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PortAventura: General Discussion

Re: Port Aventura

Maelstrom said:
yes it was busy but the queue by time i was there was just in the big building and i walked straight on with express pass and most other queues were just like a very busy day at Alton Towers.
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What does it matter that you managed to walk on with a queue jump pass? That isn't a defence for low capacity and long queues, in fact it makes both of those things worse. You can claim any queue it short if you've bought the right to queue-jump it, so that's quite irrelevant. The difference between this park and Alton is that this park only has four major coasters, while Alton has five, soon to be six.

Maelstrom said:
However the park was very different on Fri and Sat while still lots of people queues where no where near the legth on the wed and thurs in fact on sat the Khan and shambala started on 3 train op but by lunch time were down to two with not very long queues at all.
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If it has a queue at all longer than a few train's worth, it shouldn't be on reduced operation. All of the above and the Tukiti Splash incident points to poor park operations and investment decisions.
 
Re: Port Aventura

what i was trying to say from my post was that for by late thursday afternoon and all other days the queue for shambala was no where near as bad as the pictures shows, (plus the express queue was also massive in the pictures posted on coaster force which would have also had a decent wait). Also while we did have express i dont 100% agree with express and hate it at Alton Towers etc where i have never paid for it, but only got it due to the queues the rides get at the park, the terible queue designs and being a holiday to somewhere dont get to normally go to. But those reasons i got it does point to not being enough major capacity rides for the amount of guests the park gets. Baccos and condor throughput is shocking. I shouldnt really have to pay extra to jump queues as if had more high capacity rides there wouldnt be the 2hr queues.

I agree as i put in my review in the review forum that the parks opertions are one of the negetives of the park, generally though khan and shamabala where run fairly well and yes should have been left on 3 trains.
 
Re: Port Aventura

Maelstrom said:
I shouldnt really have to pay extra to jump queues as if had more high capacity rides there wouldnt be the 2hr queues.
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I'd argue that opening all the rollercoasters and major rides on time would stop that 2 hour queue developing. Cause right now, that hour of closed Shambhala is a ridiculous decision.
 
Re: Port Aventura

Initial thoughts on Shambhala after riding yesterday, will write a full review when I´m back in the UK later this month.

- Queuline is a vile cattlepen. A beauty for queue jumpers so made for a very hot, fustrating and long winding waiting.
- Area theming around the ride is fantastic, carries on the rest of the parks theming very well.
- The splashdown is effective off ride and adds for great viewing.
- Music in the area is very good, keeps you within the theme. You can even buy a CD with the music on (take note Alton!).
- The ride is everything you could desire from a modern B&M. Smooth, decent length, thrilling in parts and plenty of airtime, what more could you want?
- Pictures show the ride as an eyesore although it fits in very well with the park and around Dragon Khan. You wouldn´t believe it was a new ride to be honest, it fits in beautifully. It´s imposing on the park and stands out as a big ride although does not ruin the view or the look of Dragon Khan as the pictures seem to show.
 
Re: Re: Port Aventura

This was mentioned awhile ago on here. I'm led to believe this is actually quite a common occurrence on this type of Intamin restraint. As this part of the restraint isn't load bearing anyway it's not too much of an issue, it just looks more dramatic than it actually is :)
 
Re: Port Aventura

Screamscape has found an article on ElBlogDeDreamland that shows that PortAventura have confirmed the rumoured 2013 water park expansion:
2013 - Costa Caribe Expansion - (11/27/12) El Blog de Dream posts that PortAventura has confirmed a waterpark expansion is on the way for 2013 that will include new Pirate and Sesame Street themed pool areas, the tallest drop slide in Europe standing 31m tall and a 6-lane racer style slide.
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The article from ElBlogDeDreamland (translated by Google):
PortAventura Aquatic Park | Park Expanding

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Expansion Announced
The expansion project of the Aquatic Park met four years in a state of "freezing" at times ... because in the month of August, the English page of PortAventura "PortAventuraHolidays" and the first catalogs of tour operators in the UK, announced to novelty fanfare in 2013 PortAventura Aquatic Park a little over a month and a half to give by finished the 2012 season of the enclosure.

They are advertised as a "New Aquatic Family Zone" as well as the resort's general map aparecíaun also announcing that new event logo, indicating the park, noting "Aquatic Park".

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At the same time, and with the update of Google Maps, you could see that in the warehouses of the park, to be part of the pieces of the two slides kamikazes who bought the company in 2008 ProSlide, you can find these pieces thematize what will be the big news of the park after more than 10 years without any news. Pieces of theming, since the braking zone of Shambhala also be seen in the distance, and are therefore the customer's own view, raising rumors that extension.

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Confirmation by PortAventura
The park has recently announced a Russian media outlet (country which wants to have a place of outbound tourism to PortAventura), that next year finally large water park with an extension that aims to double the capacity of the enclosure with a total 3 news:

Two pools themed Sesame Street (New Family)
Slide (slide) of 31 meters making it the highest in Europe (the project is rejected so the world's tallest water slide 42 meters as initial project)
In addition, "ElBlogdeDream" along with several unofficial websites that discuss PortAventura PortAventura gathered, where we were informed that such an extension would make the water park were to have a size of about 50,000 square meters, thanks to the expansion would have a similar size to the new themed area "SesamoAventura" theme park.


