Walibi Rhône-Alpes will mark the 45th anniversary of the park with the opening of their new roller coaster, MAHUKA.

Unique in Europe, it will be the very first Hot Racer roller coaster from Intamin Amusement Rides in the region, featuring an innovative single rail design.

In our exclusive interview with Fabien Manuel, the Creative Director for Compagnie des Alpes, we find out about this special project and many of the people behind it.

First of all, please tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Compagnie des Alpes?

I'm Creative Director for the Compagnie des Alpes Group. I studied graphic arts at the Ecole Brassart, which led me to become Art Director in advertising for 10 years. I was lucky enough to work for brands such as Chanel, Les Cinémas Gaumont Pathé, Axa, etc. And then I changed my career and decided to focus on my lifelong passion: theme parks. Today, I manage artistic projects for our various leisure sites such as Walibi (France and Belgium), Parc Astérix, Grévin Paris, etc, but our department, CDA Développement, also manages projects for our sites in ski resorts (Val d'Isère, Serre-Chevalier, etc).

What led you to theme park design, and what has been your inspiration?

What brought me to theme parks: passion. I started in advertising, but there was always this desire to create worlds where you could escape. At the age of 7, I was already making mock-ups of Futuroscope... and later of the future EuroDisney park. I visited a lot of theme parks in Europe and I was fascinated to see how they were able to generate emotions with decoration, music... I wanted to be part of it all: to understand how this was done and how to turn it to create worlds where visitors could forget their worries for a day. 

So, after 10 years in advertising, I created a fake theme park project called ADSLAND PARK in 2012 to apply to Disneyland Imagineering and La Compagnie des Alpes: a theme park that linked my two passions, advertising and theme park experience. It was my giant CV that got away from me: we talked about it on the radio, on French TV and even had articles as far away as Australia. People thought it was for real...

I've been with Compagnie des Alpes for 10 years now, and we had to create everything for the creative unit: a challenge I've shared with my colleague of 10 years, Julien Simon. Today, I can say that I've got the job of my dreams, because I've developed it in my own image and according to my own desires.

What have been your career highlights so far?

On the Compagnie des Alpes side, it's clearly the Walibi parks. When I arrived in 2014, my first project was to rethink the worlds of Walibi Rhône-Alpes and Walibi Belgium following the change of direction after WAB and SKUNX in 2011.

To be able to work on the genesis of these two parks and see today what they are becoming with positive results, is a real satisfaction and a great reward.

How did the project at Walibi Rhône-Alpes come about, and how long have you been working on it?

I developed MAHUKA's large scenographic base at the end of the first lockdown in 2020. Then, I had access to the Musée du Quai Branly, which presented an exhibition on primitive arts and especially the first peoples of the Pacific islands. Very inspiring. The base for EXOTIC ISLAND was laid in 2014 when I reworked the park's overall themes. Coming back to MAHUKA, it took us 4 years to develop the project properly.

What do you have planned next, after this project?

I've got great plans for one of another group's major parks, which is very close to my heart. Of course, I can't say more today.

I've been lucky enough to be able to design large-scale projects thanks to our sites. Today, the department is growing and I'm keen to open up this world for new talents who want to be part of it. My new role is to find all these freelance talents and drive them on Compagnie des Alpes projects.

Which other companies have been involved in the project?

On the scenographic side, I developed the entire concept design. Then I developed my project in detail with freelance scenographer Anne Levacher, ex-Walt Disney Imagineering.

Julien Simon, a Project Manager at Compagnie des Alpes, guided Intamin to achieve this unique layout. We worked together on the best locations for the 'head choppers', the masterplan for the area, etc.

Subsequently, we managed consultations with decoration companies, and today we work with Petro Art Production for the sculpted concrete part and Themics for the accessories.

But that's not all: the scenographic project was complemented by the work of Vé Paysages landscape designers Blaise Pons and Alexandre Coquerille, local talents such as Julien Polizzi who managed the scenographic lighting, a breath-taking soundtrack by AudioGazer and, above all, daily artistic supervision of the site by Edd Musgrove (THEMEDD), a talented scenographer who is the guardian of my initial design through to final realisation.

Gregory Bortolussi (Ingelo, a division of Compagnie des Alpes) coordinated all the companies on the construction site: it's a daily vigilance!

The Intamin team did an exceptional job on the train design to make it as realistic as possible.

We surround ourselves with trustworthy and talented people with whom we've been working for years, and above all we have the support of the Walibi Rhône-Alpes park at every step. The general manager, Luc de Roo (a great Walibi veteran), is very involved in the project.

Have there been any particular challenges that you have faced in the project?

On MAHUKA, we wanted interaction between the scenery and the roller coaster. It was a challenge to create scenery as close as possible to the ride to maximize the effects of the visitor experience. Coordinating decorative and safety constraints as closely as possible was a new but very interesting challenge, especially given the tight budget.

Were there any alternative themes that you were also considering?

The MAHUKA universe came about very naturally: I wanted a colourful exotic zone on the water playground side and a darker exotic side for the roller coaster, as in the EXOTIC WORLD zone at Walibi Belgium with KONDAA.

I wanted the Walibi parks to have a coherent universe, and today they do. EXOTIC is the first thematic zone to be shared by the Belgian and French parks.

How would you describe the ride experience?

Unique in Europe with the second Hot Racer model in the world. Julien Simon's work with Intamin promises a unique experience thanks to its combination of elements.

It has two powered launches, sending the trains to a maximum speed of 67 km/h, on a layout promising no less than 13 moments of weightlessness, or airtime.

With trains with individual seats, visitors will be able to enjoy the experience without anyone sitting to either side, providing a unique sensation. 

What are the most impressive theming elements created for the ride?

The passage through the temple cut in two and the passage over the lake are going to be very cool features... You've got to come and see this!

When are you aiming to complete the construction of the ride?

We're working towards an opening before the summer.