Photo TR: Trans Studio Bandung, Indonesia

Building a big ass coaster in the middle of nowhere asia has it's challenges - but living on this side of the planet makes one want to jump on airplanes and find new stuff. As long as there is a decent hotel, a lull in civil unrest, and a McDonalds close by - it's all about finding those elusive new credits.

 

FACT:

people who write a book at the beginning of their trip report haven't realized yet that no one reads this crap. all people care about are the pictures. photo trip reports are exactly like porn magazines. someone spends endless hours writing articles - but all you really give a damn about are the pictures)

 

With that - onto the pics!

To get to this park, you need to start by arriving at the SUPER-MODERN Bandung airport! You can fly to Jakarta and try driving the 6+ hours to Bandung. But, Indonesia is crazy enough to handle without dealing with Jakarta

 

Any airport with the name "Husein" in it's name is guaranteed to make Americans nervous

....then drive down modern roads like this!

....then fight the traffic (and lack of street signs) in super-modern downtown Bandung.

 

Rental car companies exist here. But, c'mon, would you REALLY want to try driving through this?

Trans Studio is located inside Bandung Supermal

 

CHECK IT OUT! Reading TPR teaches you stuff! The translation for "Bandung Supermal" is "Bandung Super Mall"

Now you can tell your parents that you know how to speak Indonesian!

To get into the parking lot, all vehicles need to first get through the security checkpoint. Parking is free - as are the cavity searches! Remember, this is Indonesia, so they need to search the bottom of your car for bombs - and the dogs search for drugs and explosives.

 

I'll bet you're thinking that $20 parking fee at Magic Mountain is looking pretty good right about now!

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Fact: No one dares park in this part of the garage.

 

The park is considering expanding into this section of the garage. How do you say "Bumper Cars" in Indonesian?

Joking aside and absolute truth be told - Trans Studio is a GREAT park! A great launched coaster, 2 decent dark rides, a couple of flats, great staff, and even an evening parade. Plus - the place is huge!

 

Size-wise this is easily right up there with Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America

Fact #1: The park has 3 themed zones - the first is Studio Central

Fact #2: Most of the park is a rip-off of some other more "well-known" parks.

This is very much like how Costa Cruises are a rip-off of more "safer" cruise lines

This is a lesson on how to duplicate famous American stuff in Indonesia without offending any nasty American lawyers

 

heeheehehehe. "Mady's"

Studio Central features the Yamaha Racing Coaster

 

It is not a racing coaster

It was not made by Yamaha

 

Here's another Indonesian language lesson:

See those signs? Translation: "An American somehow found this park today, we don't know how this happened. We think he's just lost.

Let's not open the coaster until at least 2 hours after park opening. Then lets close it at the slightest hint of rain. This is guaranteed to aggravate the American and make him go back home to McDonalds"

LARRY! I TOOK THIS AWESOME PHOTO JUST FOR YOU!!!!

 

(not really....but it's what other people put in their trip reports so I think I'm obliged to do the same)

Studio Central is also home to the Giant Swing (a.k.a. Zamperla Midi Discovery). Decent program - indoor foot choppers make it better - there was bush around this ride. I like bush

Also in Studio Central - Vertigo (a.k.a. Zamperla Power Surge). Awesome location at the end of the street. Never a queue - it scared the crap out of Indonesians (the kind of "power surge" that NO ONE wants!)

More stuff! Marvel Superheroes The Rides!

(there's really only 1 ride...I think the "s" is silent when you speak Indonesian)

It's in a facade that doesn't look AT ALL like Wonder Works.

It's the same 4D type "crazy lazy-boy" simulator you've seen elsewhere folks. Playing the standard off-the-shelf Marvel movie.

Indonesians love it - this was the most popular attraction in the park

Disney loves it too - licensing intellectual property is awesome!

Massive big 'ol dark ride! I think "Bolang" is a cartoon based on the Big Boy when he was little....before making all those amazing hamburgers.

 

This dark ride was great - it's like "It's a Small World" had some illegitimate Indonesian gay baby. Rainbows, Big Boy, and the Incredible Hulk!

If you've never watched the "Bolang" cartoons (I haven't)

and you don't speak Indonesian (I don't)

...then you'll have absolutely no clue what's going on in this ride (I didn't)

A familiar sight somehow ended up in the final scene of the Bolang Adventure.

 

Seriously, keep looking closely at the pictures and you'll quickly realize that someone on this park's design team went to Orlando and "borrowed" a few ideas

 

Number of Indonesians who will recognize this?

Zero

 

Number of TPR readers who will recognize this?

