FirstDropJay Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Amazing TR so far. Looking forward to see more (slides of death FTW!)! As some Phantasialand employees are riding Taron as I type, did you consider asking them (Phantasialand) for a little sneak-peek? edit: welcome back to Germany, btw. Edited June 20, 2016 by FirstDropJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCT3Bross Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 I'm just glad to hear you had/have a great time in the Netherlands (despite "circumstances"). Really look forward to see where this trip goes next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeoBruz199 Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 I am absolutely loving this TR! About the Efteling fanboys, they remind me a bit of many Gardaland fanboys I see- according to them there is no ride in the world that is better than any ride at Gardaland. (to them: Blue Tornado (Gardaland's Vekoma SLC)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Katun (Mirabilandia's B&M Invert) Either way, there's crappy fanbases everywhere. Just gotta shrug your shoulders and move on. Nothing we can really do. So what countries are you gonna stop by after Holland? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julioot Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Added our Lost Gravity video to the trip report: Very cool video. The little bump on the first airtime hill is clearly visible from the riders cam. But I hardly noticed it while riding. Still wondering if they'll go for a different fix eventually. Edited June 20, 2016 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Added our Lost Gravity video to the trip report: Very cool video. The little bump on the first airtime hill is clearly visible from the riders cam. But I hardly noticed it while riding. Still wondering if they'll go for a different fix eventually. I don't even know what "little bump" you are talking about. Do you mean the pop of airtime? It's amazing. Why would they want to "fix" that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Robs comments realy have struck a chord with the efteling fanboys: http://themepark.nl/ubb/ubbthreads.php/topics/2335098/Baron_of_Lost_Gravity.html http://www.looopings.nl/weblog/5617/Amerikanen-Walibi-achtbaan-Lost-Gravity-veel-beter-dan-Baron-1898-in-de-Efteling.html And here's why I don't give a crap about what a bunch of Dutch roller coaster nerds have to say...We posted that video just 4 hours ago and it already has 65,000 views with over 5,000 reactions only FOUR of them being negative. We simply do not cater to "coaster enthusiasts" as much as we cater to a general park-loving audience. If a bunch of die-hard coaster geeks love our videos, GREAT, but if they want to hate on our videos/opinions/whatever, we just do not care. They aren't our target audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satans Hockey Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 All these pictures and reports are wonderful. The only thing that makes me sad is that I wish Six Flags and Cedar Fair would have at least half the theming that some of these parks have. They all look like a lot of fun. I would love to get over there one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaellynn4 Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 What intrigues me the most about that photo is that apparently there are four very misguided people that get sad while watching a Lost Gravity POV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Today we visited the cute "Potts Park" in Germany! Home to a bunch of funky awesome "operate it yourself" rides! Potts Park's star attraction was this interesting powered suspended "you control the speed" coaster. The "operate it yourself" Boat Jumping ride is always a popular attraction at these little German parks! [twitter] [/twitter] We of course had to do the Bunny Ride at Potts Park! [twitter] [/twitter] They had some pretty awesome "slides of death!" [twitter] [/twitter] German Currywurst and pretzels! I love being back in this country! [twitter] [/twitter] Oh yeah, there was also a full-sized junior coaster here, but this is a park where it's more than just a "credit!" Let's just say that "walking on stilts" didn't go over so well... A few of the other fun family rides at Potts Park. Most of them self-operated or self powered. [twitter] [/twitter] One of the bathrooms was some sort of "toilet museum" with all kinds of weird bathroom artwork & displays! There was an indoor science center filled with little hands-on displays for kids to play with. It was really cool! Playing around in the Water Garden at Potts Park. It's not warm outside but we didn't care! [twitter] [/twitter] What a great fun little family park! We love parks like this. Such a nice balance from bigger theme parks! [twitter] [/twitter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmcbell Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 What intrigues me the most about that photo is that apparently there are four very misguided people that get sad while watching a Lost Gravity POV. It touched them in places they didn't want to be touched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djmcbell Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Pott's Park, "PARK OF THE FUTURE" (circa 1930). Still, looks pretty fun. Maybe they need to look at the Green Dragon coaster in Snowdonia, which is lifted to the top of the lift hill by the weight of the guests. Means the coaster essentially doesn't need electricity (but absolutely knackers the guests). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Kane Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Today we visited the cute "Potts Park" in Germany! Home to a bunch of funky awesome "operate it yourself" rides! jpg[/img] Laughing out loud at all the fun you guys were having at the 'do-it-yourself' Potts Park, brought back my memory of an old Mark Twain quote: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." You can have the VERY, VERY best time in the SIMPLEST of parks. When it comes to good times, "size DOESN'T matter!" (That said, I think every city in the U.S. should have its OWN Potts Park! Maybe we can get it on the political referendums for 2016!) And, while we're at it, Ban Roller Coaster Wars!