JordyC

Probably Phantasialand next week.

Parc Astérix - April 2019 Hello everyone! From April 15th to April 16th 2019, I went on a trip to Paris, France for my first ever visit to Parc Saint Paul, and my second visit to Parc Astérix. I spent the first day at Parc Astérix and my final day at Parc Saint Paul. On April 15th, I visited Parc Astérix. Parc Astérix is located just outside of Paris, the capital of France. Since my last visit to this park a few years ago, the park has added a new coaster (Pégase Express), retracked two coasters and has built a new 4D cinema. The park is based on the comics of Asterix and Obelix. While I am not a massive fan of comics, I really like this park, its theming and the massive lake in the middle. The variety of rides at Parc Astérix is also very good. Combine all of this together, and you have the best non-Disney theme park in France, in my opinion. I really like this place. Of course, the main reason for visiting Parc Astérix was Pégase Express, their new-for-2017 Gerstlauer Family Coaster. Parc Astérix is also home to a very solid wooden coaster, some good water rides, one of my favorite B&M Inverts and an excellent Mad House. The weather that day was absolutely perfect. The park was very busy, though. Queue times exceeding 45 minutes were not an exception. The biggest queues were for Pégase Express and Tonnerre de Zeus, topping out at 70 minutes. Most of the other rides had a 30-50 minute wait. I decided to get an unlimited Fast Pass, which made sure that I could do all the major rides multiple times. Welcome to Parc Astérix. It is the park's 30th anniversary this year. First ride of the day - Splatch! Despite from the final double drop, the ride is quite boring, with no theming or music during the ride. Menhir Express was next. I really like this log flume - it will get you soaked! The top section is more like a rapids than a log flume. There even is an airtime hill after the first drop. Trace Du Hourra (5/10) I have done a lot of Mack Bobsled coasters, but Trace Du Hourra is still the best one I have done. It is long, it is fast, has lots of helices and even has quite a few head choppers. SOS Numérobis (1.5/10) Nothing special. Just a Zierer Tivoli coaster. It would have been nice if it had some theming, though. OzIris (8.5/10) I have heard a lot of different opinions about OzIris; some think it is okay, while others think it is one of the best B&M Inverts. I definitely tend towards the latter group. This ride is just super fun! I agree, it is not the most intense coaster out there nor are the inversions very snappy. But it is the complete package this ride offers that really makes it for me. The theming and the area is stunning, and the tunnel under water is just something else. The Dive Loop is really fun, and the two Zero-G Rolls give perfect weightlessness. The ride starts with a climb on its lift hill, whereafter it drops you down towards the ground, without the usual B&M pre-drop. This makes sure that when you're towards the back of the train, you are really whipped into the first drop. After soaring very closely over the ground, you travel up in the unique Dive Loop, that gives some very strong G's at the bottom. A surprisingly intense overbank, sends you into the ride's vertical loop. Then you fly throug a small tunnel into an Immelmann. Another overbank guides you to the highlight of the ride - an underwater tunnel followed by a perfect Zero-G Roll. Flying out of this tunnel into the inversion, really caught me of guard every single time. It is so disorienting. The helix that follows is a bit forceless, but gives you some time to take a breath. Next, you drop down a small hill, that gives some nice flaoter airtime, that guides you into the ride's last inversion - another perfect Zero-G Roll. A final, high-G helix sends you into the brake run. To put it short, I really love OzIris. And it looks so good! The theming and area are gorgeous. It is my second favorite B&M Invert, after Black Mamba. It spins rather fast, but won't get you wet at all. The new ride for this year is Attention Menhir! It is a 4D cinema, but not your standard one. It has a very funny pre-show (if you understand French) and the film is also quite funny. The 3D-film itself is of the best quality I have ever seen at a theme park. The special effects (no spoilers) are one of the best, too. Normally, I am not a big fan of this kind of rides. But I really enjoyed Attention Menhir. Attention Menhir! No Transdemonium.. Goudurix (6/10) Goudurix looks spectacular. That is what I said. Looks. The ride itself is all but spectacular. Although I have to say that it wasn't as bad as I remembered. True, there are a few uncomfortable transitions, especially the Butterly element. But apart from that, it actually isn't that bad. Maybe it is because I am rather small, so my shoulders don't bash into the restraints. Who knows. Also, it is probably one of the weaker themed rides at the park. You can have a nice drink high up in the air. Tonnerre de Zeus (7.5/10) I remembered Tonnerre de Zeus to be one of my favorite wooden coasters. It is quite intense, especially the first drop where you dive into a tunnel - it is insane! Probably the best drop on any wooden coaster I have done. It also has a good mix of floater and ejector airtime. The ride is also very, very long. It just keeps going. The first drop and the first turn have been retracked, which made the ride super smooth. But after the second drop, the ride gets very bumpy. It is not that bad, by any means. But I would rate this ride much higher if it were just a bit smoother. Some of the corners did really hurt. But the craziness of the ride more than makes up for that. Vol D'Icare (3/10) Since the last time I was here, Vol D'Icare has been completely retracked. This made the ride quite a bit smoother. The ride itself doesn't do very much. It is basically a small drop, a turn and brakes, and that a few times. It is nicely themed, though. Pégase Express (7.5/10) The newest coaster Parc Astérix is Pégase Express. It comparable with FireChaser Express at Dollywood. And let me just ask why there aren't any more coasters like this? Because they are so much fun for the whole family. Pégase Express is very well themed, just like all the other rides at Parc Astérix. The ride starts with a rather quick launch out of the station, whereafter you make a small helix and drop down a drop that provides gives a small pop of airtime. You then climb up the ride's lift hill. Next, you drop down towards the lake travel over a couple straight and twisted airtime hills, all providing some minimal floater airtime. You twist and drop a few more times, before you go up the ride's final lift hill that leads you to the showroom. I won't spoil what happens in here, but it is something I'd never experienced before on a coaster. You then launch backwards towards the lake and go through a very twisty layout that guides you towards the final breaks. Le Defi de César is not just a standard Mad House. This one is very unique, with its unique theme and sequence. I still prefer Villa Volta at Efteling, but this one isn't far behind. So overall, I had an excellent time at this park. The main highlight was OzIris. The other highlights were Tonnerre de Zeus, Pégase Express, Menhir Express, Le Defi de César and, just in general, being back at this beautiful park. Thanks for reading!