Recently, the park has sent a statement to all annual pass holders, which provides more information about the expansion of the water park which has a size of 12,800 square meters, and that not only consist of the two pools and the European higher slide (in its class free-fall). A multi slide up to 6 different slides also be added to the new water park area, greatly expanding the supply of entertainment arena.

But really, what these slides?

FreeFall
As stated by the name, this is a slide where the main feature is not the money that this might have, but the height, which in the case of PortAventura Aquatic Park is 31 meters being the highest in Europe slide into your category. Normally hourly capacity is being of 180 people / hour and usually have a minimum height of 1.20 meters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QRemFjoTcYA

In Spain, we have clear examples of this type of slides also called as "kamikaze", but certainly one of the most fearsome are the Big Bang (Aqualandia - Benidorm) with a height of 30 meters (1 less than that will PortAventura ) or "Tower of Power (Siam Park - Tenerife) with 28 meters high.

In addition, these slides can add a little extra "capsule" in which the brave decision to fall under its own weight over the entire slide, it will be placed, close the small door access capsule, get in position, and wait for the worker decides to give the button to open the floodgates and falling.

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Big Bang - Benidorm (Yellow Slide)

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Pre-Release Capsule

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NlDFCpyAna4

Multitrack
We speak of the classic slide where we find different number of lanes to compete to see which is the fastest to reach the end of everything. In this case, PortAventura Aquatic Park introduce June 1 lanes. In this case, technology has advanced and we have moved from the classic "soft track" to the most amazing level design, entrelanzado each track with the rest. Undoubtedly one of the most fun and family. In this case, we have a capacity of 900 persons / hour in the case of 6 tracks, comes to be the case. and a minimum height of 1.10m

In Spain we can find many examples of this type of slides, so we could not list them all. In this case, we believe it is best to see a video overview with various multitrack.

In this case, as well as the slide model "free-fall" is very clear what kind of design is from "The Blog of Dream" that indicate "Aventura" to be a new slide with 6 lanes, we believe that this type chute is the most fits this description.

How and When?
Work began just close the park during the week after the Halloween event, where they settled in the area of ​​expansion (fenced in parking area water park) booths early works also gradually have appeared the first bulldozers ... The water park will open the 2013 season as every year in mid - late May so until then, we can enjoy the extension of Aquatic Park.

In The Dream Blog, will inform about the progress of work to keep you informed about this project so badly that we've waited for years and finally comes true

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yW_sj8smP-M

In this case, as well as the slide model "free-fall" is very clear what kind of design is from "The Blog of Dream" that indicate "Aventura" to be a new slide with 6 lanes, we believe that this type chute is the most fits this description.

How and When?
Work began just close the park during the week after the Halloween event, where they settled in the area of ​​expansion (fenced in parking area water park) booths early works also gradually have appeared the first bulldozers ... The water park will open the 2013 season as every year in mid - late May so until then, we can enjoy the extension of Aquatic Park.

In The Dream Blog, will inform about the progress of work to keep you informed about this project so badly that we've waited for years and finally comes true
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Re: Port Aventura

Unprecedented news from PortAventura - Shambhala has suffered a rollback/stall after the ampersand (turnaround) section.

I cannot recall seeing a B&M suffer this before?

Images from PA Community:

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Maybe now we can all understand exactly why Europa-Park do not operate Silver Star at this time of year...

Unlike Intamin Mega Coasters, B&M Mega Coasters tend to crest hills more gently (i.e. slowly) - therefore, if it's cold - they simply may not make it all the way around!
 
Lordy said:
I know it's not exactly boiling hot, but it's surely a lot warmer in Salou than Rust?
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Highs in Salou at the moment are of about 11-14 degrees C, and Rust's currently on 0-5 degrees C. So in theory, Shambhala should still be able to run without stalling in these temperatures, but clearly not.
 
That is very odd then...

Silver Star runs from 5C+ without issue.

Unless there has been a maintenance issue on Shambhala?
 
Maybe they use different lube on the bearings depending on the local temperstures? So a coaster in a hot climate will have lube that starts getting gunky at a much higher temperature? Colossus has heaters under the track for this reason, to warm up the grease when it's cold.
 
Could it be the different trains? Silver Star's got 4-across in a line, whereas Shambhala has the outer two seats of a row further back.
 
Shambhala does go pretty slow on some of those sections in 30+ degree temperatures in the peak of summer. So I can probably see why it would have stalled. Looks certainly like a few other things have caused this though.

Not a very good year for PortAventura and their rides this year. This is, what, the 3rd/4th time something has happened to a ride?!
 
Not sure about it being the different trains. Behemoth, Intimidator and Diamondback have the same style trains as Shambhala and I've never read or seen anything about any of them stalling.

???
 
Is the only solution to a stalled train to lift it off the track? I would've thought there'd be some kind of mechanical thing which could move around the track by itself and push it back into the station :p
 
I think other manufacturers have that kind of system, I'm sure I've seen pictures of an S&S 4D being dragged round with some rope and a crane (not to mention LWV's Ladybug coaster :p ), but I don't think B&M consider this something that will ever happen if procedures are followed, so don't provide for another method?
 
Lol, a rope and a crane isn't provided by the manufactuer, that's ususally the parks idea.

Shambles is huge, so taking the train apart was probably the easiest solution, especially if there is an issue with said train.
 
Has anyone looked into where it stalled? It's sat between the ampersand turn and the really small bunny hop... Now, I don't know about you, but how on earth has it stalled there? Unless it's been affected by the hill after it?

To me, it seems a bit strange... I think there might be more to this than just the weather.
 
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