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boldikus Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Awesome stuff so far, as always. That last park looks awesome - I wanna Boat Jump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 I think these kinds of parks would be great for the non-exercising adults, too. (i.e. me) I mean, really have FUN, while you power everything up with your body, feet, arms, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werner Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Looks like you guys are having a blast around Europe! Great TR's so far, keep them coming. And the Dutch fanboys are some of the worst i know. Most of the times they just go too far, it makes me sad being Dutch myself sometimes. Now let's get back to having fun in the USA myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Awesome stuff so far, as always. That last park looks awesome - I wanna Boat Jump! You might lose your love of Skull Mountain after you experience real air time on a boat jump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garet Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 ^ There used to be one of those in Wicksteed Park, not far from my Dad's house and it alone was worth the price of a wristband, too bad it's gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boldikus Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Awesome stuff so far, as always. That last park looks awesome - I wanna Boat Jump! You might lose your love of Skull Mountain after you experience real air time on a boat jump Never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garet Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I don't get why a park wouldn't have their express pass shops open, especially one that offers them online in advance. Surely even when it's quiet the option should be there since I bet there are people willing to spend their money regardless. Most parks I've visited when it would be fairly quiet and I've looked into buying one the staff have told me I may not need it if I wanted to save money and advised me on expected wait-times but still allowed me the option of buying one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Wow, that looks so much fun! The video of Elissa pedaling up Kristen is amazing Disagree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Kane Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I think these kinds of parks would be great for the non-exercising adults, too. (i.e. me) I mean, really have FUN, while you power everything up with your body, feet, arms, etc. NRTHWND - I so totally agree with you!!! I HATE standard exercise, but even as an aging baby boomer, I LOVE adventurous activities. I can really see a park like Potts taking off among fun-minded adults. PLUS being a perfect way of keeping the body agile. Kick-scooters have caught on very big in the city, and taking mine down hills is a fun way of simulating skiing - my fave sport. Down with gyms! Up with adventure parks! Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatch Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Holy schnikes... what an amazing series of TRs. The one for Walibi probably impressed me the most. Lost Gravity looks amazing, with its ability to combine great airtime elements with inversions, and I like the little SkyRush-esque thing they have goin' on with those trains. Alas, these are great parks that I'll probably never be able to visit, at least for a long time. But hey, it definitely beats shouting into the aether like a bunch of buffoons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 (edited) You can follow our trip LIVE on Twitter: Today was Heide Park. I'm going to rant for a little bit here... I wish I could report that we had an awesome day at this park as we have during several visit in the past. But it was really just "ok" today. The park most certainly seems to be shifting from a really nice family-oriented park to becoming the "Thorpe Park of Germany." First of all, the lack of use of their virtual queue system or any of the single rider lines saying their reasoning was "it's not a busy day" when lines for the major attractions were between 30-90 minutes all day today was just very annoying. Why would you NOT run your upcharge virtual queue system??? It makes the park money!!! The ops were also not amazing. We saw quite a bit of line jumping than in the past. And overall, it was just a day that wasn't without frustration. The park still looks really nice and they have a decent selection of rides, but it really *felt* like a very different park, and I'm not sure I like this new direction. Anyway, onto some photos... So today we visited @HeideParkResort. Beautifully landscaped park with some decent coasters. Rode Krake @HeideParkResort during hotel ERT and it's awesome! Yes it's short but it's a really good Dive Coaster! Love the theming on Krake! The water splash & airtime are great too! I'm all for rides where you get eaten by a sea monster! lol Love this theming! The wait time for Colossos @HeideParkResort is up to 60 minutes. Express & single rider lines closed. WHY???! Virtual queue @HeideParkResort was closed due to "low crowds" but major rides were 30-90 min. Park was packed. Colossos was a bit bumpier but still a great ride! Wish we didn't have to wait 60 min though. Limit was closed today @HeideParkResort. Not that some of us really minded. The "wurst station" is right in front of the SLC! How fitting! lol Line for Desert Race was insane. Shame the virtual queue was closed. I skipped this one. Kristen had fun on the driving school! There not a sign saying you can't go in the water so this is fine, right? Is this basically advertising "come bang your chick in a VW bus an the holiday camp???" They used to advertize the holiday came to families to come and "camp out" and now it seems like they are pushing it like a spring break-like teenage hook-up camp. We checked out the "shaggin wagons" @HeideParkResort holiday camp and it's just a bed in the back of the car! Rent by the hour? lol But seriously, this is a perfect example of the "new direction" the park feels like it's going in. The holiday camp was just filled with young people drinking and partying. It didn't seem "Family friendly" at all. The slides @HeideParkResort are still pretty awesome! The new ride/area @HeideParkResort this year was an existing boat ride re-themed to How to Train Your Dragon. Sarah got her pic with Toothless and these other dudes. Now she has German lice! lol Some views of @HeideParkResort from the sky tower! Now *THAT* is an awesomely themed B&M Dive Machine! OMNOMNOM!!! There's not a sign that says "no climbing on roller coaster" so according to Internet logic we can do it right? The park is very pretty & well landscaped. Again, I wish more US parks looked like this. We rode "Big Loop." We got line jumped by these two kids because the station is a confusing mess. And yes, that a picture showing how the loading gates don't match up with the train. People kept trying to get into wrong seats, etc. It was just a total mess. This is the shortest the Colossos line has been all day. 30 minutes. Why isn't @HeideParkResort using their Q-Bot? [twitter] /status/745345743985086466[/twitter] A few pics of the newish Wing Rider @HeideParkResort. It's on par with all the other B&M Wing Riders. Was an interesting visit to @HeideParkResort. Park seems to be catering less to families than in the past. Not sure I'm a huge fan of this new direction. You can follow our trip LIVE on Twitter: Edited June 23, 2016 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex1337 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 That's just stupid.. Why even have a Q-bot system then? Heide-Park really looks more and more like a one-and-done park, sadly. Still some great themed areas and as you mention, decent rides.. Still really wouldn't bother to go down there anytime soon. Are you heading for Hansa Park and Schwur des Kärnan anytime soon? In that case, enjoy a ride that'll kick your butts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nrthwnd Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 ^^ Sad to read about your not-so-great visit to Heide Park, Robb. I always hoped someday, I'd be able to do a return visit to it, as it was a great experience during past visits. Now, I'm not so sure, with what your reported. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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