Danny
TS Contributor
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
I would imagine plenty of people on the forum are now aware of Team Kara; the seemingly bonkers coach company that cropped up out of nowhere offering the ill-fated EP trip that was ultimately cancelled earlier this summer.
Well despite this, @Panda and I took the plunge and booked onto their trip to Parc Asterix that took place this weekend. It's fair to say I haven't been in a particular rush to visit this park (hence the lack of strive to do it on last year's Halloween meet), yet I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to visit for a double figure sum regardless of the method of getting to and from it.
Before I begin with my thoughts on Asterix, let's just clear up the Team Kara situation. From their website and conveyed approach on social media, it isn't exactly difficult to form a sceptical opinion about them. There's a lack of professional brand that more established operators display and their social media communication is intermittent to say the least. Plus their website is essentially a glorified Word doc with Clipart and plonked attraction branding scattered here and there.
With just over three weeks until the trip was scheduled to take place, we were informed that the numbers for the trip to go ahead weren't strong enough and it didn't seem viable. This came only a couple of weeks after the EP trip was outright cancelled, so cue several fellow forum users utilising this opportunity for a bit of smug "told you so" hoorahing.
Coincidentally however, they were also running a trip to DLP on the same weekend which meant the opportunity to merge us onto their coach was possible. The ultimate outcome? At the exact same price we were paying for the original itinerary, we were now getting a free overnight hotel stay and breakfast as well as free transfers to and from the park (as the main coach would be based at DLP). Win!
So an unearthly 03:00am transfer from Birmingham to London is where the reality settled in, with the voyage to the continent set to leave at just after 06:00am. Both the driver and his other half from Team Kara were pleasantly amicable and welcoming upon arrival at the coach. Now having judged the book by its cover of branding and thus far lack of communication, I was surprised that the coach was perfectly spacious and came with USB charging; an atmosphere that made the next several hundred miles perfectly tolerable.
From here on out the trip was planned and timed remarkably well. What I dreaded as a long and tedious journey from London to Paris passed by in no time; a relaxing comparison to our god awful transfer down to London from the Midlands.
3/4 of the coach were families heading to Disney, whilst the rest of us were bound for Asterix. After an evening jaunt to 'Ney Village and ' Nalds, Team Kara put themselves at loss by organising two private taxis to shuttle us to and from Asterix the next day (costing over 300 euro in total, which would have not been fully covered by our full payments).
So, enough whittling on about that, what about Parc Asterix?
I was immediately surprised at the noticeable lack of grand entrance arch such as their mousey neighbour boasts, or even anything remotely close. Instead, a tad anticlimatic stroll into the park to wait at the foot of the rock that a rather uncared for and dirty Asterix is perched atop. We waited in total 45 minutes before being let into the main park; 20 before the turnstiles and the remainder at the foot of the rock.
Rather than follow the majority crowd to Oz'Iris, we opted to get the dreaded Goudrix out of the way. We'd obviously heard the unmissable amount of comments referring to Goudrix as ranging from a torture device through to almost death. Strangely however, I didn't get that with it.
Much like I disbelieve that Furius Baco is actually that painful, Goudrix is in the same remit. It's hardly RMC glass levels of smooth, but it's certainly no El Condor level of SLC roughness either. Part of me was actually a little disheartened to have not been able to ride it again, but I'm sure it won't stop me sleeping at night any time soon.
Next up was Tonnerre De Zeus, a woodie I really hadn't read up on or seen a single POV of. Looking up as you pass through the entrance arch to see spotty underwear hidden on a mighty statue feature is almost a summary of the ride itself; a mighty looking ride that hides a bonkers kick. How bonkers? I still cant decide whether I enjoy Zeus or hate it. It's got a considerable roughness to it and boy does it want to throw you around. It's like those playground fights with friends at school; there's the possibility of somebody getting hurt but that isn't the intention.
We then opted on a back row ride on Zeus at night as our penultimate ride at the park. Never have I been so shocked at how much difference a ride can go through during an operational day. It simply screams round, sounding like it wants to tear itself apart. Suddenly, the school yard fight has piqued the interest of the notorious bully and he certainly isn't going down without a fight.
I fear I may need another ride or two on Zeus to openly reveal my true feelings for it, but that will be a date I approach with apprehension in the future.
_
What to say about our next ride, Vol D'Icare? Well it's not crap for starters, but then it's not particularly very good either. It seemingly has good potential with the first drop, but as the ride drones on, the boredom level heightens. This ride is also one of the ones suffering the most from the French's lack of grasp on a sense of speed and urgency for throughput. I'm sure I counted a few additional grey hairs developing inbetween dispatches that are no fault of the staff, but simply the guests.
