Europa Park: Through the eyes of Danny

[Danny]

Europa Park - Through the eyes of Danny
​

Chapter One - Ankunft​

Standing at the foot of the 215ft tall Big One lift hill at Blackpool Pleasure Beach may be an odd place to begin this trip report, but in reality it’s where this trip really began. It was at this point where discussing our forthcoming stay at Hotel Bell Rock [with Astro and Sam] in what was just under 2 months away, took place. The magic in looking forwards to my first ever trip to Europa Park was very much a reality.

Ever since attending my first meet back in August 2012, Europa had received a continuous string of praise from every person who had visited previously, and those who were looking forward to returning at some point whilst I would be stuck in my bedroom, jealously observing my newsfeed as it became swamped in picturesque images of this magical world in Germany. Deep down, I had an intense feeling I would be satisfied with my trip to Europa, but I was unsure as to what extent. Had it really been overhyped by everyone who had previously visited? Bold claims had been made stating it was the greatest theme park on the planet. There were the talks of the unrivalled operations and the stunning and immaculate resort side of things.

I spent the week in the run up to Europa struggling to contain my excitement alongside Kim. The peak of excitement of course came when the following email arrived in my inbox on a bright Tuesday morning:

Even before your trip, Roland likes to tease you via electronic communications

The remaining content in the email only further provided appetite whetting material for the first ever visit to Roland's realm. In the planning stages, we'd practically planned at one point or another to stay in every offering on the resort. The original plan had been to stay in Castillo Alcazar, followed by the cheaper option in the Camp Village, before coming to a difficult decision of Bell Rock or the stunning Hotel Colosseo. With Colosseo boasting what appeared to be a captivating fountain show, making for a superb room view, it really was a difficult decision. Ultimately however, we decided to stay in the newer offering of Hotel Bell Rock.

With all the packing complete, the staggeringly painful wait for Russ to arrive before the journey to the airport commenced. Despite trying to convince us otherwise, it appeared that Russ had decided he wanted to spend his holiday time at PetsAtHome in Stockport rather than Europa Park.

After rendezvousing with Ashlee, Amy and Steve, our full group were assembled in the waiting lounge of T1, Manchester Airport. The wait for our gate to be called was painstakingly slow but made somewhat easier by a Europa map on hand courtesy of Elly.

Boarding selfie - image courtesy of Russ

Au Revoir/ Auf Wiedersehen tropical conditions of Manchester and into the torrential rain at hand upon arrival at Basel. The flight was incredibly quick, with hardly any time to actually settle in and perform the usual flight ritual [anti sosche and listening to music]. Easyjet toilet selfie successfully acquired.

Upon arrival at Basel, the excitement was somewhat over shadowed by trying to actually keep the group together [something which over the course of this trip, we appeared to be utterly appalling at].

Al cautiously explores the advert for Europa to ensure this really was happening

The shuttle journey from France into Germany was incredibly tedious, with a distinct lack of Europa signs along the route to uphold the quiet view in the shuttle. The occasional sign for Rust passed, allowing the excitement to gradually build. Eventually, Hotel Bell Rock greeted us on the horizon like a reverse sun set. Words cannot describe the atmosphere in the shuttle as we finally arrived at Europa Park.

The beautiful Hotel Bell Rock, our residence for four nights

From the colossal lighthouse to the New England lobby exterior, everything was immensely detailed. Almost immediately were the jokes regarding the Alton Towers Hotel made as we proceeded into the lobby. Upon setting foot inside, we were able to hold a sense of what the staff and operations were to be when we were greeted by the receptionist. Even selecting the staff to operate the hotels is a process that must have been thoroughly thought about alongside every other minuscule detail dotted around Bell Rock that made the transportation to the 1700s in America feel utterly real.

The main staircases that would carry our feet up and down them many times

This telephone would go on to observe some odd happenings over the next few days - Image courtesy of Russ

Having requested "a room with a view" under the advice of others from a topic on here, we certainly had this expectation matched:

A view overlooking El Andaluz, Castillo Alcazar, and a beautifully illuminated Blue Fire.

In the weeks running up to the trip, I fully expected that we'd unpack and head straight to bed that night. In a total twist of events however, we shortly found ourselves in the Spirit of St Louis bar on our very own doorstep.

Sam greets us by raising his [rather hot] glass.

As the night wore in, I perhaps drunk more beer than I expected. This however did not deter from the opportunity to join Sam as he gave us a miniature tour of the resort on our way to what he had promised, would be a spectacular view from Bar Buena Vista atop Alcazar.

Passing through the beautiful fountain area of Hotel Colosseo

Before heading to Alcazar, our group proceeded to Santa Isabel with Cheese and Rowe, which meant walking through a certain jaw dropping passageway:

Thus far, every direction you could possibly glance in had been extensively themed and appropriately detailed. The lobby of Santa Isabel itself was astonishing, truly providing what I can only imagine as a realistic atmosphere of a Portuguese monastery.

