JordyC Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 (edited) Hello everyone! From June 21th to 24th 2016, I went on a trip to visit Holiday Park & Europa Park in Germany and Plopsa Coo in Belgium. It was my first time to all these three parks. I was most excited about finally riding Expedition GeForce, after all those years of waiting. But the highlight of my trip was definitely Europa Park! I fell in love with this place. It really has everything that a theme park needs, and that's what makes this place so incredible. Plopsa Coo was fun too. It may not have the biggest rides, but there was a great atmosphere in the park. Day 1 - Holiday Park First park of the trip was Holiday Park, located in Haßloch. Everybody knows this place for one reason: one of the most iconic and largest coasters in Europe, Expedition GeForce! But it is not the only big coaster in the park. Sky Scream is their newest coaster that opened in the park for the 2014 season. They also have a third coaster, a Maurer Wilde Maus called Holly's Wilde Autofahrt (Holly's Wild Car Ride). But this park has much more to offer than just the coasters; some great water rides, an Intamin Drop Tower, a Starflyer and much more! Coaster ranking 1. Expedition GeForce Obviously the best coaster in the park. This ride really has everything that a coaster needs! A fantastic drop, awesome airtime and a great setting. The ride was very smooth aswell. The backseat is just out of this world, you are out of your seat everywhere! And yes, this one is better than Goliath at Walibi Holland, but just slightly though. I would rank this coaster in my top 10, probably on 4th place. The reason is that Expedition GeForce has barely any theming. Some of you guys maybe don't care about theming, and only want a kickass coaster. But I think that the overall experience of a ride is very important to get that immersive feeling. But that is just my opinion of course. Nevertheless, this is one of the best roller coasters that I have ever experienced. 2. Sky Scream Now this coaster was a surprise hit! The forward launches were great, but the second launch backwards was just OMG amazing. The hangtime you get in the In-Line Twist at the top was very good aswell. Also the ride was much more intense than I thought it would be. Sky Scream is very well themed; once you enter the indoor queue you get this very haunted and scary feeling. I loved it! I understand why these rides are popping up all over the world, they are compact and awesome! 3. Holly's Wilde Autofahrt Not much to say about this coaster. Just another Wild Mouse from Maurer. They did some theming on this ride, but I didn't quite like it. It looked very cheap to be honest. On the other hand however, these rides are very fun! With Expedition GeForce and Sky Scream being for 'adventurers', this is a great coaster for the whole family. Enough talking now, let’s check out the photos! Welcome to Holiday Park! You will find these fountains in every Plopsa park. The main plaza had some very beautiful buildings. When you enter the park, you will bump into this Intamin Drop Tower. It was one of the better ones, to be honest! I always enjoy my drop towers. The park was full with these random funny characters. Wickie Splash! The log flume of the park. I have to say that they did a pretty awesome job with the theming on this ride! Big drop, small skloosh.. I mean, look at this. Just Beautiful! What do I see there through the trees? In its natural habitat, this beast will spend its day among the trees where it is looking for desperate humans. This beast will eat 28 of them at a time.. raw! It is Expedition GeForce! aka the "King of Roller Coasters" First, this gigantic beast takes its riders up to a 53m (170ft) tall lift hill. Slowly.. Then it drags them down at an impressive speed of 120 kph (75 mph). If this hasn't killed them yet, this merciless animal takes them on a wild adventure full of impressive airtime hills.. ..and overbanked turns. And ending with some of the best bunny hops in roller coaster history! Hooray, they survived! Some stats for you guys. Apparently, birds carrying a bag in their mouth are not allowed on this ride.. 2014 - Best Steel Coaster in Europe. Look at that drop! One of the craziest drops ever created! It is impressive, very impressive. You are out of your seat the entire drop! Love it! Hands up if you love Expedition GeForce! Some overbanked turns here.. Some airtime hills there.. Some up close track shots for the Intamin enthusiasts out there (aren't we all?). Look at that! Literally everyone is having a blast on this ride! What a beauty! There was some theming here and there.. Expedition GeForce was more than 'OK' I probably should mention that the weather wasn't that great that day. But it resulted