• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

PortAventura: General Discussion

PortAventuraBlog - Official Blog PortAventureros

As part of the 20th Anniversary celebrations PortAventura have began their own official Resort Blog. Much like the hugely popular DisneyParksBlog, the PortAventura Blog will keep PortAventureros (Port Adventurers) up to date on the latest news, innovations and events from the PortAventura Parks, Hotels and Restaurants. The Blog is currently only in Spanish and can be translated by Google, other languages are set to follow shortly.

http://www.portaventurablog.com/es/
 
Costa Caribe Aquatic park opened its doors today for summer and it looks like the dreaded PortAventura Express has made its way to the water park too.

For 12 euros you can buy an Express ticket which gets you access to all the major slides. Now water park slides have far lower throughputs than rides at theme parks and, having visited the water park in July without Express, I k ow that the queues move extremely slowly and get very long at the best of times. I see this being a nightmare, especially having seen Siam Park Tenerife's irritating fast track system causing grief to everyone in the main queues.
 
@AstroDan you'll love this. ;)

I've just seen this too, (it opens tomorrow by the way). I don't agree with this at all. For PortAventura Park fair enough, although others will probably disagree, the attractions can cope with people. However for the Aquatic Park the queues will just move tediously slow, especially with the likes of King Khajuna.

According to the billboards the 8 attractions on the PortAventura Express: Caribe pass are:
  • King Khajuna
  • Ciclon Tropical
  • El Torrente
  • Mambo & Limbo
  • Barracudas (Green & Blue)
  • Rapid Race
 
Oh my god.

This park is run by money chasing morons who've been mutated by Thorpe Park and then made worse!

The main park does not cope effectively with oversales either!

This is why I can't quite get PA into my heart :(
 
Last edited:
The waterpark is already unbearable in the middle of summer, would dread to think what introducing Express tickets will do. Terrible decision.
 
Wow, who on earth thought that fastrack in a water park was a good idea? What a joke!

:)
 
So I've got a date booked to go through booking.com which has given me a voucher with a QR code and some other details (in english, naturally). When we get there will I need to get actual tickets like at Alton or will one QR code suffice for 5 people?
 
So, I know it's a little late but last week I stayed at Hotel PortAventura for a few nights so I thought I'd write a mini review / take note of some new changes that haven't been picked up before.

Hotel PortAventura
I've never stayed on Resort before and after reading some of the TripAdvisor reviews I was a little wary of what to expect although I was pleasantly surprised. The hotel is huge, immaculately presented and the cast were extremely helpful throughout our stay. A few quick points people should look out for if they're planning a stay in the Resort hotels:
  • Dine around option: If you're staying in any of the Resort Hotels barr Hotel El Paso, you can choose to eat in a different hotel restaurant every evening whether it be buffet or a'la carte. You just visit Guest Relations in your hotel and they give you a free meal voucher to take to the restaurant of your choice to have your evening meal. If you choose an a'la carte restaurant PortAventura pay the first €22.00 per person, and you just pay the difference. The dine around option includes:
    • Buffet Del Port (Hotel PortAventura)
    • Buffet Del Mar (Hotel PortAventura)
    • Port Regata (Hotel PortAventura)
    • Buffet Bohio (Hotel Caribe)
    • La Piazza (Hotel Caribe)
    • Puerto Viejo (Hotel Caribe)
    • Grand Hall Buffet (Hotel Gold River)
    • Grand Opera House (Hotel Gold River)
    • The Callaghan's Restaurant (Hotel Gold River)
    • El Coyote (Hotel El Paso)
  • Resort Shuttles: If you want to travel between the Resort Hotels, Parks, Beach Club or Golf then if you visit Reception or Guest Relations they can call you a free shuttle to your destination. (A perfect service if you're wanting to visit Hotel Gold River and Hotel Mansion De Lucy).
PortAventura Park
PortAventura Park is fully decorated for the 20th Anniversary as seen in previous photos, here are a few new updates I noticed from last week:
  • Cartoonland: New Plush store in Mediterrania
  • Comic West: A new Minions store in Far West selling every piece of Minions merchandise you could possibly imagine.
o9e6io.jpg
[/IMG]
o9e6io.jpg
[/IMG]
o9e6io.jpg