Proceeding into Alcazar, I was further stunned to discover even the detailed lifts [a theme that of course, carries across each hotel]. The long journey to the very top of the hotel was utterly rewarding as we arrived into a beautiful and atmospheric boudoir, overlooking El Andaluz, Colosseo and Bell Rock. Words and images simply cannot describe the view or do it justice:

Hotel Bell Rock looking magnificent from Bar Buena Vista

The bar itself was heavily detailed and themed to the likes I have never experienced. Furthermore, proceeding downstairs to meet with the rest of the group permitted us the chance of getting our first, proper glance of the theme park from a balcony outside.

Atlantica Super Splash, Wodan and Blue Fire.

As the early hours of the morning came around, the double bed over in Bell Rock began calling my name, thus leading me back across the resort and back to where the night had begun. The journey however was split up by my first ever ride at Europa Park...

The self operated carousel within the grounds of Colosseo, providing me with the opportunity to finally E-Stop a ride. Fantastic.

Despite the small amount of time spent and in total, the very little exploring that occurred, I was already hooked. Across the hotel resort, everything was intricately themed and cared for. The presentation of every minuscule detail and the atmosphere itself make the resort side of Alton Towers look like M&Ds for comparison. Every angle that an object or structure is viewed from is utterly breathtaking. A stand out comment from Joelio: "I really wish I could be inside your head right now to see your thinking" made me realise this impact is identical to each and every person who steps foot on the resort. Every person who had visited prior to my visit to Europa Park had exactly the same feelings and experience of being immersed in this wonderful and foreign land. The best feeling about all of this however? I hadn't even experienced the theme park yet.

 

[Danny]

Chapter Two - Erste Eindrücke ​

After an early awakening on the Saturday morning, the day commenced with breakfast in Bell Rock. As to be expected from the extensive detail thus far across the resort, each of the dining areas were gorgeous. The presentation itself complemented the theme of Bell Rock and it really left me wondering how equal its resort counterparts offered in terms of theming in their dining areas.

After freshening up from breakfast, it was time to witness the dazzling looks of the resort in the early morning light on the way to the lobby of El Andaluz. Despite this hotel being the oldest, its lobby was perhaps the most striking one for me. The grand chandelier, the plethora of paintings, and of course the illuminated elevator:

Entering the park via the resort entrance felt like a down point somewhat, especially upon reflection as I never managed to actually enter the park through the main entrance throughout the duration of the visit. However, I was still bestowed with a sense of awe passing by Alpenexpress and the Tiroler Wildwasserbahn. Nonetheless, we were soon aboard the EP-Express heading towards Aleranderplatz, the main gateway to this exceptional theme park.

Immediately it gave a sense of a cramped Main Street in terms of building placement, but yet it felt just as open and spacious even with hundreds of people surging down it into the park. The fine detail of course continued [and looked even more superb lit up at night]. After months of waiting, I was finally inside Europa Park.

As entrance entertainment goes, Europa has by far had the most bizarre offering I have ever witnessed. Immediately, we were swept into a crowd observing a gentleman herding geese with his dog:

After the first faff session of the meet waiting for everyone to claim their annual passes [a much shorter experience than the offerings from a certain Box Office I hasten to add], it was time for my first ever ride at Europa Park, something which many people had given varying suggestions to myself to have as that illusive first experience. On this case, it was Sam’s month old suggestion that ultimately prevailed:

Eurosat

Claiming its residence inside the large geospheric dome at the foot of the beautiful French area, Eurosat was one of the only rides that remained a mystery at Europa Park. I was of course aware that it was an indoor rollercoaster with a spiral lift hill set in the dark, but that was as far as my knowledge spanned. I’d tried to keep as much of it as possible a secret in order to keep the ride experience unspoiled. The sudden transformation that an escalator can do from a somewhat dull yet continuously moving queue line into a space station was incredible. The entire interior queue line was soaked in an 80s feel, something I hope remains untouched for an extended period of time.

The ride itself was as good as I expected it to be. Not really an outstanding coaster with some violent streaks [particularly the brake run], but enough to bring a smile to my face mixed with laughter for the duration of the ride [once my head had stopped spinning from the spiral lift hill].

Universum Der Energie
Whilst Europa Park is bathed in praise from the majority of people on this forum who have visited, they will all happily admit where Europa has its downfalls. This unfortunately appears to be in its catalogue of dark rides. Whilst it’s admirable that Europa has gone to the effort of installing plenty of them at almost every corner of the park, each of them feels like an occasional after thought in terms of concept, but then submerged in some theming ranging from good to fantastic. Universum Der Energie was to be my first dark ride in Europa Park, with plenty of people attempting to numb down the experience that lay ahead. The queue line itself however opens the ride with high expectations in terms of theming in my eyes, especially compared to the majority of attractions we have back in the UK. The ride itself wasn’t the mind numbing experience people had promised, with some great use of animatronics and the occasional surprising water squirt. I couldn’t help but think the attraction would sit quite well in the dinosaur area at Gulliver’s World however. The ride experience itself is then made up for on the exit via the use of a bouncy footbridge. Everyone loves a good bouncy footbridge afterall.

Silver Star

The opening of Shambhala has obviously won the heart of many Silver Star fans, but that certainly doesn’t stop people from enjoying this B&M product in the land of Mack Rides. This was to be my first B&M hyper coaster, as well as the tallest coaster I have ridden in Europe.

