See I really like Kronasar, but I'd advise against staying there for more than a night as it's so out the way and an inconvenience for getting to the main park. Only other hotel I've stopped in is Andaluz, and for the most part I very much enjoyed my stay there. Not quite what I was expecting (the majority of rooms being accessible from outside only was a strange one!), but I'd definitely consider staying there again, especially considering it's typically the least expensive of the 6.Sorry to bump this thread, but out of interest; out of Castillo Alcazar, El Andaluz and Kronasar, which hotel would you go for?
However, I should add that it did take until my second visit for me to toally get Europa-Park. Don't get me wrong, I loved it first time around, but it was not my favourite theme park at the time. After my second visit, well, that was it.
Don't overthink it. Don't overplan it. The more you try to make a detailed itinerary then the less you'll enjoy it.
With all due respect Matt, as a seasoned visitor, it's quite amusing to see you stress about getting on rides at EP with having 3 days there! Trust me matey, you'll be fine. I've historically averaged around 25-30 rides a day at EP, and even on my more recent food and beverage-influenced visits, I've done over 20 a day without any stress. Even on the busiest days it's not an issue to get everything done.I wouldn't say I know a ton about Europa besides the coaster selection, to be honest... I know what to expect coasters-wise, and I do know what some of the more major non-coasters are (for instance, Piraten in Batavia and Voletarium are very much on my radar), but I haven't researched in too much depth about Europa... I haven't watched any POVs of any of their non-coasters, so I don't know in-depth about what to expect from things like the dark rides other than a very broad description, and I also haven't really researched the park layout, so I'm not really sure about it in that regard either.
I'll admit I am going in with a basic to-do list of things I would like to get done over the 3 days, however; that to-do list comprises of:
Adding to that, I think I'd like at least a couple of rides on each of the big 3 (Wodan, Silver Star and Blue Fire) within the 3 days, although based on my usual ride count at parks like Alton Towers and the sheer amount on offer at Europa, I'm unsure if I'll get more than 1 ride on each major ride.
- All coaster credits besides B-a-a-a (and possibly Atlantica dependant on weather).
- Voletarium
- Piraten in Batavia
- Maybe some of the smaller dark rides too, if I have time; for instance, I'd like to try Geisterschloss after quite liking its Disney source material, and I've also heard good things about Madame Freudenrich's Curiosities (I'm sorry if I spelt that wrong).
I'll admit I might get a touch of cred anxiety if I haven't done all of Europa's coasters at least once within the first day, but I guess that's something for me to try and overcome...
What about the other "wet" water rides, like the Tirol Log Flume, Poisedon and Fjord Rafting?Regarding Atlantica, don't worry it's no Tidal Wave. Normally it's all show with very little bite. The water is mostly pushed away from the boat rather than over it.
You'll get wet but I've never come off regretting it.
I don't recall getting particularly wet and I dried off fairly quickly (despite going in late November).What about the other "wet" water rides, like the Tirol Log Flume, Poisedon and Fjord Rafting?
Fjord is generally fine, though sometimes has the potential for excessive wetness in the wave section. Tiroler Wildwasserbahn is also very much not an issue, but as is the case with a lot of log flumes, the first drop can result in a wave of water coming into the boat thanks to the rebound wall. As for Poseidon, it's much the same as Atlantica in terms of wetness, if not slightly dryer.What about the other "wet" water rides, like the Tirol Log Flume, Poisedon and Fjord Rafting?
No.Water rides-wise, are any of EP's water rides like Popeye or Valhalla in terms of wetness (so something I should prepare for accordingly beforehand), or are they all fairly OK?
Yes, it's in the complex of Hotel El Andaluz, so great for you if you opt to stop there.Also, do hotel guests have a separate entrance, or did I dream that?
I wouldn't say don't plan at all. Whenever I visit a new park I make sure to look at the rides and attractions list on the website to see what there is and what I want to do, so that I don't miss anything that's a bit more hidden away if you don't know about it. I'd suggest having a look at what's on offer to see what takes your fancy, and what you'd be happy to miss out on. (I'd generally recommend doing all rides you're able to - you'll likely find something quirky and fun about them even if they're not much to look at at first glance.)I'll admit that this whole "not planning much" thing is something I find surprisingly difficult, being a type who likes to plan and have some degree of baseline knowledge beforehand, but I'm keen to not reveal too many of the park's surprises, as you guys have implied that Europa relies a fair bit on the element of surprise compared to other parks. I do already have some baseline knowledge of Europa (mainly about the coaster selection, but I do also know a basic description of some of the non-coasters), but I really haven't researched in too much depth at all. I certainly haven't watched any POVs or read any detailed synopses of dark rides, anyway (although I've gotten to the point where I wouldn't do that for dark rides at any park I'm soon to visit, anyway, so that one isn't too hard), and I don't really know an awful lot about Europa's park layout, either.
Fjord is generally fine, though sometimes has the potential for excessive wetness in the wave section.