Six Flags Holland isn't very interesting this year, the only new addition is the rebirth of a 10 year old stunt-show.
Colorado Adventure is a "nice" mine train, nothing more than that. The only rides that stand out at Phantasialand are Mystery Castle and Wuze Town. Rather exclusive rides you might want to visit the park for.
Where exactly are you staying, because there are a lot of themeparks in North-Western Germany and surroundings.
------------------
Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
I can only recommend going to Phantasialand. Efteling is a great Park also, but more because of its great atmosphere and the great DarkRide.
Both Parks do not have very many or outstanding Coasters.
I still don't find Colorado Adventure a good coaster. Whenever the train catches speed it's slowed down to enter the next lift-hill (3 in total). Really dislike that ride, and the extremely uncomfortable trains don't do it any good either.
------------------
Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
After the fire two years ago the park has changed rapidly (replacing the two burnt coasters with a spectacular Rapid ride.) The new ride is called RIVER QUEST and was build in a kind of a hurry last year. It features some world firsts for such a kind of ride, which will hopefully work in full effect this year. (express elevator lift, tilting and dropping paltforms. The ride is about 80 ft tall and runs in and outside a castle).
The spinning, duelling, indoor coasters are absolutely spectacular and great fun! If you havent experienced a ride like this (and you sure haven´t, because they are pretty unique) I would recommend to give it a try.
Another novelty for last year was a chinese themed Mad House by Vekoma. I hope they worked on it as well, cause last year not all FX were working. Those rides are very succesful in europe and EFTELING has one of the best (and the first).
The Park has drastically changed its appearance within the last two years. They decided to stick to excessive theming to compete with the 3 loveless SF Parks which openend in very close proximity (Movie world, SF Belgium are just an hour away, SFH is close too). It is all becoming very Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings-like.
The biggest problem of Phantasialand is as well a big plus: Space!
The park is not very big and therefore the attractions are literally stacked over each other. Colorado Adventure (aka the Michael Jackson Thrillride - he is a big fan and rented the park for himself several times) is beautifully intertwined with the two logflumes.
The indoor Bungee drop is quite unique as well. Its a very eerie feeling to shoot and drop inside a big black shaft with the seats facing each other (!). Most times they run the short ride program which can make the ride seem a little too short, but it still offers more thrill than a normal Intamin drop tower (note that you are accelerated on the drop as well.)
The park features as well some oldschool amusements like the tilted house (CASA MAGNETICA) and its a must visit for Schwarzkopf afficionados.
Three of the four big darkrides feature Schwarzkopf transportation systems (two endless and one suspended). Due to the devestating fire the fire regulations had to be updated, and some of the dark rides are still affected by this. Maybe this season brings some change here as well.
I am not a big fan of family darkrides and shows, but this is where Phantasialand fanatics tend to see things differently. Other parks would have removed their outdated rides (some from the early seventies) but the Fans run amok when their nostalgic relics are in danger of being torn down. Its a pro and con. On the other hand its nice to keep the old attractions, but with serious space issues the park will have to remove them sooner or later.
One of the shows won a price for worlds best theme park show recently, but as I said, its not my cup of tea.
There´s as well PIRATES 3D, a big space simulator, and a big indoor coaster, which is currently in a limbo phase! It was themed as a space-flight, but the theming was removed to fit with the new fantasy surroundings. The ride is now supposed to simulate a bird flight through a night jungle. Well, the only thing finished so far is the "night theming" (they removed the space theming and added NOTHING) you are now meandering for three minutes through complete darkness! This is a Vekoma ride with three lifts and a tight, intertwined layout. Sadly the ride is kinda slow and not very thrilling. Good for making out, though!
Chosing between Efteling and Phantsialand is a touhgh decision. It depends on what you like. Both parks have clearly the same roots as fairy-tale parks. Phantasialand offers some one-of-a-kind-rides, which are nowhere to be found. The spinning coasters are good for half a day of riding alone, because no ride ever is the same. Did I mention that these coasters feature tilting sections and vertical lifts and drops as well? They are really impressing. The dark rides can be a little bit boring and outdated.