Episode 6 - Making of UNTAMED

OzIris at Parc Asterix

Wood Express - Parc Saint Paul, a few hours ago.

Mini Mouse Cartoon - Parc Saint Paul No shame

Pégase Express - Parc Astérix

OzIris, about 2 hours ago.

Typhoon at Bobbejaanland, a few days ago.

Parc Astérix, followed by Parc Saint Paul.

Disneyland Paris reveals secrets of renewed Phantom Manor Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris will reopen on the 3th of May after a renovation of nearly sixteen months. But what has changed in all this time behind the doors of the famous haunted house? During a presentation for fans, Tom Fitzgerald, executive creative leader at Walt Disney Imagineering, revealed on Friday evening what visitors can expect when they enter the iconic mansion. The mysterious story of Phantom Manor is about the bride Melanie Ravenswood, her father Henry Ravenswood and the mysterious Phantom. Until now, the precise storyline has remained vague. "We wanted to delve deeper into the story of the Phantom and the bride," said Fitzgerald. "Guests will soon discover that Henry Ravenswood is the Phantom himself." Melanie's father found no man good enough for his daughter. "Everyone who tried to marry her disappeared mysteriously." In the preview of the attraction - the so-called Stretching Room - new portraits of four men who have made a proposal to Melanie are displayed. If the room suddenly seems to be stretched apart, the paintings reveal the cause of death of the men. For example, one of them is being attacked by bears. "With the help of new techniques, we see Melanie disappearing from the images," Fitzgerald explains. From now on, not only French is spoken, but also English. For this, Disney used old recordings of horror actor Vincent Price. He died in 1993, one year after the opening of the attraction. A new painting by Henry Ravenswood will be displayed in the portrait gallery at the station. Then visitors get into a cart. "You will see more of Melanie and the Phantom while you ride." Melanie is now standing on the stairs in the station. She stares out where it storms. Various scenes in the attraction are provided with new effects, such as a video projection of the Phantom playing the wedding march on the piano. Madame Leota, a fortune teller who appears in a glass sphere, has also been renewed. "She is now more realistic than ever." When the bride Melanie is crying in front of a mirror, the Phantom appears behind her in the mirror image. The biggest changes have taken place in the scene with the ominous cowboy town of Phantom Canyon. Fitzgerald: "All figures have been redesigned, the scenes have been painted, we have added new effects and restored old ones." A little further on, the Phantom is ready with a sling. "He has a place for you if you want to become a permanent resident of Phantom Manor." The ride ends with a mausoleum containing the deceased men who asked Melanie for her hand. "But one of them doesn't give up. He still wants to marry Melanie, so he breaks through the mausoleum with a ring hoping he can win her back." At the exit we hear the bride herself, who has lost her wits over the years. She asks visitors to marry her. Source

^Isn't is opening Friday the 3th of May? Anyway, I am excited to finally get back on it!

^I will be there this Monday. I'll let you know.

Limit - Heide Park Resort

Yes.

^That looks fantastic! Can't wait!

The train of Untamed has been revealed! The park has been open since today, making the logo and the queue also visible. Source

Cars

Corn

I will be visiting this park for the first time in May. Hopefully Thundercoaster will be ready by then. Can't wait!

Episode 5: Making of Untamed

^Speaking of the operating hours: the park just released their 2019 schedule... In March, April, May and June, Alton Towers closes at 4 p.m. on most weekdays. And even in a busy month like July, the gates close several times at 4 p.m. During the rest of the summer vacation, visitors have to settle for a closure at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. This is really getting ridiculous.

Alpina Blitz - Nigloland

Heide Park puts finishing touches to the wooden roller coaster Colossos The German theme park Heide Park is finalizing the renovated wooden roller coaster Colossos. The spectacular rollercoaster has been out of use since July 2016. A mega renovation started last summer and is now almost complete. The new name is Colossos - Kampf der Giganten. A total of 320 track sections have been replaced. 2 million euros were also invested in new decorations and a new background story. During a ride, passengers must compete with a gigantic ominous creature, 25 meters tall. The track seems to be derailed by an ingenious construction. The last track section has now been assembled. The next phase will be the testing of the trains. The reopening will take place in the spring. There is not yet an exact date. With a height of fifty meters and a length of almost 1400 meters, Colossos - Kampf der Giganten is the second highest and longest wooden roller coaster in Europe. Up to now, the top speed has been 110 kilometers per hour. It is not yet clear whether the renovation will affect the maximum speed. Source

Walibi Holland has again revealed an element of the new roller coaster Untamed. The hybrid coaster will have five inversions. Last month, the first inversion was announced: a 'step-up under flip'. The second inversion is called an 'uphill barrel roll'. "This is an inversion where you travel low over the ground, with a slight slope up", a spokesperson explains. "The element comes in the section after the step-up under flip, before the brakes." Source: Walibi Holland