Photo TR's: JordyC's Theme Park Adventures

[JordyC]

Parque de Atracciones de Madrid - April 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

April 6th and 7th 2018, I went to Madrid, Spain for my first ever time to Parque de Atracciones de Madrid and Parque Warner Madrid. I spent the first day in Parque de Atracciones and the second day in Parque Warner.

 

On April 6th, I visited Parque de Atracciones de Madrid. Much like Tivoli Gardens and Liseberg, Parque de Atracciones is a city park. It is not as centrally located as Tivoli or Liseberg, but still close enough to the city to be considered as one. From my hotel, it was only a 20-minute ride with the Madrid Metro to the park, which drops you off a few hundred meters before the entrance. Because the park is owned by Parques Reunidos, I had free entrance with my annual pass from Bobbejaanland.

 

I always try to keep my expectations as low as possible to avoid disappointment, especially since this park is owned by a company that is known for running not-so-great parks. And guess what, it was just as I expected it to be. It didn't blow me away, but it was a nice, relaxing amusement park. Note how I said amusement park though, not theme park. Granted, some rides and areas are fairly well themed, but other rides have absolutely no theming. And if you have read my previous trip reports, you know how much I love theming and the overall experience. That is something this park is definitely missing. They do have the potential to be a great park, though. They just need an excellent coaster, because their current coasters are just okay - nothing mind blowing. It is not like they don't know how to theme their rides, because the Nickelodeon Land area looked great, just like their Mine Train Coaster. Don't get me wrong, I did have a great time at this park! They have some good, fun rides. Also, the back of the park is very relaxing.

 

The weather forecast for the day was pretty bad with lightning storms and rain. While it did rain the first part of the day (it was just a light drizzle), the second half of the day was mostly dry. This resulted in very low crowds, and thus also in low queue times. Most of the rides were at most a 10 minute wait, except for their Wild Mouse coaster Vértigo, which had a 30 minute line all day.

 

Welcome to Parque de Atracciones de Madrid!

As soon as you enter the park, you are greeted by the park's massive star flyer.

You get some great views from the entrance plaza.

The park is full with all kind of games you can play! Also, there are a lot of Hidden Mickey's in this photo..

La Selva is the park's 4D Cinema. It is okay, I guess. I am not a big fan of these kind of rides.

Next up was La Jungla!

La Jungla is a boat ride through the green heart of the jungle.

I thought it had some pretty good theming, although is would have been better if there were some moving animatronics.

Who doesn't like a relaxing boat ride through the jungle?

They also have a The Walking Dead Experience. It only ran on selected times and was an upcharge. I am also not a massive fan of the Walking Dead, so I didn't bother with this one.

Seems like this guy has been trapped in the car for a very long time.

The park's Star Flyer provided some awesome views of the surrounding area.

Time to explore Nickelodeon Land!

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Anyone down for some jellyfishing?

 

Padrinos Voladores (1.5/10)

Credit whore or not, I enjoyed this little coaster. And it had some cute theming!

 

Next up was the Fairly OddParents coaster.

These sharp turns were actually pretty fun. I am a big kid, I know.

Like I said, this area is very well themed.

Are you ready to explore?

Keep your eyes on the road, please. Thank you.

Some more Nickelodeon themed rides.

It is a fantastic area for the kids!

This little coaster was sadly closed, but it looks great!

 

TNT Tren de la Mina (6/10)

This coaster was a surprise hit! It is very smooth, and it has a really good pacing through the entire ride, without being too intense. There are also a few good pops of airtime. On top of that, TNT Tren de la Mina actually has some pretty good theming. It is definitely one of my favorite family coasters.

 

TNT Tren de la Mina has a massive entrance.

It is an excellent family coaster that has some nice floater airtime here and there.

On top of that, it has some good theming and a couple of head choppers.

 

Vértigo (4/10)

It is just your standard Mack Wild Mouse. Nothing special to say about it, except the fact that this was the left side of Bobbejaanland's Speedy Bob. It is a great coaster for the whole family, though.

 

Ever wondered what happened to the left side of Bobbejaanland's Speedy Bob? Well, here it is!

These rides are lots of fun for the whole family.

It did have the longest wait of all the rides, though. But 30 minutes isn't that bad, either.

