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Efteling Announces Missie Luminar, a New Suspended Launch Coaster Opening in 2029

This 50 million euro attraction will launch riders from a scientific institute on a mission to break through the light barrier.

By FirstDrop TeamJul 10, 20263 min read

Efteling has revealed the next major attraction coming to its entrance area, and it will be nearly impossible for guests to miss.

Missie Luminar will open at the Netherlands theme park in 2029 as Efteling’s first suspended launch coaster. Unlike a traditional roller coaster, riders will sit inside vehicles hanging beneath the track before being launched into an experience built around light, speed, science, and exploration.

The adventure begins inside a scientific institute inspired by the discoveries and natural phenomena of the nineteenth century. Guests will become what Efteling calls “missionauts” and receive instructions before taking their seats inside the ride vehicle.

Each vehicle will carry 18 riders. Once everyone is in place, the mission begins with a high speed launch and sends riders through more than two minutes of unexpected elements, rapid movement, and several moments of weightlessness. The story challenges the missionauts to accomplish one ultimate goal by breaking through the light barrier.

Missie Luminar will reach a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, which is approximately 50 miles per hour. Efteling CEO Fons Jurgens said the speed may feel even faster because riders will be hanging beneath the track throughout the experience.

The park has not revealed the coaster’s full track layout, height, or exact number of launches. However, the first piece of concept art shows the track moving around the scientific institute and diving through the surrounding landscape near the front of the park.

Visitors will be able to see the coaster’s vehicles racing across the area shortly after entering Efteling. Jurgens said this location will allow Missie Luminar to immediately set the tone for a guest’s day inside the park.

Efteling is investing 50 million euros in the new attraction. That investment will include the coaster and the themed environment surrounding it, which will draw inspiration from scientific experiments, extraordinary natural events, and voyages of discovery from the nineteenth century.

Missie Luminar will become part of the Island of the Five Senses, the developing entrance area that also includes the House of the Five Senses, Efteling Grand Hotel, Efteling Theatre, and the Aquanura water show.

Efteling describes the area as a lively place centered around journeys, arrivals, and departures. The addition of a large thrill ride will give the entrance area a new sense of movement, with coaster vehicles passing through the landscape as guests begin and end their visits.

The attraction will also expand Efteling’s thrill ride lineup, which currently includes coasters such as Baron 1898, Python, Joris en de Draak, De Vliegende Hollander, Max and Moritz, and Vogel Rok.

While Missie Luminar will be a major thrill attraction, the story and environment appear to be just as important as the track itself. The concept art presents an elaborate scientific facility surrounded by towers, lights, water, gardens, and unusual machinery.

A bright light shines from the center of the institute as the coaster track twists through the area, suggesting that the attempt to break through the light barrier will be visible throughout the attraction’s exterior.

The design also appears to blend Efteling’s familiar storybook architecture with ideas inspired by astronomy, invention, and scientific exploration. This allows the new coaster to feel different from the park’s existing attractions while still fitting within Efteling’s larger visual style.

More details about the ride experience, construction timeline, and coaster layout are expected to be announced as the project moves closer to completion.

Missie Luminar is scheduled to open at Efteling in 2029.

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