Sam's PortAventura review

[LiamC]

Even then, at Europa, only Blue Fire, Wodan and Silver Star are the non-water coasters billed as closed on the website (I believe they open when it's possible? Someone will know)...

Europa is open for winter between 23rd November and 6th January... I'm not sure when they closed after Halloween but they do have a rather similar season overall...

I believe they try to operate Blue Fire when the temperature is +5C. This season the last day of the main season was the 3rd November.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

Yes. Having visited PA several times, I disagree with alot of the issues Sam raised as personally i enjoy Baco and Stampida and don't think PA has too few rides. I also knew about the staggerred ride openings (which I don't agree with but they happen, so I'd just get to the park later) so really the closing of filler rides was the only thing which concernec me. Now that I know which rides it is, my concerns have vanished.

Personally i believe that the park are wrong to cancel shows and close rides on off peak days and that they are also wrong to open so many rides late, however I don't this this is their fault, I think it's the fault of the parent company for giving them too tight a budget to work with.

This thread certainly hasn't put me off visiting the park as I consider it to be one of my favourite parks in Europe.

 

[Sam]

Yes I agree that is too many rides to have closed. However, it depends WHY they were closed. If it was a deliberate closure to save money then yes, that's not acceptable. However if they closed them so that they could carry out maintenance work to make up for the very short closed season which they have, then I would say that's fine.

If, and only if, those smaller rides were closed to allow them to get some maintenance done then I would say that's acceptable. If it was to save money it's not. Let's also not forget that those are the least popular rides in the park, with the exception of Templo.

None of the rides (obviously we couldn't see inside Templo) had anything going on for the entire time we were there. No staff, no maintenance. Just SBNO.

 

[Ollie]

Yes I agree that is too many rides to have closed. However, it depends WHY they were closed. If it was a deliberate closure to save money then yes, that's not acceptable. However if they closed them so that they could carry out maintenance work to make up for the very short closed season which they have, then I would say that's fine.

If, and only if, those smaller rides were closed to allow them to get some maintenance done then I would say that's acceptable. If it was to save money it's not. Let's also not forget that those are the least popular rides in the park, with the exception of Templo.

None of the rides (obviously we couldn't see inside Templo) had anything going on for the entire time we were there. No staff, no maintenance. Just SBNO.

I cannot see how anybody that has been to PortAventura this year is so optimistic about things - those rides in that example were quite clearly closed to save money. Just like all the things I've already mentioned on pages 1/2. It is the late opening of rides that really gets me though, and the hotels going downhill so much I have no desire to return.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

I cannot see how anybody that has been to PortAventura this year is so optimistic about things - those rides in that example were quite clearly closed to save money. Just like all the things I've already mentioned on pages 1/2. It is the late opening of rides that really gets me though, and the hotels going downhill so much I have no desire to return.

It's not all positive. Hotel PortAventura and Hotel Caribe are looking very tired and are in need of attention, the same can be said for the Meditterenea area of the park, which is a shame as this is my favourite entrance plaza of any park in the world. The late openings of rides has got quite over the top as well. On my recent visit we were walking around the Mexico area and literally everything was shut, and in Far West too. They'd be much better to go back to opening whole areas late and blocking these areas off untill their opening time. This used to work pretty well.

That said, I've visited every year since 2005 and I keep going back and I love the place. I don't care how many polls and statistics you show me, I still love Stampida and Baco and PortAventura has a coaster collection which I enjoy more than any other park I've been to. I've yet to experience dreadfully poor ride operations myself. Yes they aren't at Europa Park standard of efficiency but what park is?

The atmosphere of the park, especially the music, is still great and I love the theming of the areas and the shows.

I really don't think that the place is as bad as alot of people on here are making out. Ever since my first visit in 2005 it has remained my favourite park in Europe, despite having visited Europa Park (which is a very close second), Gardaland, Disneyland Paris, Terra Mittica and of course virtually all of the UK parks. I love the place!

 

[AstroDan]

It's nice but there's too many niggles.

It needs a dark ride, better quality coasters, less staggered openings, better operations and higher quality accommodation.

I prefer 7 parks in Europe including Alton Towers.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sam]

Hotel PortAventura and Hotel Caribe are looking very tired and are in need of attention, the same can be said for the Meditterenea area of the park, which is a shame as this is my favourite entrance plaza of any park in the world.

What's wrong with Mediterranea? Looked in pretty good nick to me, in fact, I thought it looked pretty impeccable (the themed areas themselves at PA generally do).

Hotel PA isn't that bad, it's just that Gold River is so stunningly beautiful and high-quality that it makes the other hotels at PA look a bit crap in comparison.

 

[John]

Hotel PA was mostly fine apart from the corridors, which were extremely dated and rather dirty. A fire exit sign fell off the ceiling part way through our stay and spent the remainder shoved in a corner.

 

[AstroDan]

Yeah, Hotel PA was fairly basic but it was mostly fine. The corridors were appalling, though.

Next to the lower tier Disneyland Paris hotels, it was also fine. But next to hotels at Phantasialand, Heide-Park or Europa-Park and it's nowhere near.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

Hotel PortAventura and Hotel Caribe are looking very tired and are in need of attention, the same can be said for the Meditterenea area of the park, which is a shame as this is my favourite entrance plaza of any park in the world.

