WillMontu Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 For the last few TPR trips I've done, I've started on Photo TR's, but never finished them for one reason or another, such as being dissatisfied with the feedback after hours of preparing images. This time round I'm going to try something different. Do not expect: Lots of coaster pictures (everyone has seen them) Lots of "People shots" (they're not my thing) Any pictures of me (I'll leave the self promotion to Big Mike. Notice how many pictures of me in the main update? Almost none! Stuff that is covered in the main update I do, however, plan to have pictures that include Big Mike and Larry Death Machines Dark Rides (videos may be posted) Monorails (see below) Hotels Stuff you wouldn't find at other parks Roadside crashes Boobs (this is Europe of course) Updates will be dependent on how much motivation I have and feedback if any. --------------- Part 1: Monorails I gained several "monorail credits" on this trip, having already ridden monorails in Sydney, Disneyland/Disneyworld, and Alton Towers, and I think that more cities should seriously consider them for transportation systems. Las Vegas built a privately funded system based on the WDW system and is profitable. Several of the parks had a full size monorail, and a lot more had smaller "novelty" PeopleMover-like systems. I may have missed one or two, but all the major ones are covered. Returning to the station It duels with itself And it was operating Walygator had "Le Monorail" Another look at the EP Express This one was creatively named "Monorail". Not even Cedar Fair could think of that Europe also has this smaller novelty system Like the one at Alton Towers, this one was transplanted from Expo 92 in Spain Looks a little like EPCOT doesn't it? Like the one at Alton Towers, this one was designed by Von Roll, however I don't think they've designed coasters. At least Arrow built monorails We even had ERT on it! Europa Park also had two systems. This one was the larger of the two, Europa Park Express Holiday Park had this small novelty system POV The car follow a zig-zag track down a hill Tripsdrill had this mini Monorail ride No need for fancy "scoops". These trains have A/C Inside the train. One could possibly "crawl" through the bellows to get to another car The track The second train. A third train was retired in 2001 The back cab could use some TLC This one had a bit of a line, as they were only running one train The Phantasialand Jet was designed by Schwarzkopf http://schwarzkopf.coaster.net/ESmonorailTyp1GF.htm Phantasialand has a nice Monorail system as well. This one only has one station POV! Heide Park also has a small "PeopleMover" type system The barn is just below the station and has quite a few trains The cab Please stand clear of the doors... It's colored just like every other ride at Heide Park This one's built by Intamin. Notice a theme here? Heide Park has this single station monorail system Plus the seats are more comfortable than the Mark V's Air conditioning? Who needs air conditioning? It's even driverless It looks like Mark VII Monorail Red Drievlet has a small monorail that puts Disneyland's to shame. The driver's cab This train is numbered #3, so there's probably a third train somewhere The blue train There are at least two trains. This one, the red train, was not operating during our visit. It's the type of ride that Jow might enjoy because of its Schwarzkopf influence (http://schwarzkopf.coaster.net/ESmonorailTyp1GF.htm) The first Monorail covered here is this one at Bobbejaanland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Johnson Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 What a great idea Will, I can't wait till the next section. I am sure that Scott will like this update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillerman1 Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Wow this is cool Will. I seriously wish I'd ridden more of these on the trip. In all honesty I think the only one I did was at Europa to get to and from the hotel. The one at Tripsdrill is SO cute! Looking forward to seeing more of your pics. Edit...wait how could I forget doing Tour des Fleurs at Holiday Park?! That was one PSYCHEDELIC mini monorail ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 End the report now, Will. There's simply no way to improve upon what you've already posted. Call it a career, and just go out on top. Awesome work, my friend. Awesome work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Good idea, Will--but don't forget . . . . . . Etteling's "Snail-o-rail." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IggyACE Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I totally missed (as in I didn't even see ) some of these! Great so far Will, still think you should name the thread "The Adventures of Little Willie!" Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnguy Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Cool idea. I like to see TRs like this that are a little bit more unique than just coaster photos. Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STR8FXXXINEDGE Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 This is an awesome idea! I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of your TR, especially all of the death traps, dark rides, stuff you wont find at other parks, and of course, the boobs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eBen Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Bring on the Rapids! Great ammount of detail there, and thats just for a simple ride. Did you get any photos of the monorail like rides you (partly) power yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 The Walygator monorail scared the bejebus out of me. I had visions of it listing to one side and us plunging to our deaths, never to be seen because of the parks lack of visitors. It also had a speed bump at one point that may have been a bird or other living creature