It still rides the same as when it used to be Speedy Bob.

I love little areas like this!

The Rapids were closed for the entire day, but is was testing.

Every Spanish park has some fantastic water rides, and Parque de Atracciones is no exception.

You will get absolutely soaked on this ride!

Despite the rainy weather, a lot of people were riding Los Fiordos. And since I live in Belgium, where the weather is 90% of the time rainy, the weather didn't stop me from riding it!

These Intamin Drop Towers are always a lot of fun! Not the best one I have done, though.

The park is also home to a Huss Top Spin, ..

.. and a Huss Frisbee!

 

Abismo (7/10)

Abismo is clearly the best coaster in the park. Besides the fact that it is a very unique ride, it is also a very fun ride. The ride starts with taking you to the top of its massive 46-meter (150 ft) tall tower, vertical! On a normal coaster, when you reach the top your direction is changed to the normal position. Not with Abismo! It takes you upside-down, which gives some awesome hangtime! Next, you twist through the Sky Loop-element before plummeting straight down. With the standard SkyLoop coasters, this would be the end of the ride. But what if I told you Abismo is special? It has an extended layout with some tight turns and great airtime! The ride was also very smooth and had some pretty good forces. The only negatives I can say about Abismo is that a) it has no theming, and b) the restraints crushed my thighs every single time we were at the bottom of the first drop. Despite all that, I think this a really great coaster that I enjoyed very much!

 

Next up was Abismo.

The ride takes you to the top of its massive vertical lift hill.

After which it will drop you straight down!

Abismo has got an extended layout with some tight turns and very good airtime.

The only big point of criticism I have is that the restraints weren't that comfortable for me.

You can get real close and personal with Abismo.

It really is the star attraction of this park.

Rising towards the sun, somewhere behind the clouds..

Who doesn't like some great hangtime?

Threatening clouds, but that doesn't stop Abismo.

You will get some very good ejector airtime here!

 

Tarántula (6/10)

I am not a massive fan of spinning coasters, but I really enjoyed Tarántula. It is one of the longest spinning coasters I have done. It doesn't really have a special or unique element like for example Winja's has, but it doesn't need that. This ride just keeps going and going. It is definitely one of my favorite spinning coasters.

 

Tarántula is the park's spinning coaster.

Normally I am not a big fan of these kind of rides, but Tarántula was very enjoyable.

The ride just keeps going and going.

Hands up if you love Tarántula!

Next to Tarántula, there is this little interactive shooting dark ride. It just goes around in one big circle and it is very dark inside.

And suddenly, we are in Paris.

There is also a Disk'O called Tifon.

 

Tornado (5.5/10)

Tornado was probably the biggest disappointment of this park. I was really looking forward to finally riding an Intamin Inverted coaster, but I didn't enjoy it as much I would have liked. The two loopings had some good forces, and the corkscrew had a good snap to it. But that's pretty much it, the rest of the ride is pretty forgettable and forceless. Also, Tornado is not a smooth coaster. It gave me a few moments of headbanging in the turns and the helix at the end. And again, this ride has no theming.

 

Tornado was my first Intamin Inverted Coaster, and let's just say that it was not what I was expecting from it.

Tornado climbing its lift hill.

The two loopings had some good positive G's.

But the rest of the ride isn't that good.

It is definitely not the smoothest coaster in the turns and the helix.

Lots of steel for Tornado's loop!

Some random people enjoying (??) their ride on Tornado.

 

So overall, I had a fairly great time at this park. The highlight of the day was clearly Abismo. There are a lot of other good rides, but like I said before they really need a standout attration, like a major coaster or a large scale dark ride. So, is it the best park I have ever visited? No, not by a long way. But it also isn't the worst park I have visited, by far. Would I visit this park again? Well, I would not come to Madrid solely for this park. But if I am in the area? Sure, why not? Although I would much rather spend my time at the superior park a bit more south of Madrid.

 

Thanks for reading!

[larrygator]

Thanks for a recent PTR from this park. You are right, they certainly need a new coaster. When TPR visited over 10 years ago the Sky Loop (Abismo) was a new experience and Tarantula was one of the earlier spinners. The kids rides look very nice and it sounds like the water rides are still running well.

