De Vliegende Hollander, the semi-dark ride roller coaster at Efteling, Netherlands, is currently closed for maintenance like it is every winter. However, the park has revealed that one of the scenes will be completely redesigned, just two years after the previous upgrades were carried out. This time, the efforts are being focused on the lift hill, located in the tower at the end of the dark ride section. The ride will reopen on 18 April.
Efteling unveiled the news today on their blog. The new scene will appear right after riders get swallowed by the ghost ship and plummet into darkness. Previously, the face of captain Willem van der Decken could be seen here, enlarged on the ceiling, as it morphed into a skull utilising a blacklight effect.
The captain will be removed and instead be replaced by the burning insides of his ship, De Vliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman). Guests will be surrounded by smoke, dangling barrels and drapes. It ‘symbolises the innards of Van der Decken’s rotten soul‘, according to the ride’s original designer Karel Willemen, who returned to the drawing table for this update.
The reason for the new scene was a combination of circumstances: the head of the captain was difficult to reach and maintain. In addition, the ride had to be closed for longer than usual this winter due to parts of the track having to be sandblasted and re-coated. The upgrade is a continuation of the works carried out in 2023, when another scene was replaced. Where guests would encounter a video projection of the crushed ship on a waterfall, a ship graveyard was created.
Willemen explains that pieces of decor, as well as the frame it will all be attached to, are currently being worked on outside of the attraction. Once the work on the track has been completed, the frame and decor can easily be installed on location. Before engineering started, the new scene was created in 3D. With the help of virtual reality glasses, the designer could check whether what he created on paper also works out well visually. To complete the scene, new sound effects will be introduced. As a bonus, the souvenir shop at the exit will also receive a face lift, and with it will come a new line of merchandise.
De Vliegende Hollander is a semi-dark ride consisting of part boat ride, part roller coaster. It is set in 17th century Netherlands and focuses on the story of Willem van der Decken. He was a successful VOC (United East India Company) captain that led a secret double life as a ruthless pirate. This led to him setting sail on Easter against all warnings not too, which led to the demise of himself, his ship and his crew, all perishing in a storm. According to the legend, the captain was cursed to sail the seas forever in his now fiery, flying ghost ship.
The ride was originally supposed to open in 2006 but due to technical difficulties had to be pushed back to 2007.