at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRapidsNerd Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Will, I like this creative perspective on things. Well done sir. Looking forward to the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Excellent idea Will! The Monorail set was most enjoyable to look through, and remember. And as someone else said, "I didn't know that was there"... which brings to mind a couple of these I missed, myself. So, I guess a few other things to ride on a future re-ride of another TPR Europe Tour, lol. ~-~-~-~-~-~ By the way. There were six Mad Houses on the tour. Were you planning to do something on them? I'm pretty sure it was six of them. I hardly photographed any of them, but went on all of them, lol. Much fun, comparing in my mind (and body) how each differed from the next, in theme, design, pre-show if any, and sound design (i.e. music and/or soundtrack). Looking forward to your "next set" Will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Nice change of pace. I, too, am somewhat a monorail fan. Be sure to visit The Monorail Society. There's a lot of stuff there. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillMontu Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 It's been a while since I updated this, but I got around to it. This section is going to focus on the many "death machines" encountered. Being that we passed through the Netherlands (home of Vekoma), there were three SLC's (could have been four) and a lot of multiloopers. MPG_Freefall.wmv I finish this with a video of the "Nutcracker" Intamin freefall at Movie Park Germany It's a Vekoma multilooper, but it's made worse by the fact that it's not easy to take on a brace position before seeing certain elements The station It's based on the Joules Verne story of using a cannon to launch vehicles into space. It is quite nicely themed Space Mountain at EuroDisney is also up there You would probably need a wheelchair after riding this thing. The Morgan trains don't help much either The sandbags in the trains aren't a good sign Walygator also has Anaconda. Like the one at Kings Dominion, it's not a smooth ride. I haven't figured out the theming of this one, and how it ties into the "Gator" paint job. Arrow trains here Walygator had a "Florida Gator" multilooper The ride also has a special "viewing area" The ride lacks airgates, and the train restraints have to be unlocked manually, like some of the old Arrow mine trains For those who are sad about Corkscrew at AT closing, some to Germany and Super-Wirbel (or simply just go to Flamingoland) It was equipped with video cameras It's SoB's little brother It's one of a few remaining Cyclone clones (over the last few years, Texas Cyclone, Psyclone, and Aska all closed down). Could this be next? Movie Park also has Bandit It's fun to see riders' expressions as the train slams into the brakes Just another SLC Movie Park Germany was nice enough to give us ERT on MP Xpress Despite the trains, it's another Vekoma It seems to be common to see Arrow trains painted in red/white/blue Strange looking SLC wheels. The upstop wheel almost touches the track too. Limit Heide Park has this "one two punch" consisting of Limit (the SLC) and Big Loop (the multilooper) Cobweb theming I can totally see them using this as part of their Halloween events Nothing to see here. Keep moving. Walibi World also has this Boomerang, but according to the park, it doesn't exist. There is plenty of space for them to spin freely This ride uses "Six Flags SLC" wheels El Condor at Walibi World is the mecca of all SLC's Before these trains, it had standard Vekoma trains and before that Arrow trains It has unique trains. The seats are not very comfortable though Python is a simple multilooper at Efteling. The "George Foreman Grill" seating, complete with strips of duct tape Bobbejaanland had this contraption. It looks like a standard spin'n'puke, but with a difference Walibi Belgium also had Vampire, a standard SLC. It was closed, but unlike Vertigo, it actually runs sometimes. ERT on the Boomerang wasn't that bad. Most of us rode once to get the credit (which would have been difficult later in the day because of the long lines). You guessed it, a Boomerang Walibi Belgium didn't have Vertigo running for ERT (and it doesn't look like they ever will), so they gave us ERT on this masterpiece. Adding to the injury (no pun intended), the ride had a massive line The sun wasn't in a very good position to take this shot. Robb and Hanno loved it so much that they rode again Battle wounds Apparently it wasn't that bad, as Robb borrowed my video camera on it and the video camera still works, which is quite a feat considering my luck with video cameras The extra padding on the headrests isn't usually a good sign It is ranked 357th best steel coaster in the world. First up is the infamous Gouderix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Thriller Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Space Mountain Mission 2 wasn't that bad! Limit at Heide Park is the worse steel coaster I've ever been on. --James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamikazewatermelon Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Oh.. My... Gosh. Goudrix's butterfly element gives a whole new meaning to coathanger coasters. That seems to pump like crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalvin Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Goudrix as ranked 357th out of how many steel coasters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montezooma Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 Interesting thread Will. I like to see creative variations on trip reports and this certainly is that. I found all the monorails very interesting. I made it a point to ride all of them while on the trip. I did miss the Snail one at Eftling. Can't wait to see more curiosities! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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