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

Wonderful report, and such amazing pictures! That park looks so much fun!

[JordyC]

Thanks for a recent Photo TR from this park. You are right, they certainly need a new coaster. When TPR visited over 10 years ago the Sky Loop (Abismo) was a new experience and Tarantula was one of the earlier spinners. The kids rides look very nice and it sounds like the water rides are still running well.

 

You're welcome. As much as I enjoyed Abismo and Tarantula, they are just "filler" coasters, if that makes sense. Nickelodeon Land looked great, I was amazed at how big this area was - it is about 1/4 of the entire park!

 

Wonderful report, and such amazing pictures! That park looks so much fun!

 

Thanks! It really was a lot of fun.

[Canobie Coaster]

Great report!

 

Abismo really does intrigue me. The lone Skyloop I rode at Skyline was a ton of fun until that stupid vertical lift holding brake caused the restraints to give me a gut punch. By having a full layout, it looks like that painful moment is eliminated and replaced with airtime.

 

Bummer on Tornado. I was always intrigued by those traditional Intamin inverts since Volcano tracks so well.

[JordyC]

Great report!

 

Abismo really does intrigue me. The lone Skyloop I rode at Skyline was a ton of fun until that stupid vertical lift holding brake caused the restraints to give me a gut punch. By having a full layout, it looks like that painful moment is eliminated and replaced with airtime.

 

Bummer on Tornado. I was always intrigued by those traditional Intamin inverts since Volcano tracks so well.

 

Thanks!

 

The restraints on Abismo aren't the most comfortable out there. They are very bulky, and really pressed down on me at the bottom of the drop. But the extended layout more than made up for this!

 

I was expecting that Tornado would be a good coaster, but it did not live up to my expectations, at all. Luckily the first part of the ride has some good forces to it, but after the second looping things get real bad real fast.

[indyv]

Great report! Thanks for sharing!

[JordyC]

Great report! Thanks for sharing!

 

Thank you! I love sharing my trips with all of TPR, so I am glad you are enjoying them.

[CatraBiNAS]

nice report..

 

I love this park.. was my first park.. and I love abismo...

 

waiting to read the warner review .. and I hope you got a ride on stunt fall.. its closed all time..

[JordyC]

nice report..

 

I love this park.. was my first park.. and I love abismo...

 

waiting to read the warner review .. and I hope you got a ride on stunt fall.. its closed all time..

 

Thanks! It's a great park, and Abismo was a lot of fun.

 

My report from Parque Warner is coming soon. Spoiler alert: I did ride Stunt Fall multiple times, and it was awesome!

[Ed Farmer]

Grabbing a ride or two on a traditional Intamin Invert is on my list of things to do- sorry to hear that Tornado underwhelmed you.

[JordyC]

Grabbing a ride or two on a traditional Intamin Invert is on my list of things to do- sorry to hear that Tornado underwhelmed you.

 

Tornado was also on my to-do list, because it is a very unique ride. So I was really looking forward to riding my first Intamin inverted coaster, but I just couldn't help it to feel disappointed. If the ride was actually smooth, I would have rated it a lot higher, though.

[thrillseeker4552]

Great report! I'm very curious as to why Tornado's loop(s) are so overly supported like that.

[JordyC]

Great report! I'm very curious as to why Tornado's loop(s) are so overly supported like that.

 

Thanks!

 

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. And what makes it even more curious is that the other Intamin SLC in Finland, also called Tornado, only has a couple of simple supports for its loop. It did open two years later though.

 

Source: RCDB

[rcjp]

Grabbing a ride or two on a traditional Intamin Invert is on my list of things to do- sorry to hear that Tornado underwhelmed you.

 

Tornado was also on my to-do list, because it is a very unique ride. So I was really looking forward to riding my first Intamin inverted coaster, but I just couldn't help it to feel disappointed. If the ride was actually smooth, I would have rated it a lot higher, though.

 

I was also looking forward to riding it but it was pretty much as I expected (which was nothing special). The one at sarkanniemi looks more interesting.

 

But nice report! Overall I agree with you on the park, it's pretty fun but not the best one in the area and could use a little more attention.

I actually found abismo's restraints fairly comfortable although they are quite restrictive for lap bars. I thought they held me in the hangtime part without discomfort even though I prefer, lets say.. mack's lap bars.

