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[2024] Europa-Park General Discussion

Couple months ago a new Rust Bus service was started which is like the Hotels/Rulantica shuttle for free.
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Following the new staff accommodation complex the final block of which is nearing completion and will feature a day care/kindergarten for help meet the demands of Rust residents and EP Staff - the council have approved a new collaboration project. EP will build a complex featuring a retirement home, apartment building and pharmacy.

From: https://twitter.com/Mackadam_EPinfo/status/1602921336241790982?s=20&t=b86CC3OUn-b4RFU0UoiU8A



New details have been confirmed about the Solar Energy project for the park. The facility which is set to almost fully supply the resort's needs in summer time will be built in nearby Kippenheim, Lahr. It is a joint project with another local company.

Europa-Park is investing in a more than 20-hectare photovoltaic system in Kippenheim near Lahr with the global automotive logistics company MOSOLF from Baden-Württemberg. After completion, the plant will produce around 25 gigawatt hours of electricity from renewable energies.

Europa-Park owner Roland Mack: "It was District Administrator Frank Scherer's idea to bring our two companies together. The MOSOLF company, which also has an important location in the Ortenau district in Kippenheim near Lahr, has huge parking spaces and we at Europa-Park need a lot of energy at peak times. The joint project is a perfect synergy of two family companies in the Ortenau. The MOSOLF Group already has experience with high-performance photovoltaic systems on large parking areas.”

The total investment volume of the project is around 30 million euros. About half of the area of the new facility, i.e. around ten hectares, is intended for supplying Europa-Park.

Roland Mack: “The plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2024. Europa-Park takes a significant part of the energy generated and can be self-sufficient in the long term with renewable electricity, largely independent of other energy sources, especially in the high season summer months. This will be an important step in the direction of regenerative energy production. We already operate photovoltaic systems, hydroelectric power plants and combined heat and power plants, but this new system opens up a completely new dimension for us in terms of regenerative energy supply.” With a view to the future, Europa-Park is focusing on high-performance storage solutions that will enable even greater use of solar energy in the medium term.

The new project in Kippenheim will be by far the largest PV roofing in Germany.
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CSLKenny said:
Couple months ago a new Rust Bus service was started which is like the Hotels/Rulantica shuttle for free.
FfusiAqX0AA4mn5


Following the new staff accommodation complex the final block of which is nearing completion and will feature a day care/kindergarten for help meet the demands of Rust residents and EP Staff - the council have approved a new collaboration project. EP will build a complex featuring a retirement home, apartment building and pharmacy.

From: https://twitter.com/Mackadam_EPinfo/status/1602921336241790982?s=20&t=b86CC3OUn-b4RFU0UoiU8A



New details have been confirmed about the Solar Energy project for the park. The facility which is set to almost fully supply the resort's needs in summer time will be built in nearby Kippenheim, Lahr. It is a joint project with another local company.


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Hi Christopher - I couldn't find any details about the bus service - do you have a link please?
 
Meister71 said:
Hi Christopher - I couldn't find any details about the bus service - do you have a link please?
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The timetable and stops for the Rust-Bus (the line not in blue) are on Rust's official website.

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For the Hotel Shuttle (blue line), download the Europa-Park Hotels app (burgundy/red icon) on your app store (Note: This is different to the "EP & Rulantica" app that you may have with a blue icon. Select more and then choose "Timetable Hotel Shuttle"

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Meister71 said:
Many thanks ! Very helpful - will be staying away from the park so may use this bus service
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Most places in Rust are fairly walkable in terms of getting to the park entrance, so don’t worry about being tied to the bus timetable. Not sure where you’re staying, but if you’re on the hotel side of the village, the morning walk is quite nice and relaxed - grab a coffee if it’s cold! You can then leave from the hotel entrance at the end of the day and have a shorter walk back.
 
The new Ringsheim/Europa Park train station was officially opened yesterday, which means that Europa Park now has a direct train connection to Paris via TGV train: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/tra...ormais-pres-d-europa-park-a-ringsheim-8884900

The route will start when Europa Park reopens for the summer season in March 2023, it will take 2 hours 37 minutes, and it will cost €49.

Currently, 25% of the park’s visitors come from France, and the Mack family hope to increase this figure to 30% with the opening of the new train route making access from France easier.
 
the times don't seem particularly great, 17.25 from Paris arriving 20.02 isn't too awful, but then coming back 06.56 from Ringsheim arriving Paris 09.35.
At least I suppose if you do Eurostar you've got plenty of time to get into and out of the Paris, but its an early start to get that direct train home!
But time it right on Eurostar and probably can get the whole trip for £200 return.
 
A few observations from a visit last week: -

- the weekend was the busiest I’ve seen during the winter season, extraordinarily busy to the point the car park was full and Voletarium’s queue was outside and return tickets sold out almost straight away.

- there are still a lot of dining venues closed despite some more positive news in the summer. O’Mackays upstairs was closed even on the extremely busy Saturday and Sunday.

- a few signs of effects and lighting not being fixed across a couple of the dark rides was perhaps another sign of staff shortages.

- they have added a distillery shed next to the Biergarten with some brewing apparatus. It looks temporary and we saw no signs of life at any point, but I remain intrigued.

- despite some reports of a reduction in lighting, there really was very little noticeable reduction other than the front of Kronasar and the lights going off earlier than we’re used to.