With the only comparison I could offer to Silver Star really being PMBO, this hyper coaster experience was an utter pleasure. Thankfully across the duration of the trip, I was able to experience Silver Star from the penultimate row and second to first row, offering the complete variation in riding. Towards the back on the first ride, the significant amount of air time [especially becoming more forceful after the MCBR] was really noticeable compared to a certain Arrow coaster in Blackpool. The faster pace towards the rear of the train was enough to clinch my favourite spot on the ride as opposed to the front, which only offered a slight increase in air time [this ride was also perhaps dampened by the pelting drizzle that occurred].

Regarding the ride building and Mercedes Benz hall, there were one or two areas that felt bland compared to other aspects of the ride [particularly the plain black corridor with a single TV screen suspended from the roof]. At present, I also feel the name of the "Mercedes Benz hall" should be promptly changed to the "SLS AMG hall".

Pegasus

The promising looking family coaster of the trip that had in some aspects, slipped to the back of my mind before riding. So much so that I had forgotten the archaeological dig theme surrounding the ride, at first looking oddly at the range of scaffolding. Thankfully the idea quickly returned to me before boarding.

Pegasus is a charming little family coaster that still managed to pack a somewhat thrilling punch to it. In a way this ride made me feel greedy, having experienced a layout that offered an enjoyable ride in its total length, yet somewhere at the back of my mind I couldn't help but want a second lap. This of course simply couldn't be done due to the multiple trains on the system.

One negative I did have towards the ride [and the neighbouring water coaster Posiedon] was the rather ugly and bland grass area towards the exit of the ride. It was a complete contrast to the immaculate and beautiful landscaping that took place across the rest of the park and stuck out like a sore thumb, yet nobody seemed to comment on it.

Poseidon

An incredible combination of some of the most beautiful theming I have had the pleasure of admiring, and some of the most bizarre track profiling I have ever ridden. Poseidon's station is in itself, a master piece. The entire structure is full of intricate details that we could only ever dream of having on this side of the channel, and the presentation of the ride from looking out over Fluch Der Kassandra is spot on. In fact Europa seem to have an unrivaled talent when it comes to presenting their two huge water attractions in a vast and open environment, paired with some incredible theming. The coaster section over Pegasus really didn't appeal to myself [including that cu-rv-ed drop until the dive into the tunnel towards the first splash down. The final drop however was a pleasant surprise and if I recall correctly, I think the ORP was purchased by someone? I'm sure my face on that will sum up my thought of the drop quite well.

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In the next chapter: Anal Probing - The Ride, a lift hill sosche on a certain spinning coaster, Piccalo Mondo [is it better than Nemesis?] Versunkene Stadt Vineta - The greatest dark "ride" of them all? And a certain two roller coasters in Iceland.

 

[Jem8472]

A great TR so far. nice to read it from someone that has never been before. Last September was our first ever visit and we were very impressed with it. Got to go back again soon.....

 

[Russ]

Danny I have really enjoyed reading this. I know I spent 97% of the trip with you and our fellow roommates, but it's nice to see your opinion on the park and some thoughts you didn't share while there.

 

[AstroDan]

As above. Loving reading this, especially now I am home and have time to do so properly!

 

[DiogoJ42]

One of the best things about EP is seeing a new visitor's reactions. It seems like only yesterday that I was in your shoes!

Keep it coming mate!

 

[Danny]

Chapter Three - Die Juwelen von Iceland​

Fluch Der Kassandra

Over the colossal amount of excitement in the build up to Europa, one of the elements of the park I had forgotten was the fact it had it's very own madhouse.

Miraculously, I managed to avoid hearing anything about the ride [other than its rather apt nickname and the reasoning's behind it] until we were entering the ride chamber. Not being a strong speaker of German in any sense of the word, the pre show obviously offered me no insight into the story surrounding the attraction [I did however look it up upon arrival at home]. Despite having no understanding of the ride, the theming was of course to be admired. With the only comparable experiences to Fluch Der Kassandra being Hex [possibly Impossible too? Eurgh], I'm inclined to side with our very own home grown mad house in Staffordshire over the German offering on hand here. With no local legend being presented to Europa to fabricate the attraction with, the story itself holds pleasantly as well as the additional effects. My overall feeling towards Fluch Der Kassandra however is presented almost accurately by @Cheese whilst queuing for it:

With the early afternoon now well settled over Europa Park, there was plenty of time for one last ride before sourcing food from the vast range of cuisine on offer at the park. This one had been anticipated for quite some time...

Euro Mir

In the time spent in the run up to Europa, numerous people had spoken in great detail about this oddball of a coaster. In fact it can be summed up quite well according to @Sam in three stages.

[1] - The lift hill. This in itself could easily stand alone as an attraction [as long as you aren't sat in the non spinning front car that is].
[2] Self reflection. After ascending the long spiral lift hill, you glide along the series of turns suspended high in the air gracefully, catching extended glimpses of yourself in the reflective panels of the towers. Probably the only remaining chance of preparing yourself for what comes next.
[3] What the actual hell. The coaster section itself is obviously designed to be suitable for all ages, yet it really kicks a punch through some of the sections, particularly towards the latter end of the circuit and if you're sat facing the opposite direction of travel.
[Note to reader: This is somewhat my interpretation of how Sam staged the ride, as I've completely forgotten his exact quote at this point in time].

