Photo TR: Parque Atracciones de Madrid & Parque Warner

[rcjp]

So this summer my parents decided to make a trip to the Basque Country in Spain which, originally, included no parks. Naturally I tried to convince them to visit at least one and so on our way back home we made a stop in Madrid for me to check Parque De Atracciones (which I had never been to) and Warner which I had visited in 2006 and 2007. But first....

 

Completely by chance I came across a POV of a coaster in a little park in San Sebastián (which we were visiting) and it happens to be the world's oldest operating steel coaster. The park is located on top of a mountain and it has great views. We were in a bit of a hurry so the coaster was the only ride I tried (the rest wasn't very interesting for me anyway).

 

Part 1 - Parque de Atracciones Monte Igueldo

The view was quite nice.

The GPS sent us through a really scary narrow twisty road! It doesn't look like it in the picture but it was nerve-racking to know that at any moment we could crash a car coming the other way.

Getting higher.

and higher

San Sebastián's beach "La Concha"

Impressive views.

At last!

Finally the terrifying road came to an end.

Some bumper cars.

This boat ride thingy with the coaster on top.

Another perspective.

For the lift nerds! (I'm actually one)

The lift was rather fast!

Lift hill.

The first hill.

Small hill.

Here they come!

Credit!

Station and train (with brakeman)

The track (more like rails, really)

Sweet view.

Transfer track/rails and second train.

A closer look.

Yes, no up-stop wheels will go here.

Coming in.

Front seat! (these photos were taken with permission)

No restraints, seatbelts whatsoever!

Double down.

Going over the boats.

Sea.

Lift pov

The biggest drop.

The ride was fun. Nothing special but the drops weren't so bad given the absence of restraints. Very smooth too.

Some random slides for kids.

Another look at the view.

and one more...

I don't know what this tower is.

Cresting the hill.

Into the lift.

Take the tunnel!!!!

More track.

Still don't know what this is.

Back seat POV!

Transfer track.

And train.

I had no idea what the camera was taking picture of when I snapped this one.

Backwards POV!

In the back I nearly got some air on the double down which is pretty impressive given that I would have flown out if there was (and so would the train due to the lack of up-stop wheels).

Cable POV.

Lift

One more look at this wheel.

Going up.

And about to go down. There was nothing there stopping you from grabbing the lift cable. Want proof?

See? (I was not actually touching it, obviously)

Saying goodbye.

Nice ride. Didn't experience the rest of the park but had a nice time. the view was great and the coaster was fun. So if you happen to go to San Sebastián, check this.

Edited September 13, 2014 by rcjp

[Genx24]

Strangest looking coaster I've ever seen. Those views from the top of the mountain are incredible.

[rcjp]

^I was rather odd, yeah. But still fun (and scary when I almost lifted out of my seat)

[rcjp]

Part 2 - Parque de Atracciones de Madrid

This was a place I had never been to. It was also the first time I went to a park alone as my parents were already going with me to Warner the following day. It was Friday and I got there 20 minutes before opening. To my surprise they only opened the doors at 12 (opening time) and I went running straight to Abismo (the ride I was looking forward to the most and also because it only has one train). Got two rides with little wait then I hit tarántula and so on.

 

The crowds were minimal and lines were always very short. That being said, as they were only running one train in attractions which had more so they weren't so fast (but not too long either). I think the most I waited was 25 minutes.

Overall the place was nice with decent attractions, plenty of trees (which was nice due to the heat) and nice atmosphere. Still, operations weren't very efficient and it didn't feel as "professional" as some bigger parks I've been visiting.

 

Here are my reviews for the main rides:

 

Abismo (6x) - My first Maurer Söhne and only my second looping ride with lap bars. I'm not really a big fan of hang-time so I wasn't expecting to like the beginning but, to my surprise, it was very fun (and you got a nice upside down view of Madrid too). The restraints were comfy and the ride was smooth. That airtime hill gave some proper air and either the trim before the station wasn't working or I didn't feel it. Anyway, there was a pop of air before the station. My favourite ride at the park.

 

Tornado (7x) - My first intamin inverted coaster (excluding the shuttle ones) and it was okay. More forceful than I expected but not very smooth. I could avoid head-banging by leaning my head back against the headrest. The corkscrew felt very B&Mish but the helix could have been more forceful. Still a nice ride, my second favourite at the park. Comparing it to the batman clone I rode the following day, it didn't have the same non-stop action as that (probably because the turns between inversions weren't very fast or forceful)

 

Tarántula (3x) - My first (wow, I got a lot of "firsts" here) spinning coaster and had a great time. It didn't spin too much but the layout was fun. Smooth and had some moments of air. It was also reasonably long.