_
After this we finally gave in to our temptation to ride Oz'Iris, given its initial 80 minute queue had just dipped south of 50 minutes. Staggered beyond belief is a term I can use to describe here.
Not because of the theming or the ride experience itself, but stepping into the station is like watching one of EP's higher capacity rides dialled up to ten. Staff were literally leaping in front of the trains as they pulled in and had a single row of seat belts released in less than a full second. Blink and you'd miss it. Not only that, but the operator would do 20 second dispatch countdowns with guests joining in, earning a cheer or boo depending on the outcome delivered by the hosts who I can only imagine are the human relatives of the beloved cartoon Road Runner. (I shall strive to get the video uploaded later this evening).
The theming itself is rather good, nothing to shout home about as it seems to lack a sense of scope and intricate detail about it. There's a great couple of cartoon gags on the queue line walls, and the suicide inviting sign by a ride area gate was also intriguing...
The ride then? Well..... disappointing to start with. We opted for front row and with the incredible display of operations, not to mention the wealth of positive reviews the ride had, perhaps I expected more from it. I've learnt by now to remain sceptical and ignore reviews when riding new coasters so I can easily form an opinion without outside influence, but sadly I think I may have let my guard down with Oz'Iris.
What I came away with was a middle of the road, on the fence ride experience that failed to deliver a lacklustre experience, nor a breathless "WOW!" sensation that I suspect I was hoping for. However....
We gave Oz'Iris three more goes throughout the rest of the day. One on row 3, the next on row 6 and finally, to end the day at the park, back row. Boy was back row night ride a redeemer. It certainly gave the ride the punch I was looking for at the start of the day, with the quirky exit transition to the vertical loop and also the feeling that we would loop again but turning into a Zero G roll in the middle of the ride plaza after the tunnel dive. I was pleased I'd overcome my initial doubts, but I just can't seem to find the spark that others seem to have for it to regard it so highly. Sure, I may not be in double figures when it comes to B&M inverts, but Oz'Iris sits firmly in the middle of my rankings of them with an obvious lack of room to change that any time soon.
_
With that said however, there were two rides I enjoyed being surprised with at Asterix. The new boy on the block in the form of Pegase Express is almost a great all rounder family coaster. A perfect variation of snappy and twisty variations, a quirky take on a classic theme and just the right length. Yet the Gerst nature is already showing through. The initial build up to the lift hill does not appear to be ageing as well as would be hoped, and the trains? Bland, bland and bland. It's almost as if they entirely forgot to allocate a budget to getting the trains designed and bolted together some plastic children's snow sledges to make them.
The theming in places is also ageing poorly. In comparison to Oz'Iris, the theming is starting to look dated and far from new. The buttons on the fake vending machine have all been peeled off, and the first staircase looks as though a Merlin cleaning team have been called in to look after it. Disheartening to see indeed.
I was also surprised with the Mack bobsleigh, Trace De Hourra. We had some serious cred anxiety with this one, as it repeatedly decided to break down every 10 minutes for well over half the day. When we did finally get on it, the queue was just shy of an hour; the longest we queued for any ride at the park. Yet the ride experience made up for it. It may lack the beautiful theming of EP's, or the consistent build up in pace that Avalanche offers, but the ride is an all round fun experience that made the agonising stress somewhat worth it. I was a little disappointed we didn't get a re-ride in on it, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it again in the not so distant future.
Nothing really needs to be said about the final coaster, SOS Numerobis. A Tivoili that does what it says on the tin and as always, remarkably loudly.
_
We comfortably managed to soak up the park's four water attractions with ease. Menhir Express offered the classic drenching on the first drop, yet nothing of significant note on the second and much larger drop. It's nothing really to shout home about, but it was a perfect opportunity to cool down in the high temperatures.
I was quite disappointed with the rapids. There were one or two moments of chucking water into the boat, but they just seem a little too short to sustain a full enjoyment. Also the needless stacking on the lift hill at the end was an irritable finale.
The real surprise came in the form of L'Oxygenarium, a better example of its raft sliding counterparts. The nestled location in the trees make it harder to see what's coming and easier to catch you by surprise, which it certainly had no trouble in doing. I wouldn't have minded another go on this, but sadly it was not to be.
