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2019: Rulantica

EP has just announced an expansion of the outdoor area of Rulantica will be completed for April 2021.

Europa-Park announced further investments at the CMT tourism fair in Stuttgart. Among other things, the outdoor area of the new Rulantica water park should continue to grow and open in April 2021.

450,000 square meters of space, 25 attractions, including 17 slides, its own themed hotel, an investment volume of 180 million euros and a lot of encouragement from visitors: Rulantica, the new indoor water world of the Europa-Park, opened at the end of November, impresses with impressive Numbers and great offers.
The expansion of the park with the new water world has made them into a “24-hour entertainment company”, said Engelbert Gabriel, spokesman for the management of the Europa-Park, during the Rulantica day on Wednesday at the CMT
The first plans for the construction of a water park began 25 years ago, said Michael Kreft von Byern, director of Rulantica. During the planning and after intensive market observation, they consciously decided against sandy beaches and palm trees for the Scandinavian appearance of the water park. The concept was supplemented by the Kronasar themed hotel, also in the Nordic style.
Thanks to the new hotel and other accommodation options, Europa-Park now has a capacity of 6,000 beds. Gabriel is very satisfied with an occupancy rate of over 90 percent. On average, the guests stayed 1.4 nights. In the coming years, the aim is to increase this value to an average of 1.7 overnight stays. A not insignificant part of the nights in the camp resort contribute. Here, too, the park plans to invest in expansion in the coming years.

Rulantica is growing
The same applies to Rulantica: the outdoor area of the new water park is to grow and open in April 2021. Kreft von Byren also had a tip for all Rulantica visitors: “Anyone who stays in one of our hotels has earlier access to Rulantica. Otherwise, we recommend using the time after 5 p.m. - it is quieter and more relaxed. "
Source
 
It would appear that the lukewarm reaction to Rulantica has continued, with Tripadvisor reviews hovering around 3 1/2 stars.

Interestingly, they are now offering a few discounted packages during the winter season, including afternoon sessions from 1-5pm and evening sessions from 7-10pm including a cocktail. Both are just under €30. In addition to these, there is also a hotel package which includes Rulantica tickets at a discounted rate.

There are a couple of issues which seem to keep coming up, which appear to be quick fixes; the slightly petty locker charge and the outdoor water temperature feel like they could be quite easily fixed.
 
I find it amusing that the AT Waterpark gets 4, yet Rulantica gets 3.5

I know which I find better.

:eek:
 
I find it odd they charge for lockers, when a lot of these new water parks have them free, by using your band to access the locker. Places sometimes charge a deposit but you get that back.

Especially as hotel guests get it free, you might as well give it free to everyone.
 
The locker charge is a joke. Yes it’s only 1,€ but that’s not the point. When you’re already paying a premium for entry to the waterpark, the extra locker charge leaves a sour taste.

However I doubt many people would notice it. I believe it is added to the total bill of the RulaBand which you pay for at the end, and I doubt many people would go in and not buy any food or drink when there.
 
Technically you don't need a locker in Rulantica. There's storage cubbies all around the place, so those who aren't too fussed about the security of their personal belongings could just use these (and plenty of them were being used). If you're with someone who just spends the entire duration of their visit on a lounger, I suppose they could watch over it as well.

It still doesn't detract from the locker fee from being daft, but it can be overcome.
 
The price of Rulantica being double, say, Splash is not really relevant.

The cost of waterparks, and their size, in Germany, is a totally different proposition to the UK. Here, people simply wouldn't pay £30+ for a waterpark. In Germany, all the large ones are that sort of figure.

That isn't to say Rulantica isn't overpriced. It is probably by around €10. The lockers were free for us (as we're hotel guests); but they should be free for all.

All of this said, I feel it's getting pretty negative. In the scheme of things, although Rulantica needs some enhancements - it is certainly not in any way 'poor'. It's great. I mean - we had a fantastic time from pretty mediocre expectations.

Remove the locker fee. Enhance the queue area theming. Enhance the food offering. Extend the outdoor areas.

Job done.
 
I wonder if they’ll regret squeezing so many themed areas into such a small space as the park develops. With plans suggesting that Rulantica will grow substantially, you’re looking at a heck of a lot of small areas. Perhaps it’s better for cohesion to have fewer, larger areas - although this may be the case with further expansions.
 
German water parks do typically charge more than the British ones, probably because people are more likely to spend a whole day there.

Quite a few of the British ones restrict the length of your visit at peak times, typically with a coloured wristband system where every half an hour a colour has to leave. But even if you can spend a whole day there, most people in the UK wouldn’t.

We don’t have swim up bars, presumably because swimming under the influence of alcohol is considered too risky, but perhaps also due to issues around not being able to see ID when you serve the person. Rulantica has 2,200 sunbeds. Using a sunbed at an indoor water park isn’t part of our culture and I don’t know if any of our indoor water parks even have sunbeds.

If a British water park could increase their dwell times and capacity so that a lot of visitors did make a full day of it, then in theory I don’t see why they couldn’t stretch up their ticket prices.
 
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