in low crowds. Gotta love some Intamin goodness. Posing for the onride photo. One of the best coasters in Europe, for sure! The new themed area of the park: Air Show '71. It has a Skyflyer, called Sky Fly. Balloon ride for the kids. The Star Flyer of the park. In case you're lost.. The Rapid River of the park, called Donnerfluss. I actually got pretty soaked. Next up, the Vekoma Corkscrew coaster. Ow wait.. It is Sky Scream! It is bigger than I thought! (No "that's what she said" jokes here..) You get some good forces! It was more intense than Expedition GeForce, IMO. Random car theming. What a surprise it was! You get some great hangtime here. Definitely a big hit for the park! Expedition GeForce through the trees. Dark clouds above Sky Scream. Maja Land, the kids area of the park. Just beautiful! I bet there are lots of kids playing here on hot days. Some more parks should theme their rides like this. Very well done! Some more kids rides. Little touches like this around the park makes me happy. Definitely the best themed area of the park. Last coaster of the day was Holly's Wilde Autofahrt. These rides are always a lot of fun. One last photo from Expedition GeForce to end our day. I hoped you guys enjoyed it already. I will soon upload my trip report from Europa Park & Plopsa Coo! Edited July 11, 2016 by JordyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThemeParkJunkie51290 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Awesome report! I would love to visit this park someday in the near future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K1ngdaKa88 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Nice Photo TR PS: I wanna go back to Holiday Park! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking86 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Great trip report! We all know about Expedition GeForce, but the park itself looks like quite a nice park as well. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordyC Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Awesome report! I would love to visit this park someday in the near future! Thanks! Yes, you should totally go visit this park at some point! It is totally worth it for Expedition GeForce alone to be honest. Nice Photo TR Thank you! Great trip report! We all know about Expedition GeForce, but the park itself looks like quite a nice park as well. Thanks for sharing! Thanks! Yes indeed, it is a very nice park. It was actually a lot better than I expected it to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordyC Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 (edited) Day 2 & 3 - Europa Park Second park of the trip was Europa Park, located in Rust. Where do I start? This park is simply out of this world. Every area is so very well done. There was no single moment I thought by myself "meh, they could have done this one better". This park is on a completely different level if you compare it to Efteling or Phantasialand for example. Not for the theming, but for the overall feel you get when you walk around in this park and for the amount of attractions they have to offer (rides, shows, etc). Also, the park is very big. Sometimes it was actually pretty hard to find my way to another area. There are so many pathways to go from one area to another, and every single time I discovered something new. And that's what I love about this park. There are so many things to do! Not only the coasters, but they have some good flat rides and one of the best collections of water rides! The shows were amazing as well, probably the best ones I've seen (although Raveleijn at Efteling is still my favorite). And I loved the Europa Park Parade! Especially the music, it is still in my head! The last day I was at the park, it was much more crowded than the first day. But thanks to the fantastic operations, the lines were almost identical (they were running 4 trains on Blue Fire). I think a lot of you will agree with me if I say that this park is absolutely gorgeous in every way possible! Coaster ranking 1. Blue Fire This is the best coaster in the park, in my opinion. This coaster has everything; great launch, good inversions, airtime, fantastic hangtime and awesome theming. The ride was also very smooth. The hangtime you get in the In-Line Twist is absolutely amazing! At the top of the loop, you get perfectly zero G. Really, this ride is so much fun! All of this makes Blue Fire my number 2 coaster. 2. Silver Star This coaster is a real public favorite. It was my first B&M Hyper and I loved it. The drop was great, especially in the back. Also the airtime was very good, not the best but still good. I rode it 2x in the back, 2x in the middle and 1x in the front. Back seat is definitely the best, although the front gave you more sense of the speed. Also the theming was great! I very much liked the Mercedes hall! The only negative thing about Silver Star is that it wasn't as smooth as I expected it to be. There was a bit of shakiness here and there, not out of control but still noticable. Nevertheless, still an awesome coaster! 