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[2024] Europa-Park General Discussion

Rob said:
One would hope it is so you can have a beer whilst on the ride (other beverages are available)!
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That would indeed be great. Given the length and intensity (or lack thereof) of the ride, allowing or even encouraging drinking seems possible... though now I'm curious, are there any other attractions at other parks where eating or drinking is actively encouraged? There are rides (mainly transport) where I think you can get away with eating or drinking, and some show-type attractions (Tiki Room) where food is sold and you're allowed to eat, but I can't think of another moving ride where food or drink is sold for consumption on the ride itself. Is there such a thing out there?
 
Llama said:
That would indeed be great. Given the length and intensity (or lack thereof) of the ride, allowing or even encouraging drinking seems possible... though now I'm curious, are there any other attractions at other parks where eating or drinking is actively encouraged? There are rides (mainly transport) where I think you can get away with eating or drinking, and some show-type attractions (Tiki Room) where food is sold and you're allowed to eat, but I can't think of another moving ride where food or drink is sold for consumption on the ride itself. Is there such a thing out there?
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The King of Mississippi paddle boat at Nigloland (think a smaller version of the Mark Twain at Disneyland) has an onboard bar! When there a few weeks ago we bought a bottle of beer each and asked to stay on for another ride so we could finish it. Delightful!
 
Llama said:
That would indeed be great. Given the length and intensity (or lack thereof) of the ride, allowing or even encouraging drinking seems possible... though now I'm curious, are there any other attractions at other parks where eating or drinking is actively encouraged? There are rides (mainly transport) where I think you can get away with eating or drinking, and some show-type attractions (Tiki Room) where food is sold and you're allowed to eat, but I can't think of another moving ride where food or drink is sold for consumption on the ride itself. Is there such a thing out there?
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I got told off for trying to take my pint on Infusion back at the Big Dippers 90th.
Had to leave it in the wire lockers.
Health and safety my arse.
They just wanted a sip.
 
EP Express was the only ride we could drink on it seemed last time we went. Either that or they just wanted everyone out of Traumatica.
 
Fewer trains needed to get to EP? I mean, I know it'll depend on the route it takes, but I'm all for it! :p
 
Traumatica is back in it's new 'Festival of Fear' incarnation. The event space has been redesigned and a new food court, with a lot more variety than before, set up behind Tarot House (previously The Fallen). Minus Kassandra being open; Greece is no longer part of the event. Entry has been improved using the path along the back of Pegasus (where previously a scare zone was) for the queue.

The previous Shadows and Ghouls houses have been merged into 1 new house, while the scare zone on the hill has become the new Petting Zoo house (utilising a lot of familiar old animatronics from Dschungel Flossfahrt).
traumatica_map_2022_en.jpg
 
Been meaning to mention this since our recent visit. Our friends on the trip live fairly close to EP and visit semi-frequently. English is their first language but they both speak Swiss German in their daily lives.
Anyway, the point they raised was that due to losing so many German staff over Covid that haven't return a lot of the current staff have been brought in from furher afield. We didnt notice it effect the service at the park (they are still hiring staff to the same standard) but we did run into a few staff that once they realised we were English they'd also switch to English as it was easier for them than speaking German. Presumably because English is such a dominant 2nd language.
A good time to be visiting as an English speaker (not that it was an issue before).

Another observation. This was our first time riding Batavia. As we got to the end of the battle scene there's projection mapping and (if I'm remembering correctly) a few physical effects on the battlement wall. One of our friends lent around and said "this is all new". And true to what they said I found a POV from 7 months ago that didn't include these effects. Not sure if if this was already reported on when they were added but its always cool to see them improve their rides. Based on POVs this was a bit of a dead sport before the addition so it's a good change.
 
Tim said:
Been meaning to mention this since our recent visit. Our friends on the trip live fairly close to EP and visit semi-frequently. English is their first language but they both speak Swiss German in their daily lives.
Anyway, the point they raised was that due to losing so many German staff over Covid that haven't return a lot of the current staff have been brought in from furher afield. We didnt notice it effect the service at the park (they are still hiring staff to the same standard) but we did run into a few staff that once they realised we were English they'd also switch to English as it was easier for them than speaking German. Presumably because English is such a dominant 2nd language.
A good time to be visiting as an English speaker (not that it was an issue before).
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We had this a couple of times in the summer, mainly in the hotel bars. One member of staff was almost relieved that we spoke English as he found it much easier than German!
 
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Europa Park will build themselves for 2024 a solar power plant to supply most of the resort's energy demands in the summer.

In the future, Europa-Park will cover a large part of its electricity consumption from its own generation. A photovoltaic power station will be built not far from Germany's largest amusement park by 2024, at a cost of 15 million euros. "This means we can supply ourselves with electricity in the summer and are largely independent," said Roland Mack, founder and shareholder of Europa-Park, to the Handelsblatt. The plant should go into operation in two years time.

It is vital for the family business to secure the energy supply, even in the short term given the current situation. Whether the leisure company from Rust, despite 4,500 employees, will be classified as systemically important and continue to be supplied in the event of an energy shortage remains an open question.

The Baden-based company has therefore taken precautions elsewhere: "If necessary, we can switch all systems, at least in large parts, to oil. We bought the technology for this especially,” explained Mack. The high energy prices would probably cost his company ten million euros next year, explains the 72-year-old entrepreneur.
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Source
 
I expect this is also about security of operation for the park, as well as just a cost exercise.

It doesn’t seem to have had a big operational impact thus far, but I did wonder how the park may have coped this winter with the governmental restrictions on power/gas useage implemented in the country.
 
Smart move from the Mack's, being mostly energy independent in a world where energy supplies are not only unpredictable but costly can only be a good thing.
 
I see from the winter map that the markets appear to still be located in the Castle gardens, rather than Deutsche Allee. I’d assumed they’d moved due to covid so it’s a real shame they’re not moving back this year. The atmosphere on that Main Street with the markets, snow and music was always a real highlight of a Christmas trip.

Similarly, the ice sculptures cut from last year due to covid uncertainty seem to not be returning for this year, neither does the Erdinger Hutt’n in Portugal. The Ice Bar however is back.

Not too much else appears to be new, although the park appear to be more confident in the larger rides (Silver Star etc) being able to operate as they’re now no longer greyed out on the map as they have been in years past.
 
I did not realise they had moved the market stalls, and it is a shame that the Erdinger Hut in Portugal still is not returning. Do we know whether this was something hired in or do EP own it?
 
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