All of them

 

Number of TPR readers who would change their last name to Mabillard if they married Claud's daughter, or his son, or....well....Claude?

All of them

Transcar Racing! Hit this ride early! Putting a gasoline-powered car ride in an indoor theme park makes the attendants really sleepy after a few hours

 

The station is on the "park level" - in Studio Central.

Two separate tracks - with both courses one-story down, running below most of the park

The Transcar course look eerily similar to a certain driving-based Epcot attraction. Except this one is in Indonesia, doesn't shut down in the rain, and doesn't have any of those annoying "evasive maneuvers"

 

I only try to make "evasive maneuvers" when I see one of my ex's or have to go take a "power surge"

Speaking of that unnamed driving ride in Epcot. The queue for Yamaha Racing Coaster looks kind of familiar

 

Good news fans - it doesn't have that annoying soundtrack blaring that may or may not be sponsored by Excedrin

No...really....it was scary just how much the queue for the Yamaha Racing Coaster looks like Test Track

Yamaha Racing Coaster's train. The ride itself almost identical to the Mr. Freeze coasters you should know (if you don't...what are you doing on TPR?) - and has those "lap bar only" restraint we love so much!

More coaster-station porn for you

 

The train is pretty much a 2-car Sky Rocket train

After the initial rush, the crew shaved the queue down to a walk-on the rest of the day

The ride is smooth

 

 

See folks, in order to increase web traffic, you need to insure that key words are embedded into your text

 

Hence the use of "Porn" "Smooth" "Shaved" and "Rocket"

LIMS! LIMBS! LIMS! ....and a whole bunch of stuff to help keep the lims cool!

 

This is important 'cause there are two big ass volcanoes on either side of Bandung and this helps make sure the coaster can keep running during eruptions

The Lost City is the second area of the park

 

Hanging a giant sign in between two enormous phallic symbols is socially acceptable in Indonesia.

Try learning that crap like that on other web sites!

Lost City was home to a King Kong-themed rock climbing wall (yeah...I don't get the connection either) and Sky Pirates

....and Jelajah....a decent 2-drop flume ride!

 

The park's description of the ride was: Cruise the malignant African jungle in a rescue mission, you will understand the true meaning of adventure, Feel the sensation, drop from the fall with 13 meter height

 

"Cruising malignant African Jungles" is not on many people's vacation wish lists.

Actually, pretty much malignant-anything kind of sucks

 

Decent theming and water that didn't make me break out in any rashes (or power surges)

I'm not gay - but there is going to be NOTHING sexy about this boatload of chicks getting soaking wet!

The last area of the park is called "Magic Corner"

 

Home to the 2nd dark ride - an awesome haunted dark ride that I thought was a little lame at first

 

....until the scary jawa-lookin' dude jumped out and scared the hell out of me. Yep - amazing concept - the park puts LIVE actors inside the ride area!

Magic corner was pretty darn impressive

 

Drop towers themed to Jack and the Beanstalk didn't quite make too much sense - but a lot of stuff in Indonesia doesn't make sense to me.... except that they allow topless suntanning in Bali. That makes good sense.

Legal Clause from Trans Studio Bandung Lawyers:

 

The Magic Corner was not, in any way, made to look like certain wizarding-type parks in the Orange County, Florida area. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required.

Oh look! What a pretty little fountain! It looks like a young kid riding a broom and battling a witch.

 

Wait a second

What the hell

This can't be as blatant as it looks

 

Zoom in!

WHAT THE F*CK!!!!??!?!?!?!?!?

 

They even added the glasses!!!!!!!!

Dragon Riders was another decent flat - this one a dragon-themed Zamperla Kang'A'Bounce

 

For some totally bizarre reason, they wouldn't allow single riders on this thing.

Fortunately, the ride staffs hot chicks to ride with you! Big Mike would probably spend all day on this ride - he's a smart guy! (is that a duck I see in the bottom right?)

Did I mention that the park ALSO had an evening parade!?!?!?

 

Legal Note: These are NOT dwarves! That would require more money to be shelled out for licensing fees to Disney. This is why they only bought 6 costumes

The parade has floats and a bunch of celebrity look-a-likes

 

Wait

What the F*UCK is that thing!?!?!?!?!

 

One more time....zoom in!

Apparently this character is in the wrong park!

 

I think "it" thinks this is TRANNY Studios Bandung

This is not part of the parade

 

This is a class of Indonesian school kids

Immediately helping to prove once again that almost any group of kids in Asia are infinitely better behaved than American kids

This is also not part of the parade

 

There was an ACE convention in town and the buffet was open

The park's opening ceremony was great! It featured flying girls, jungle dancers, and a backdrop using the Microsoft Media Player visualizer

....but it had fire and pyro.....