Efteling is a vast (and i mean VAST park) with beautiful landscapes and exceptional theming. The much heralded DROOMVLUCHT even gets the thumbs up from me. Its hilarious.
If you are at Phantasialand I would of course suggest to take a trip to Cologne as well. Its just twenty minutes away. The Cathedral is a lesson in pre-Disney theming! (oh, i live there as well, drop me a mail)
But are you really sure to visit OLD EUROPE? (The fifth wheel on the axis of evil?) I hope they let you go:-)
greetings, tricktrack
------------------
i was a teenage rollercoaster designer
------------------
Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
------------------
Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
Bobbahn 1 was actually the predecessor of REVOLUTION at SFMM. It was a step forward from the Jet Star series Stengel/Schwarzkopf did before. It was the first to feature the new trains which were developed for the Looping Racer series.
When it opened it was one of the worlds tallest steel coasters (if not the tallest). Sadly the layout was not much more than a oversized figure eight track. The first drop was a flat drop (like the drop into the loop on Revolution or the ramps on the Speedracers in the US).
The drop would not go to the ground, but it was enclosed by a tunnel whith a sharp right-turn at the end. I rode the coaster exactly one week before it burned down and I was again astounded how fast the ride got on this decline. The pull out of the curve was pure pre-computer -design-fun. It featured a jolt which whisked you into your neighbor, but it was still smooth and not rough. It was just a good dose of laterals, which were complimented by the single lap bar and absent seat dividers.
Then the ride would come out of the tunnel to dip into a steeper drop (which could have been a little deeper). After climbing back into the fake rocks, the ride would gain speed while coasting through two downward double helices. Inbetween was a skihut, which housed the midcourse brake.(the ride could and mostly would run five trains!)
The helices were brilliantly designed, so that the ride would get faster, then levelling out, only to dive deeper into the rocks.
The rocks and boulders were unbelievably close, so was the track of Bobbahn 2 (a powered "Alpenblitz" ride) which was intertwined within the structure and the heavily planted soil in the middle of the structure.
After a few dips and turns close to the ground (and next to the midway) the train zoomed into a final tunnel where the brakes finnished this mild (but very entertainig) ride.
When I saw the coaster for the first time, it was still without the theming. It was just the bare pillars and tracks and I had never seen anything as big before.
I think the Speedracers and Jetstars are still more thrilling, but its still a great loss for coaster-fans.
------------------
i was a teenage rollercoaster designer
*** This post was edited by tricktrack 2/13/2003 12:01:32 PM ***
Bobbahn 1 was a lot of fun though, even my mother liked that ride! ;)
------------------
Dutch Coastin' :: European coasters, thrills and theming!
Which park is most different from the average paramount or six flags in the US.... which park is most unique??? I guess im getting tired of visiting parks that look like they came out of a can.
Where exactly are you staying, because there are a lot of themeparks in North-Western Germany and surroundings.
~My relatives live in Monchengladbach, about 40 minutes from Cologne. What other parks are in North-Western Germany besides WB movie world and Phantasialand??
Has anyone been to WB movie world? Is it good or bad? It looks like MGM studios with a few coasters.
Thanks for all of your replies!
Then BonBon Land may be something for you... I haven't been there myself yet but I will this summer. The theming is quiet different from the rest of the parks and it'll be the first park to have a roller coaster with a 95 degree drop. The only major coaster though so if you want alot of coasters,maybe SF parks is for you afterall or Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
@nascartheridein05? (what a name;-))
Yes, BonBonLand is this really lovable park that belongs to a bonbon factory (which is located IN the park, by the way). It started out as a family/kiddie park with a twist. The theming is hilarious and might be very unsettling for some americans. But instead of investing in yet another Tivoli coaster (as most german parks with this clientele do) they will open the first Gerstlauer coaster with a 95° drop, a loop and a Stengel dive. Its a litle bit far away from Mönchengladbach, though.