What's wrong with Mediterranea? Looked in pretty good nick to me, in fact, I thought it looked pretty impeccable (the themed areas themselves at PA generally do).

Hotel PA isn't that bad, it's just that Gold River is so stunningly beautiful and high-quality that it makes the other hotels at PA look a bit crap in comparison.

Meditterenea isn't too bad, just some of the buildings looked like they could do with a lick of paint when I wen earlier this month, it wasn't too bad, like I say it's my favourite themed entrance area in the world at any park, so when it doesn't look 100% perfect it's noticable.

Hotel PA used to be impecable, now there's a few things like the coridoors and also the courtyard area which look a bit tired. I really HATE the way they've put a light up Avis car rental sign in a beautiful themed area of the hotel. You'd never see that at Europa Park.

 

[AstroDan]

As you say, it's run by a bank.

That's never going to be of benefit!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Enter Valhalla]

Just on the topic of closing attractions on quiet days, I've just had a look through Disneyland Paris opening times for January and February. Several major attractions, most notably Armageddon and Captain EO, but there are others, seem to close some weekdays, re-open at the weekend, then close again during the week. This can't be just for maintenance if they keep closing and re-opening. So if even Disney ar at it, maybe it's something we'll soon be seeing all the parks doing :/

 

[Benzin]

Wait, the most notable rides closed midweek are Armageddon (an expensive thing to run a la Templo del Feugo) and Captain EO? Well I don't see why people aren't up in arms about this...

Nautilus seems to be the other one having a quick look that doesn't open every day... Everything else listed appears to be down for maintenance, including Indy, Casey Jr and Storybook Canal (which both close a lot mind, usually having short opening hours it must be said) and Autopia...

 

[Enter Valhalla]

But what I'm saying is that PortAventura are being held up as being greatly in the wrong for closing Templo and a couple of kids flat rides on off peak days. If Disney are closing rides, opening them at the weekends then closing them again, this would suggesst that, like PortAventura, these rides are being closed to save money rather than for maintenance. I'm not saying that this is right or wrong, I'm just saying that it happens at alot of quite major parks, even though PortAventura always seem to be the park that gets all the stick for it.

 

[AstroDan]

Disneyland Paris often close Casey Jr. and the Pays des Contes des Fées during the week, term time.

Other attractions also close, generally for maintenance, seen as the park operates year round.

Disneyland Paris rarely, if ever, close attractions unless the park is completely empty. That said, they still shouldn't do it.

Templo del Fuego is one of the best attractions at PortAventura. Disneyland Paris wouldn't close one of their best attractions. But admittedly, DLP is hardly the beacon of operational excellence in Europe, anyway.

If Alton Towers, with all their cost control and financial woes don't close rides all day long off peak, DLP and PortAventura certainly should not!

I do not know of many other major European parks that just close rides all day long. It certainly doesn't happen at the German parks.

 

[Enter Valhalla]

Disneyland Paris often close Casey Jr. and the Pays des Contes des Fées during the week, term time.

See I wasn't even aware of this, although it woul explain why they were closed the whole time when went. So if you go on Tuesday 14th January for example, you'll find Casey Jr, Pays des Contes des Fees and Captain EO closed for no reason other than it being quiet, not to mention all the rides closed for maintenance and the closed rides at the Studios park, I'd actually say that's worse than what goes on at PortAventura. Or maybe it just seems worse because it's Disney. Either way, it's surprising to see.

 

[Ian]

I believe that EO is closed so much simply because it's so unpopular these days. Wasn't it earmarked for replacement anyway?

 

[AstroDan]

I thought EO had been permanently removed...

I am unsure on your point though, Valhalla. Are you trying to justify PortAventura closing 7 rides/attractions on quieter or medium days?

Surely it's just bad practise, end of? Just because DLP close 2 or 3 rides on quiet days, doesn't make it any more acceptable.

Seriously, Alton Towers don't do it. And when they tried, there were complaints, and they changed their tactic. Enough said.

 

[Pixie-Ro]

EO was open over Christmas, although I can certainly see why it would be closed! When it finished I turned to my husband, shook my head and said 'let us never speak of this again'.

 

[AstroDan]

I agree, EO is appalling.

To be honest with you, regarding PortAventura, as much as I don't want them to be closing any rides, clearly their financial constraints mean they [the park management] have little choice.

It just seems incredible that any theme park (especially one of moderate success like PA) actually cannot afford to operate the rides for which it is there in the first place. What is the point of a park if it can't run the rides? Whether it's closing rides entirely or only opening them 2 hours after the park ostensibly opens?

The likes of a dodgem ride, or a child-friendly carousel is less (personally) galling, of course. Much like how if Casey Jr. is closed at DLP, I am not about to kick up a fuss. However, I find it terrible that what is probably one of the top few indoor theme park attractions in Europe is closed on a frequent basis. In fact, Templo del Fuego appears to be closed more than it is open. I guarantee you that had I experienced this, my view on PA would probably be higher, as I reckon, with exception to DK and Shambhala, Templo would be my 3rd favourite attraction in the park.

If it's THAT much of a burden, why not remove it, replace it with something less expensive to run?

Honestly, I have spent 6 days at PortAventura in total on 2 separate visits, and Templo del Fuego was only open for a few hours on 2 of those days, and I missed it both times...

Family owned parks all the way.