by cfc » Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:46 pm
In the rocky walls and rustic village of Klugheim, Phantasialand has built a themed environment to match the best work of Disney and Universal. The detail in the buildings, rocks, and landscaping is impressive and provides an excellent setting for Klugheim’s two coasters: Taron (a launched Intamin) and Raik (a Vekoma “Family Boomerang” that runs inside Taron). I have only two very minor complaints about Klugheim: 1) It might be bit too intricate (that is, finding your way from Taron to Raik is a bit of challenge as you wander up and down a variety of paths between the two coasters) and 2) I’m not entirely sure what the “back story” of this new section is. That being said, it looks great.
As for Taron, I liked it quite a bit. There are two nice pops of ejector air, and a bit of floater air before you hit the final brakes, and the launches are fun. Like Black Mamba (the park’s B&M invert), Taron is much enhanced by its beautiful setting. However, it’s not on the same level as Cedar Point’s Maverick (which is in my top five); I also prefer Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa to Taron. But the Phantasialand ride is a cut above Alton Towers’ Rita and Heide Park’s Desert Race, when it comes to Intamin launched coasters. Our hotel-guest ERT session that evening was fun, too.
As for Raik, it’s a nice family shuttle, but nothing special--aside from its setting. But it is a bit disorienting when you see it running backward as you zip forward on Taron (a great “what the hell?” moment).
So, let’s have a look at Taron and a bit more of Phantasialand (especially Hollywood Tour, a ride that I find hilarious). My photos of Taron aren’t perfect thanks to 1) my middling skills as photographer, 2) the speed at which the trains move, and 3) the gray, rainy weather.
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- Taron isn’t exactly GeForce, but it’s still a lot of fun.
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- Here’s where resort guests wait for their after-hours Taron/Raik ERT.
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- Welcome to Klugheim, where the number-one industry seems to be rocks . . .
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- . . . and unusual ways to transport them.
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- I will accept both theming and hair time.
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- Oh my god! That man in the red jacket is going to be killed!
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- The people of Klugheim ("Klugheimers"?) appear to like "twistiness."
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- It was a bit of a challenge getting decent photos on such a rainy day.
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- But these riders look happy. Blurry, but happy.
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- This is the only photo I have of Raik in operation.
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- Cool-looking trains, though.
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- Right, Joe?
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- Mystery Castle blends in pretty well with Klugheim.
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- The area is well lit, too.
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- We shall now bid Klugheim farewell.
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- Just documenting that Bob took his first ride on Chiapas--in the rain.
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- Phantasialand’s new “steam punk” section should be pretty cool . . .
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- . . . but I have some reservations about the Vekoma launched flying coaster. (That being said, I was concerned about Sting Ray in China, but ended up liking it.)
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- Winjas is still great, even if it makes mee feel queasier as I get older.
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- This outrageously blurry photo may give you a clue as to the source my queasiness.
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- Ah, Hollywood Tour, where the Great Movie Ride . . .
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- . . . Meets the Pirates of the Caribbean, Who Are Not in Batavia.
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- Or is it more like It’s a Small World . . .
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- . . . with Something that Vaguely Resembles a Shark?
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- On September 30, 2017 . . .
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- . . . my parents’ old shag carpet became sentient.
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- When salt shakers go rogue.
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- Man has fled underseas to escape the horror of the sentient shag carpet and rogue salt shakers. This was in the first draft of a “20,000 Leagues” reboot, but Disney rejected it.
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- They rejected this proposed radical remake of “The Ugly Dachshund,” too.
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- Mystery Castle looks great from the outside . . .
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- . . . but I think they need a new cleaning service.
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- And so, let us bid a fond farewell to Phantasialand and the Hotel Ling Bao, which I'm sure had better maid service than Mystery Castle. On to Dusseldorf, Slagharen, and Movie Park--later.
Last edited by
cfc on Tue Nov 28, 2017 1:17 pm.