Other notable elements to the park include the new for 2018 observation bar; a circular table with seats round the edges where you can hang above the park and enjoy a cocktail or two. A great concept, yet it feels strangely out of place at Asterix and just adjar of the target market. I did envy those on it at the end of the day though, with undoubtedly the best view of the lake show and fireworks.
We didn't really venture too much into the food and beverage side of things, opting to rattle round and make the most of the rides instead. We ate in the restaurant next to the Trace De Houra (the name slips me) whilst we waited for the ride to ultimately reopen. Whilst the food in itself was great (plus the unlimited sides? We weren't too sure on this but opted to do so anyway), wasps were a real issue here. Nowhere to be seen elsewhere in the park, but they clearly had a passion for this restaurant.
A highlight of the park for me is the presence of security. It doesn't feel right to say that, but it doesn't deter from enjoying your day and if anything makes you feel much safer. Every queue line we stepped into we would see at least two, and at one point they called in 6 to deal with a gang of queue jumpers whilst waiting for Trace De Houra. I've longed to finally see justice served to queue jumpers!
The theming around the park is very much on point with the cartoonistic identity, making no attempt to hide this. I couldn't help but notice however there are a number of areas that do need some care and attention. It's strange walking from the immaculate and stunning Discobelieux towards the park entrance and witnessing a tired looking mascot of Asterix. I've already touched on the state of PE's queue, and there were a couple of other speckles here and there throughout the park.
Since Thursday evening departing on this trip of which I got back this afternoon, a total of 5 solid hours of sleep have been taken. The one day nature of Team Kara's trips will almost certainly offput some people, but don't let it do so! Not only does it cut costs by a great amount, there are ample opportunities to sleep during the travel aspects should you not jump into night owl mode like I did. It was certainly a unique way to experience a park, particularly one of Asterix's calibre. Given the lack of communication and seemingly negative first impressions, we were able to agree the company did a great job at pushing for the Asterix trip to go ahead, even at great expense for themselves. They are a genuine company that are trying to make a difference when it comes to theme park trips onto the continent and they are clearly having success with their previous Disney and Efteling trips.
For the value of money this trip gave us, I would certainly recommend checking them out for a unique experience in the future, and don't let the first impressions we have thus far witnessed put you off!
As for Asterix, it's a park that i enjoyed visiting but ultimately did not fall in love with. The well meaning and care is buried deep within its heart, it just needs to make itself a little more visible.
Well despite this, @Panda and I took the plunge and booked onto their trip to Parc Asterix that took place this weekend. It's fair to say I haven't been in a particular rush to visit this park (hence the lack of strive to do it on last year's Halloween meet), yet I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to visit for a double figure sum regardless of the method of getting to and from it.
Before I begin with my thoughts on Asterix, let's just clear up the Team Kara situation. From their website and conveyed approach on social media, it isn't exactly difficult to form a sceptical opinion about them. There's a lack of professional brand that more established operators display and their social media communication is intermittent to say the least. Plus their website is essentially a glorified Word doc with Clipart and plonked attraction branding scattered here and there.
With just over three weeks until the trip was scheduled to take place, we were informed that the numbers for the trip to go ahead weren't strong enough and it didn't seem viable. This came only a couple of weeks after the EP trip was outright cancelled, so cue several fellow forum users utilising this opportunity for a bit of smug "told you so" hoorahing.
Coincidentally however, they were also running a trip to DLP on the same weekend which meant the opportunity to merge us onto their coach was possible. The ultimate outcome? At the exact same price we were paying for the original itinerary, we were now getting a free overnight hotel stay and breakfast as well as free transfers to and from the park (as the main coach would be based at DLP). Win!
So an unearthly 03:00am transfer from Birmingham to London is where the reality settled in, with the voyage to the continent set to leave at just after 06:00am. Both the driver and his other half from Team Kara were pleasantly amicable and welcoming upon arrival at the coach. Now having judged the book by its cover of branding and thus far lack of communication, I was surprised that the coach was perfectly spacious and came with USB charging; an atmosphere that made the next several hundred miles perfectly tolerable.
From here on out the trip was planned and timed remarkably well. What I dreaded as a long and tedious journey from London to Paris passed by in no time; a relaxing comparison to our god awful transfer down to London from the Midlands.
3/4 of the coach were families heading to Disney, whilst the rest of us were bound for Asterix. After an evening jaunt to 'Ney Village and ' Nalds, Team Kara put themselves at loss by organising two private taxis to shuttle us to and from Asterix the next day (costing over 300 euro in total, which would have not been fully covered by our full payments).
