Cheese & Wine 2020: (another) European Road Trip

[AstroDan]

Would European Epcot be an adequate term with which to describe Futuroscope, as that’s how it’s always seemed to me, from the perspective of someone who’s never been?

Terms you used in your report like “elaborate science museum” and “80s view of the future” definitely bring back memories of Epcot’s Future World portion for me! Even though I ended up really enjoying Epcot as an overall park, that was in large part down to the beautiful World Showcase and really nice, relaxing atmosphere.

On another note, shame to hear Objectif Mars proved underwhelming; it always looked like quite a fun, quirky ride, so I’m disappointed to hear that it apparently isn’t as good as hoped!

It is and it isn't like Epcot. Epcot is vastly superior in terms of a day out, due to the quality of some of the rides there versus those at Futuroscope. But then, you'd expect that - because the Disney budgets are somewhat larger!

I guess, to a degree, the founding principles of each park were not dissimilar. But, over the years, as we have seen with Epcot, various non-linked IPs have slowly eroded the original idea. Epcot now has Ratatouille, Frozen and Guardians of the Galaxy. Futuroscope has Raving Rabbids and Arthur. Both parks struggle with an identity problem. Both parks struggle to shake off an old-fashioned view of the future.

All this said, at least Futuroscope is still adding non-IP "modern" attractions like Danser avec les Robots and Objectif Mars. Epcot seems well and truly down the IP route only now. But that's Disney.

 

[Burbs]

On another note, shame to hear Objectif Mars proved underwhelming; it always looked like quite a fun, quirky ride, so I’m disappointed to hear that it apparently isn’t as good as hoped!

To be fair, I had no expectations of it in the first place. It was pretty much exactly as I thought it would be.

 

[AstroDan]

To be fair, I had no expectations of it in the first place. It was pretty much exactly as I thought it would be.

The indoor section is quite fun. I liked the part where you bank upwards towards the screens.

The fact you then slowly move outside rather than launching there and then though... a shame.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[Burbs]

Day 5 - Le PAL

After our late night at Futuroscope, of course the sensible thing to do is a 5.30am get-up for another park the day after! We arrived at Le PAL shortly after opening, and we were happy to find that the car parks weren't particularly full at all. I had no idea what to expect from this park, but it turns out that it's effectively a large zoo with a load of rides scattered around it! The park itself is huge, very nicely presented, and home to a combination of 4 coasters and a number of other rides.

Azteka (x2) - The thing with a lot of these French roller coasters is, it really is a case of "Soquet and see". This was my first Soquet coaster, and has some really unconventional transitions and elements throughout the layout, but it's really fun!

Le Twist (x2) - The Mack spinner that would be cloned a year later to become Dwervelwind at Toverland. I've always thought it has a nice layout and you occasionally get a really good spin going if you balance the cars correctly.

Le Tigre de Sibérie (x1) - One of two Reverchon custom coasters, which happens to have Vekoma trains. The profiling isn't great in a few places, but it's totally fine for families.

Yukon Quad (x3) - Le PAL's newest coaster is a mirror clone of Juvelen at Djurs Sommerland, and it's absolutely perfect for the park! The layout is of a good length, with the second launch being rather punchy, and the way it takes some of the turns is awesome. A shame there's not much airtime, but it doesn't majorly need it. The ride is themed and styled well, and fits in nicely with that area of the park. Great little ride!

La Descente du Colorado (x1) - The rapids. We didn't get particularly wet, and it doesn't do an awful lot.

Le Disque du Soleil (x1) - A Zamperla "Disk'o Coaster", which is as average as all the others.

King Kong (x1) - Just like the one at Bobbejaanland, it's more fun to watch off ride than it is on. It's quite hidden away from what I remember, and we only really noticed it when exiting another ride.

La Randonnée Africaine (x1) - Le PAL's excuse for an Oldtimers, themed to producing a film in the African wild, or something. It could have done with a few animatronics to give it a bit of life.

Le Train des Aventuriers (x1) - One of two park railways... yes it's that big, and actually quite useful as a transport ride, despite the fact we originally intended to do a lap of the whole park.

Ridecount: 13

Overall we had a really good day... more zoos should take note and add Intamin Family Launches!

After our day on park, we headed half way to the next park and spent a night at a Kyriad, via the French staple of Flunch en route, of course!

 

[Pleasure Beach Valhalla]

Day 5 - Le PAL

After our late night at Futuroscope, of course the sensible thing to do is a 5.30am get-up for another park the day after! We arrived at Le PAL shortly after opening, and we were happy to find that the car parks weren't particularly full at all. I had no idea what to expect from this park, but it turns out that it's effectively a large zoo with a load of rides scattered around it! The park itself is huge, very nicely presented, and home to a combination of 4 coasters and a number of other rides.

