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Revolution is an Enclosed roller coaster in the Belgian theme park Bobbejaanland. It is one of only two Vekoma MK-700 Illusion coasters ever built. After the sudden closure of Opryland's Chaos with the remainder of the park in 1997, it is the only one of its kind still operational.
History[]
In May 1989, Revolution began testing it's effects & top & bottom projectors. On June 15, 1989, Revolution opened to the public. At the opening, there were six projections: two in the inner chamber (on the floor and on the ceiling) and four in the outer chamber. Accompanying the riders was an electronic soundtrack, Bones on the Beach by Michael Hoenig,
After the 2007 season, the coaster underwent multiple rethemings. It was renamed Evolution or (R)Evolution from 2008 until 2013, and was themed after the jungle. From 2014, the original tech theming of the ride returned, with a Virtual Reality ride option, Mount Mara, being added in 2016. Due to infection risks coming with the headsets being changed users, the VR option was removed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of 2022, of the two large projection screens in the lift hill section remains only the one on the ceiling; the bottom now has laser and volcano effects.
Design[]
Building[]
The exterior building is exactly like the one for Chaos, however, there is a difference. The difference is where a rainbow is on the right-hand side of the structure. On the near left, the name is a bold, red, capitalised writing painted on the front of the building, however, from 2009 to 2013: the R is crossed out.
Train[]
Old and New Queues[]
Old Queue[]
Until 2007, the entrance and queue of the ride was found in an adjacent building called Hall 2000.
New Queue[]
For the 2008 season, the entrance was rebuilt after the addition of the water cannon ride Banana Battle. The entrance building has retained its jungle theming ever since. The new Revolution queue is found right next to the Banana Battle ride, under a stone portal. After this portal, visitors enter a stairwell, which still retains its industrial theming, immediately leading to the station.
Ride Experience[]
Your ride begins when you sit-down in a inline fashioned seat and next, you pull down a T-bar to restrain yourself. Each car has one seat that can accommodate up to two people; children between 120 and 140 cm are required to sit on the lap of an accompanying adult. The length of the T-bar can be modified to suit your length. Then, the T-bars are checked by a ride operator. After this, the train moves out of the station accompanied by artificial engine sounds. As the train enters the inner chamber, the off-board soundtrack begins to play as it enters the friction wheel spiral lift hill. During the lift hill, visitors are treated to visuals. Until 2007, two films were projected on two huge screens (on the ceiling and on the floor) that begin to play simultaneously as the soundtrack on the off-board audio speakers.
Top film[]
The Top film began a few seconds after the Bottom film does, when a pendulum is revealed. Next, the pendulum falls off the screen. Then, the dome holding the pendulum shatters. Further projections included a human eye. The top film was removed from both rides in the 1990s.
Bottom film[]
The Bottom film displayed a clock with Roman numerals. Next, the pendulum from the top screen fell through the clock, in which a moon with a child's face projection came after it. Then, the wormhole from the top screen appears before a digital clock. After this, there are two big PCBs which rotate simultaneously. Lastly, an explosion occured which leads to sparks flying all over the screen, ending the film.
New film[]
As of 2022, much of the original pre-2008 film has been restored. Only the ceiling projection screen remains. The Roman analog clock shatters, followed by a wormhole and a projection of a digital clock. This is essentially what used to be projected on the bottom screen, where there is now a square hole that seems to contain lava, surrounded by thick green lasers. As riders exit the lift hill, the ceiling screen produces flashing lights and firework effects, working together with the soundtrack to create suspense for the ride ahead.
Outer chamber[]
The moment the train crests the lift hill, it enters the outer chamber. It makes a small leftward dip, it goes through a sudden drop. During the sudden drop, it passes through the first projection (a fire projection; now replaced by a fire oil projection, which has been shut down ever since retheming). Next, the train goes over a downward hump, which leads to the second projection (a shattering glass projection; now replaced by a water oil projection). Then, the train goes through a near circular helix over the third projection, after this, the train passes through the third projection (a portal projection; now replaced by a time portal oil projectionn, which has been shut down ever since retheming). After passing through the third projection, the train goes under some track, at this point, the train enters the inner chamber one last time, where riders are greeted with bright flashing lights.
Finale[]
The train makes a helix around the gear projection, rotating in the opposite direction on the bottom screen (The gear projection is on the top screen now, rotating the same direction as the train). Then, the train will go through the final projection (an another gear projection. Next, an another fire projection. Then, a disco effect. Finally, red light strips are on the screen's place.) before the brake run. Finally, the train enters the station after a ride of roughly two minutes.