Photo TR: Chuck Looks Back at TPR's Europe Trip 2008

by **Mechanic** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:52 pm

"Push the button, Max!" (Name the movie.)

The Great Race. Ahh.. The poor Eiffel Tower! C'est la vie.

by **Moose** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:52 am

I know this isn't what you meant, but our button (the horn perhaps) unfortunately did not work.

by **cfc** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:32 pm

Chapter 8: "A Damp, Drizzly November" in Your Soul? Have I Got the Place for You--Heide Park

June 28 was just rainy enough. That is, there was enough dampness to keep crowds away, but not so much as to spoil our fun at Heide Park, definitely one of the best parks of the whole trip.

Beautiful landscaping, nicely done themeing (even down to the loading stations for kiddie rides), and a great assortment of coasters, including the best woodie of the whole trip (at least to me). Yet there was still a "homey" feeling to the place that you don't get from other, "more corporate" parks. It's like an eccentric uncle, who appreciates a bawdy joke and hearty laugh as well as the next guy. You look forward to his visits, and you're sad when he leaves.

Here's how Uncle Heide's coasters stack up:

Colossos--I thought there was no woodie that could possibly top Toverland's Troy on this trip, but then I rode this Intamin airtime machine in the pouring rain. My face felt like it was being stung by Dave's carnivorous bees, but I didn't care--the air on this thing was amazing, and it doesn't let up until the very end. Only Balder and El Toro beat it (and then it's still close).

Desert Race--Intamin strikes again with another enjoyable launched coaster in the style of Alton Towers' Rita (in fact, this ride was dubbed "Desert Rita" by many on the trip). Nice and twisty, I prefer these to the high-hat rides like Kingda Ka.

Bobbaan--Another very good Mack Bobsled, with a surprising indoor helix.

Big Loop--A surprisingly smooth Vekoma double loop screw (easily the best Vekoma looper on the trip). Not terribly exciting, but not painful, either. But, then again, there is . . .

Limit--Yet another painful Vekoma SLC, with odd military-jet themeing. It isn't as bad as El Condor, but Heide should sell a commemorative sledgehammer or crowbar with the ride's name on it. They'd clean up. My limit was once.

Indiana-Achterbahn--Kiddie coaster with a Native American theme. OK for what it is.

All Heide Park needs is maybe one or two dark rides, but overall the place has a solid lineup of coasters and other attractions, like the Wildwasserbahn flume ride and "Huss Land" (an assortment of Huss flats). There are plenty of family rides, too, such as spinning boats, monorails, and swinging ships. (In fact, the park seems to have "two of everything.") All in all, a great day despite the rain.

The pirate-themed Hotel Port Royal is excellent, too. They put out a great spread for us the night we arrived, and there was even a cheesy magic show going on in the hotel bar (quite a hoot).

Here's alook at the hotel and park.