Azteka (x2) - The thing with a lot of these French roller coasters is, it really is a case of "Soquet and see". This was my first Soquet coaster, and has some really unconventional transitions and elements throughout the layout, but it's really fun!

Le Twist (x2) - The Mack spinner that would be cloned a year later to become Dwervelwind at Toverland. I've always thought it has a nice layout and you occasionally get a really good spin going if you balance the cars correctly.

Le Tigre de Sibérie (x1) - One of two Reverchon custom coasters, which happens to have Vekoma trains. The profiling isn't great in a few places, but it's totally fine for families.

Yukon Quad (x3) - Le PAL's newest coaster is a mirror clone of Juvelen at Djurs Sommerland, and it's absolutely perfect for the park! The layout is of a good length, with the second launch being rather punchy, and the way it takes some of the turns is awesome. A shame there's not much airtime, but it doesn't majorly need it. The ride is themed and styled well, and fits in nicely with that area of the park. Great little ride!

La Descente du Colorado (x1) - The rapids. We didn't get particularly wet, and it doesn't do an awful lot.

Le Disque du Soleil (x1) - A Zamperla "Disk'o Coaster", which is as average as all the others.

King Kong (x1) - Just like the one at Bobbejaanland, it's more fun to watch off ride than it is on. It's quite hidden away from what I remember, and we only really noticed it when exiting another ride.

La Randonnée Africaine (x1) - Le PAL's excuse for an Oldtimers, themed to producing a film in the African wild, or something. It could have done with a few animatronics to give it a bit of life.

Le Train des Aventuriers (x1) - One of two park railways... yes it's that big, and actually quite useful as a transport ride, despite the fact we originally intended to do a lap of the whole park.

Overall we had a really good day... more zoos should take note and add Intamin Family Launches!

After our day on park, we headed half way to the next park and spent a night at a Kyriad, via the French staple of Flunch en route, of course!

I've never done a King Kong before so I don't really know what to expect as the animatronics actually scare me !

 

[Burbs]

Day 6 - Walibi Rhône-Alpes

It was time to pay a visit to one of the lesser-spotted Walibis: the one that happens to live near the Alps! Unlike Le PAL the day before, this park is really small, but still has a good amount of rides, including 5 roller coasters. The park has a very different feel to its Belgian and Dutch sisters, in the way that it's a lot more aimed at families in its theming and ride line-up, whereas I feel that WH and WB are more targeted toward teenagers. The theming itself is all quite well-maintained though, and despite some of the topics being quite "dark", such as voodoo for instance, it's been done to look bright and fun.

Airboat (x1) - This ride only opened a couple of months before our visit, and is visually very impressive to look at, with its constant "near-miss" effect. Unfortunately, it's nothing special to ride, with the most fun part being the "flyover" element when going forwards.

Mystic (x2) - One of the less-conventional Gerstlauer Infinity coasters, and it's nice to have a vertical lift hill which doesn't immediately enter a standard or beyond vertical drop! The airtime and inversions are good, and the hang time at the end is really impressive, especially on the front row. Unfortunately, and I assume this is down to how the ride system works with the turntable at the end, it only runs 1 train of 3 rows, which obviously isn't great for throughputs. The park wasn't busy when we visited though, so we didn't wait long, but on a busier day it could be an issue.

Totem (x1) - An S&S shot tower, fairly standard but good fun as always, I do really like these rides!

Woodstock Express (x1) - No, it's not a Cedar Fair park before you ask! This Zamperla Zig Zag coaster was a bit too well-engineered we found, to the point where the ride wasn't particularly enjoyable. The cars are also very small in the back, and it took the 4 of us longer to arrange our seating positions than it did to queue for!

EqWalizer (x1) - Ahh, Walibi love a Vekoma Boomerang don't they! The unique thing about this one is the fact that it has Sun Kid trains... with lap bars! And those lap bars look sketchy as hell; literally just a narrow metal bar across your lap. It does, however, make the ride somewhat more enjoyable as there's no head banging - just replaced with a punch to each shoulder on the cobra roll due to the design of the seats.

Timber (x3) - This is my first Gravity Group coaster, and I enjoyed it for what it was. Nothing to write home about, and the trains aren't very comfortable, as has been reported back on in the WRA topic. The airtime is fairly consistent throughout, just a shame that it trims before the final bunnyhop. Having ridden Heidi at Plopsaland, which threatens airtime but spectacularly fails to deliver, this is the far superior coaster.

Tam Tam Adventure (x1) - A Soquet tow boat ride, which just goes on a bit and doesn't do a lot. It's not even very relaxing in the way that Gondoletta is, as it tries to keep you engaged with a few scenes throughout and accompanied by a very annoying drum beat rhythm on its own.

La Coccinelle (x1) - A Zierer Tivoli Large. Just like every other one ever made really, except for the fact that the ride operator stops the train after 1 lap to ask if anyone wants to get off, someone always does, then the restraints have to be checked again before dispatching for a 2nd lap. Faff city.