Despite Mir's sparkly floor shrine upon entering the ride building, it still doesn't make the queue line experience any better. Whilst the queue is almost constantly flowing considering you're in Europa Park, the queue line itself is almost as dull as Rita's vile cattle pen. And then there's the music itself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJfZnyBM7gA#

Enjoy having that stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

---

After grabbing a quick bite to eat [and also being undersold a 7.50 meal for 5.00], it was time to explore the opposite end of the park. With Europa practically being shaped as a long strip, navigating the park doesn't actually feel that difficult on the whole to navigate for a first time visitor [admittedly, we did break out the map once or twice when not with the main group around the middle area of the park]. Before we could rejoin the full group outside Fjord Rafting however [unfortunately, a ride I didn't get round to experiencing and will have to be done on the inevitable next trip], @Joelio insisted any first time visitor had to experience what he considered as 'the best dark ride in Europa'.

Versunkene Stadt Vineta

Anyone who is yet to visit Europa Park is advised to skip this section. This attraction is best experienced without any knowledge of it beforehand.

After enduring an entire 'fifteen' minute queue for Vineta, we were guided into a U shaped room surrounding a large glass panel looking down at a somewhat decent themed sunken city. This was topped off by a German speaking animatronic attempting to what I can only imagine as explaining the story. After this 'spellbinding' pre show, it was time for the actual ride experience itself. The short walk to the exit.

Despite Joelio's large claims, I can only conclude that Vineta is not the greatest dark 'ride' at Europa Park, and certainly a long shot from any other world wide great.

After successfully managing to dampen various forum members who embarked on Fjord Rafting, the excitement that had gradually calmed throughout the day swiftly returned as we set off in the direction of Iceland. This was perhaps the moment I had been looking forward to the most for the entire trip, with two enticing rides standing next to one another.

Blue Fire

Never have I heard a single negative about Blue Fire, and as time would tell, this was justifiable. The Gazprom sponsorship firstly was a lot more 'in your face' than I expected, albeit not in a defective manner. The entire Gazprom building has a pleasant atmosphere and feel to it, and the large show rooms inside this area of the queue line do not detract from the experience at all, rather actually including you in the experience. The queue line entrance and following fountain area itself is certainly at the standards Mandy should be aspiring for.

Where Blue Fire doesn't hold up in terms of theming, it captivates with exquisite presentation combined with a beautiful soundtrack. The landscaping is utterly immaculate and then there's the ride itself...

Firstly, there's the sheer speed of the operators on dispatching the trains. After witnessing the immense calculation of throughput that Blue Fire was churning out at that moment, it made me realise how utterly appalling H&S has set the standards for the operations of our rides over here. I felt a sense of urgency and speed to put the bags into the baggage hold before jumping back onto the train. In fact throughout the duration of my time at Europa, I was always desperate to ensure I wasn't the last one on the train as I felt like I would be holding the entire ride up by precious seconds. The sensation of pulling down a lap bar in an OTSR manner was in itself an odd feeling and immediately left the feeling of exposure to the elements that were about to come. This in every sense is the absolute opposite of a bad thing.

The short dark ride section prior to the launch is fairly self explanatory, very well themed for what didn't appear to have been a large portion of the overall budget being spent on it, and works perfectly in the build up to the launch. Having seen the POVs many times over, I wasn't expecting the launch to come anywhere close to being as forceful as Rita. Blue Fire immediately responded to this claim by coming fairly close, with the distinct lack of OTSR making the sensation far more enjoyable. The following hill is a very nice floaty breather before the rest of the layout commences. The huge dive following on was a huge excitement builder prior to the loop. All of Blue Fire's inversions feel like nothing else thanks to the superb restraint, and the ride simply continues to deliver as the layout unfolds. The quick and snappy turn after the loop came close to taking my breath away before being able to take a second breather on the MCBR. The remaining layout was simply stunning. The floating and hang time sensations through the remaining inversions is out of this world and is what gives Blue Fire its position in my top ten [I'll cover this more in depth in a final extensive foot note to the entire trip report]. To top the ride off is the beautiful ending to the on board audio as the train glides back into the station. Disembarking from the ride with a sense of joy and fulfillment, Blue Fire had certainly exceeded my expectations.

@AstroDan, @Rob, myself and @Kimberley on this outstanding coaster.

Wodan

Wodan is a bloody brilliant roller coaster.

I could leave it at that, but it simply wouldn't do this ridiculous wooden roller coaster justice.

To start with, there's the impeccably themed and detailed queue line. Despite the absolute mass of wooden supports standing everywhere around the ride, there are still various pieces of theming [and even queue line toilets] dotted around the exterior of the queue. For the first ride on Wodan, the various extensions into these areas were closed. Fortunately, Astro insisted I quickly dart through the gates to ensure I didn't miss out on admiring the grand and unmissable pieces that hide away in other segments of the queue line.