 

TNT Tren de la Mina - I don't really know what to say as I usually don't ride these family coasters. Still, I enjoyed it and it fitted the park and area well. Just one thing: I noticed that during braking the trains shook in a odd way which I assume is because the brake fins are on only one side and as a result, the force is not evenly distributed across the cars. Nothing too bad, though.

 

Vertigo - The first time I bothered to try a wild mouse and it was what I expected (maybe a bit more violent) and it had some pops of air. When I was pushed against the side of the train it was fine but g«being pushed against the seat divider was a bit uncomfortable.

 

Lanzadera (3x) - Despite not being very tall this intmain drop tower does pack quite a nice punch and has that classic "freefall" sensation that apparently the newer ones don't have (haven't tried those, only 1st and 2nd gen).

 

I also rode the star flyer which gave some great views of the city and park.

First look

Here we are

Running across the park

towards this

Drop tower

Funky lift

This is for later

A closer look

Drop

Track nerds!

The camera wasn't taking pictures today

Twistyyy!!!! I quite enjoyed the weird lift, which I wasn't expecting. Seeing Madrid upside down is funny.

The drop again

Now to Tarántula

Theming bits

Lift and first MCBR

with a car

braking..

Fangs

Brake run

First turn. The ride was pretty fun although in the brakes, when the train is set straight it hurt my legs a bit.

Overbank

Here they go!

Twisting

This hill gave some proper air!

Overbanks are always fun.

Near-immelmann thingy

the turn again

Oh, look! We're in Paris!

My first intamin full circuit invert

It was closed. Oh intamin...

Log flume

Love this angle. The track looks so sexy!

Another first for me.

Airtime hill of awesomeness

More than 90 DEGREES!!

The trim wasn't working (at least I didn't feel it)

Coming down

Into some air

This drop tower wasn't massive, but really good.

Star flyer in the distance

Upside down!

Sort of upside down!

Ahhh.... That free falling feeling

Some fountains. The park looked really good with all these trees and vegetation.

Airtime!

Take a guess: another first for me!

It's not that tall, so....

Getting closer

This is how I like my queues.

These girls (which you can't see) were screaming way to loud for my ears.

Typical wild mouse turns.

Tires!

track

It's was fun, with some pops of air in the middle

Edited September 9, 2014 by rcjp

[rcjp]

Continuing...

Second try

Drop

Loop and kind of messy supports

Corkscrew (felt a lot like B&M's older ones)

Helix!!

Twistyyy!

Loop again

Turn into the lift.

Wheel assembly

Now this was odd. The train was sitting in the station like this and I asked what was going on. The guy answered that they were waiting for 24 riders to fill the train. What!? Well, at least I didn't wait much.

Chain

Tarantula from tornado's station

sexy track

turn after the loop

Loop

again

here they come

dopping

looping

corkscrewing

"Helixing"!!!

Didn't bother to try this.

This really sexy angle again

with train!

didn't ride this either

this I did

through the trees

this was just hanging around here (really, it was stopped)

these things are always fun

another credit!

this way

theming

more of it

cresting the lift

water ride right next to it

take the tunnel!!!!

they about to get seriously wet

there they go

around 90 DEGREES!

turning

for the drive tire enthusiasts

for the chain lift wheel enthusiasts

for the odd gerstlauer anti-rollback enthusiasts

train

more theming

first drop and turn

lift structure

thee they go

also odd one-sided magnetic brakes which cause the train to shuffle in an odd way

here we are again

from the bottom of the park

entrance (the main one)

Next ride!

[rcjp]

Last ones

great ride

reaching the top

weeee !!!

upside down

coming to tornado again

turning

then I decided I need to cool down

you're about to get very wet!

see?

by now I was already soaked

and a second after this eve more

log flume now

thee they go

tunnel

dropping

skloosh

more logs

well, time to say goodbye now...

and to abismo too

and this thingy (now with people in it)

one last look

and leaving

[gerstlaueringvar]

Great TRs! It's very interesting to see nerd shots of that super old coaster from like a million years ago

[PKI Jizzman]

Very cool photos. Thanks for posting. I've always wanted to ride one of those massive spring Maurer Sohnes like Tarantula.

[rcjp]

^&^^ Thanks.

It's very interesting to see nerd shots of that super old coaster from like a million years ago

Yeah that all I had to do at the "park" so lots of nerdy shots. Yes it was odd. More like a "dynamic" train rather than a normal coaster.

 

I've always wanted to ride one of those massive spring Maurer Sohnes like Tarantula.

It's funny how my first spinner is one of the biggest. It was a really nice ride with some bits of air and laterals. Also fairly long.

[torrecillailla]

Great photos!! I specially like the ones you took of Tornado! I'd like to clear up a couple of things: first, the trim that Abismo has it is not for slowing down the speed during the ride, it has the function of saving the train from getting stuck at the bottom of the camelback just in case it made a rollback in the lift, which is not very frequent but it could happen as there is not anti-rollback system. The other thing is that the photoride of Abismo is NEVER working, not just when you went (as well as the ones in Tarantula and the log flume).