Gold River (x1) - A Soquet rapids, which I don't remember doing anything of interest.

Bambooz River (x1) - Another Soquet, this time a log flume. The layout was inoffensive but the opaque green water was horrendously off-putting, and we'd probably not have gone on if we'd have noticed it before we queued up!

MonORail (x1) - The final Soquet of the trip, this ride offered a nice view of its area, and the vehicles were nicely themed. No complaints.

Ridecount: 14

We had done everything we intended to in the park by about 3.30pm, so decided to set off early and beat the traffic, as we had a 2 hour drive ahead of us to Chamonix! But more about that tomorrow.

 

[John]

^ I'm pretty sure Mystic CAN run 2 trains due to the turntable arrangement - you can have one in the station and one on the circuit. RCDB also says it has 2, they just didn't need to run both when we were there.

I'm not doing full TRs, but I will add some thoughts on the first couple of parks. More to follow (maybe, if I can be bothered)

Puy du Fou

A park I wasn't sure what I'd make of prior to visiting as I rarely see shows as an essential part of a day at a park, but it vastly exceeded my expectations. Whilst you can get round most of it in a day, you can't see absolutely everything and it can be a bit of a stress - we arrived just after opening and headed straight to the first showing of the bird show, but it was full long before we got there (possibly due to it being near the hotel entrance). That threw our plans off a bit and we had to hastily reschedule, which would become a theme on the whole holiday.

If you do go (and it's well worth a trip), make sure to check the schedule in advance if possible so you can work out how to fit it everything you want to do. Cinescenie is a must though!

Futuroscope

A park that I've been aware of for years but never got round to visiting. Now it finally has a proper coaster it's a much more appealing prospect, even if that coaster isn't really all that great. Part of the issue with Objectif Mars is the ride area is tiny - they didn't have space to launch it straight from the building so it has to go round a tyre driven curve first.

The rest of the park is an odd mix of simulators and theatres of various kinds, plus a bunch of kids rides near the lake. As with many things that started out trying to be futuristic, a lot of it now feels very dated. In terms of attractions, not a lot really stands out, except for maybe Dynamic

Le Pal

Another park that I'd been vaguely aware of for a while, on account of Twist. The recent addition of Yukkon Quad piqued my interest though, as Juvelen is absolutely excellent. I wasn't really aware it's a zoo/park hybrid until shortly before visiting but it succeeds at both far better than any of the 3 main zoo parks in the UK do. The target market is probably closer to Chessington than Mingo (it has good family rides as opposed to mediocre thrill rides). Unlike the UK's zoo-parks, you're unlikely to queue an unreasonably long time for the major rides.

 

[Pleasure Beach Valhalla]

Day 6 - Walibi Rhône-Alpes

It was time to pay a visit to one of the lesser-spotted Walibis: the one that happens to live near the Alps! Unlike Le PAL the day before, this park is really small, but still has a good amount of rides, including 5 roller coasters. The park has a very different feel to its Belgian and Dutch sisters, in the way that it's a lot more aimed at families in its theming and ride line-up, whereas I feel that WH and WB are more targeted toward teenagers. The theming itself is all quite well-maintained though, and despite some of the topics being quite "dark", such as voodoo for instance, it's been done to look bright and fun.

Airboat (x1) - This ride only opened a couple of months before our visit, and is visually very impressive to look at, with its constant "near-miss" effect. Unfortunately, it's nothing special to ride, with the most fun part being the "flyover" element when going forwards.

Mystic (x2) - One of the less-conventional Gerstlauer Infinity coasters, and it's nice to have a vertical lift hill which doesn't immediately enter a standard or beyond vertical drop! The airtime and inversions are good, and the hang time at the end is really impressive, especially on the front row. Unfortunately, and I assume this is down to how the ride system works with the turntable at the end, it only runs 1 train of 3 rows, which obviously isn't great for throughputs. The park wasn't busy when we visited though, so we didn't wait long, but on a busier day it could be an issue.

Totem (x1) - An S&S shot tower, fairly standard but good fun as always, I do really like these rides!

Woodstock Express (x1) - No, it's not a Cedar Fair park before you ask! This Zamperla Zig Zag coaster was a bit too well-engineered we found, to the point where the ride wasn't particularly enjoyable. The cars are also very small in the back, and it took the 4 of us longer to arrange our seating positions than it did to queue for!

EqWalizer (x1) - Ahh, Walibi love a Vekoma Boomerang don't they! The unique thing about this one is the fact that it has Sun Kid trains... with lap bars! And those lap bars look sketchy as hell; literally just a narrow metal bar across your lap. It does, however, make the ride somewhat more enjoyable as there's no head banging - just replaced with a punch to each shoulder on the cobra roll due to the design of the seats.