The interior queue line itself is far from lacking detail. Even the walls are frequently covered with realistic crystals embedded into them to ensure every little corner is somewhat immersed in theming. No words or images can do it justice.

The station itself is impressive in every way imaginable. Seeing the large statues follow every single train out and in of the station with their heads was totally unique and such a part of the experience that I imagine not many people will actually realise is there.

So, the ride itself. The only sort of modern woodie I had to compare Wodan with is Gwazi, which I last rode in 2010. Gwazi was certainly enjoyable and took my breath away to some extent, but it's in a totally different league to Europa's offering.

Wodan is utterly relentless. From the moment you come thundering down that first drop until the moment you hit the brake run, it refuses to release its grip on you. There isn't a single moment to stop and catch your breath, or collect your thoughts about a single element on the ride. At every twist, corner or drop, something is always happening that leaves you fully satisfied when you make it back into the station. The ride was a little too short for my liking, yet compensated for that in offering an unrivaled thrilling experience, refusing to splutter and start crawling half way around its layout. To this day, Wodan is the only roller coaster that leaves me speechless and out of breath even after multiple rides on it.

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In the next chapter: Piccalo Mondo [is it better than Nemesis? [I simply couldn't end this chapter on it]] Roland Mack's Runaway Mine Train and Scheisse BOREDBarnes.

 

[Danny]

Chapter Four - Die kleineren freuden​

I start this chapter by rectifying the mistake of forgetting to quickly sum up another insight into Europa's dark ride catalog. After the experience of Fluch Der Kassandra [a ride which was at the back of my mind before the trip began], it was time to experience a dark ride I hadn't even heard of. After riding it, I can see why...

Abenteuer Atlantis

Image from Europa Park's website

Throughout the time spent in the short queue for Abenteuer Atlantis, I was eager and intrigued to find out what the ride was before experiencing it, seeming quite intent on spoiling it for myself. Annoyingly, the small collection of people I pressed for answers insisted on numbing the forthcoming experience down [much like the previous experience on Universum Der Energie]. It wasn't long until I found myself on board Europa's version of Duel, albeit in a strange supposedly underwater world.

It was OK to say the least. I certainly need to give it another go as a rare competitive outburst prevented me from admiring the attraction as opposed to beating Kim with a higher score. As Sam pointed out after emerging from the ride's exit, Europa appear to have a tendency for plonking dark rides in unexpected spaces in an almost unforgettable manner [as proven by the fact I forgot to write about it in the last chapter]. This method of installing attractions to keep the ride line up fresh and ever expanding has its positives but also its flaws. Each individual dark ride is given attention to some extent, but feels underwhelming when you realise that you're in Europa Park, where the intense detail and incredible operations are of the highest standards you can imagine. And yet on occasion, buried underground or hidden behind a semi-decent facade, is an attraction that would only just exceed expectations at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Piccolo Mondo

A relatively new addition to the catalog of dark rides at Europa Park, yet I wasn't under that impression until told otherwise. It has the charm of a somewhat older dark ride from the late 80s early 90s, with not many telltale signs to reveal the ride's age. With the words of Lewis ringing in my ears that Piccolo Mondo was better than Nemesis, I boarded the ride car with an open mind.

Immediately, the ending to the ride is spoiled simply by glancing back to where the cars emerge from in order to dump their passengers and collect new ones. I had no prior knowledge as to the experience that remained hidden inside of Piccolo Mondo's ride building, other than its Italian based content.

The overall lack of animatronics in favour of static props was the main let down of this ride for me. It felt like there should always be something lively happening around you in the ride car. This was achieved on a very minimal basis [the cinema scene, the twirling cupcake as the finale, and not actually having a clue what the bloody hell was happening]. Throughout the duration of the ride I was left wondering what on Earth Piccolo Mondo could hold over Nemesis. Upon reflection however, I think that where Piccolo Mondo beats Nemesis to the post concerning some people is the intimidating looking drop. Nemesis surprises people with the incredible speed it enters the first corkscrew with despite the very gradual gradient on the first drop. Despite the first impressions of a slow and family friendly dark ride that Piccolo Mondo boasts, deep within its layout is a descent into darkness, made further intimidating by the plethora of love hearts embroidered onto the walls surrounding you. This deceiving theme has the potential to make young families alike terrified, until they realise of course it's a powered dark ride and the drop is controlled. This brief moment of fear however is in my view, what some consider as the better element over the entire ride offering that Nemesis holds.

Edit: In my complete lack of knowledge surrounding Europa history, I failed to realise Piccolo Mondo was a retheme rather than a new ride in more recent years. Oops!

---

Continuing the time line of events in the correct order [I believe], I was still in a sense of disbelief after riding Wodan. Earlier in the day whilst making our way to the EP-Express station, I'd managed to catch a glimpse at a certain staple in Mack's ride catalog. A German counterpart to the ride at Alton Towers that won the hearts of everyone with its specific catchphrase.

Alpenexpress

After witnessing the astonishing 18 second dispatch video on Facebook long before the trip, Alpenexpress was certainly a highly anticipated ride. The recent installation of smoke billowing from the front car in the station in itself was an impressive sight to behold, even more so in person. I immediately regretted not going down towards the front half of the train for the first ride, so opted for a relatively close spot towards the back.

