The girl patiently waited for Duinrell director Philip van Zuylen van Nijevelt to finish speaking. He asked if he would sign her test certificate. “Of course.” He returned it with a smile. The girl was one of the 500 testers who tested the Kikker8baan on Wednesday, April 1st. Some time ago, the park asked for testers who wanted to try out the new Kikker8baan. Not an April Fool's joke, but reality! It has become a resounding success. Consequently, the new Kikker8baan officially opened to the public on Friday, April 3rd.
Laura van Houwe, Marketing & PR employee at Duinrell. “We didn’t know what we were unleashing with this campaign. We received more than 10.000 applications. From these, we selected 500 and invited them.” Wednesday afternoon, April 1, the moment arrived. The first test rides could take place.
Rick the Frog on a motorcycle
The first ride was with their own employees. Philip van Zuylen Nijeveld was quite proud of this. “We had 34 employees in the roller coaster cars. Together, they represented 940 years of service in cars pulled by Rick the Frog on a motorcycle. It is a nod to the park’s motocross history. After all, motocross races were organized on the estate in the 40s and 50s.” The Duinrell director explains that the previous frog roller coaster was due for replacement after 40 years. “Repairing the wear and tear had become too expensive. The new roller coaster is mirrored, and the German manufacturer Zierer has improved the attachment of the cars to the rails, resulting in much less noise.” The track has a length of 362 meters. The height is 12 meters, and the maximum speed is 47 kilometers per hour.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony on Friday, April 3, was hosted by Ed, known for Duinrell videos and presentations regarding new attractions and events. Ed took the attendees through the story behind the construction of the new Kikker8baan, using video footage to look back at the realization of the attraction and its significance for the park.
A special moment during the ceremony was the making of a symbolic handprint by Philip van Zuylen van Nijevelt and his grandson Philip. This handprint will be cast in bronze and given a permanent place in the station of the Kikker8baan. This makes the family business character of Duinrell visible and emphasizes the connection between generations. “The Kikker8baan belongs to Duinrell. Many parents took their first ride here and now return with their children. With this new Kikker8baan, we are continuing that tradition,” said Philip van Zuylen van Nijevelt. After the joint countdown, the first official ride was taken by specially selected children. With this, the new Kikker8baan was festively put into operation.
Amusement park addition
All in all, the ride is an asset to the amusement park. Younger children and their guardians, in particular, will love it. For them, it serves as a stepping stone to even bigger and more thrilling roller coasters. The attraction's appearance is fresh, high-quality, and, thanks to the Duinrell mascot Rick the Frog as the driver, very enjoyable for young children.
Just like the old roller coaster, the new one was supplied by the German company Zierer. The roller coaster manufacturer is known as the king of family and children's roller coasters. The type of the Kikker8baan is the Zierer Force Coaster. The track features more modern technology than the previous one. In addition to the roller coaster that opened on April 3, the Duinrell Drifter will also soon be delivered by Zierer. Rally cars take center stage in this attraction.
90th Anniversary Jubilee Book
Duinrell in Wassenaar is a family business. The amusement park celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2025. To mark this occasion, Luc Diets wrote the book 'Duinrell - Chronicle of a Family Business'. The estate was first opened to the public in 1935. The current amusement park features a variety of accommodation options, such as Duingalows and a campsite. In the anniversary year, the park attracted nearly 1,4 million visitors, an increase compared to previous years, which were marked by the coronavirus crisis. With this result, Duinrell is one of the most visited amusement parks in the Netherlands.
More information: www.duinrell.nl