From fairytale forest to roller coaster dream: The history of the Movie Park Bottrop

From fairytale forest to roller coaster dream: The history of the Movie Park Bottrop

Bottrop, a place that was shaped by tranquil forests and idyllic fairy tales in the past, is now known for his exciting amusement park, Movie Park Germany. Since its opening in the summer of 1996, the park has fascinated its visitors with brave rides, impressive shows and film topics. But the history of this site begins much earlier, in a modest atmosphere full of magic and imagination.

The Movie Park, which has conquered the hearts of visitors for almost three decades, has developed from a small fairytale forest, whose roots go back to the 1960s. The first milestone of this development was the opening of the "Kirchhellener Märchenwald" on July 8, 1967, initiated by Hans Allekotte, which was inspired by a similar concept that he experienced near Munich.

from the fairytale forest to the amusement park: the change in detail

What once started as a small fairytale forest, which attracted the youngest visitors with wooden figures and fairy tale hearing stations, can hardly be seen in its original form today. The old video recording that a girl shows in a small convertible that drives through the fairytale forest is a nostalgic look back at a simpler time that is symbolic of the beginning of a long journey today.

After initial success, the number of visitors began to stagnate. The fairytale forest finally faced bankruptcy. In 1977, new tenants took over the site and transformed it into the dreamland park. A variety of attractions, including a petting zoo and life -size replicas of dinosaurs, should enliven the park here. An 180-degree cinema and a museum street railway followed, but hope was short-lived. The operators left the stage again in 1986.

The history of the site did not stop. With Wolf-Dieter Jahn and Alexandre Berthé, the “new dream country” opened in 1986. But this attempt to attract visitors was also unsuccessful, and only five years later this park also had to close.

The jump into the film world: challenge and innovation

in 1992 Bavaria Film GmbH took over the site. They invested a whopping 53 million D-Mark and created the Bavaria Film Park, which had a cinematic concept, but did not offer any rides. The attractions included a variety of film sets and exciting stun shows. This should appeal to the visitors, but the park did not last long and had to close again after only two years.

A new era began on June 30, 1996 with the opening of the "Warner Bros. Movie World". With an impressive investment volume of 400 million D-Mark, including 62 million from the state government, this park relied on an extensive range of leisure activities and brought the first wooden roller coaster to Kirchhellen. It was a big step that laid the basis for the success of today's Movie Park.

In 2004 the park finally got its currently established name "Movie Park Germany". The attractions and shows are now remarkably diverse, and the former fairytale forest can hardly be seen. What has remained, however, is the basic idea born over 50 years ago: to take people of all ages into another world, with a wealth of experiences and fun.

a fascinating place in the heart of NRW

The history of the Movie Park in Bottrop reminds us of how great things can arise from small beginnings. The dream of five men to create a fairytale country has turned into a gigantic entertainment center that inspires countless people. It is a place where memories are created and that continues to link to the original ideal - the joy of marveling and the magic of diving into another world.

The development of the amusement park market in Germany

The amusement park market in Germany has developed rapidly since the 1960s. With the opening of the Kirchhellen fairytale forest, an era began in which amusement parks not only became the places of entertainment, but also important economic factors. The largest and most famous amusement parks include the Europa-Park in Rust and the Heide Park in Soltau, who attract millions of visitors both year after year.

A missing critical mass of attractions was often the problem of less successful parks at the beginning. The fairytale forest and its successors such as the dreamland park could not meet these requirements, which ultimately led to their closures. In the past few decades, however, many amusement parks in Germany have diversified their offer in order to address a broader target group and to meet customer expectations.

present and future of the Movie Park

The Movie Park Germany has also continued to develop in recent years. With the introduction of new attractions and seasonal events, the park not only addresses families, but also younger visitors. The focus on film issues and the integration of well-known franchises helped the park to assert its position in the competitive environment of the amusement parks.

According to a study by Pro-Fun GmbH , over 1.5 million people visited Movie Park in 2022, which is a pleasant increase compared to previous years. The possibility of using digital technologies for the attractions could also have a significant impact on the future of the park. Virtual reality experiences could play an increasingly important role in the near future and raise the visitor experience to a new level.

visiting statistics and economic importance

According to the latest surveys and reports, the amusement parking industry in Germany is an important economic sector. The industry generates sales of several billion euros annually. In 2019, the amusement parks in Germany contributed significantly to the regional economy with over 43 million visitors. During COVID-19 pandemic, many parks suffered significant losses, but, thanks to state support and adaptable marketing strategies, have been able to come back to a stable course in recent years.

The importance of the Movie Park in Bottrop as a tourist attraction should not be underestimated, since it offers jobs and promotes local tourism through a wide range of leisure opportunities. The park not only attracts regional visitors, but has also established itself as a goal for international tourists.