So, enough whittling on about that, what about Parc Asterix?
I was immediately surprised at the noticeable lack of grand entrance arch such as their mousey neighbour boasts, or even anything remotely close. Instead, a tad anticlimatic stroll into the park to wait at the foot of the rock that a rather uncared for and dirty Asterix is perched atop. We waited in total 45 minutes before being let into the main park; 20 before the turnstiles and the remainder at the foot of the rock.
Rather than follow the majority crowd to Oz'Iris, we opted to get the dreaded Goudrix out of the way. We'd obviously heard the unmissable amount of comments referring to Goudrix as ranging from a torture device through to almost death. Strangely however, I didn't get that with it.
Much like I disbelieve that Furius Baco is actually that painful, Goudrix is in the same remit. It's hardly RMC glass levels of smooth, but it's certainly no El Condor level of SLC roughness either. Part of me was actually a little disheartened to have not been able to ride it again, but I'm sure it won't stop me sleeping at night any time soon.
Next up was Tonnerre De Zeus, a woodie I really hadn't read up on or seen a single POV of. Looking up as you pass through the entrance arch to see spotty underwear hidden on a mighty statue feature is almost a summary of the ride itself; a mighty looking ride that hides a bonkers kick. How bonkers? I still cant decide whether I enjoy Zeus or hate it. It's got a considerable roughness to it and boy does it want to throw you around. It's like those playground fights with friends at school; there's the possibility of somebody getting hurt but that isn't the intention.
We then opted on a back row ride on Zeus at night as our penultimate ride at the park. Never have I been so shocked at how much difference a ride can go through during an operational day. It simply screams round, sounding like it wants to tear itself apart. Suddenly, the school yard fight has piqued the interest of the notorious bully and he certainly isn't going down without a fight.
I fear I may need another ride or two on Zeus to openly reveal my true feelings for it, but that will be a date I approach with apprehension in the future.
_
What to say about our next ride, Vol D'Icare? Well it's not crap for starters, but then it's not particularly very good either. It seemingly has good potential with the first drop, but as the ride drones on, the boredom level heightens. This ride is also one of the ones suffering the most from the French's lack of grasp on a sense of speed and urgency for throughput. I'm sure I counted a few additional grey hairs developing inbetween dispatches that are no fault of the staff, but simply the guests.
_
After this we finally gave in to our temptation to ride Oz'Iris, given its initial 80 minute queue had just dipped south of 50 minutes. Staggered beyond belief is a term I can use to describe here.
Not because of the theming or the ride experience itself, but stepping into the station is like watching one of EP's higher capacity rides dialled up to ten. Staff were literally leaping in front of the trains as they pulled in and had a single row of seat belts released in less than a full second. Blink and you'd miss it. Not only that, but the operator would do 20 second dispatch countdowns with guests joining in, earning a cheer or boo depending on the outcome delivered by the hosts who I can only imagine are the human relatives of the beloved cartoon Road Runner. (I shall strive to get the video uploaded later this evening).
The theming itself is rather good, nothing to shout home about as it seems to lack a sense of scope and intricate detail about it. There's a great couple of cartoon gags on the queue line walls, and the suicide inviting sign by a ride area gate was also intriguing...
The ride then? Well..... disappointing to start with. We opted for front row and with the incredible display of operations, not to mention the wealth of positive reviews the ride had, perhaps I expected more from it. I've learnt by now to remain sceptical and ignore reviews when riding new coasters so I can easily form an opinion without outside influence, but sadly I think I may have let my guard down with Oz'Iris.
What I came away with was a middle of the road, on the fence ride experience that failed to deliver a lacklustre experience, nor a breathless "WOW!" sensation that I suspect I was hoping for. However....
We gave Oz'Iris three more goes throughout the rest of the day. One on row 3, the next on row 6 and finally, to end the day at the park, back row. Boy was back row night ride a redeemer. It certainly gave the ride the punch I was looking for at the start of the day, with the quirky exit transition to the vertical loop and also the feeling that we would loop again but turning into a Zero G roll in the middle of the ride plaza after the tunnel dive. I was pleased I'd overcome my initial doubts, but I just can't seem to find the spark that others seem to have for it to regard it so highly. Sure, I may not be in double figures when it comes to B&M inverts, but Oz'Iris sits firmly in the middle of my rankings of them with an obvious lack of room to change that any time soon.
