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[2024] Alpenexpress & Tiroler Wildwasserbahn Rebuild

I'm really saddened by those images, I only visited the diamond mine for the first time a few weeks ago and I did think it was lovely, and the walkthrough in particular the sort of attraction that perhaps wouldn't get built now, or at least it would be done very differently with more obvious storytelling effects - or heaven forbid some dreadful IP. I know they'll be on it with rebuilding and are probably drawing up plans already but I hope they don't try to modernise too much and risk replacing something classic and unique with something modern and generic.

Has to be said though that it's yet again good news that no one has been badly injured or worse and also that the fire didn't spread into any other themed areas.
 
I was saying similar to someone else yesterday. If anything I think this should be a warning that an overhaul to Geisterschloss can't come soon enough.

You'd hope CanCan was also fitted with a new fire prevention system when it was refurnished, although that work would have been done before the first fire, so maybe not.
 
pluk said:
The thought that concerns me is if all these old rides are built and fitted in a particular way that was standard at the time of construction, how susceptible to fire are other attraction? Because if the same thing happened in a full Geisterschloss I don't think they'd be so lucky on the injury or death front.
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I agree if I where the Mack’s the Geister building would be really concerning me. Not so much for injury as you can evacuate a building fairly fast but that part of the park has so many interconnected buildings that you would lose a lot very quickly.
 
Firstly, huge credit must go to the fire fighters who miraculously managed to keep the fire to this one building, had it spread elsewhere in Spain it could have been so much worse. It looks like they got it under control relatively quickly. And it is another blessing that no guests were hurt, kudos once again to EP for their evacuations.

I still can't quite believe that we have had a second major fire in five years. It really is gutting. Diamond Mine was such a beautiful walkthrough, something I would do once on every visit. A complete escape full of charm. I am sure it will return but retaining that same charm will be a challenge.

Losing Alpenexpress and Tiroler for this season and maybe some/all of next season is also a huge blow, two brilliant family attractions. I'd imagine the rides can be re-built fairly swiftly once all necessary demolition and clearance has taken place, as they'll only be partially damaged in the sections that were in the building. I guess it depends on whether or not they want to get them back ASAP or whether they want it all to re-open fully themed.

The knock on effect of this should not be underestimated either. The Scandinavia/Pirates fire most certainly delayed other investments across the park by at least a year. I suspect the same could be seen here, as there will only be so much construction resource available.

Finally, as others have said, Geisterschloss must be a huge concern. If that was to ever go up in flames it could take out so much of the park as there are so many connected buildings. All of Italy, some of France, one side of the German Alley, the Magic Cinema. It does not bare thinking about.
 
Sad times once again. Very fortunate that it seemed to remain fairly contained and no public injuries.

Hopefully they can bring back the smell pods. Best thing about the indoor area.
 
Looks like the Panoramabahn station is ok, but fairly significant damage to the shop opposite El Andaluz, which the train runs behind, and the roofing on the corner.
 
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Sam said:
Bets on how quickly they'll get Panoramabahn back open? I'll say: two weeks.
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It took about a month to get the rapids reopened after the last fire. And that had buildings close to it, so I would say about a month maybe!

Europa Park always bounce back really fast.
 
A quick video report from a Swiss news outlet showing a few more shots from the park. Still find it mad they've opened that area to guests when they have a crane there and still damping down. I guess a lot of overnight work will be difficult considering the proximity to the hotels and the noise it could create. The shop is a goner - it seems from the lamps still they prevented it spreading to the shop itself (and subsequently the fire spreading far further than it did), but part of the roof did catch and caved in destroying everything inside.

Panoramabahn wise, my guess would be the priority will be to demolish/make safe the Spanish shop (they've already knocked off the top facades as they did with the Dutch area) along with what remains of the show building by the tracks and then create some way of the train running through once they're finished damping down. Call me mad, but I actually wouldn't be surprised if it's open by the weekend.
 
They'll want the Panoramabahn open as soon as they can, but there is clearly quite a lot of demolition work that needs to take place before it will be able to. EP did not hang around at all with the last fire though.

Guess it also depends on whether or not there has been any damage to the rails. There will no doubt be an inspection once demolition and clearing has taken place.
 
I think considering even the trees surrounding the area seem to have escaped relatively unscathed, the rails down at ground level should generally be ok. Once they've assessed the state of the station - including the electrics to charge the train of course, the shop and made anything else safe next to the rails I would imagine they'd be happy to reopen it.

With some real peak periods coming up - not to mention the midnight opening next month, they'll want as much as they possibly can back open as soon as physically possible.

It's also just been pointed out in the Resort Pass group that today is Alpenexpress's 39th birthday. See the below post from 2019 for customary nightmare inducing Euromaus photo:


From: https://www.facebook.com/europapark/photos/a.467590771439/10156191991821440/
 
They managed to get Fjord-Rafting reopened within a couple of weeks after the Piraten fire, IIRC. Craig makes a good point as well regarding the midnight opening, which is great fun if you can ever get to it - riding Fjord-Rafting at 11pm with a bunch of Germans is hilarious from personal experience. :p
 
It was two weeks exactly for Fjord Rafting to reopen (fire on 26th May, Fjord reopened 9th June). Considering they managed that when the tunnel was destroyed, the amount of debris in the trough and the size of the destroyed buildings directly next to it - that makes me think we're not looking at anything near that for Panoramabahn.
 
I also reckon next season for Alpenexpress could be on the pessimistic side too.

If they put their minds to it I don't see why it couldn't reopen for winter season, sans building of course.
 
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