Timber (x3) - This is my first Gravity Group coaster, and I enjoyed it for what it was. Nothing to write home about, and the trains aren't very comfortable, as has been reported back on in the WRA topic. The airtime is fairly consistent throughout, just a shame that it trims before the final bunnyhop. Having ridden Heidi at Plopsaland, which threatens airtime but spectacularly fails to deliver, this is the far superior coaster.

Tam Tam Adventure (x1) - A Soquet tow boat ride, which just goes on a bit and doesn't do a lot. It's not even very relaxing in the way that Gondoletta is, as it tries to keep you engaged with a few scenes throughout and accompanied by a very annoying drum beat rhythm on its own.

La Coccinelle (x1) - A Zierer Tivoli Large. Just like every other one ever made really, except for the fact that the ride operator stops the train after 1 lap to ask if anyone wants to get off, someone always does, then the restraints have to be checked again before dispatching for a 2nd lap. Faff city.

Gold River (x1) - A Soquet rapids, which I don't remember doing anything of interest.

Bambooz River (x1) - Another Soquet, this time a log flume. The layout was inoffensive but the opaque green water was horrendously off-putting, and we'd probably not have gone on if we'd have noticed it before we queued up!

MonORail (x1) - The final Soquet of the trip, this ride offered a nice view of its area, and the vehicles were nicely themed. No complaints.

Ridecount: 14

We had done everything we intended to in the park by about 3.30pm, so decided to set off early and beat the traffic, as we had a 2 hour drive ahead of us to Chamonix! But more about that tomorrow.

Nice to see you getting gravity group credit. How would you compare it to other woodies you’ve done like GCIs or CCIs?

 

[Burbs]

Nice to see you getting gravity group credit. How would you compare it to other woodies you’ve done like GCIs or CCIs?

I mean, it's not a thrill coaster in the way that the better GCIs (Wodan/Troy) and CCIs (Zeus) are, but it's certainly a decent family coaster. I find it hard to rank middle-of-the-road coasters so couldn't really give you an overall picture, but what matters is that it's a good ride that fits the park.

 

[Pleasure Beach Valhalla]

I mean, it's not a thrill coaster in the way that the better GCIs (Wodan/Troy) and CCIs (Zeus) are, but it's certainly a decent family coaster. I find it hard to rank middle-of-the-road coasters so couldn't really give you an overall picture, but what matters is that it's a good ride that fits the park.

That’s the best way to put it because it wasn’t going to be anything like the Voyage but it’s generally a good fit for the park!

 

[Burbs]

Day 7 - Chamonix/Mont Blanc/Moléson

After a handful of theme parks, it was time to have a bit more of a sightseeing/touristy day. Our hotel the night before was the stunning Alpina in the centre of the town, which had wonderful, albeit dimly lit rooms, with balconies overlooking the mountain range. Bearing in mind that we'd been used to 30°C+ heat, it was refreshing to have to put a coat on and be greeted with a bit of rain! It felt very much like we'd travelled in time to the winter; really surreal!

Chamonix is first and foremost a ski resort, but in the warmer months it's still very popular with hikers and tourists like ourselves, as a result of the picturesque landscapes. Our activity for the first half of the day involved taking a rack railway from the town centre up to around 2000m above sea level. Chamonix itself has an altitude of about 1000m anyway, and it takes about 20 minutes on the railway to get to the upper station. When at the top, you can take in the stunning view, before boarding a gondola lift down to the entrance of the "Mer de Glace" ice cave.

Or, at least, it used to! As a result of global warming, the entrance to the cave is significantly lower than it was when the gondola lift was originally built, and guests now have to take a long walk involving 500 steps down to it. The prospect of this is quite daunting, although I personally felt that it wasn't as exhausting as I'd have expected. Not sure the others in the group agreed, mind you! You can get a return ticket that includes the railway, gondola and ice cave for 34,00€, and if you're in the area I'd certainly recommend doing it. It took us about 2.5 hours in all.

At the lower station for the railway, there's also a Wiegand Alpine Coaster! This would be the first Alpine coaster I've done, and thoroughly enjoyed it. There was the worry that we'd have someone slow in front of us, but that wasn't a problem, and even if it was the dispatches were spread out enough so that you should in theory be able to go down without braking at all. Great fun! After this, we grabbed some lunch before heading to Europa-Park via Switzerland.

The thing to remember about Switzerland is that you have to purchase a vignette to drive on their motorways, which cost CHF36.50. It's valid for a year, so it's not that expensive, unless like us you're just passing through! Still, it was worth it for the exhilaration of the mountain pass that we took, the views that came with it, and of course the 2nd Alpine Coaster of the day!

Once through Switzerland, we were greeted with the high speeds of the German Autobahn and drove down the surprisingly quiet A5 to our hotel for the following 5 nights: Hotel El Andaluz!!!