  • New metal turn table on Silver River Flume
2mm5lde.jpg

  • IceAge: The 4D Ride: One attraction I wasn't looking forward to after replacing Sea Odyssey was IceAge although I found it to be pulled off better than I'd anticipated. The 4D film is different to the Dawn of the Dinosaurs filmed previously used at Towers, the queue line features interactive screens to entertain guests and includes a pre-show showing the lead up to the point where the 4D film begins. The simulator itself is a LOT more turbulent than the Sea Odyssey setting and really does throw you about from side to side.
egq1y9.jpg

  • Shows and Entertainment: The performance schedule has been increased once again and daily performances now include:
    • Happy Birthday PortAventura (Teatre Principal)
    • Happy Birthday Parade (LaRambla Mediterrania)
    • Hola PortAventura - 20th Anniversary (Mediterrania Lagoon)
    • Aloha Tahiti (Polynesian Ampiteatre)
    • Aves del Paraiso (Makamanu Teatre)
    • Pareos en Bora Bora (Restaurant Bora Bora)
    • Pareos Island (Murs du Sud)
    • Can Can West (Long Branch Saloon)
    • Old Wild West (Western Stunt Show Arena)
    • American Music (The Old Steak House)
    • Canta Con Woody (Penitence Station, Plaza de Yucatan)
    • Canta Con Winnie (Pentience Station, Plaza de Yucatan)
    • Betty on Tour (The Old Steak House, Far West)
    • Viva Mexico (La Cantina)
    • Templo Del Fuego (Templo Del Fuego)
    • Dance Group Mexico (Plaza Yucatan)
    • Dance Group Happy Birthday (Plaza Yucatan)
    • Celebration (Gran Teatre Imperial)
    • China Acrobatic Show (Plaza Imperial)
    • Bubblebou (Temple Magic Jing Chou)
    • Sand Animation (Temple Magic Jing Chou)
    • SesamoAventura Talent Show (TeatreAventura)
    • Sesame Street on the Road (El Arbol Magico, Mediterrania, Far West, Mexico)
    • Dance Group Caribe (Mediterrania, Costa Caribe)
Costa Caribe Aquatic Park
  • Costa Caribe Premium: A new experience for 2015, which safe to say, no one was using. For €125.00 for two people, you can now hire a private cabana on Sesamo Beach or Bahama Beach for a luxury Waterpark experience. The package includes:
    • Entrance to Costa Caribe Aquatic Park
    • Private Cabana
    • Costa Caribe Express wristbands
    • Fruit platter and bottle of Cava
    • Fan
    • Fridge
    • Private luggage storage
    • 2 sun loungers
    • Table and 4 chairs
  • Costa Caribe Express: As mentioned before PortAventura Express is now available in the Waterpark. PortAventura seem to be taking the idea quite seriously with the included flumes now having newly built Express queue lines and signposts. The Express Pass costs €12.00 and includes unlimited riding on King Khajuna, Ciclon Tropical, Mambo & Limbo, Barracudas, Rapid Race and El Torrente.
212hb8y.jpg

El Torrete Express entrance
wjvyvr.jpg

King Khajuna, Ciclon Tropical and Rapid Race Express entrances. Rapid Race now has a new main entrance further down the path. Barracudas and Mambo & Limbo also have separate entrances.

King Khajuna and Rapid Race: The slide towers for King Khajuna and Rapid Race have now been painted and themed to match the original concept art. Previously painted white, the towers are now painted with a brown wood effect and have rope theming and cream coloured stairs.
30sg1ky.jpg

2agnlf9.jpg


New Surf Shop by Desigual: A new designer clothes store has been built next to El Torrente selling beach wear, similar to the new store in Polynesia.


 
Great trip report. Good to hear of so many changes. I have always thought it's a shame that PortAventura gets so little attention on this forum because, as far as I'm concerned, it's a superb park and one of the best in Europe.

How were Stampida and Tomahawk with the new modifications?
 
PortAventura is a good park, there is no denying it. The reason it gets less focus on this forum is because we are far more interested, perhaps wrongly so, in parks in Germany, Holland and Scandinavia. It definitely gets a fair bit of discussion though! Always near the top of the posts, although mainly due to Ryan posting his press releases ;)

On the flip side, PBE are heavily focussed on PortAventura and barely mention others at all, for example.

