turbolaaf Posted October 24, 2009 Posted October 24, 2009 Last week was my first time on this new Launch coaster made by Mack. Since Europapark is my favorite park out there (Epcot is second) my wife told me we could go there a day during our holiday. Now the news is that you people can go there when you take next years Europe trip, so let me introduce you this new coaster and my honest opinion about it. The ride: When you see the queue line you can notice that its just to damn wide. A lot of (mostly French) people use the space to skip the queue. They where send back into the queue and not allowed on the ride for the rest of the day. The whole queue liked it that the need to use the row to exit the ride, what was a hard lesson hopefully. Now i sure hope that the first part will be used as a picnic area or something in the next year when they build the new entrance of the ride and the splash battle. The theming is awesome and has a lot of nice details to watch. When you're near the station the line splits in 2 rows. One for the front and one for the other rows. A few feet more there is a single riders row so even the poor guy's like me got a row for there own. After boarding (they really work hard and fast) you pull the lapbar over your head down to its position. There is on-board audio and a pulse display so you can see how exiting your ride for your neighbor is The ride starts and you drive into the "darkride" part which is nice but not more thats it. You go trough it to fast to see the most of it. Just before the launch the train stops and smoke makes its way into the room. The alarm sounds and the doors opens ..... and there we go. In just 2.5 seconds were on our way to its highest point which is a strange curve that does not make any sense at all. After this you're on your way to one of the biggest loops out there with a lapbar and that is a climax trust me You can hang into your lapbar what gives you that free feeling. After this a short curve and up to the mid-course. This one does hardly brake you down so the rest of the ride follows. A few humps and inversion but no airtime at all Sure the hang time is great but i would like to see some airtime. Anyway the last inversion trows you out of your seat and that also gives you a great ending. A smooth break brings you back to your reality. The ride also has a load and unload station that gives it a hugh capacity during peak days. (5 trains on track ) I really like the ride and its the best Roller coaster in Europapark what sure gives the ride a good credit. Hope my English is understandable The pics: All pics are made by a Canon 40D DSLR with a 17-40 F-4 L and 70-200 F4-L lens Hope you enjoy them as much as i liked the ride.
RCT3D Posted October 24, 2009 Posted October 24, 2009 WOW!! those are some great shots! But those seats look VERY dangerous and weak.
turbolaaf Posted October 24, 2009 Author Posted October 24, 2009 Sure the TUV is one of the best in controling rides so don't even believe that this ride comes trough the test without them They are solid and give you a good seat. Next to that you also have a lot of freedom during the ride what gives it a big plus.
Jerrykoala2112 Posted October 24, 2009 Posted October 24, 2009 This roller coaster looks very very futuristic! The seats are very unique and futuristic. Looks like it was built 20 years ahead of it's time...
wiyoh1984 Posted October 27, 2009 Posted October 27, 2009 I must agree those are some fantastic shots! I love how the train does not have OTSRs but just uses a lapbar.
Groteslurf Posted October 27, 2009 Posted October 27, 2009 Those are awesome pictures. I love Blue Fire. It's only a pitty the single riders line only starts at the very end of the waiting row.
piers Posted October 27, 2009 Posted October 27, 2009 I have never noticed the seats before, they are very fancy! Im really looking forward to riding this sometime, great pictures.
turbolaaf Posted October 27, 2009 Author Posted October 27, 2009 With a longer single riders lane we would have 2 problems: 1: with light crowds it wouldn't be fare against other waiting people 2: with larger crowds the queue will be used by non single riders what makes the line useless. I taught the same but no, its fine like this i suppose
PAL Posted October 27, 2009 Posted October 27, 2009 Beautiful photos! Would you mind sharing some shooting details? Camera body, lens, exposure. Very nice, my compliments. Neat coaster too.
turbolaaf Posted October 28, 2009 Author Posted October 28, 2009 Beautiful photos! Would you mind sharing some shooting details? Camera body, lens, exposure. Very nice, my compliments. Neat coaster too. All pictures still have there exif info. But have a look under the last picture it was already there. Thanks so far
cfc Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 Europa was my favorite park during TPR's 2008 Eruope Trip. I won't be able to take next year's Europe tour, but I would really like to visit this park again. Blue Fire looks great, and the restraints look comfortable and practical--are they as comfortable as they look?
PAL Posted October 28, 2009 Posted October 28, 2009 All pictures still have there exif info. But have a look under the last picture it was already there. Your pictures are so wonderful I didn't look at anything else. Thanks for leaving the Exif info. I haven't taken my DSLR into a park yet because with kids we're always focused on riding, but I'm ever so tempted. You've given me a good starting place. I see you get motion blur at 1/500, but freeze the moment at 1/800 and higher. I'm curious about focus if you don't mind. I'm on my second Canon; the autofocus isn't always up to the task for action shots. Are you focusing manually? Great light in the station, very atmospheric. You inspire me to try longer exposures. Thanks again.
turbolaaf Posted October 28, 2009 Author Posted October 28, 2009 He no problem and great to see that you love my shots. I'm alway's using autofucus but i use L lenses witch focus really fast with their USM in it. You should take more pictures with your kids, they will love them when they get older After that, i alway's shoot in raw and sharpen up the pictures in photoshop. Thanks for al the other reactions. Its still a great park like some mentioned. Ow, and yes the seats are great without any problems.
ginzo Posted October 30, 2009 Posted October 30, 2009 This makes me want to send Elissa a deposit for the 2010 Europe trip! Although I liked Europa a lot last year, I thought that their coaster collection could have used a slight boost. Blue Fire sure seems to exactly what I thought the park could use. Also, I must investigate the food situation in Switzerland better next time I go to Europa. Anyway, very impressive park in general. They are strong in basically everything: good food, good rides, great diversity of attractions, excellent theming, park is immaculate, Disney-quality hotels, etc.
nursemelis374 Posted October 30, 2009 Posted October 30, 2009 Great photos! I can't wait to go to this park on the Europe trip next year and this coaster looks fantastic!
turbolaaf Posted October 31, 2009 Author Posted October 31, 2009 Great to read that the most of you like it also. I think you can compare it a bit to BGE
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