Quite the contrast to RMT's re entry into the station

The 27 second dispatch time obviously wasn't a chip on the highly regarded 18 second version, but it was still bloody quick. There's no faffing around with the ride op trying to drum up rider participation or staff tugging at each and every lap bar across the entire length of the train. Before even boarding the ride I managed to feel an escalation in the sense of urgency needed to dive onto the train and pull the lap bar down to ensure there was no delay to the swift operations from the staff. There was literally next to no time at all from sitting down and getting comfortable before the Roland Mack's runaway mine train departed on its journey.

The sense of being taken on a journey is much more sudden on Alpenexpress, with the opening helix however obviously looking as much oomph as its cousin in Staffordshire considering it's a tad closer to the rides opening. The exterior segment of Alpenexpress's layout was a little disheartening, but made up for in terms of landscaping and a dash of theming.

That's when suddenly everything changes. The transition from exterior to interior is the most shocking component to this ride, almost as if being directly beamed from one large and bland universe into a pint sized pocket of vibrant colour, atmosphere and magic. A walk through, log flume and coaster intertwined in the midst of some of the most breathtaking theming imaginable.

A relatively modest amount of time is spent on the ride inside here, combining an exceptional family thrill section of the coaster with enough time to be captivated by the surroundings, before being dragged back outside and having the pleasure of experiencing the layout all over again. I desperately found myself wanting to skip the first half of the coaster and get straight back inside to where Alpenexpress's undeniable strength lies, also being allured into riding its neighbouring log flume, Tiroller Wildwasserbahn later in the day [this was however left until the greatly sunnier conditions the following day].

Conclusion? Alpenexpress is fun. It doesn't have the charm that RMT does, or as much of a thrilling kick throughout the majority of its layout. What it does have however is Europa's mastered craftsmanship in creating an experience that takes you on a journey, a very magical journey into an immensely stunning and beautifully themed world. My biggest regret is not making more deliberate time to ride Alpenexpress again, sadly leaving Europa with only one ride to my name.

Geisterschloss

Image from Europa Park's website

It's immediately a great shame that an attraction like Geisterschloss only has a facade to its name rather than a proper structure. Europa Park's take on your classic horror ride is slightly more ramped up in terms of gore and general oddities than any other dark ride I've experienced. Unlike the other dark rides at Europa, Geisterschloss feels like it was produced because they desired a dark ride, not wanted to fill an irregular space underground or behind an uninhibited wall. To me, it felt like this ride had a beating heart [despite the vast number of animated corpses throughout] and I actually emerged from the exit with a sense of fulfillment. Much like Alpenexpress, I regretted only giving 'schloss only one ride, but I'm oddly looking forward to riding it again on my inevitable return at some point.

Piraten in Batavia

Image from rwww.freizeitpark-welt.de

Europa's blatant rip off of Pirates of the Caribbean. Other than the lack of iconic theme music [which Atlantica SuperSplash 'borrows' anyway], and the German speaking animatronics rather than French/American throughout the ride, Europa have done exceptionally well at 'designing' their own take on Disney's classic attraction. Thanks to @Joelio who tasked us with finding his favourite animatronic, this gave me a specific reason to pay great attention to as many individual animatronics as possible. Ultimately, I felt this actually helped me to appreciate Piraten in Batavia, as even though it's a blatant rip off, extensive care has been taken to create each intricate detail and the rather well done sets. Of course, it wasn't difficult to guess Joel's favouirite animatronic as we passed a gentlemen who seemed to be pleasuring a snake towards the final few bends of the ride, and I also managed to successfully predict there would be a POTC style small drop towards the beginning of the ride without having seen a POV of Europa's offering.

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In the next chapter - The two final coasters - Matterhorn Blitz and BORED Barnes.

 

[AstroDan]

Super reviews Danny! Really enjoying finding out your opinions and thoughts!

 

[djtruefitt]

Its very good reading these reviews from a first timer, that was me two years ago! And even now I walk around the place looking amazed at everything. I just want to get back there now!

 

[Danny]

Chapter Five - Die letzten fahrten​

At this point in the trip report, the first day was drawing to a conclusion. The majority of the group had parted ways for their last rides and I still had two roller coasters to experience [I still consider it a dramatic achievement even at this point to have had such a ride count]. The two coasters in question weren't exactly what I'd consider as major draws to the park, and one of them I was very much prepared to compare to its counterpart in Blackpool.

Matterhorn Blitz

Europa's very own erratic yet somewhat elegant wild mouse. I never have nor ever will be a huge fan of riding these coasters, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating them. The closest to home steel version I've ever encountered is the Wild Mine at Gulliver's World, but I was right to expect something vastly superior in every aspect regarding Blitz.

One of the several highlights of Matterhorn Blitz's layout

The queue line opens to a lackluster performance, gradually running parallel to a shallow river where from this point onward, visual spotting of the ride ceases to exist. However in the early part of the queue line, the chance to get close up to the ride's track is a treat in itself before the majority of the ride disappears until the ride's station.

