News about Condor

In June 2025, Condor’s history gained new visual material. Looopings reported that rare videos from 1994 had surfaced showing the birth of Walibi Flevo, the park that would later become Walibi Holland. The footage came from the private archive of former general manager Hans van Driem. The images featured classic attractions, including the construction of suspended coaster El Condor, water ride El Rio Grande and log flume Crazy River. For Condor, the article is special because it places the ride back in its original context: not as a notorious old coaster, but as one of the eye-catchers of a park in transformation. For visitors and fans, the footage makes the early years tangible. It shows how El Condor was part of the major metamorphosis from Flevohof to Walibi Flevo and why the ride carries so much historical weight in the park’s story.

At the end of May 2024, there was good news for guests who wanted to brave Condor again. Walibi Holland had solved the technical fault and confirmed that the problem involved the lift chain. The coaster had been closed four weeks earlier, and a visitor photo had shown that the chain had been disconnected. From the reopening, visitors could once again board the suspended coaster. Looopings immediately placed the return in familiar context: Condor is known as one of Europe’s roughest and most painful coasters, and the new trains had not radically changed that experience for many riders. For visitors, the reopening meant Walibi had an important coaster back in the line-up. For fans, the article closed a clear breakdown chapter and showed how one specific technical component, the lift chain, could temporarily stop the entire ride.

In May 2024, Walibi Holland once again had to begin a period without Condor. The suspended coaster was closed indefinitely because of a technical fault. A spokesperson confirmed to Looopings that the park did not yet know when the ride could reopen. The fault directly affected the visitor experience: Condor is a recognisable thrill ride in Walibi’s line-up, even if it is notorious. The article again described the attraction as “notorious”, showing how firmly its reputation remained part of the news narrative. For visitors, the closure meant a reduced coaster offer and uncertainty over reopening. For fans, it was another technical chapter after earlier repairs, new trains and comfort debates. The report underlines that Condor, despite all improvements, remained an older and demanding Vekoma coaster that regularly required attention.

In October 2023, Condor’s reputation reached an international stage. British vlogger Shawn Sanbrooke of Theme Park Worldwide visited Walibi Holland and tried the suspended coaster with its renewed trains. At first, he was positive about the adjustment and even suggested that similar trains could be useful in England. After the ride, his tone changed sharply: he called Condor one of the worst coasters in existence and described the experience as awful. For visitors, it was a recognisable warning that the new trains had not restored the ride’s reputation for everyone. For fans, it was interesting because an international voice reignited the same debate. The article shows that Condor was not only locally notorious, but also had a name in the international theme-park community as a problematic, rough classic.

In September 2023, Condor became the setting for a large-scale emergency drill. Emergency services came to Walibi Holland to simulate several incidents around the suspended coaster. In the scenario, a power failure had stopped a train on the lift with passengers still on board. Fire crews from Biddinghuizen and Elburg practised the evacuation, while the fire brigade from Dronten dealt with a fictional fire in a nearby building. For visitors, this was not a real breakdown, but the news offers insight into the safety preparation behind a major coaster. With its lift, height and complex access, Condor is a logical location for rescue training. For fans and editors, this is valuable context: an attraction’s history is not only about openings, ride experience and renovations, but also about emergency scenarios and cooperation between the park and rescue services.

In October 2022, Condor gained a new role during Halloween Fright Nights. Walibi Holland installed an unannounced musical light show around the suspended coaster. After sunset, driving percussion rhythms played while moving heads, smoke and illuminated supports gave the ride an extra theatrical layer. Condor became more than a coaster that stayed open late; the attraction itself became scenery and part of the Halloween atmosphere. Looopings noted that Walibi had previously installed a similar musical light show at Lost Gravity. For visitors, this meant that riding or passing Condor in the evening felt different from the daytime experience. For fans, the article is interesting because it shows how Walibi reprogrammed an older, notorious coaster within an event setting, without a major technical rebuild.