Don´t get me started about Movie World. Its the Kindergarten of the Rhine-Ruhr area!
It has a decent woodie (Cyclone clone, very similar, but not as good as VIPER in SFGAm), a disposable SLC and a horrible (but unique) Intamin racing/duelling coaster with an Indoor loop and the first intamin heartline roll. Sadly the cool theming (burning car flying over your head before you go through the inversion) has been removed. Most of the time the coaster is running only one track, has a horrible capacity and is very rough and jerky. Not an Intamin masterpiece!
Other coasters: Vekoma Rollerscater and a standard Wild Mouse.
A decent rapid , some darkrides which are easily forgettable and a stand-up gyro drop.
Next to Heide Park and Europa Park its the closest to a thrill park, but I just don´t like it. Its too Six Flaggy! Doors open at 9 but most of the rides open at 12 o clock (get this!). The capacity throughout the park is a disaster and the whole park is not well maintained. If you are tired of corporate themers, don´t go. Phatasialand will provide a different experioence.
Another easy daytrip from Mönchengladbach would be HOLIDAY PARK! It should take about 2,5 - 3 hours to get there. Expedition Ge Force is well worth it. The rest of the park is average. (the FIRST EVER Vekoma corkscrew) an Intamin Drop Tower, a very nice rapid and a good Flume make the rest. Oh, theres as well a notorious darkride which is very tacky and features some "ani-erotics", which flash their breasts!
Enjoy your trip to Old Europe.
greetings from the irrelevant debating society.
------------------
i was a teenage rollercoaster designer
And rapids with a vertical lift, real whirlpools, multiple drops and freefall-effects.
I don't think that I want to go to Efteling because one of the four coasters there is a clone of one of the coasters at my home-park and I want a park with "different" rides/coasters. Otherwise I thought it looked ok.
Thanks again for your replies, and to answer some questions:
I have seen the cathedral in Cologne and the chocolate factory ( ;
My sn is kinda a joke/hopeful reality because I like to call the hyper that may never be bilt @ Paramounts Carowinds, nascar the ride (the name would be great for marketing in Charlotte considering the # of Nascar enthusiasts).
Finally, I have nothing against Germany (the axis of evil thing joke) considering that I am half german and more on the liberal side, aka no war in Iraq! ( =
Thanks for your replies!!!!
To eat, there are many places that fit the themed areas. In the main street is a good restaurant. But you'll see it on the parkmap. They don't have a place that better than the others.
Must-rides: Colorado Adventure, Mystery Castle, Winja's Fear/Force, Wildwasserbahn I/II & River Quest
Their coasters:
Colorado Adventure - Vekoma Mine-Train
Temple of the Nighthawk - Vekoma Indoorcoaster
Winja's Fear - Maurer Spinning Coaster
Winja's Force - Maurer Spinning Coaster (dueling with Fear)
================
Warner Bros.:
At this park, "Lethal Weapon Pursuit" should be a ride to hit first. Then move on to "The Wild Bunch", the floorless gyrodrop. You can also ride the wooden coaster and the SLC.
Then go back to the other side of the park and ride the junior coaster ("Coyote Achterbahn") and the mouse coaster. The rapids and the darkride can also be crowded.
Must-rides: Lethal Weapon Pursuit, Wild Wild West, Neverending Story, Bermuda Triangle, Batman Adventure, Looney Tunes Studio Tour & Gremlins Invasion. Make sure to visit the Hollywood Stunt Show too.
If you understand German a bit, the Movie Magic show is good also.
To eat, the Studio Restaurant near the entrance is good value and so is Casablanca. Or just grab some fast food, there's a Subway in the park too.
Their coasters:
Eraser - Vekoma SLC
Coyote Achterbahn - Vekoma Junior
Wild Wild West - RCCA/Premier Rides Wooden Twister
Mouse in the House - Mack Wild Mouse
Lethal Weapon Pursuit - Intamin Dueling Looper
Enjoy your visit to Europe !
You must be logged in to post