:)
 
Enter Valhalla said:
Great trip report. Good to hear of so many changes. I have always thought it's a shame that PortAventura gets so little attention on this forum because, as far as I'm concerned, it's a superb park and one of the best in Europe.

How were Stampida and Tomahawk with the new modifications?
Click to expand...

The new Tomahawk trains are very comfy which surprised me because they didnt look very from the photos. The queue also moved a lot quicker now the trains have 18 seats as opposed to 8.

The first half of Stampida is now very smooth but once it hits that second turn around its back to the usual hold on to your spine feeling. Id prefer it still to be in its original state. But im sure others will prefer its more smooth side.
 
AstroDan said:
PortAventura is a good park, there is no denying it. The reason it gets less focus on this forum is because we are far more interested, perhaps wrongly so, in parks in Germany, Holland and Scandinavia. It definitely gets a fair bit of discussion though! Always near the top of the posts, although mainly due to Ryan posting his press releases ;)

On the flip side, PBE are heavily focussed on PortAventura and barely mention others at all, for example.

:)
Click to expand...

I can understand people on this forum being interested in the German and Dutch parks and I always favour this forum over other forums which are almost entirely focussed on PA and no other international parks.

The Mid European parks are great but I love PA as well and I've always found it odd that enthusiasts seems to decided in their views of the park.
 
Going back to the waterpark express pass - €12 for unlimited access to the slides? I'd assumed it would be one use per slide, but at that price point it's hardly a luxury option at all and the demand will be absolutely huge.
 
John said:
Going back to the waterpark express pass - €12 for unlimited access to the slides? I'd assumed it would be one use per slide, but at that price point it's hardly a luxury option at all and the demand will be absolutely huge.
Click to expand...

I was also surprised when I read the map. €12 seems cheap for on go on every slide never mind unlimited riding.

New White Night - 27/06/15 - 10:00hr-03:00hr
The 3rd White Night of the season will debut on 27th May until 3am in the morning. Noche Blanca Brazil promises travelling entertainment throughout PortAventura Park including music, parties, themed dance groups, live bands, Bollywood, Brazil and Batukada shows, foam parties and exclusive parades. Brazil White Night also sees the popular nighttime shows FiestAventura and Noche de Fuego en Tahiti return for their first performances of the 2015 season, both said to have been re-designed for the 20th Anniversary.

2r44vhc.png

11053387_848900675146471_4113563131609494229_n.jpg
 
Just come back from Port Aventura having visited for 4 years in a row and must say Stampida is smoother than it was - Baco is still a horrid uncomfortable mess though. Even my missus said she enjoyed riding it which she normally hates. The express waterpark tickets are pointless for at least May/June as there isn't enough of a queue to warrant them. I'm not exactly sure how it works but the merge points are near the start of the normal queues anyway?

We spent three days there, and watched all the shows on the first day - the Celebration show in the Grand Theatre is a must watch. They are also selling a 20th Anniversary CD which is €10.95 and a 20th Anniversary Woody Woodpecker doll/teddy which is €25. The CD is made up of two discs and disc one is mainly the music from around the park and disc two is the music that makes up the Celebration show I mentioned earlier. All in all enjoyed my time. Probably won't be back till 2017 at the earliest, to which I look forward to the Ferrari land park.
 
The re-designed FiestAventura will debut with new floats, music, fountains, fireworks and special effects during Noche Blanca Brazil (White Night Brazil) on 27/06/15 at 02:45hr. PortAventuras Artistic Director has been revealing some of the new floats and effects today with PortAventura fans. Another surprise of the 20th Anniversary.
 
There is no doubt that PortAventura can pull of these events and celebrations very well, and they have a very talented entertainment team. The late night event formula is clearly working successfully too.

I did however watch the 'new' FiestAventura on YouTube and was rather confused by the 'improvements' that seemed to consist of a singular new (static!) float, the removal of fire effects from much if not all of the show and the fact that they appear to still be using the same projection screens/technology. The cardboard cutout '20' at the end actually made me laugh. I guess at least they still commit to an evening show through much of the year and it has always seemed popular when I have stayed to watch, although very much a legacy of the park's Universal days.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top