[JordyC]

I was also looking forward to riding it but it was pretty much as I expected (which was nothing special). The one at sarkanniemi looks more interesting.

 

Maybe my expectations were a bit too high, but that wouldn't have changed my opinion about it. I agree that the one in Finland looks much better!

 

But nice report! Overall I agree with you on the park, it's pretty fun but not the best one in the area and could use a little more attention.

I actually found abismo's restraints fairly comfortable although they are quite restrictive for lap bars. I thought they held me in the hangtime part without discomfort even though I prefer, lets say.. mack's lap bars.

 

Thanks!

 

The problem I had with the restraints is that they tightened up very hard at the bottom of the first drop. The hangtime - before the restraints crushed my thighs - was excellent. I have ridden Formule X at Drievliet which has the same restraints, and I had no problem at all on that ride. So I don't know what caused it..

[rcjp]

^Yes they do get tighter. I've noticed many do this nowadays (probably because of the increasing use of hydraulic systems) so I guess it's quite inevitable (especially if the ride has decent forces). For me it comes down to how comfortable they are. If they are super comfy they can get pretty tight without bothering a lot, if not it might become painful. For example, these ones and the restraints on mack rides (like bluefire) do get pretty tight but I was okay with that because I felt fairly comfortable while on skyrush, for example, I feel they were poorly designed and hurt me quite a lot (especially during airtime moments) but even on the brake run.

 

What I mean is that, apparently, it is hard to avoid the tightening of some restrains so it comes down to how ergonomic they are.

[JordyC]

^I agree. The restraints on Helix, Alpina Blitz, Blue Fire and Kärnan also get tighter during the ride, but I have absolutely no problem with them whatsoever. On the other hand, Abismo's restraints are a lot more "bulky", so I guess that might be the issue.

[JordyC]

Parque Warner Madrid - April 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

On April 6th and 7th 2018, I went to Madrid, Spain for my first ever time to Parque de Atracciones de Madrid and Parque Warner Madrid. I spent my first day in Parque de Atracciones and my second day in Parque Warner.

 

On April 7th, I visited Parque Warner Madrid. The park is not as centrally located as Parque de Atracciones, so it can be a real headache to get to this place with public transport. The journey from my hotel in the city centre to the park's entrance took about 90 minutes, taking the Madrid Metro, a train to Pinto and then the bus to Parque Warner. Just like Parque de Atracciones, Parque Warner is owned by Parques Reunidos, giving me free entrance with my annual pass from Bobbejaanland.

 

I heard some fairly good reviews from this park, but I always try to keep my expectations as low as possible, to avoid disappointment. But this park is much better than I expected it to be. Most of the rides and areas are well themed, and I really loved the atmosphere in the park. I wouldn't say that it is one my all-time favorite parks, but it definitely is in my top 10. Of course, the main reason for visiting this park is Superman, the B&M Floorless coaster. It is clearly the best ride in the park, but Parque Warner has much more to offer: they are home to one of the best stuntshows I have ever seen, one of my new favorite water rides and on top of that they have a very solid coaster lineup.

 

Much like the day before, the weather forecast for the day was pretty bad with lots of rain. While it did rain a lot the first part of the day, the second half of the day was a lot dryer. I bought the Fast Pass (which is only 30 euros), because it seemed to be very busy. But somehow the park was very empty and most people were in the kids area. I was very surprised, but did not complain at all. The major thrill rides had at most a 15-minute wait, except for their Giant Inverted Boomerang coaster Stunt Fall which had a 30-minute line all day. Their interactive dark ride Scooby-Doo probably had the longest line in the entire park, topping out at 50 minutes. Most of the other rides had at most a 5-minute queue. With my Fast Pass, I had a walk-on on every single ride.

 

Welcome to Parque Warner Madrid!

This fountain welcomes you in the park. It also gives you an idea of how wet this day would be.

What an impressive view when you enter the park.

Let us start in the Cartoon Village.

La Aventura de Scooby-Doo is the park's interactive dark ride. I liked it, but it was nothing too special. It was kind of scary for the kids though, because I saw many little children leave the ride with tears in their eyes.

I love random bits of theming like this.

