Plopsaland De Panne is a family theme park in Adinkerke, part of the coastal municipality of De Panne in West Flanders, Belgium. Owned and operated by Plopsa, a division of Belgian media company Studio 100, the park is built around beloved Flemish children’s characters like Kabouter Plop and Samson en Gert, blending gentle family rides with a growing lineup of serious roller coasters.
The site’s history stretches back further than most people expect. It originally opened in 1935 as Meli Park, a modest attraction built around a honey producer’s business, before Studio 100 acquired and relaunched it as Plopsaland in 2000. Today it ranks as the most-visited theme park in Belgium, pulling in roughly 1.4 million guests annually across 55 attractions.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Adinkerke, De Panne, West Flanders, Belgium
- Opened: 1935 (as Meli Park); relaunched as Plopsaland on April 20, 2000
- Owner: Plopsa (Studio 100)
- Attractions: About 55, including 7 roller coasters
- Signature coaster: The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland (Mack Rides, 2021)
- Annual visitors: About 1.4 million (2022)
- Notable fact: Belgium’s most-visited theme park
The Ride Experience
Plopsaland’s biggest draw is The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland, a Mack Rides Xtreme Spinning Coaster that opened in July 2021. It reaches about 90 km/h (56 mph), stands roughly 33 meters (108 feet) tall, and runs 920 meters of track with two linear synchronous motor launches and several inversions, including a heartline roll and a double-inverting dive loop, all wrapped in a Tomorrowland dance-festival theme.
Beyond that headline attraction, the park’s coaster lineup includes Anubis The Ride, a Gerstlauer launch coaster themed to ancient Egypt that opened in 2009, and Heidi The Ride, a wooden coaster from Great Coasters International that debuted in 2017. Themed lands such as Mayaland and Wickieland round out the experience for younger visitors and families.
From Honey Farm to Studio 100 Icon
Long before Kabouter Plop appeared anywhere near the site, it operated as Meli Park, opened in 1935 by beekeeper Alberic-Joseph Florizoone as a place to sell his honey alongside simple attractions. The park changed hands and evolved over the decades until Studio 100 took over in 2000, rebranding it Plopsaland after the studio’s first two characters, Plop and Samson.
Since then, Plopsa has steadily reinvested in the park, adding coasters and themed lands roughly every few years while keeping its identity rooted in Flemish children’s television. That strategy has paid off, with the park now consistently ranked as Belgium’s most-visited theme park.
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Plopsaland De Panne FAQs
What is Plopsaland De Panne known for?
It’s Belgium’s most-visited theme park, known for its Studio 100 character theming (Kabouter Plop, Samson en Gert) and a growing roster of roller coasters, including The Ride to Happiness.
What was Plopsaland De Panne originally called?
The site opened in 1935 as Meli Park, built around a local honey business, before Studio 100 relaunched it as Plopsaland in 2000.
How many roller coasters does Plopsaland De Panne have?
The park has about 7 roller coasters, including The Ride to Happiness, Anubis The Ride, and the wooden coaster Heidi The Ride.
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