Efteling Partner With Vekoma For NEW Accessibility Initiative.
Efteling have announced they will partner with the Dutch rides and attractions manufacturer Vekoma to introduce a ground breaking NEW accessibility initiative at the park.
The ‘seat on wheels’ as it’s been called is a game changing new concept designed by Vekoma as part of Efteling’s official partnership with them in their ongoing mission to promote social sustainability at Efteling theme park resort.
Along with input from experts and representatives from the Dutch association de Zonnebloem, Efteling and Vekoma have worked together to produce a gamechanging new concept to increase inclusivity in theme parks, specifically geared towards wheel chair users.
The new seat on wheels is an independent seating concept which is said to have been designed so guests using them can be safely secured onboard numerous different ride types making boarding more straight forward than ever before for those with additional needs.
This means that those who are wheel chair bound will find it easier than ever to join others in their group aboard their favourite rides and attractions.
Last year saw Efteling and Vekoma join forces in their joint vision for a sustainable attraction of the future & now both companies are calling on suppliers, fellow parks, and industry partners to join them in further developing this concept together.
The brand new ‘seat-on-wheels’ concept was first unveiled at this year’s IAAPA Expo in Barcelona by Vekoma and Efteling during Sustainability Day on September 22nd.
Speaking about their latest new joint accessibility venture with Efteling, Anne-Mart Agerbeek, CEO of Vekoma Rides said;
“At Vekoma, we believe that technological innovation must go hand in hand with social responsibility. With the seat-on-wheels concept, we want to set a new standard for accessibility within the attractions industry. This is more than just a technical solution. It is an invitation to the entire sector to actively shape inclusivity. We want to inspire and encourage suppliers, parks, and industry peers to contribute ideas and join in development. Because only together can we build a future where experiences are naturally accessible to everyone.”
Speaking further about the new accessibility concept, Femke van Es, Manager Society, Communication & Environment of Efteling said;
“This concept fits seamlessly with our social sustainability ambition for 2030: ‘Everyone feels welcome, can participate, and feels part of Efteling,’”
“We see that in 28% of the groups visiting our park, at least one person has a disability. By working together, Efteling and Vekoma hope to make a real difference – and to invite others to join in, so that everyone can take their social responsibility.”
“The National Association de Zonnebloem believes that people with physical disabilities should be able to participate in society freely and as a matter of course. That is why we are very pleased with this collaboration, in which our participants were involved at an early stage in the development of this new concept,” says spokesperson Alexander van Zijp on behalf of De Zonnebloem.”
It’s wonderful to see Efteling and Vekoma working together to develop such a concept and with a joint vision to make theme parks even more accessible than ever before it’s clear this ground breaking new ride hardware could well inspire other industry leaders to do the same.
No exact date has yet been set for when the new seat-on-wheels will be rolled out at Efteling, but we’ll be sure to keep you all updates with the latest news regarding this as and when it drops.
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