This way to the Bugs Bunny meet-and-greet.

 

Correcaminos Bip, Bip (6/10)

Now this coaster was a surprise hit. The airtime and the forces were very good for a family coaster. Of course, this Mack Youngstar coaster was also very smooth. Probably one of the weakest themed coasters in the park, though. But still a great ride.

 

Next up was Correcaminos Bip, Bip, which is Spanish voor Road Runner.

Wile E. Coyote climbing the lift hill.

The ride had some good theming, but was one of the weaker themed coasters at the park.

It is a great family coaster that has some good airtime and some pretty decent forces.

I really liked the trains.

I prefer Pegasus at Europa-Park over this one, but it is still one of the better family coasters out there.

Even the Flintstones have their own ride at Parque Warner.

I think that someone won't pass his driving test today.

Some more Cartoon themed rides.

It really is a lovely area for the kids.

I was really looking forward to riding their rapids, after so many great reviews from it.

But unfortunately, just like the rapids at Parque de Atracciones, this one was closed. #SadDays.

Time to enter the park of the Looney Tunes.

All of the rides are very nicely themed.

 

Tom y Jerry (2.5/10)

It is just your standard Zierer Tivoli coaster. Although, this one had some good theming.

 

Time to ride Tom & Jerry!

You won't get thirsty riding this coaster, because there is plenty of orange juice.

The coaster itself is nothing special, but it has the theming.

Next, we'll head off to the Wild West Territory.

It probably is my favorite themed area at the park.

This train might have some delay.

Next up was Rio Bravo, in the pouring rain.

I won't spoil it for anyone here, but Rio Bravo has some very unique elements that I did not expect at all. Seriously, I almost sh*t my pants! Also, the ride is very well themed. It is my second favorite log flume, after Chiapas at Phantasialand.

Parque warner is home to lots of flat rides.

 

Coaster Express was closed, because they were retracking a large part of the ride's layout. So I wasn't able to ride this infamous wooden coaster, but I don't really know whether I should be happy about that or not..??

 

The least you can say is that Coaster Express is a very big wooden coaster.

You can see the removed track on the turn.

It was time for our next water ride -- Cataratas Salvajes.

Like every water ride in a Spanish park, you will get absolutely soaked on this one.

Those are some crazy people riding a water ride in the rain!

I was on the next boat..

Gotham City was next.

I love areas like this.

They also have a wave swinger, themed to Mr. Freeze.

It is time for the park's massive 115 meter (377 ft) tall drop tower. And there are three of it!

It wasn't anything special, not that much airtime. But you get some awesome views from up there.

 

Batman: Arkham Asylum (8/10)

This was my first Batman-clone from B&M. There may be a lot of them in the USA, but they are much harder to find in Europe. After my first ride in the front, I was blown away with how intense this coaster is. It just tries to rip your face off in every possible way! And that was before I tried the back... Also, Batman is a very smooth ride. Definitely the smoothest coaster in the park. The theming was once again very nicely done. I would consider Batman as one of of my favorite Inverts, just behind Black Mamba and OzIris.

 

Next, it was time to ride Batman.

It was my first Batman-clone, but I'd much rather have these than some of the other clones out there.

Batman through the trees.

Not only the outside of the coaster is very well themed, but the indoor queue as well.

Anyone for an intensive treatment?

Batman has got his own private parking space. I guess that is the least you deserve when you are a superhero, right?

This is the start of a lot of positive G's.

Seriously, this is one of the most intense coasters I have done.

The park is also home to a Top Spin, the Invertatron.

Just hanging around.

 

Superman / la Atracción de Acero (8.5/10)

Superman is clearly the best coaster in the park. It is a very intense ride and the fact that it is a floorless coaster makes it even better. Unlike most non-Hypers from B&M, Superman has a straight first drop, resulting in some great airtime. After the drop, you enter multiple forceful inversions, which includes one of the best zero-G rolls I have done. Instead of a MCBR, Superman has a massive airtime hill that gives some great floater airtime. To end the ride, you have some very snappy interlocking corkscrews followed by a double helix. I liked the ride more in the front, because of the airtime you get on the airtime hill, but it is more intense in the back. The ride was a bit shaky near the end, but nothing too bad to distract from the ride experience. Also, the theming is great. I really liked the fact that you have to walk through the offices from the Daily Planet to get to the queue. Overall, it is a fantastic coaster that I would rank just outside my top 10.