 

[Pleasure Beach Valhalla]

Day 7 - Chamonix/Mont Blanc/Moléson

After a handful of theme parks, it was time to have a bit more of a sightseeing/touristy day. Our hotel the night before was the stunning Alpina in the centre of the town, which had wonderful, albeit dimly lit rooms, with balconies overlooking the mountain range. Bearing in mind that we'd been used to 30°C+ heat, it was refreshing to have to put a coat on and be greeted with a bit of rain! It felt very much like we'd travelled in time to the winter; really surreal!

Chamonix is first and foremost a ski resort, but in the warmer months it's still very popular with hikers and tourists like ourselves, as a result of the picturesque landscapes. Our activity for the first half of the day involved taking a rack railway from the town centre up to around 2000m above sea level. Chamonix itself has an altitude of about 1000m anyway, and it takes about 20 minutes on the railway to get to the upper station. When at the top, you can take in the stunning view, before boarding a gondola lift down to the entrance of the "Mer de Glace" ice cave.

Or, at least, it used to! As a result of global warming, the entrance to the cave is significantly lower than it was when the gondola lift was originally built, and guests now have to take a long walk involving 500 steps down to it. The prospect of this is quite daunting, although I personally felt that it wasn't as exhausting as I'd have expected. Not sure the others in the group agreed, mind you! You can get a return ticket that includes the railway, gondola and ice cave for 34,00€, and if you're in the area I'd certainly recommend doing it. It took us about 2.5 hours in all.

At the lower station for the railway, there's also a Wiegand Alpine Coaster! This would be the first Alpine coaster I've done, and thoroughly enjoyed it. There was the worry that we'd have someone slow in front of us, but that wasn't a problem, and even if it was the dispatches were spread out enough so that you should in theory be able to go down without braking at all. Great fun! After this, we grabbed some lunch before heading to Europa-Park via Switzerland.

The thing to remember about Switzerland is that you have to purchase a vignette to drive on their motorways, which cost CHF36.50. It's valid for a year, so it's not that expensive, unless like us you're just passing through! Still, it was worth it for the exhilaration of the mountain pass that we took, the views that came with it, and of course the 2nd Alpine Coaster of the day!

Once through Switzerland, we were greeted with the high speeds of the German Autobahn and drove down the surprisingly quiet A5 to our hotel for the following 5 nights: Hotel El Andaluz!!!

That's cool the fact that alphine coasters were there but again it doesn't surprise me!

 

[Burbs]

Day 8 - Rulantica

Having already experienced Rulantica during the depths of winter season, I was really excited to return, as we had such a good time before. After our sub-par breakfast ordeal that morning (which I believe has already been commented on in other threads), we took the free shuttle bus from El Andaluz to Krønasår, where we entered the Rulantica foyer from the bridge, exclusive for hotel guests.

Checking in was quick and painless, and the hotel changing rooms were nice and quiet, though I can't comment on the regular ones on the ground floor. As a hotel guest, you also get a free locker which usually costs 1,00€, and a free towel. We got into the water park itself at about 11.30am and bagged a bank of 7 deck chairs outside as a base for us to return to throughout the day. We'd planned to stay until it closed at 10pm so that we could appreciate how beautiful it is at night, therefore having a central spot to come back to was a good idea for when we wanted a break from being in the water.

We were joined by @Sam, @EuroSatch and Simon for the 4 days at Europa, for whom it was their first visit to Rulantica, along with Matt in our group. Fortunately the park felt quiet all throughout the day, which was reflected in the queue times for the slides, none of which we noticed to exceed 25 minutes, and most being less than 15 minutes all day. This made it easy to get on everything, and also to social distance. Talking of which, the social distancing in Rulantica was the most heavily respected that we'd seen on the whole trip so far, with most places in France largely ignoring it, so this was encouraging to see for the rest of our time in Germany.

There were a couple of extra food outlets available that weren't there in December, which made the offerings a bit more of a variety. We got lunch at a Bratwurst/Frikadellen stand outside, and a couple of us enjoyed a Happiness Station as well, which again I didn't notice last year. We had our evening meal at the Lumålunda pizza/pasta restaurant, which is still fairly mediocre unfortunately, but still the best option inside. The portions are a decent size, at least.

As for the attractions, we did everything at least once apart from the Trølldal area. I believe general commentary on the slides has been done enough by others already, but a few thoughts of mine with this being my 2nd visit:

• Odinrås (Hugin & Munin) - The various little drops throughout are more fun than I remember, having only done it once before. The final drop is also great, especially on the front as you head straight into a massive wave of water.
• Dugdrob/Vildfål - No matter how many times you go on these drop floor slides, it doesn't become any less scary. The moment that platform folds away is genuinely the most exhilarating part of anything at Europa-Park, in my view.
• Svalgur Rytt - Still Shytt. Even when the host gives you a massive spin at the start it still doesn't do anything. I'd say I enjoyed it more this time round, but that could have been because we only waited 10 minutes for it rather than 40.
• Isbrekker - I hate this. But for some reason I keep going back on it when it has no queue. Perhaps because it has no queue. Anyway, as @Sam said when we were there, there's nothing at all enjoyable about it.
• Surf Fjørd - We had such a hilarious time in the wave pool at Christmas, but unfortunately it just didn't deliver this time. Presumably due to COVID, the waves are entirely linear now, and don't come from multiple angles. A pity, but understandable in the current climate.
• Vågstycke - Great fun for your very basic slides, you can create some huge splashes if you go down them in such a way. It's good that these don't get waits, although given the length of them, it's unlikely they ever would.
• Vildstrøm - Best attraction at Rulantica, in my opinion, especially if you go down on your front all the way. I believe Sam and Simon would agree with me on that one! I lost count of how many times we did this.

After our day in Rulantica, we had a drink in the outdoor area of Bar Erikssøn, before taking the shuttle bus back across to El Andaluz.

 

[Pleasure Beach Valhalla]

Good to see you enjoyed Rulantica!

 

[Burbs]

Days 9-11 - Europa-Park

These theme park trips are often as far away from a relaxing holiday as you could possibly get. When you're changing hotel most nights and visiting a different theme park every day, things can get very tiring quickly, so it was very, very welcome to have 5 nights in El Andaluz, with 3 full days in the main theme park. With it being somewhere all 7 of us have visited countless times in the past, the prospect of a more relaxing few days, without the need to jam in as many rides as possible, was welcome.

Rides
Despite what I just said, we still averaged around 19 rides a day, but due to the fact that the park closed at 6pm on the first 2 days, and 7pm on the 3rd, we felt quite rushed. Unfortunately the guest numbers didn't accurately reflect the closing times, and each day would ordinarily have been extended to around 7.30pm based on crowds alone. (Yes, normally it's minimum 8pm throughout August, but I'm not taking this into account.)

As per usual, the rides were often running flat out, and the generally-respected social distancing helped the longer-than-usual queues to move very quickly. For instance, Poseidon to the first staircase was only 15 minutes, and Silver Star way out the entrance into the staff access area was just 20. We literally didn't stop moving on a couple of our rides on Silver Star in the indoor section. Madness! It was also great to see batchers in previously free-for-all stations. Silver Star really benefits from it, but due to its inherently high throughput, the staff member must never stop or they'll fall behind very quickly. I also found the stations much more manageable on the likes of Poseidon and Atlantica SuperSplash as a result.

Accommodation
The room we had in El Andaluz was great! This was my first proper stay on resort, after 1 night in Krønasår in December, and it was lovely to have a base for more than 2 nights. We had a ground floor room equipped with 2 huge double beds, which seems like the best, roomiest standard arrangement that is offered in the EP hotels. Our check-in process was a bit complicated, considering we had a combination of "Best Friends" discount, park tickets, EP clubcards and splitting 4 ways to take into account, but we got there eventually.

The housekeeping team were very efficient too, which was noted when one member of our group knocked a large glass bottle of sparkling water onto the floor which shattered everywhere, and they came to clean it all up and replace it very quickly indeed! The only issues I had with the room was the faulty temperature gauge on the shower, and lack of plug sockets. After unplugging the TV, I think we had one each, and only 1 of which was next to a bed.

The breakfast situation was far from perfect though, and not what you'd expect from a 4-star hotel. The first morning was by far the worst, as there was a long queue to get into Don Quichotte, then when you were seated, another long queue for the buffet. I think we visited at about 9.30am on the first morning, and the restaurant simply couldn't cope with that amount of people with that set-up. The continental buffet had been converted to counter-service, but could have done with a 3rd staff member to speed it all up. Fortunately, the other mornings weren't too bad queue-wise. The hot food had to be ordered at your table, which a waiter would then promptly bring over to you, though it was a shame hash browns weren't an option.

Dining
There were a number of eating establishments closed during our time at EP, including Walters Wurst and SPICES; a shame given that they're 2 of my favourite places. Still, it made the decisions about where to eat a lot easier! I had a meal at both Fjord Restaurant and the new Bamboe Baai, both of which were delicious. I can't think of many places where you can be eating in a theme park restaurant, and one of the park owners (also head of F&B) is eating the same food as you having a business meeting a few tables away. It really says something about the quality of the place. It was also my first time in Bamboe Baai, having never experienced it before the fire, and really enjoyed the dishes that were on offer - a good alternative to SPICES if you're looking for something a little more exotic.

As for the evenings, we had a varied selection of: Silver Lake Saloon, Gasthaus zum Ochsen Rust, Spirit of St Louis and Captain's Finest. The Rangers Best in Silver Lake was very tasty, as was the Club Sandwich in SoSL, and the steak was to die for in Captain's Finest, as always. The main difference on this trip was that we ventured out into the village and enjoyed a meal at Gasthaus zum Ochsen, which served a plethora of different German dishes that you wouldn't ordinarily get on resort. The portions were huge and prices competitive, so I'd thoroughly recommend going here for a night away from the hotels. We were all pleasantly surprised! Alles gut, alles klar.