- the Sportsbar addded to Bubba Svens has the potential to be a beautiful space but I think they need to make it a little more intimate and play music you can actually hear. I suspect the restaurant area restricts them somewhat, but it lacks a little atmosphere as is.

- Harborside has confirmed itself as my favourite buffet. The price has now risen to €40, but it really is an excellent selection and quality of buffet. Service was equally excellent.

- the smoking in Buena Vista really bothered us for the first time ever. When you’re surrounded by smokers and there’s no windows open, it becomes truly unpleasant. There needs to be at least an attempt to instigate a non-smoking section.

- the Circus has had some upgrades including a rotating ring. Whilst it’s always been our favourite Christmas show, it’s now even better. The opening number is truly spectacular.

- the puppet show remains truly charming as well. It’s easily missed but definitely worth your time.

- we saw exactly no live music in the park across five days there. Even last winter during covid there was a band regularly in the Rock Cafe. It’s a shame that this aspect of the park really seems to be declining. We used to love live music in O’Mackays, the Biergarten or Rock Cafe. The only music we saw this year was in the hotel bars.

- the operation of the park in temperatures which dropped to -6C at points was truly exceptional.

- the Christmas markets remain in the castle garden, I prefer them on the Main Street for the atmosphere. It’s not quite the same where they’re currently sited.

- no signs of the new raft station. I suspect this isn’t arriving for next season.

- Josefina has been beautifully executed, although I was a little disappointed in the indoor section where it felt like there could have been something more dynamic added than the screens.

- can we just get rid of the Globe theatre? The views are awful, the seats are uncomfortable and the show is only ever worth watching for the guest act.

- the twist n splash in Rulantica completely makes sense in a waterpark setting. A great addition to the waterpark.

- they need some tables in Skog Lagune to put your drinks on. They have however added a delightful smoke effect which falls from the rocks surrounding the pool - a lovely atmospheric addition.

Overall, despite my minor complaints, we had another tremendously enjoyable week. If you’ve not done the park at Christmas, I can’t recommend it enough.
 
Not sure if this now belongs in a new 2023 topic, but it appears that 2023’s Christmas/Winter event has had a week shaved off its running time at both the start and end of the event:

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It’s an intriguing change, possibly to reflect lesser attendance over these two weeks or perhaps to allow more time for finishing the new coaster, assuming it opens in 2024.

If that assumption of a 2024 opening is correct, it begs the question what might be new for the 2023 season, especially now that Josefina’s new station almost certainly isn’t going to be built for this coming season. All we seem to know thus far are the new boats for that attraction, but it feels like the park is likely to do something else for the new season. What are we thinking?

The only other thing I’ve noticed is that the deck of the Santa Marian is being replaced which indicates a reopening of Magellan Lounge at some point.
 
This season the park is closed midweek after this weekend then reopens Fri-Sun, which is unusual - normally the park closes pretty early in Jan. Next year they don't have that "bonus" weekend but once you factor in HalloWinter in the run up to winter season the difference is pretty minor. I think the first week or two of winter season is usually very quiet anyway.
 
The bonus weekend this month is to coincide with the DJ Bojo concerts in the Arena. However that the park closes a few days before doing one final weekend isn't totally unusual the same happened in January 2020.

As for the winter season's later start - if I remember correctly I think this winter season was originally announced with similar dates, and later brought a week forwards and the weekend added to the end.
 
The length of winter season varies and has done for a quite to be honest.

Either way: 2023, I hope there's *something* exciting in the offer.

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Few things to note following my visit over the past week.
  • Silver Star winter wheels really are amazing. The ride is running at its absolute best.
  • Wodan is wild currently. Absolutely incredible sense of speed.
  • Wodan requires three trains available for winter. It was the only ride really that we were put off waiting for; it was only 35/40 but not moving quickly in the caves is tedious.
  • Blue Fire on 4 trains - very impressed.
  • Winter event remains excellent; I would like to see the ice sculptures back next year though!
  • This year's winter circus is brilliant. So much so that some of our group went twice!
What a park.
 
I'll pretty much echo what Dan has said above. I think this was my 16th visit to Europa-Park and I am yet to have one where the park is anything less than incredible. How they remain so consistently good is remarkable.

Both Silver Star and Wodan are running spectacularly well this winter season. Winter is now the optimum time to ride Silver Star.

My only bug bear from the trip was lighting. Any reduction in lighting was not really noticeable (I spotted one tree opposite Mario's which usually has stars etc. in it that did not this year) but it was a real pity that all Christmas lighting went off across the parks and the hotels at 10pm. I don't mind them going off across the park so much, but at least keep all of the Christmas lights on the hotels running until at least 11.30pm. It's a bit rubbish sitting in a bar and just seeing them go off. These are fairly inexpensive LED lights, and they keep on the standard hotel lighting anyway!
 
If Silver Star supposedly runs better in the winter, I definitely need to get to Europa's Christmas event...

Out of interest, what sort of throughput does Wodan get on 2 trains if you feel that it needs 3 during the Christmas event?
 
Matt N said:
If Silver Star supposedly runs better in the winter, I definitely need to get to Europa's Christmas event...

Out of interest, what sort of throughput does Wodan get on 2 trains if you feel that it needs 3 during the Christmas event?
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800.

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