3. Wodan This is one awesome GCI woodie! The first drop in the backseat is fantastic! Wodan was very smooth aswell. The airtime wasn't the best that I've experienced on a woodie. For example, the airtime on Troy at Toverland is much better! But what makes this ride so amazing is the theming! the entire queue is very well themed, and that's what makes this ride so immersive. 4. Arthur Maybe a surprise for some of you, but I think that Arthur is the 4th best coaster in the park. Not if you consider it as a coaster on its own, but if you look at the complete experience that you get. Is is for sure the best themed coaster at the park! The little details makes this ride for me, like the honey smell pots in the beehive room. The ride itself was actually more intense than I expected it to be, there were some good forces. The trains were very comfortable aswell. 5. Poseidon I love Poseidon! It's an awesome water coaster. Not very smooth, but a lot of fun! You actually don't get that wet, which was kind of a bummer because it was roasting outside (33°C/91°F)! But OMG, the theming was (yet again) fantastic! 6. Pegasus Now this coaster was a surprise hit! It was really a lot of fun! The airtime and the forces were very good, better than I expected. Pegasus was also very smooth. Probably one of the weakest themed coasters in the park, though. But still a great ride! 7. Atlantica SuperSplash I don't know if this really counts as a coaster, but who cares? The backwards section at the top was certainly unique. The little airtime hill after the big drop gave actually some good airtime. Yet again, great theming and a great ride! 8. Euro Mir This is a very weird coaster. It all starts quietly. Slowly going up in one of the two mirror towers. Then you go outside and do a bit of spinning, followed by a big drop. Then there are some sharp turns and a few head choppers. It was a fun coaster, but just not my type of ride. It was also not that smooth. 9. Eurosat Pobably one of the weakest coasters in the park, and definitely the roughest one. The theming was nice, but that's all there is to say actually. 10. Schweizer Bobbahn This is one of the worst bobsled coasters that I've ridden. Okay, it has some nice theming, but I didn't like the ride itself. I don't know why exactly, but probably the layout. It isn't that great. 11. Matterhorn Blitz Good theming, but that's all there's to say actually. It's just another wild mouse. Although, I liked the elevator lift. But it's a great ride for the whole family! 12. Alpenexpress Enzian Once again, some very nice theming. The indoor section was very good, and it actually goes pretty fast in there. A very fun ride, but not my kind of coaster. But enough talking, let’s check out the photos! Welcome to Europa Park! Beautiful fountain in the German themed area. First of, Atlantica SuperSplash! What a beautiful ride. A good big splash to start the day. Gotta love Portugal! Two train shot for you. Big splash, that's how I like it! Just look at that view, amazing! Atlantica was awesome! At this point of the day, the park wasn't that busy. Wodan was waiting for us. This is one hell of a woodie! Simply amazing. Going down.. In case you don't know where the entrance is, this happy fellow will show you the way. Wodan meets Blue Fire. Hooray, we found the entrance! Lift hill shot. It's actually pretty high. Whale Adventures, the Splash Battle of the park. We started our day with some ERT on Blue Fire. I probably should mention that the weather was fantastic that day! Through the loop. Blue coaster, blue sky. Empty train testing. It was 9:30 and they added a 4th train. Operations are awesome at Europa! What a weird element. But lots of fun! Loop the loop! Horseshoe Roll. Chase the blue fire. Launching! Hands up if you love Blue Fire! It is my favorite coaster at the park. What a fantastic ride! You can get beautiful views everywhere in Europa! Fjord Rafting, the Rapid River of the park. You get soaked in this, but like really really soaked. Next water ride; Tiroler Wildwasserbahn. Probably one of the best looking log flumes. Skloosh! Alpenexpress was next. Some VR people enjoying their adventure. Did I already mention that they have some amazing views? Frau Holle shaking her pillow. It's time for Arthur. Only 10 minute here. Later that day, it was 30. This is such a great ride! I absolutely loved it! Some more great views. Euro Mir was next. Empty train testing. This was probably the longest we've waited all day; 