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the report from Parque Warner

[rcjp]

^Oh thanks for clearing that up. I hope I can upload the WB photos today.

[rcjp]

Part 3 (last one) - Parque Warner Madrid

Even though I had already been twice to this park, it was the day I was looking forward to the most of the trip as it was a long time ago (8 and 7 years) when I was a kid and basically still GP. So now I wanted to try this with a little more park and coaster experience.

On both occasions I had been there it was late August and in the middle of the week. The park was always dead with no lines. Naturally I assumed that (being a Saturday) it would be more crowded although it was later in the season.Well, it turns out that it was packed. Really packed. In terms of people "density" it was like my trips to Disneyland Paris. I assume that since my last visit the park has been investing in advertising and they seem to be throwing discounts all over the place as a friend of ours who lives in Madrid but has no interest in parks whatsoever turned out to have quite a few which we used.

 

Well, anyway, we got in (when the place opened) and went straight to superman which I managed to ride with minimal lines 5 times. Next up was batman (2x). I then headed to coaster express just to check if it still is my least favourite coaster but when I was in line it closed. Had lunch (I'll get to that later) and decided to get the "passe correcaminos" (30 euros). I was worth it as I then got loads of rides on the main coasters.

 

When I got the pass my parents went to the water part and I showed up for like 30 minutes (I only did because it was hot and they had bought a ticket for me). Meanwhile I had raised my superman ride count to 10 and after that break to cool down I rode batman 7 more times. I went to coaster express again but that area of the park was so crowded that even with the pass the lines were long. Next was one more ride on batman and superman followed by the first of the day on stunt fall (which had broken down). I then had a snack with my parents.

 

Not willing to give up on coaster express I went there again and finally rode it. I ran straight to superman as I wanted to reach 20 (I was at 11) and I had around 45 minutes to do it as I promised my parents we would leave at 9. It was really hard (had to run a lot) but I did it: at 21:05 I was with my parents who then asked me if I wanted one last ride on a coaster (I chose stunt fall).

 

Oh, and I also rode the S&S tower and the family coaster (correcaminos bip bip) once. Here are the individual reviews:

 

La venganza del enigma - Not much to say. A standard S&S tower with a height bonus. However, I enjoyed the smaller intamin one the previous day more (it seemed to give a better falling sensation).

 

Correcaminos bip bip - I've ridden very few family coasters but having been on one the previous day at parque de atracciones I can say I enjoyed this one more. It had faster transitions, slightly better pacing and a few moments of air.

 

Coaster Express - Rode it only one in the back car (on a wheel seat ) and, yes, still the worst coaster I've ridden. It seemed to go from the headache inducing fast vibrations from my last visit to bouncing vertically as if the track was a really terrible road full of potholes. As a result it was quite painful (hurting my back and gentleman's area). Then there is also the fact that the layout is awful (honestly, comparing my only ride on wildcat at Hershey, that one hurt a bit more but at least it has a good pacing and transitions). There is no real drop, it crawls through the top of the hills and the "airtime hills" gave nothing. There was a moment where it felt like it was about to deliver a little floater but no.

 

Stunt Fall (2x) - After hearing reports from both people here and my dad (who ended up riding it before me that day) saying it had become rough I wasn't so exited. However, while it's not smooth (at least not like before) it's not bad if you know how to ride it. I know you shouldn't have to know how to ride a coaster but all I did was lean my head against the headrest during all times except for the top of the cobra roll where I sicked my head out and it was fine. Still a thrilling ride due to the vertical holding in both spikes. My favourite vekoma.

 

Batman (10x) - Not much to say: it's a BTR clone. Very smooth (smoother than superman), very forceful and has a great pacing and transitions. At least it's a way to ride an old school B&M which was build in 2002.

 

Superman (20x) - This has to be the star of the park. A special ride for me (as you may be able to tell by my avatar picture) as it was one of my first "big coasters" and, for quite a while, my favourite. So I was looking forward to riding it after I've been on a lot more coasters. It turns out it's better than I remembered. No it doesn't have the crazy pacing and transitions of Batman but it has some forces, a relatively long layout and a great drop. In the back I got more air (in the first drop) than on any other B&M and I love how it manages to pack 7 inversions, 2 airtime hills and 2 helices into one ride (also due to the lack of a MCBR and 3rd train). I didn't remember if the hills actually provided air but they do (floater, of course). The only thing I didn't like so much is how it's lost some of it's smoothness. I definitely wouldn't call it rough but closer to the back (which I rode many times) you got some vertical vibrations as if the wheels weren't in great shape. Not enough to give headbanging but dragon khan which is 7 years older was smoother in April. Still a great ride mad it's coasters like this which remind me of why I like B&M so much (despite what they've been doing now): it's not OMFG Crazy!!%! but it feels so well put together, it's hard to explain but I really like it.