 

Sorry for the lack of photos from Superman. But it is almost impossible to take pictures of the ride, because most of the ride is located outside of the park.

 

Who's ready for a ride on the Man of Steel?

This is the start of a well themed queue line.

This ride doesn't only have inversions and intensity to offer, it also has a massive airtime hill.

It really is the star attraction of this park.

Parque Warner is also home to a Mad House. i always enjoy this kind of rides.

You can even go on a California Tour at Parque Warner.

All of the buildings looked really nice.

You can get some stunning views.

I randomly bumped into a street act, where they showed off their dance skills.

They were dancing on some classic 90's songs that everyone knows.

I really like these kind of acts, and they all did a fantastic job!

It was time to watch the park's stunt show.

The show is kind of similar to the Moteurs Action Stunt Show at Disneyland Paris. Unlike the Paris version, this one was action packed from start to finish. And there were some very funny moments where everybody laughed out loud. I wasn't expecting to like this show as much as I did, but it ended up being one of the best shows I have seen.

Oso Yogui, the Splash Battle of the park.

It surely looks nice, and I bet tonnes of people would be riding this in the Spanish heat (so not today).

 

Stunt Fall (7/10)

After experiencing many standard Vekoma Boomerangs, this was my first Giant Inverted Boomerang. I really did not know what to expect from it. Normally, I am fine when I ride a new coaster for the first time, but when I saw the train flying through the station I started to feel a bit nervous. After I boarded the train in the front seat for the first time, hanging face down on the vertical tower surely didn't help either. But oh man, what is this ride awesome! The vertical drop provided some excellent weightlessness all the way down, both forwards and backward. The ride is very forceful and all the inversions had some very good positive G's. Surprisingly, Stunt Fall was pretty smooth, despite some jolts in the cobra roll. The one negative about this ride is that it barely has any theming, and if you have read my previous trip reports, you know how much I love theming. But overall, Stunt Fall is an excellent ride that was a lot better than I was expecting it to be.

 

Stunt Fall was my first Giant Inverted Boomerang. Unlike the standard ones, I really liked it!

It has some very good G's and was pretty smooth.

This is about all the theming you get -- Not much.

You can get real close and personal with Stunt Fall.

Going forwards or backwards? I guess we'll never know.

Roller coaster heart.

Stunt Fall is an awesome ride that was much better than I would have had imagined.

 

So overall, I had an amazing time at this park, despite the bad weather. The highlight of the day was clearly Superman, followed by Batman and the stuntshow Police Academy. Out of the two parks I visited this trip, Parque Warner was clearly my favorite one. It is a park that I would definitely want to visit again.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited April 21, 2018 by JordyC

[rcjp]

Great report! It's a shame the weather wasn't great but at least it looks like you had a good time. Batman and superman were my first "big" looping coasters so that park is kind of special for me (also because it is the nearest from me haha). I've noticed superman has become slightly rough in some parts but I also agree it is no big deal, batman always amazes me with its smoothness. Don't be sad you missed coaster express unless it was for the credit. It really has nothing good and I don't think retracking will save it as the layout is just boring (even if it were silky smooth it wouldn't be a great deal). I had expectations we could in the not so distant future see something like a RMC conversion (it does have quite a bit of potential) so I'm not so happy with this retracking

[Alice Kane]

Outstanding report and fun photos! Thanks for sharing your adventures in these parks. I wasn't very familiar with them and loved being able to enjoy a 'new' theme park experience! (Even without my umbrella.)

 

Alice

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

I JUST LOVE IT ALL! So many wonderful attractions! Sorry about the rain, but I'm sure that didn't stop the fun!

[CoasterHero]

I loved Parque Warner, Batman and Superman are two awesome coasters. Stuntfall did not impressed me that much, great TR!