45 minutes. Great views from up there! Some random geese. Abenteuer Atlantis was the next ride. It's an interactive dark ride. Lots of fun! Just look at Poseidon's station. Poseidon and Silver Star climbing up. Nobody has ever made this shot before... One word: beautiful! Big skloosh!! Airtime! Going down the drop. It's a bit rough here. It's such a fun ride. Next up, Pegasus. Pretty hard to take some good photos.. It was a big surprise! I liked it a lot! Schweizer Bobbahn. The theming was good, the ride not so much. The Swiss themed area is so well done! Matterhorn Blitz. It uses a vertical lift system that lifts 2 cars at a time. Otherwise it's the same as a standard Mack Wild Mouse model. The London bus. Who doesn't like some good fountains? Ireland - the new kids area of the park - was still in construction. Bienvenue en France! I wouldn't mind spending my day with this view. This was probably the shortest line for Eurosat all day. Silver Star, the B&M Hyper of the park. The Mercedes-Benz Hall was nice. Heading back to the station. I really love Silver Star! Volo Da Vinci is a quirky little monorail in the Italian themed area. One last photo from Blue Fire to end the day! I will soon upload my report from Plopsa Coo! Edited July 19, 2016 by JordyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordyC Posted July 10, 2016 Author Share Posted July 10, 2016 Day 4 - Plopsa Coo The third and last park of the trip was Plopsa Coo, located in Belgium, next to the Coo waterfall. I visited this park because it was on my way back home from Europa Park and I had never been to Plopsa Coo before, so this was the right time to do it. It's a quirky little park with an fantastic setting. Plopsa Coo focuses especially on children and families, but that didn't stop me from having a great time at this lovely park! To be honest, I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised! Plopsa Coo isn't about the rides, this place is about the natural feeling and the atmosphere. And that's what I love! It's a fun little park, with a great atmosphere and some lovely theming. A must visit if you're in the area! Coaster ranking 1. Vicky The Ride It's a Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster that opened in 2011. The ride was very smooth, and there even was some airtime. It wasn't intense and it didn't spin much, but considering this park is mostly for kids, I don't blame them. The theming was great, like all the rides at the Plopsa parks. Overall, it's a very fun family ride! 2. Halvar This Vekoma opened in 1989, and it's the only terrain coaster in Belgium. Again, this ride was very fun and was nicely themed. It wasn't smooth, though. There was some noticeable shakiness in the turns. In the front, you get a nice relaxing ride, while in the back the ride is much more intense. It even had some ejector air. It's a great classic coaster! But enough talking, let’s check out the photos! Welcome to Plopsa Coo! No Plopsa Park without some dancing fountains. A fun bunny ride for the kids. You'll find this in every other Plopsa Park. Look at this! Beautiful! Hello there, little fellow. They got a walk-through meadow with goats. I've never seen this at a park before, but I loved it! Some characters from Plopsa. First ride of the day: Coaster! Uuhm... I mean Halvar! Lovely theming. It's Plopsa, what did you expect? Some random people starting their journey with Halvar. Some theming around the ride. Halvar meets Log flume. This park is just beautiful. I probably should mention that the weather wasn't great that day. But hey, everything was a walk on. So no complaining from me. You get some airtime here! It's a fun little family coaster. Even the labyrinth is well themed. What a view! Maya Splash, the log flume of the park. At this point, the log flume just opened and this guy was testing it. He loves it! A nicely themed flat ride. What are you looking at? Aaah, the StarFlyer of the park. Some nice views from up there! Lots of things for the kids! The newest ride of the park: Dino Splash. It's a slide complex. A very nice addition! Don't be afraid, they aren't real. It actually goes pretty fast. Who doesn't like dino's? (As long as they are nice and not made out of flesh and bones, like this one) You can also go karting in the park. This park really is one of the "hidden treasures", it's really great! Next up, Vicky The Ride. Again, some very nice theming. Airtime! This coaster was a surprise! It was actually very good! It doesn't spin that much, though.. Helix! (No, not the green one in Sweden) There were random dolls all over the place, I love these little touches. Two train shot for you! It actually is a total mess of track! One last photo from Vicky! Thank you for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now