_
With that said however, there were two rides I enjoyed being surprised with at Asterix. The new boy on the block in the form of Pegase Express is almost a great all rounder family coaster. A perfect variation of snappy and twisty variations, a quirky take on a classic theme and just the right length. Yet the Gerst nature is already showing through. The initial build up to the lift hill does not appear to be ageing as well as would be hoped, and the trains? Bland, bland and bland. It's almost as if they entirely forgot to allocate a budget to getting the trains designed and bolted together some plastic children's snow sledges to make them.
The theming in places is also ageing poorly. In comparison to Oz'Iris, the theming is starting to look dated and far from new. The buttons on the fake vending machine have all been peeled off, and the first staircase looks as though a Merlin cleaning team have been called in to look after it. Disheartening to see indeed.
I was also surprised with the Mack bobsleigh, Trace De Hourra. We had some serious cred anxiety with this one, as it repeatedly decided to break down every 10 minutes for well over half the day. When we did finally get on it, the queue was just shy of an hour; the longest we queued for any ride at the park. Yet the ride experience made up for it. It may lack the beautiful theming of EP's, or the consistent build up in pace that Avalanche offers, but the ride is an all round fun experience that made the agonising stress somewhat worth it. I was a little disappointed we didn't get a re-ride in on it, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it again in the not so distant future.
Nothing really needs to be said about the final coaster, SOS Numerobis. A Tivoili that does what it says on the tin and as always, remarkably loudly.
_
We comfortably managed to soak up the park's four water attractions with ease. Menhir Express offered the classic drenching on the first drop, yet nothing of significant note on the second and much larger drop. It's nothing really to shout home about, but it was a perfect opportunity to cool down in the high temperatures.
I was quite disappointed with the rapids. There were one or two moments of chucking water into the boat, but they just seem a little too short to sustain a full enjoyment. Also the needless stacking on the lift hill at the end was an irritable finale.
The real surprise came in the form of L'Oxygenarium, a better example of its raft sliding counterparts. The nestled location in the trees make it harder to see what's coming and easier to catch you by surprise, which it certainly had no trouble in doing. I wouldn't have minded another go on this, but sadly it was not to be.
Other notable elements to the park include the new for 2018 observation bar; a circular table with seats round the edges where you can hang above the park and enjoy a cocktail or two. A great concept, yet it feels strangely out of place at Asterix and just adjar of the target market. I did envy those on it at the end of the day though, with undoubtedly the best view of the lake show and fireworks.
We didn't really venture too much into the food and beverage side of things, opting to rattle round and make the most of the rides instead. We ate in the restaurant next to the Trace De Houra (the name slips me) whilst we waited for the ride to ultimately reopen. Whilst the food in itself was great (plus the unlimited sides? We weren't too sure on this but opted to do so anyway), wasps were a real issue here. Nowhere to be seen elsewhere in the park, but they clearly had a passion for this restaurant.
A highlight of the park for me is the presence of security. It doesn't feel right to say that, but it doesn't deter from enjoying your day and if anything makes you feel much safer. Every queue line we stepped into we would see at least two, and at one point they called in 6 to deal with a gang of queue jumpers whilst waiting for Trace De Houra. I've longed to finally see justice served to queue jumpers!
The theming around the park is very much on point with the cartoonistic identity, making no attempt to hide this. I couldn't help but notice however there are a number of areas that do need some care and attention. It's strange walking from the immaculate and stunning Discobelieux towards the park entrance and witnessing a tired looking mascot of Asterix. I've already touched on the state of PE's queue, and there were a couple of other speckles here and there throughout the park.
Since Thursday evening departing on this trip of which I got back this afternoon, a total of 5 solid hours of sleep have been taken. The one day nature of Team Kara's trips will almost certainly offput some people, but don't let it do so! Not only does it cut costs by a great amount, there are ample opportunities to sleep during the travel aspects should you not jump into night owl mode like I did. It was certainly a unique way to experience a park, particularly one of Asterix's calibre. Given the lack of communication and seemingly negative first impressions, we were able to agree the company did a great job at pushing for the Asterix trip to go ahead, even at great expense for themselves. They are a genuine company that are trying to make a difference when it comes to theme park trips onto the continent and they are clearly having success with their previous Disney and Efteling trips.
For the value of money this trip gave us, I would certainly recommend checking them out for a unique experience in the future, and don't let the first impressions we have thus far witnessed put you off!
As for Asterix, it's a park that i enjoyed visiting but ultimately did not fall in love with. The well meaning and care is buried deep within its heart, it just needs to make itself a little more visible.
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Did the coach have Team Kara branding on it it was it essentially just hired by them?
