Holland’s most-visited theme park has revealed €18m (US$23m, £14.3m) plans to build a new rollercoaster, themed around an in-depth backstory and storytelling narrative, in what looks to be one of the most immersive rides ever devised.
With the story the developers main priority in ride development, the planned ‘Baron 1898’ attraction – to be built at Efteling – is part of the park’s plan to get visitor numbers to the Dutch amusement park up to 5 million annually by 2020.
The dive coaster attraction has an old-fashioned vibe to it and will be designed to look like a traditional Dutch gold mine, complete with a factory, mine shaft and a high lift with a big wheel.
The attraction will tell the story of the gold mine’s owner, Gustave Hoogh Courage. After he finds a cursed lump of gold, he is haunted by the ghostly 'Weird Sisters'. The ride’s designers have chosen not to reveal the majority of ride specifications – bar a 37.5m (123ft) drop. Instead, the ride's 1898’s storytelling perspective and the need to devise a compelling narrative for the attraction is being promoted.