In August 2022, Condor gained another sensitive chapter in its comfort history. Walibi Holland closed the suspended coaster as a precaution after several riders reported physical complaints after the ride. According to a Walibi spokesperson, there was no technical fault, but the park wanted to reopen only once it was certain nothing was wrong. That made the story particularly striking: the new trains had been intended to improve the notorious ride experience, yet the discussion about pain and comfort continued. For visitors, the closure meant that an important coaster was temporarily unavailable and that safety took priority over capacity. For fans, it was a reality check in Condor’s renovation story. The move showed that new hardware did not automatically solve every reputation problem or complaint; the ride remained an attraction under close scrutiny.

In October 2020, Condor’s long comfort story became tangible. On the final operating day of the season, guests could ride the old trains for the last time before they were replaced after 26 years of service. Looopings called it a painful farewell, fitting the ride’s reputation. Condor was Vekoma’s first suspended looping coaster and later inspired copies at parks including Walibi Belgium, Movie Park Germany and Heide Park. The article also reviewed the ride’s historical changes: its original white and green appearance, the later orange colour scheme and the name change from El Condor to Condor. For visitors, this marked the end of a notorious chapter. For fans, it was a milestone: the coaster was staying, but the old ride experience, with all its painful stories, officially became history.

At the start of 2020, Condor again showed how emotional a coaster reputation can become. An anonymous fan launched a sticker campaign against the Walibi ride, using slogans such as “away with El Condor”. The action deliberately played into the ride’s near-mythical reputation as a headache-inducing coaster. Looopings placed the stickers in the wider context of fan reactions: whenever Walibi posted photos of Condor, sharp comments often followed. Walibi, however, said there were no plans to remove the ride. On the contrary, the new trains planned for 2021 were presented as the answer to the criticism. For visitors and fans, the article is valuable because it shows that Condor was more than steel and inversions. It was a talking point, a joke, an irritation and at the same time an icon Walibi consciously continued to defend.

At the start of 2020, Walibi gave fans their first clear look at the new Condor trains. The park published a digital design of the Vekoma cars scheduled to appear on the suspended coaster in 2021. After years of discussion about comfort, the upgrade finally became visible. Looopings recalled that Condor, formerly El Condor, was built by Vekoma in 1994 as a prototype. Over the years, the ride had become increasingly uncomfortable and gained a reputation as one of Europe’s most painful coasters. The new trains, with different restraints, were intended to improve that experience. For visitors, this was hopeful news: an iconic but notorious coaster would not disappear, but get a second chance. For fans, the design was a milestone after years of rumours, tests and delays.

During a fan day in September 2019, Walibi made clear that Condor would not be removed for the time being. That was notable, because the ride was one of the park’s most controversial coasters. Director Mascha van Till said Walibi would continue investing in the suspended coaster. The main announced change was the arrival of new harnesses in 2021. That gave the long-running comfort problem a concrete timeline again. Looopings placed this alongside the earlier tests from 2017 and the fact that sister ride Robin Hood had recently been replaced because of comfort complaints. For visitors, it meant the notorious ride would remain part of the line-up, possibly with a better future. For fans, it was a strategic signal: Walibi did not see Condor as a written-off burden, but as a historically important coaster worth preserving.

In July 2019, Condor gained a remarkable fan chapter. Eighteen-year-old Joey Schadenberg had jokingly promised on Twitter to ride Condor once for every share his post received. The joke got completely out of hand: in one weekend, he rode the notorious suspended coaster 222 times. The stunt worked precisely because Condor had such a strong reputation. Looopings described the ride as one of the most painful and roughest coasters in Europe. Schadenberg contacted Walibi to organise the marathon and linked it to a charity effort. For visitors and fans, the story showed how deeply Condor lived in theme-park culture. The ride was not only something people complained about, but also a source of humour, bravado and shared fan experience.

In September 2018, Walibi announced during a fan event that Condor would receive a single-rider queue. Such a queue is designed for guests willing to ride alone and fill empty seats in the trains. This helps use capacity more efficiently and can make the regular queue move faster. The choice was notable because Condor, despite its rough reputation, still played an important operational role in the park. Together with Speed of Sound, it joined a system already used at Space Shot and Lost Gravity. Looopings also recalled that Condor opened in 1994 under the name El Condor. For visitors, the news was practical: flexible guests could ride sooner. For fans, it showed that Walibi was not only looking at major renovations, but also at queue management and everyday capacity.