A paradise for animatronics

Upon entering the ride building, I found myself in a sense of bewilderment surrounded in each direction by a series of animatronics, each within their own well themed environment which is merely a building block to the elegant masterpiece of Blitz's station. There's a quaint atmosphere that gradually builds up towards the ride platform that is generated by the animatronics, as they each get busier and more animated the closer you get to the ride station. There's a real sense of progression in terms of theming, moving through the interior queue line, albeit subtle.

For a very brief moment, I had forgotten about Matterhorn Blitz's magical lift hill until we were locked into place ready to ascend. It's amusing looking back at Mack's fairly wacky system and realising it works so much better than Intamin's newer yet strikingly similar offering which has led to the demise of the short lived Divertical/Pilgrim's Plunge. Encouraged by Dan and James not to examine the technical side of the lift hill until a re ride, I was able to sustain a sense of awe upon arrival at the top.

I immensely appreciated that the loathsome series of tight corners were left until the middle of the circuit rather than opening with them, allowing me to appreciate Matterhorn Blitz in segments rather than one continuous sprint from the exit of the corners. Combining tremendously fun dips, a few sweeping turns and a pleasant mix between excellent landscaping and theming, Matterhorn Blitz is impossible to not enjoy.

Despite not being overwhelming intent on a re ride however, Elly was insistent we give it one more and final ride on the last day, allowing me to examine the workings of the lift hill. It's like an odd behind the scenes tour on the ascent if you focus your mind on the mechanics rather than looking straight ahead, yet fail to deter the experience if you aren't concentrating on the machinery that surrounds and elevates you. I'd love for Mack to venture further afield with this element, it has some considerable potential going for it.

Schweizer Bobbahn

Commonly referred to as "Schizer [insert range of incomprehensible bickering words here] Bored Barnes", I always wondered before visiting Europa how Mack's first ever venture into their bobsleigh coaster franchise would fair. Avalanche is rated quite highly over the majority of coasters I enjoy at Blackpool, and I would argue it's one of the most enjoyable yet criminally underrated family suitable coasters in the country. I was therefore eager to give Schweizer Bobbahn a try.

A labyrinth of twists and turns await

Unlike Matterhorn Blitz, the queue line doesn't feel like a gradual journey. Instead, with full extensions open, I imagine it feels like a disgusting wooden cattle pen. Even with the queue length dramatically shorter than the fully opened version, it still felt like a winding and woeful path. Moreover, there wasn't anything drastically eye catching either, something that every other queue line thus far seemed to have in some form or another.

The new wooden sculptures inside the actual station section itself are undoubtedly, a master piece. They are the true definition of the explicit detail, care and passion that is invested into Europa Park. These aside, admittedly I thought the station was bordering on bland.

Thus far, I was shocked to believe that a ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was beating a ride at Europa on several aspects. The queue line of Avalanche is a nicer place to be. The station is better themed and suits the atmosphere more, and Avalanche overall feels more sincere and somewhat belonging in that environment. Schweizer Bobbahn wasn't doing any of these things for me, and it wasn't before long that eventually our train rumbled into the station and it was time to experience this eagerly anticipated ride.

The opening curve into the first drop is as dull as it appears, and the anticipated jolly drop I was hoping for wasn't so jolly at all. Arguably, I've had more enjoyment on the drop of a Big Apple coaster than this, it literally lacks everything other than its existence simply to be an element that breaks up the journey from the peak of the lift hill to the decent part of the coaster. I also use the word decent very loosely.

I was praying at this point that the remainder of the layout would have an Avalanche like flow and intense kick to it, whilst resuming its identity as a family ride. It was a noble effort to say the least [and also a very welcoming surprise tunnel], but that's as far as I can compliment the layout of Europa's efforts here. The experience is then made even more dull by the tediously long brake run [even the maintenance bay isn't as interesting as Avalanche's] before returning to the station.

I'm sure it's a great starting point for young children to ride, but the ride doesn't really appear to be advertised as that. There is only one ride on this planet where I have completed the ride circuit with an emotionless and plain expression, simply because I didn't think that much of it at all. This ride happens to be Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom. Schweizer Bobbahn did indeed break a smile or two from me at one point, but it very nearly came close to sharing a spot with Space Mountain on the 'coasters that fail to excite me' list. The landscaping is good though.

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As the day began to conclude, we headed over to Iceland where a difficult choice awaited us as the final ride of the day: Blue Fire or Wodan? Almost every inch me of at this point wanted to ride Blue Fire over Wodan, which immediately led me to suspect I was already preferring Mack's stunning mega coaster over their brutal and astounding wooden offering from GCI. I decided I'd wait until riding Wodan for the second time the following day before making a solid conclusion, something which I will extensively cover in detail in the final chapter of this trip report in the midst of other longer and shorter footnotes. That said, it was an exceptional way to end the first day at Europa Park.

We swiftly exited via the resort and hotel entrance, not having the chance to take in the park as people began to disperse after ride close. It gave me plenty of time to reflect however back on the day that had been had. The magic of Europa Park had managed to truly take my breath away.

 

[TheMan]

Incredibly detailed trip reports that makes me extremely envious!

