Europa-Park: Overrated?

Blue Fire is not garbage, end of story. Temple of the Night Hawk, G-Force, Goudurix, Togo stand ups etc. - they are garbage. Blue Fire is hardly the best coaster in the world but the whole experience is just pleasing and uplifting. Track and train it's probably average yes, but I'm sorry, garbage it is not.

I walked into that Wodan response. I feel it is phenomenal wherever you sit in the train and at whatever time of day but certain rides in certain conditions can be even more special (this is often the case on many great coasters I find).

Plopsa is a really nice park, I enjoyed my day there, but it is nowhere near the level of EP, Disney, Phatasialand etc. It's a great small family park. Fair enough with Asterix, I've only been once and like you with EP I never really got given that desire to return. Having said that I would like to once their new coaster opens.

By real I mean that the park does not feel like some fantasy world that in reality you could never actually be in. Every area of the park feels like a real place; the architecture is all based on real places, the food is authentic, it's hard to put into words but much about EP is like that. I feel from a planning and design point of view they have nearly perfected the art of placemaking. Walt Disney managed it and Roland Mack has done it also but in a very different style. There is a quality without a name.

That helicopter is in the Mack Bank preview centre yes? It's just a promition for the new ride, they've been using a helicopter for much of the filming. If you did not go into El Andaluz then I recommend that you never do, the Roland Mack photo wall will not be for you! The Mack's do love themselves and love to show off. It's just how they are but it has brought them sucesses beyond what they could have imagined back in 1975. What other parks or places have Mack all over them though? None, because EP is an independent park. It feels a bit like a Mack showcase because the park is a showroom for Mack rides.

The only dark rides at Asterix are the Madhouse (which is fab, though VERY broken my last ride), and Transdemonium, which is meh and confusing at best...

Not particularly the highest bar of dark ride kingdom must be said... Water rides are probably on par in terms of overall quality, since Europa's log flume has the cave of many smells...

Asterix's shows are better though, but the atmosphere and style of the two are very different... Europa is pretty serious whilst Asterix takes from the books and is silly throughout... Apples and oranges to a degree...

Rarely do I post in the theme park section on here but this thread jumped out to me, I enjoy reading opinions which differ to the majority.

I can understand why someone thinks Europa-Park doesn't live up to the hype. TST is guilty of perhaps hyping it to the point where expectations extend beyond reality. My first visit to Europa-Park was in 2008 and, as a thrill-seeker, I'm not sure I totally 'got' Europa-Park then. Since then I've been a further 3 times and each time I find myself enjoying the park more and more. I don't visit enough theme parks these days to make a real comparison but it is a long long way ahead of any of the Merlin parks and Disneyland Paris, the latter I last visited in 2012. That I do know.

Perhaps my issue in 2008 was that I viewed Europa-Park as a place to go on rides and that's it. It's so much more than that. Now when I go, I really couldn't care less what exactly I do, in fact I don't have a plan. It's a holiday and I feel like I can properly relax there. Whether that be relaxing in Colosseo Spa, any of the bars in their world-class hotels, or walking around the park in the sun with a Weißbeer in my hand. I find I'm not really bothered about going on rides! I accept that their ride line-up isn't the best in the world, and some areas of the park need refreshing and that basically the park has its flaws, but they do the vast majority of things very very well. Also, I like the fact that when I'm there I don't feel like I'm being hounded into spending more money, I actually find myself wanting to spend more.

You don't have to like Blue Fire, but calling it 'garbage' is a proper heads gone. It's not even my favourite coaster in the park, but it's still a good fun ride. In addition, 'A great coaster is great whenever, and where ever you sit', is wrong. Ride Nemesis first thing and last thing*, or Black Mamba front and then back and you'll see why.

*Just to clarify, I'm not saying Nemesis isn't good in the morning, but the difference between night and day is... well, night and day.

EP can't possibly live up to the hype in certain quarters, especially these days, but I've loved it ever since my first visit in 2005. It's also the only park I'll take friends and family, particularly my Mum and Dad, along to, as they are all typically impressed by the breadth of stuff to do at the park and resort as a whole. It's easily one of the most eminently pleasant destinations under the sun as far as I'm concerned.

This thread is keeping me entertained but you do have to wonder why a thread on a UK Europa Park fan site (europastreet) is being attacked for being pro EP by some quarters. Of course there is a predisposition to positive Europa opinion here, the clue is in the banner at the top of the page.

It would be like wondering why people disagree with a negative opinion of Blackpool Pleasure Beach posted on the PBE forums

Lordy said:

Are you honestly implying that Blue Fire is a better ride than Taron?! Yet you say you can't take my opinion seriously because I said Blue Fire is garbage...

I have been more than fair with my opinions, I haven't out right slated the park at every angle. I've said what I like about it, food, operations, prices, beautiful areas etc....