 

As to the water park I can't say much as I was only there for a short time. I had a go on a wave pool, two decent small slides and that was it (it also had a lazy river and one or two more things, plus a kids area).

 

 

All in all, it was a great day and it was nice to return here. Great rides, coasters and nice overall look of the place.

 

Having said that, I have to talk about the weak operations. They weren't very efficient: running only one train on batman and CExpress and stacking them on superman (with only two). Also during most of the day they were allowing people in the stations so that they would just fill a train. You could choose the queue within certain limitations but it was fine (worked well with the pass thingy). However, later in the night on superman when they clanged the guy doing that job it was a total mess and having the pass was no longer a good thing as the station was packed, hard to tell who was going to fill the rows or not and, as a result, lots of individual seats empty on the trains. The worst thing, however, was eating: it took SO LONG I can't describe (and even remember) how angry I was. It took forever. The feeling I got was that the park is not ready to receive that many people and as a result this happened.

 

I know I wrote a lot more about the negatives but it was a great day and the park is definitely worth visiting (just try to avoid weekends).

Finally back here!

Oh I barely remembered this

Pretty crowded

Ticket

Some nice theming

more of it

and more

I see you....

Going to superman. If you walked a bit there would no longer be that many people

This is what I came for

The tower can be seen from nearly everywhere

I suppose this crane is for theming purposes

Getting closer ..

and closer...

Entry sign

S&S tower again

Clone!

There it is.

This one has good theming!

Zero-geeee!!!

Oh, right....

Station where victims board

Very accurate description of the ride.

For the transfer track nerds

Lift

More nice theming

New credit!

This one wasn't bad

pretty fun, actually

turning

and braking

this looks familiar

I was going to ride this now

lake

still thinking I was going now

Massive cobra roll

Oh...... The brakes were making a strange noise.

It's pretty tall

That's where the snappiness takes place.

Managed to get the whole roll in one shot

back to superman

batman from the superman area

there they go. About to experience awesomeness

loop de loop

Stunt fall from the water park

which also got some nice views of superman

that's one big loop

"zero-g ing"

cobra rolling

some great air in the back!

So far I've never bothered to try one of these and this day was no exception

Next ride!

[rcjp]

More photos

A few more rides on batman

loop

zero g (my favourite part followed by the corkscrews)

superman!

reaching the top

great first drop

nice loop

and immelmann

great zero-g. Not very fast but it does provide great weightlessness (unlike some others I've ridden)

floater airtime hill

the exit of the first corkscrew was the roughest part. The train shook very quickly but it wasn't too bad.

batman doing its thing

after I finally (well, kind of) rode it

saying goodbye to superman. A great ride

last of the day

same shot as before but in the dark

yeah, you can sort of see the tower

time to leave

hope I return soon

[DJeXeL]

Dumb Question: Was this park managed by SF at one point?

[rcjp]

^Yes! But, as far as I know, it was sold before opening.

[rcjp]

Oh, sorry. After all it did open under the management of Six flags (according to wikipedia) until 2004.

[DJeXeL]

^Ok thanks. I was thinking it looked a little too good to be a SF ran park.

Thanks for the trip report.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Looks like a very good park! I've always think their coaster collection is pretty good with one exception. Even Intamin trains cannot save a horrible RCCA

[rcjp]

^True. It's my only RCCA and it happens to be my worst coaster. What a coincidence!

[Dragon Khan]

Nice report ! Now, if only RMC...

[GayCoasterGuy]

I've heard Montana Suiza referred to as the "concrete coaster." I want the concrete credit!

 

^This slide looks insane. There is no track to slow down before the 2nd drop. Want!

Edited September 10, 2014 by GayCoasterGuy

[rcjp]

Nice report ! Now, if only RMC...

That's what I thought about loads of times. It would make a terrible coaster an awesome one.

I've heard Montana Suiza referred to as the "concrete coaster." I want the concrete credit!

 

^This slide looks insane. There is no track to slow down before the 2nd drop. Want!

I can't see the image but if this is the one you're talking about you have to be less than 20 years old.

[GayCoasterGuy]

^That's the one, thank you! (I went back and fixed my post.)

 

Under 20? I wonder why? I still have a gnarly scar on my arm from the slide at Bay Beach, and that slide is a standard!

[rcjp]

^You went with a sort of mat I think. I didn't really bother to try it as it wasn't until you pointed it out that I noticed that kind of insane hill.

[cfc]

So, Monte Igeldo has a concrete-and-steel scenic railway? Interesting--and I thought some of the old Japanese Jet Coasters were weird. Beautiful setting, though.

 

Thanks for sharing the photos.