After the last night at Europa-Park, we set off on a 2-hour drive to Tripsdrill!

 

[Pleasure Beach Valhalla]

Days 9-11 - Europa-Park

These theme park trips are often as far away from a relaxing holiday as you could possibly get. When you're changing hotel most nights and visiting a different theme park every day, things can get very tiring quickly, so it was very, very welcome to have 5 nights in El Andaluz, with 3 full days in the main theme park. With it being somewhere all 7 of us have visited countless times in the past, the prospect of a more relaxing few days, without the need to jam in as many rides as possible, was welcome.

Rides
Despite what I just said, we still averaged around 19 rides a day, but due to the fact that the park closed at 6pm on the first 2 days, and 7pm on the 3rd, we felt quite rushed. Unfortunately the guest numbers didn't accurately reflect the closing times, and each day would ordinarily have been extended to around 7.30pm based on crowds alone. (Yes, normally it's minimum 8pm throughout August, but I'm not taking this into account.)

As per usual, the rides were often running flat out, and the generally-respected social distancing helped the longer-than-usual queues to move very quickly. For instance, Poseidon to the first staircase was only 15 minutes, and Silver Star way out the entrance into the staff access area was just 20. We literally didn't stop moving on a couple of our rides on Silver Star in the indoor section. Madness! It was also great to see batchers in previously free-for-all stations. Silver Star really benefits from it, but due to its inherently high throughput, the staff member must never stop or they'll fall behind very quickly. I also found the stations much more manageable on the likes of Poseidon and Atlantica SuperSplash as a result.

Accommodation
The room we had in El Andaluz was great! This was my first proper stay on resort, after 1 night in Krønasår in December, and it was lovely to have a base for more than 2 nights. We had a ground floor room equipped with 2 huge double beds, which seems like the best, roomiest standard arrangement that is offered in the EP hotels. Our check-in process was a bit complicated, considering we had a combination of "Best Friends" discount, park tickets, EP clubcards and splitting 4 ways to take into account, but we got there eventually.

The housekeeping team were very efficient too, which was noted when one member of our group knocked a large glass bottle of sparkling water onto the floor which shattered everywhere, and they came to clean it all up and replace it very quickly indeed! The only issues I had with the room was the faulty temperature gauge on the shower, and lack of plug sockets. After unplugging the TV, I think we had one each, and only 1 of which was next to a bed.

The breakfast situation was far from perfect though, and not what you'd expect from a 4-star hotel. The first morning was by far the worst, as there was a long queue to get into Don Quichotte, then when you were seated, another long queue for the buffet. I think we visited at about 9.30am on the first morning, and the restaurant simply couldn't cope with that amount of people with that set-up. The continental buffet had been converted to counter-service, but could have done with a 3rd staff member to speed it all up. Fortunately, the other mornings weren't too bad queue-wise. The hot food had to be ordered at your table, which a waiter would then promptly bring over to you, though it was a shame hash browns weren't an option.

Dining
There were a number of eating establishments closed during our time at EP, including Walters Wurst and SPICES; a shame given that they're 2 of my favourite places. Still, it made the decisions about where to eat a lot easier! I had a meal at both Fjord Restaurant and the new Bamboe Baai, both of which were delicious. I can't think of many places where you can be eating in a theme park restaurant, and one of the park owners (also head of F&B) is eating the same food as you having a business meeting a few tables away. It really says something about the quality of the place. It was also my first time in Bamboe Baai, having never experienced it before the fire, and really enjoyed the dishes that were on offer - a good alternative to SPICES if you're looking for something a little more exotic.

As for the evenings, we had a varied selection of: Silver Lake Saloon, Gasthaus zum Ochsen Rust, Spirit of St Louis and Captain's Finest. The Rangers Best in Silver Lake was very tasty, as was the Club Sandwich in SoSL, and the steak was to die for in Captain's Finest, as always. The main difference on this trip was that we ventured out into the village and enjoyed a meal at Gasthaus zum Ochsen, which served a plethora of different German dishes that you wouldn't ordinarily get on resort. The portions were huge and prices competitive, so I'd thoroughly recommend going here for a night away from the hotels. We were all pleasantly surprised! Alles gut, alles klar.

After the last night at Europa-Park, we set off on a 2-hour drive to Tripsdrill!

Wait so how many of the coasters did you approximately get on ?

 

[Burbs]

Wait so how many of the coasters did you approximately get on ?

We did all the coasters apart from Ba-a-a Express and Schweizer Bobbahn, at some point throughout the stay. Blue Fire, Wodan and Silver Star were done slightly more than others.