And I never implied that you guys are the only ones that love the place, I was saying that I've never seen love for a park like you guys show Europa. Obviously I don't go looking for stuff like that, but I've been a social geek for many many years, and I've not seen any like what I've seen on here... and I don't get why you use "Sandbrooke" as a back up for your argument of the park being great... he's just a kid who works at Alton, not significant in anyway. Same with TPR, who seemingly love everything.

And where did I say poor theming? I just said it wasn't immersive, and I'm not only person who thinks that in this thread alone.

You can't just dismiss my opinion because you don't agree, look beyond Towers Street, most people can see the park for what it is, "good".

It's great that you guys love it, it really doesn't affect me in anyway, I just don't get it. I just found it such an average park, and Blue Fire to be such an uneventful coaster.

Oh, and that Pirates was awful. Almost awkward, as it was dead silent in places with not much going on, aside from the noises of moving animatronics.

BUT (just remembered) , that shooter in Greece was good fun!

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I didn't say that.

I said Maverick is better than both...

Is Europa-Park overrated? Probably. But so is Taron. And Shambhala. And lots of rides and parks, i guess. It depends on your cup of tea.

It's my favourite so I am not too fussed if it is or isn't someone elses. I just reckon EP is more people's cuppas than it isn't.

EP has given us a ton of memories over the years. I'm not that concerned if the dark rides are old fashioned.

There is not a single of my top 5 coasters at EP. Wodan is the best ride in the park for me, though.

Some of the rides are atrocious (like BENCH).

Some of the shows are a bit safe and same old.

But, whatever. I went in there knowing nothing in 2004 and was blown away.

I'm glad you found EP at least good!



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Entertainment is always quite subjective. Not everyone like the Beatles or Queen and some people think that Shakespeare’s a load of poo. Based on the amount of visitors they get, their ranking on Trip Advisor and the number of awards they’ve won from enthusiasts and the industry; the general consensus of opinion is that Europa Park is one of the world’s finest theme parks. But it’s interesting to hear from people with an alternative view point.

I can see that dark rides might be the weak link in their line-up. The fact that Europa Park’s visitors speak a wide range of languages might give them a bit of a handicap in some ways. It’d be hard to have a ride that develops a story in the way that Hex does or uses puns in the way that Bubble Works or Toyland Tours did without alienating a good chunk of their visitors. At the same time I can also see that their older dark rides do borrow heavily from Disney and the animatronics aren’t at the highest level. I still think their dark rides are solid though, and a stronger all round set than what you get at the British parks.

In terms of coasters I rate them very highly. Depending on what you count as a coaster they’ve got 12 (RCDB includes Atlantica making it 13) and none of them feel like they are there just to make up the numbers. Whilst there is a wild mouse, it’s an extended mouse with a vertical lift and decent theming. It’s in the top 20 parks in the world based on coaster count, and some of the parks with more coasters have rides like Vekoma boomerangs, standard mice and a Zamperla Volare.

But heck, I’m not trying to convince people to change their minds. If people don’t like the place then it keeps the queues down for those of us that love it (I know it doesn’t really work like that, but still!).

AstroDan said:

Is Europa-Park overrated? Probably. But so is Taron. And Shambhala. And lots of rides and parks, i guess. It depends on your cup of tea.

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Woah, woah, woah, WOAH! Let's not get silly here now Mr Dan. Taron and Shambhala are not overrated!!

You leave them out of this or me and you are going to fall out Mr!

I think plenty of crap old dark rides have a charm and appreciate Europa for having them. The Disney rip offs of old are quite funny really, I like how you can see how they went from blatant imitation to becoming something many (most?) of us would argue is actually now better than what Disney offer us in Europe.

I think it's important, especially here where we all love it so much, to hear the odd opposing view, helps us be objective and fair and stuff.

When I think about it more, I personally think that it isn't much about EP being overrated, but more of a case of being too perfect. Now what I mean by this is that although we like to moan about things about Towers/Merlin, but at least we understand that there are plenty of things that need to be improved upon, but what is there to be done with EP?

Suppose you could say that they need more thrill rides, better shows or a water park, the later is at least being addressed. But apart from that, what else is there to be said about improving EP to even greater heights? I'm sure there are folk on the forums who do have ideas that there is still a way to improve but are sadly drowned out by the overwhelming majority who think the place is perfect as it is.

It is rather funny that TS forums are a bit like Jekyll and Hyde how on talking about Towers we are seemly constantly negative while in complete contrast on ES, it is all happy and no problems whatsoever. Have to take a second glance over at some users who act like this and wonder if they the same person!

Thing is Taron IS overrated, purely due to factors of every Intamin has to be (see also Expedition GeForce and Millenium Force) and that it, in hindsight, doesn't do THAT much...

Great coaster, just not the second coming...

This book seems like it would be a wise purchase for some of us. (I already have it, naturally).

DiogoJ42 said:

This book seems like it would be a wise purchase for some of us. (I already have it, naturally).

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Lmao, it says a lot when I too own a copy of this book.