....and ANYONE in the theme park business knows that stuff is infinitely better with fire and pyro!

Fact: One artsy shot is required in all TPR photo trip reports

One final shot from Trans Studio Bandung

 

Warning of stuff that I'm not mentioning details of in this trip report: The park has a few odd "rules" (no cash, no re-entry) Neither were a big deal

 

Awesome park!

Amazingly friendly staff!

Totally worth the trip to a crazy-ass part of Indonesia!

 

If anyone's wondering - this park visit was back on December 9th and, yes, I procrastinate so deal with it!

Excellent example of why there is TPR. This is the kind of park almost nobody will see if there would not be somebody who would go there, take pictures and put them on TPR.

 

Brilliant report, you made me laugh. The park looks very good, I wish I could go tour Asia to find this kind of parks.

A park where the ride ops are Asian girls in cheerleader outfits!!! Greatest Park...EVAR!

Brilliant report, you made me laugh.

And that's why it's perfect for TPR!

 

--Robb "Love people who can report on parks...and keep it FUNNY!" Alvey

That really looks like a great park for Indonesia. The coaster looks pretty fun also!

 

But it looks like they got carried away with the ideas from IOA...

A park where the ride ops are Asian girls in cheerleader outfits!!! Greatest Park...EVAR!

 

True story..!!

 

The rest of the park looks great too

people who write a book at the beginning of their trip report haven't realized yet that no one reads this crap.

 

Sorry, but that's simply not true. Every time I put a new trip report up on my site it gets between two and three thousand readers in the first ten days. I could well get ten times that if I did photo trip reports, but who knows?

 

(Great report otherwise, BTW. Bandung is definitely on my hit list).

Richard, that wasn't a dig on you, not sure why you needed to respond in that way.

 

As for the culture of TPR, he's right. People just simply don't read "text" trip reports on this site. If what works great for you, works, then you've really got something awesome going there.

 

Anyway, I'd rather not discuss that point any further when there is so much awesomeness in that report that could be discussed....like these ride ops...

 

 

I agree with your views and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Looks like a great, if somewhat eccentric, park.

Great Trip Report! Love that it is completely off the beat and path! Hopefully a future TPR trip!

Dan - thanks for thinking of me.

Great TR of a park not many of us get to see.

 

The park itself looks pretty impressive too. Being indoors makes it better with all the cool lighting and ripoff rides.

 

Awesome pictures + witty captions = excellent TR

TPR needs to visit here!

TPR needs to visit here!

Yeah, we should probably do that sometime.... soon?

^Southeast Asia Trip 2013 is becoming more and more of a reality!

 

BTW, Dan, sometimes I forget why you hang out with us...and then you put together a TR like this and I instantly remember why!!!

Awesome report...loving all the indoor stuff. Yeah a lot of ripoffs...but some of the better kind it seems.

 

A smooth, lapbars only "Mr: Freeze" ripoff... just

^Southeast Asia Trip 2013 is becoming more and more of a reality!

 

 

omg How many tours ARE you hosting/doing in 2013???

 

Awesome PTR! I love that knock off Wizarding world section!

Richard, that wasn't a dig on you, not sure why you needed to respond in that way.

 

Sorry about that; I didn't intend to come across as bad tempered. What I was trying to say is that some people actually do go for textual reports in addition to the photographic kind. Well written trip reports from people like Dave Sandborg and Dave Althoff are about the last useful contribution to rec.roller-coaster these days...

 

Anyway, to go back on topic, I can't help but wonder whether a photo report like this has the potential to affect the park by showing off some of its more blatant infringements to an internet audience. Given the location it's fairly improbable that the owners of the Harry Potter franchise would have come across it otherwise. I've not been to Indonesia, but is anyone clued in on their attitude to copyrights there? Is it similar to China?

 

Any parade that features The Stig is ok in my book!

 

Seriously though that looks like a really nice park! Thanks for sharing!

Great tr to one crazy looking park. They must have an awesome legal department working 24 7 to keep from getting sued.

Great trip report. I was laughing at everything. I've noticed in one of the pictures with the security. If you look at the top of the building you can see POS Security. I just about died laughing from that.

Seriously great trip report...

 

You are right about people not always reading tons of text on TR, I simply don't have the time to always read long reports when pictures say a million nerd-words !!

Great report. I've been in Bandung a few years ago but without any themepark

The humor sure makes it more interesting.

 

Anton "gimme more pics from the sort skirted ride ops" van den Akker

Awesome update! Looks like a well themed park - even if it does rip off a lot of things.