 

[RicketyCricket]

Stumbled across Gasthaus zum Ochsen by accident once on a last minute solo visit. Was a roasting hot evening, had a few beers, a schnitzel and read half a book - loved it.

Makes a nice change from the expensive and busy hotel bars.

 

[AstroDan]

To be fair, Ochsen wasn't actually that cheap. My main cost more than what I eat at Silver Lake! A pint was only about 70c less than EP - and it was just as packed.

Worth it, though - nice, German fayre so I would certainly return. Adler is also good.

 

[Burbs]

Day 12 - Tripsdrill

Having said goodbye to Sam, Satch and Simon at EP, we were then joined at this stage of the trip by @Dan, @Danny and @djtruefitt, who would be with us til the end.

It was time to visit the nearby Erlebnispark Tripsdrill; a park which I have had on my list for several years now, and it was great to finally get to experience it. I got the impression before visiting that the park would feel very much like a family affair, and that judgement would turn out to be correct. The place is incredibly charming and clearly treasures its history, with some rides and interactive theming elements that have clearly been around for decades.

One of the things that really needs improving though, is the wasp problem. You can't sit and relax in any food or drink areas in the park without being surrounded by the buggers. I'm fairly sure every bin was occupied by them too.

Rides

G'sengte Sau (x2) - All bar one of the Gerst Bobs I've ridden so far really are great fun (looking at you Tiki-Waka), and this is no exception. It's notably better towards the end of the day though once it's warmed up, but even so has a decent layout hidden well by theming and foliage so you don't really know where you're going next.

Karacho (x2) - My 6th Gerstlauer Infinity coaster, and controversially, possibly my least favourite. The launch is good but the rest of the layout doesn't do much for me. I didn't find it particularly intense and it seems to really slow down on the mid course. I was also expecting to be more impressed by the theming, and granted I'm sure it's better than when it first opened, but I was a little underwhelmed on the whole. I didn't hate the ride by any means though, and I think the thrill level works for the park.

Mammut (x2) - "Some people say it is better than the Wodan!" Please. I was fairly unimpressed by Mammut, having sat at the back near the beginning of the day it really didn't do much at all, though at the front later on there were a couple of sustained moments of weak floater airtime.

Rasender Tausendfüßler (x1) - The Zierer Tivoli Large, with mandatory 2nd lap! Possibly the prettiest one I've been on (not that that's very hard) with its attempt at terrain and the fountain towards the end.

Hals-über-Kopf (x3) - One of the two new coasters at Tripsdrill this year, this one being the Vekoma Suspended Thrill Coaster, which I found to be really fun! The track is silky smooth and you fly through the inversions, with the layout being of a decent length too. A shame that the inversions all feel so similar; a bit of variety wouldn't have gone amiss. Still, being my first new style Vekoma, you can see the company have come a long way since the SLC!

Volldampf (x1) - The 2nd new coaster this year: a surprisingly punchy Vekoma Family Boomerang. You actually get a bit of airtime on the forwards section, just a pity that the backwards section, like on all of them, is boring. It's worth noting that neither of the new Vekomas have been themed yet, with that being installed for next season, however it was really weird to ride these coasters on what is effectively a building site with not a lot more than a concrete building!

Badewannen-Fahrt zum Jungbrunnen (x1) - Ahh, one of the most famous log flumes going! The indoor section is certainly a sight to behold, and the drops provide acceptable wetness on a hot day. In fact, I think you'd get wetter from just standing in certain parts of the queue next to the final drop. SCHÖNE!

Waschzuber-Rafting (x1) - A rather fun Hafema rapids from what I remember!

Doppelter Donnerbalken (x1) - Ever fancied riding what is simultaneously one of the most boring yet one of the most terrifying drop towers ever? Well head to Tripsdrill! The drops themselves are pretty dull and it does a lot of faffing about, but the tilt forward immediately before the final drop is really scary, in the way it feels like the ride vehicle is just going to detach from the tower.

Schmetterlingsflug (x1) - What looks like a powered monorail but is actually entirely pedal-powered, and a tad too long.

Suppenschlüsselfahrt (x1) - One of two spinning transit system type things, if you can call them that. I think this one is a Gerstlauer Panorma Bahn, and it's very odd, but fits in at Tripsdrill... not sure it would in many other places!

Weinkübelfahrt (x1) - The 2nd of these spinning rides, this one rotating slightly quicker than the other, being a Metallbau Emmeln Rundfahrt. Apparently.

Wiegen-Hochbahn (x1) - Another monorail, this one being entirely powered thank goodness, but goes on far too long, with a very uninteresting switchback-style layout.

Altmännermühle (x1) - A part-indoor, part-outdoor fun house that we seemed to happen upon. We had no idea it was there and noticed it as we were leaving. It was quite short and didn't have anything you can't find in other fun houses.

Ridecount: 19

We had a really nice time at Tripsdrill, and left a couple of hours early for a 4-hour drive up to Cologne for our next park!