Kondaa Review
Kondaa opened at Walibi Belgium in 2021 and has already gained a reputation as one of Europe’s top coasters. The new signature attraction finished off a €100Million series of impressive upgrades to the park with other previous rides installed such as Tiki-Waka, Pulsar and Popcorn Revenge.
I am a regular rider of Kondaa having a season pass for work with my tour company Coaster Breaks and I have now since visited the park 12 times since the ride opened. Gabby took her first flight on the coaster in October 2022.
Kondaa is a unique Intamin Mega Coaster with such elements as the world’s first non-inverting cobra roll. It is very hard to see the coaster as you walk the long length of the park to the back and only just past the wild west section can this huge attraction start to show.
Pass Tiki-Waka and you cross a bridge into Kondaa’s themed area. You can see the quality that Compagne des Alps, the parent company to Walibi has installed into the park the second you enter the plaza area. With just a shop, toilets and a little kids ride with a huge bone structure in the middle and the coaster towering around on the outside.
The queue itself has no theming as the focus is solely on the coaster creating the excitement. One thing everyone notices here is the impressive operations from Walibi Belgium as the second that train hits the breakrun, the next is being sent up the extremely fast lift hill.
The station brings back that theming from outside the front with a dark loading platform and rockworks with a temple worship atmosphere. As every train dispatches, a screeching sound blares through the station.
Kondaa starts by climbing an extremely fast lift hill followed by a twisting first drop reminiscent of Expedition GeForce. Unfortunately for myself, it does not quite match up with the older model from Holiday Park. The drop is still awesome and one of the best out there but unfortunately when reviewing a ride, I like many people will compare to what we already know.
The first Airtime Hill is fantastic, the second, has to be one of the best airtime moments in the world! This huge outer bank is crazy and holds you firmly against the Intamin lap bar restraints throughout the entire corner. Next unfortunately is not quite as good. The non-inverting cobra roll almost feels likes it slows the train down too much and starts to kill the pacing of the ride. Give me the straight flip over and back like on Hyperion any day!
After the non-inverting cobra roll, you have a couple turns and some floaty airtime moments before the ride tries to eject you out the seat one last time with a host of strange hops of airtime. Quickly round a corner and then the multiple ejector bunny hills keep you smiling and laughing the whole way until you hit the brakes. I love the final bit and some crazy moments of ejector air, it is clearly trying to be the Intamin RMC but not quite as crazy as one would expect from Rocky Mountain Construction.
Overall Kondaa is a brilliant coaster and a perfect addition to Walibi Belgium. I love the coaster, love the name and will happily re-ride this as much as possible. Make sure you get an afternoon ride as the coaster really warms up, but do not wait as the park shuts gates for the rides early which is a shame.
Unfortunately there are too many things that stops Kondaa being a top contender for me, the best way I can describe the coaster is Jack of all trades, master of none. I strongly recommend the coaster though and I love riding this coaster every time, but I cannot give it a perfect score, just a very high score instead.
Marcus Score: 9/10
Gabby Score: 9/10