[JordyC]

Great report! It's a shame the weather wasn't great but at least it looks like you had a good time. Batman and superman were my first "big" looping coasters so that park is kind of special for me (also because it is the nearest from me haha). I've noticed superman has become slightly rough in some parts but I also agree it is no big deal, batman always amazes me with its smoothness. Don't be sad you missed coaster express unless it was for the credit. It really has nothing good and I don't think retracking will save it as the layout is just boring (even if it were silky smooth it wouldn't be a great deal). I had expectations we could in the not so distant future see something like a RMC conversion (it does have quite a bit of potential) so I'm not so happy with this retracking

 

Thanks! Despite the bad weather, I still had an amazing time. A poncho can do wonders!

 

I heard lots of not-so-great reviews from Coaster Express, but I wanted to try it myself and see if it really was that bad. Also, I was surprised of how massive this ride is. So I am sure this would be one hell of an RMC, if the conversion ever happens. But I agree that with the park retracking a large portion of the coaster, we probably won't see a conversion any time soon.

 

Outstanding report and fun photos! Thanks for sharing your adventures in these parks. I wasn't very familiar with them and loved being able to enjoy a 'new' theme park experience! (Even without my umbrella.)

 

Thanks! I love to share my adventures from all these parks, so I am glad you enjoyed it (even when you're dry at home).

 

I JUST LOVE IT ALL! So many wonderful attractions! Sorry about the rain, but I'm sure that didn't stop the fun!

 

Thank you! Parque Warner surely has a lot of great rides that I really enjoyed.

 

I loved Parque Warner, Batman and Superman are two awesome coasters. Stuntfall did not impressed me that much, great TR!

 

Thanks! I was expecting Superman and Batman to be two fantastic coasters, but I was really surprised with how much I liked Stunt Fall. It is definitely not up there with the two B&M's, but it still is an awesome ride.

[JordyC]

Walibi Belgium (Tiki-Waka) - May 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

On May 4th 2018, I went to Walibi Belgium to check out their new-for-2018 coaster Tiki-Waka, along with the general updates around the park. Tiki-Waka is located in Exotic World, a new themed area. This is one of the first phases in a multi-year plan that will completely change the look of this park. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much of the new area. I thought there would have been just a subtle exotic theming, but I was pleasantly surprised. The whole area has a very nice atmosphere and Tiki-Waka fits in perfectly. Most of all, I was impressed with how awesome the station, the queue line and the trains looked. If Exotic World and Tiki-Waka are the new standards for this park, then I am even more excited for the coming years! Walibi Belgium has always been an "okay" park for me, but if they start adding good theming and creating an atmosphere that fits the area, like they have done with Exotic World and Pulsar a few years ago, then Walibi has a very good chance of becoming an excellent park in my books.

 

The weather that day was absolutely perfect, but crowds were still manageable. Of course, Tiki-Waka had the longest line in the park, topping out at 40 minutes. All the other rides were at most a station wait.

 

Welcome to Walibi Belgium!

The park's mascot welcomes you in the park.

The park's carousel is the first thing you see when you enter the park.

 

Vampire (4/10)

Vampire is the park's Vekoma SLC. I always thought that the layout of these SLC's are pretty good, but it is the head banging that makes this ride so horrible. It is not the worst SLC I have done (thanks, El Condor), so I'll give it that. There are some pretty good forces, but it is hard to enjoy when you have to hold on for your life. On the plus side, it has a bit of theming, although it is very minimal.

 

Let's start our day with a ride on Vampire. It will surely wake you up.

This is probably the smoothest part of the ride, not counting the lift hill.

There are some good positive G's during the ride, but because you are holding on for your life, it is almost impossible to enjoy them.

Just rollin' around on Vampire.

It does have a fairly good layout, it is just poorly executed.

Some of the transitions are just terrible.

Anyone for a ride on the antique cars?

Walibi Belgium is also home to a wave swinger.

 

Loup-Garou (5/10)

Loup-Garou was still as bad as I remembered. The train is literally shuffling around the track, especially in the corners. It is not as bad as the other Vekoma woodie I have done, but that one is getting the RMC treatment next year, so... Despite all that, the ride has a fairly good first drop and some surprisingly good airtime. Most of it is strong floater air, but you definitely get some ejector near the end of the ride. Also, this ride has no theming whatsoever.

 

Next up, it is time for Loup-Garou.

It starts with a gentle journey upwards the lift hill, but don't be mistaken. It is the calm before the storm.

