not opened a new roller coaster since 2001. PULSAR therefore had to be more than a wet thrill ride; it was meant to prove that Walibi Belgium could surprise again. Spokesperson Marc Guffens called it one of the most sensational attractions in existence.

The opening also mattered to fans who had followed months of construction photos, test runs and technical details. From this point on, regular visitors could judge the combination of launches, height and splash for themselves. PULSAR moved from construction project to public attraction.

Shortly before opening, Walibi Belgium revealed the storytelling side of PULSAR. The queue would lead visitors past a mysterious electrical installation. Its backstory revolved around collecting energy and releasing it in controlled bursts, fitting neatly with the PULSAR name and the ride's sudden launches.

The collaboration with Jora Vision added another layer to the project. PULSAR was not just a technical prototype; it also needed an environment that explained and amplified the ride. For a water coaster, that mattered. The attraction could easily have been seen only as a wet spectacle, but Walibi tried to give it its own identity and tension.

For visitors, the experience was meant to start before boarding. The technical energy of the launches received a thematic translation in the queue. That made PULSAR more than a record project; it became a ride with a recognisable story.

One month after the first reveal, Walibi Belgium officially confirmed the project and released the core technical details. The future PULSAR would not simply travel back and forth: it would use three consecutive LSM launches. First the boat would be launched backward to around 50 km/h, then forward to 80 km/h and finally toward the highest point at 100 km/h.

That gave visitors and fans a much clearer picture of the ride: not a traditional water ride, but a hybrid of coaster technology, water spectacle and show effect. The ride would last around seventy seconds and finish with a splash. Walibi described the 8.5-million-euro project as a major technical challenge.

For enthusiasts, the combination was the real story. A water attraction using electromagnetic launches in this way had not existed before. The confirmation turned PULSAR from rumour into a concrete statement from a park that wanted to invest again.

The first major public clue about PULSAR appeared in early 2015, when Looopings reported that Walibi Belgium was preparing a unique boomerang splash. The attraction did not yet have its public name, but the concept was already striking: a 45-metre water coaster with two towers, forward and backward motion and a large splash as its finale.

For Walibi Belgium, this was not just another ride. The park had not opened a major new attraction since Challenge of Tutankhamon in 2003, and now chose a world-first from Mack Rides. The planned turntable station was designed to improve capacity: one boat could depart while another was loaded. With twenty riders per boat, the project combined spectacle with practical throughput.

The announced location also made the plan tangible. The ride would be built between Buzzsaw and Flash Back, in a park zone where water and thrill fitted naturally together. In hindsight, this report became the public starting point of PULSAR's story.