Good balance too, these have been a brilliant read look forward greatly to each new installment and will be quite sad when you've finished!! As an EP virgin still you really are delivering in relaying the magic and wonder of EP whilst balanced with the negatives well.

If EP was perfect, it would provide no contrast, the little failings across the park in how I read your reports, serve only to highlight the majesty of the rest!

Great stuff Danny, very much appreciated here ;D

 

[Sam]

Criminally, I've only just got around to reading your reviews so far, and they're fantastic. Obviously, when you've been a fan of something for at least a couple of years, your enthusiasm and interest tends to wax and wane from day to day, but reading your trip reports reignited my passion for EP for the first time since the holiday itself!

I agree with almost all of your views on everything, especially Pegasus, which is the coaster at EP which would get the most criticism from me for poor theming and placing (a bit of an afterthought in the empty space under Poseidon), even if the ride system is top-notch.

I think us EP freaks have a tendency to overly slag-off some of the resort's lesser offerings in a bid to appear a bit more balanced about EP, so I'm really glad that you found things to enjoy in rides like Universe of Energy and Matterhorn Blitz. In terms of criticism, I'm also totally on-board about Silver Star's queue being a bit boring and dated in places. On the other hand, you move so quick that you're hardly in any one section for very long!

One ride I think you're a liiiiiiittle bit harsh on is Abenteuer Atlantis, which I have a big soft spot for. While it's clearly one of EP's 'ahh, we have this space, let's build a dark ride!' additions, it doesn't feel rushed to me, and has charm and thought and attention put into it (more than the soulless Universe of Energy/Piccolo Mondo). Having ridden Buzz for the first time in ages, I don't actually think Buzz is much better, except for one or two great animatronics. They're pretty much the same ride (though Atlantis has the crazy-spin rave tunnel in its favour), except Atlantis is always walk-on.

Thus far, I was shocked to believe that a ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was beating a ride at Europa on several aspects. The queue line of Avalanche is a nicer place to be. The station is better themed and suits the atmosphere more, and Avalanche overall feels more sincere and somewhat belonging in that environment. Schweizer Bobbahn wasn't doing any of these things for me, and it wasn't before long that eventually our train rumbled into the station and it was time to experience this eagerly anticipated ride.

Interesting that you find Avalanche better themed and belonging to its environment. I disagree, except for Avalanche's station, which edges it over Bobbahn's. Avalanche just looks a bit weird to me, this bobsleigh run snaking its way through mid-air above some grassland far below, whereas Bobbahn for the bulk of its layout weaves between the roofs and facades of Swiss chalets. There's a really good photo of the Bobbahn from prior to the Swiss village being installed and the difference is a world away - I wish I could find it. Did you get a chance to walk through the Swiss village at all?

Can't wait to see the next installment of your review!

 

[Danny]

One ride I think you're a liiiiiiittle bit harsh on is Abenteuer Atlantis, which I have a big soft spot for. While it's clearly one of EP's 'ahh, we have this space, let's build a dark ride!' additions, it doesn't feel rushed to me, and has charm and thought and attention put into it (more than the soulless Universe of Energy/Piccolo Mondo). Having ridden Buzz for the first time in ages, I don't actually think Buzz is much better, except for one or two great animatronics. They're pretty much the same ride (though Atlantis has the crazy-spin rave tunnel in its favour), except Atlantis is always walk-on.

I think the main reason I've given it a somewhat harsh review is due to the only impressions I have on it. Ultimately, I wanted to deliver my first impressions of the park and how I saw it, before expanding on what I could [the last post of this trip report will most likely attend to this]. Some attractions were obviously re ridden or had a considerably larger wow factor on the first go, which allowed me to gain a deeper understanding or simply enjoy them more! This is why I believe Atlantis fell quite short in my eyes.

It isn't the only attraction I've had a form of 'meh' impression to on the first encounter, and I definitely believe it has the potential to grow on me with another ride or two.

With regards to Bobbahn, I didn't have the chance to walk through the Swiss village. I imagine this would have swayed my opinions somewhat, and I certainly understand where you're coming from with the regards of the layout being surrounded by the Swiss chalets. I think what induced my opinion here was the entrance area, and how the first drop and corner sticks out like a sore thumb. This is a shame considering how the rest of the ride blends in so well. At least with Avalanche, it's an all or nothing case with the exposure of the layout, but the combination for Bobbahn doesn't work for me, especially considering it's the worst section of the ride that's exposed.

I actually prefer the openness of the area around Avalanche and how it stands out [of course the lack of theming for the ride to navigate around is where it loses a point to Bobbahn]. I simply felt that there was a dark shadow being cast unnecessarily over the ride by the sheer amount of surrounding objects and facades, and that will have contributed to my feelings of it in that aspect. For now, Bobbahn has fallen into my category of 'rides that need to be re ridden to reassess an opinion".

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With regards to the next chapter I hope to have up at some point this weekend, day two wasn't as eventful as the first with only two new rides to cover. Therefore it is likely to be short, but I'm intending to compensate for this in a final and most detailed post covering aspects such as why I prefer some rides over others [Blue Fire vs Wodan particularly], the resort side of Europa and a certain midnight photographing expedition.