AstroDan
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
I have quicky drawn up a comparison between major and mid-tier parks around Europe's minimum operating hours in 2017.
Clearly, different cultures around Europe have different habits. The Spanish and Italians, being in those warm Meditteranean climes, have always been known for long evenings, eating late and instead having a siesta. Meanwhile, those in Northern Europe tend to wrap up and head indoors. City parks also have it a little easier, as guests can simply flow out and right back into local transport, hotels and amenities. But nevertheless, check out the differences between these parks' hours.
The hours shown are first the minimum hours, and then the longest daily hours. It should be noted that for the vast majority of parks (easily over 3/4), the minimum hours are only on a small number of days in early and/or late season. However, for some parks, such as Nigloland, Alton Towers and Chessington, the minimum hours are actually what is seen on a significant number of days - possibly up to or over half of all operating days. For easy reference, parks under Merlin control are in bold.
N/S/Y - Does this park have an end of day show/event on a significant number of days? Y means daily. S means sometimes (i.e. in summer, or for late closes), N means no (I would still put N if the park for example has fireworks on one or two days a year, as this is more a special event rather than a habitual way of keeping guests inside the park).
Check it out (they are ordered in groups, from longest minimum hours to shortest):
PORTAVENTURA: 1000-2000, 10 hours / 1000 - 0300 17 hours - S
PUY DU FOU: 1000-1900, 9 hours / 1000 - 2230, 12.5 hours - S
EUROPA-PARK: 0900-1800, 9 hours / 0900 - 0000, 15 hours - S
PARC DISNEYLAND: 1000-1900, 9 hours, 1000-2300, 13 hours - Y
FUTUROSCOPE: 1000-1830, 8.5 hours / 0830-2330, 15 hours - Y
PARQUE WARNER MADRID: 1130-2000, 8.5 hours / 1130 - 0000, 12.5 hours - S
HANSA-PARK: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2030, 10.5 hours - S
PARC ASTERIX: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - S
PHANTASIALAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2000, 10 hours - N
GARDALAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-0300, 17 hours - S
MIRABILANDIA: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - S
EFTELING: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - S
TOVERLAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - S
WALIBI HOLLAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours, / 1000-2300, 13 hours - N
WALIBI BELGIUM: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - N
PLOPSALAND: 1000-1730, 7.5 hours / 1000-2230, 12.5 hours - N
HOLIDAY PARK: 1000-1730, 7.5 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - S
THORPE PARK: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - N
CHESSINGTON: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2000, 10 hours - N
NIGLOLAND: 1030-1730, 7 hours / 1000-1900, 9 hours - N
HEIDE-PARK: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2100, 11 hours - N
MOVIE PARK GERMANY: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - N
LISEBERG: 1500-2200, 7 hours / 1100-2300, 12 hours - N
LEGOLAND BILLUND: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2000, 10 hours - N
LEGOLAND GERMANY: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2100, 11 hours - N
LEGOLAND WINDSOR: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-1800, 8 hours - N
DRAYTON MANOR: 1030-1700, 6.5 hours / 1030-2100, 10.5 hours - N
BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH: 1100-1700, 6 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - N
ALTON TOWERS: 1030-1630, 6 hours / 1030-2100, 10.5 hours - N
SUMMARY: How do Gardaland manage it!?!?!
Clearly, different cultures around Europe have different habits. The Spanish and Italians, being in those warm Meditteranean climes, have always been known for long evenings, eating late and instead having a siesta. Meanwhile, those in Northern Europe tend to wrap up and head indoors. City parks also have it a little easier, as guests can simply flow out and right back into local transport, hotels and amenities. But nevertheless, check out the differences between these parks' hours.
The hours shown are first the minimum hours, and then the longest daily hours. It should be noted that for the vast majority of parks (easily over 3/4), the minimum hours are only on a small number of days in early and/or late season. However, for some parks, such as Nigloland, Alton Towers and Chessington, the minimum hours are actually what is seen on a significant number of days - possibly up to or over half of all operating days. For easy reference, parks under Merlin control are in bold.
N/S/Y - Does this park have an end of day show/event on a significant number of days? Y means daily. S means sometimes (i.e. in summer, or for late closes), N means no (I would still put N if the park for example has fireworks on one or two days a year, as this is more a special event rather than a habitual way of keeping guests inside the park).
Check it out (they are ordered in groups, from longest minimum hours to shortest):
PORTAVENTURA: 1000-2000, 10 hours / 1000 - 0300 17 hours - S
PUY DU FOU: 1000-1900, 9 hours / 1000 - 2230, 12.5 hours - S
EUROPA-PARK: 0900-1800, 9 hours / 0900 - 0000, 15 hours - S
PARC DISNEYLAND: 1000-1900, 9 hours, 1000-2300, 13 hours - Y
FUTUROSCOPE: 1000-1830, 8.5 hours / 0830-2330, 15 hours - Y
PARQUE WARNER MADRID: 1130-2000, 8.5 hours / 1130 - 0000, 12.5 hours - S
HANSA-PARK: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2030, 10.5 hours - S
PARC ASTERIX: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - S
PHANTASIALAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2000, 10 hours - N
GARDALAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-0300, 17 hours - S
MIRABILANDIA: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - S
EFTELING: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - S
TOVERLAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - S
WALIBI HOLLAND: 1000-1800, 8 hours, / 1000-2300, 13 hours - N
WALIBI BELGIUM: 1000-1800, 8 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - N
PLOPSALAND: 1000-1730, 7.5 hours / 1000-2230, 12.5 hours - N
HOLIDAY PARK: 1000-1730, 7.5 hours / 1000-2300, 13 hours - S
THORPE PARK: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - N
CHESSINGTON: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2000, 10 hours - N
NIGLOLAND: 1030-1730, 7 hours / 1000-1900, 9 hours - N
HEIDE-PARK: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2100, 11 hours - N
MOVIE PARK GERMANY: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - N
LISEBERG: 1500-2200, 7 hours / 1100-2300, 12 hours - N
LEGOLAND BILLUND: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2000, 10 hours - N
LEGOLAND GERMANY: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-2100, 11 hours - N
LEGOLAND WINDSOR: 1000-1700, 7 hours / 1000-1800, 8 hours - N
DRAYTON MANOR: 1030-1700, 6.5 hours / 1030-2100, 10.5 hours - N
BLACKPOOL PLEASURE BEACH: 1100-1700, 6 hours / 1000-2200, 12 hours - N
ALTON TOWERS: 1030-1630, 6 hours / 1030-2100, 10.5 hours - N
SUMMARY: How do Gardaland manage it!?!?!
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