Hi, I'm a girl from Belgium and I am a real coasterfreak! My ultimate dream is to visit Cedar Point and of course to ride 'Millenium Force'. I would like to know if there are people here who have already been in Europe. And most of all: 'Have you already done European coasters and what do you think?' My favorite coasters are 'Dragon Khan' in Port Aventura and 'Tonnère de Zeus' in Parc Asterix. This woodie is really the best! So, let me know!
I live in the UK. As for European coasters, Nemesis is the best I've been on (due to the fact that I've never been to any parks on the continent!). The Ultimate (longest in the world) is excellent too! Dragon Kahn is very similar to Kumba at BGT with an extra inversion.
Sadly, the best coasters seem to be in the USA most of the time! More money probably!
It's funny that you say that because there's a growing list of coasters I would really like to ride in Europe! Katun, Nemesis, Oblivion, Tonnère de Zeus, Pepsimax, Megafobia... there are a lot of rides for the population!
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
Ok lets clear something up here. The population of Europe stands at around 728 million people. In contrast North America weighs in at 400 million. Now I counted 71 coasters in Europe listed in Coasterbuzz. I'm not gonna count how many in North America but I think its more than that. So I would think North America has the best ratio of rides to people. Still I'd like to get over there some time and go for a ride on the Sewer Rat. What a great name and it's a Schwarzkopf.
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LONG LIVE ARROW DYNAMICS!!
OK, let me rephrase... I'm talking about the concentration in the UK. I noticed on a recent ECC trip itinerary that from London you can get to at least half a dozen parks in reasonable time. We don't even have that potential here in Cleveland!
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
I kind of figured that but I just had to mention it anyways. Hey we got less potential in San Diego. Oh Well.
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LONG LIVE ARROW DYNAMICS!!
Yeah we don't have alot of potentail in San Deigo, Doesn't Wild Artic and the shipwrek rapids at Sea World totaly, rule!!!!!!! Too bad the Delmar fair can only come around 1 time every year!
Todd B
Riddler's Revenge: The most underrated ride in the world!
Jeff, the trouble is that most of the parks in the UK are rubbish. Except for Alton Towers, the best, and the Pleasure Beach at Blackpool, the most expensive if you wanna good session, the rest are no comparison to whats on offer in the US. I don't know about the rest of Europe but I reckon there's no comparison either!
I gotta say, however, that Nemesis is one of the best inverteds EVER! Oblivion is not that good really! Waaaaaay too short.
I'll take Oblivion in my home park any day!
You'd rather have Nemesis Simcoaster! Trust me. You WOULD!!!!
To answer your original question Coasterke, I was lucky enough to have visited a couple of parks "on the continent". Unfortunately, I was with friends who couldn't see the point of flying half way round the world to visit amusement parks, so I was only able to see a few on my own.
Probably the closest one to you I visited was Efteling. Although they don't have a whole lotta coasters, this was by far my most favorite park out there, and one of my top 3 most favorite parks ever. The place is absolutely magical, nothing less than simply amazing. My favorite ride was Droomvlucht, was like a cross between a swing coaster and a Disney caliber dark ride. Absolutely brilliant.
Probably my most favorite coaster of the trip was the Colorado Adventure at Phantasialand. Even though this ride is a total ripoff of Disney's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad(as far as theming), the coaster itself blows away any of Disney's, easily the best runaway mine ride I've ever done. The airtime and the rib crakin' laterals were unbelievable. Mix it in with amazing theming, the best and longest tunnel I've ever experienced, and a very long ride(3 lifts), and you have a ride that rates right up there with the best of them. The other coasters at PL were fun, but none came close to the sheer brilliance of this ride.
Didn't make it down to France, but I've heard nothing but glowing reviews for Tonnere de Zues. Some say it's the best woodie in the world. Can't wait to try it someday. Hope you do get to make it over to this side someday, don't forget the West Coast, we got plenty of awesome coasters out here too!
When I'll get there, I'll do that!
From London there are absolutely no good parks(seriously)to visit. All they consist of are spin and spew rides and silly little baby rides,this is due to the hight restrictions. The closest decent park to London is Alton Towers which is about 3/4hrs away depends on traffic.
Paul
Honestly, I had never heard about Alton Towers until RCT came out. I started to look into the park on their website and I must say, it looks like an awesome park! The landscaping and themeing look incredible. I have to visit there someday. I don't know too much about other European parks, as I have never been off my own continent. I have seen the Pepsi Max Big One and other pretty cool coasters on the Worlds Greatest Coasters video, but they really don't show the parks too much. Oh well, I'll just have to make time and save money to take a trip overseas someday. Coasterke, you must come out to California as Draco suggested. We have some of the best coasters in the country out here, and I think we are overlooked quite a bit because of Cedar Point and the East Coast. Not to disparage the East Coast or Cedar Point, it's just that I am a West Coaster patriot, and I think we need our recognition also. Anyways, just my opinion. Peace. :)
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Medusa at Marine World: the best in the west!