In March 2018, it became clear that Condor’s renewal would take longer than many fans had hoped. A year earlier, Walibi had tested two types of new cars, but a spokesperson confirmed to Looopings that no new trains would arrive in 2018. The delay mattered because Condor was already regarded as the roughest coaster at Walibi Holland. Different trains were seen as the main chance to improve the ride experience without replacing the track itself. For visitors, the news meant they would continue riding with the existing trains for the time being. For fans, it made the renovation story longer and more intriguing: research had clearly been done, but the actual decision was still pending. The article marks the period between experiment and execution, an important interim chapter in Condor’s comfort dossier.

In September 2017, Walibi Holland had to temporarily close Condor for an emergency repair. The park confirmed to Looopings that the suspended coaster was out of service, with a lift positioned next to the ride. Walibi did not disclose the exact problem. What could be seen was technicians working between the first and second inversion, with an orange cover over the track. The closure came during a period in which Condor was already receiving attention because of comfort complaints and tests with new cars. This time, the issue was not ride comfort but technical availability. For visitors, the repair meant that one of the park’s most recognisable thrill rides was temporarily unavailable. For fans, the article fits the broader story of Condor as a maintenance-sensitive classic: an iconic Vekoma coaster that kept operating, but clearly required technical care.

In April 2017, there was finally a concrete sign of a possible improvement for Condor. Photos showed that both trains of the suspended coaster had received a new front car. It was a test, not a full replacement: Vekoma supplied one trial car and competitor KumbaK supplied the other. Walibi Holland wanted to find out which seats and restraints could improve the ride experience. That mattered, because Condor had already developed a clear reputation as a rough and painful coaster. For visitors, the test showed that the park was taking complaints seriously without giving up the historic ride. For fans, this was the start of the multi-year process that would later lead to reports about delays, new harnesses and eventually new trains. The trial therefore marks a turning point: Condor remained, but Walibi was visibly searching for improvement.

In October 2013, Walibi Holland announced a striking visual change for El Condor. From the following season, the famous suspended coaster would no longer be white and green, but bright orange. The supports stayed green, giving the track itself a much stronger presence in the park. The news came during a period in which Walibi was refreshing several major coasters; Goliath was also receiving attention for a new colour. For El Condor, this was not a technical renovation, but it was a clear step in updating the park’s visual identity. Visitors would suddenly experience a familiar skyline attraction differently. For fans, the repaint marks a recognisable transition toward the modern Condor identity. Soon afterwards, the ride also lost the article in its name, so the coaster was not only visually different, but also positioned differently in the park’s communication.

Just before the start of the 2013 season, El Condor was not yet technically ready for guests. Walibi Holland had carried out work on the ride, but test runs produced too much friction. A train failed to get beyond the first two loops and stalled halfway through the course. Technicians had to fix the issue that same week, with journalists, season-pass holders and regular visitors already nearly at the gates. For the attraction’s history, the article matters because it shows that Condor was not only a subject of comfort debates early in the decade, but also a ride that required precise technical adjustment. For visitors, the fault meant uncertainty around availability at opening. For fans, it again underlined that Walibi was operating a demanding Vekoma classic, with all the maintenance pressure that came with it.

In October 2012, El Condor reached the news because of a painful station incident. A sixteen-year-old girl from Dongen fell when the platform dropped as a train left the station, breaking her ankle. Looopings framed the case mainly as an operational issue: under normal procedures, guests should not be standing there when the platform moves. For Condor, still carrying the name El Condor at the time, this is an early safety note in the ride’s modern history. The story is not about speed or inversions, but about the everyday discipline of boarding, supervision and station routines. For visitors, it was a reminder that even a familiar classic demands close attention. For fans, it adds context to a coaster known not only for its rough ride, but also for the demanding operation behind it.