The ride has a few good moments of airtime, even some ejector near the end.

 

Pulsar (6.5/10)

Pulsar is probably my second favourite ride at the park. The ride starts nice and slow with the first launch backwards. On the vertical spike you get some unexpected airtime. Then you are peacefully going forwards, until you hit the second launch over the airtime hill. Yes, you read that right. You are launched over an airtime hill - ejector all the way! Next you are travelling up the other vertical spike, which had a bit of airtime. When you hit the third launch, the airtime on the hill is even better. You travel up the vertical spike for one last time. At the top, you got some fantastic views and a great feeling of zero-G on the way down. Then comes the moment when you will get absolutely soaked. Seriously, Pulsar will make you wet. The trains did have a bit of a rattle though, but nothing too bad to distract from the ride experience. Also, Pulsar is well themed. The queue line looks fantastic, with some very good special effects in it.

 

It is time to get soaked on Pulsar.

I really like the station of Pulsar.

Did I already mention that you will get absolutely soaked on this ride?

The airtime gets better with every time you pass this hill.

No matter where you sit, you will get wet. But the outer back seats are on a whole other level.

The boats of Pulsar are massive, though.

The station turntable is such a clever idea.

Completely vertical.

Those people are still dry, but not for very long.

See? That is what I said.

It still is one of my favourite rides at the park.

Who doesn't like a ride on the bumper cars?

The park is also home to a Top Spin, called Buzzsaw.

Don't go chasing waterfalls, I mean fountains.

Next up, it is time for a ride on the park's drop tower - Dalton Terror.

It is tall, but that is pretty much it. Not much force to it.

 

Calamity Mine (6.5/10)

Mine train coasters are always a lot of fun, and Calamity Mine is no different. There are a few good pops of airtime, and some excellent head choppers. Calamity Mine is probably the best themed coaster at the park, I just love Wild West theming. Of course, I prefer Big Thunder Mountain, no doubt, but it is a toss up between this one and Colorado Adventure at Phantasialand.

 

Calamity Mine is the park's mine train coaster.

It is clearly the best themed coaster in the park.

It even has this cool water effect.

The ride has some very nice pops of airtime.

My favourite moment is when you dive in the tunnel under the lift hill - a good head chopper and great airtime.

 

Tiki-Waka (6.5/10)

Tiki-Waka is my new favourite ride at the park. The coaster itself is a lot of fun, but what really makes this ride is the theming and atmosphere around Tiki-Waka. You will start your journey with a left turn out of the station, after which you will climb the awkwardly silent lift hill. The first drop is unlike most coasters out there, because it isn't the biggest drop of the ride and it has some funky curves to it. Surprisingly, you get some nice airtime on the drop. Next, you hit the first of many MCBR's, but they barely slow the trains down. What follows is a variation of sharp turns and hills with very good floater airtime. The bunny hops near the end of the ride even provide some ejector in the back. To end the ride, you get some good forces on the helix over the water. Also, the trains are very comfortable. In the front, you can literally stretch your legs. Overall, Tiki-Waka is a very solid coaster and a fantastic addition to this park.

 

Welcome to Exotic World - the newest area of the park.

Exotic World is home the new-for-2018 Tiki-Waka.

I really like the station of this ride. Also, the red and yellow balls in front of the station light up when a train is dispatched.

Tiki-Waka's trains are gorgeous.

Like most coasters, the ride starts with taking you to the top of its lift hill.

The first drop has some funky curves to it, while still providing airtime.

Exotic World and Tiki-Waka are a fantastic addition for Walibi Belgium.

Are you ready for some twisted airtime?

As the ride continues, the airtime gets more stronger.

There are also lots of great head choppers during the ride.

It really is a twisted mess of track.

Sadly, the slide along with the play trail weren't open yet.

The trains are very comfy, you even can stretch your legs in the front.

Ready for some airtime?

Two train shot for y'all.

It seems like they are really enjoying it.

Even the maintenance building is themed.

Tiki-Waka is a really fun ride, and the overall experience makes it even better.

The ride is full with sharp turns and airtime.

I really love the theming and atmosphere around Tiki-Waka.

Exotic World is also home to the Tiki Fruit Bar.

Older rides got re-themed to fit in with the new area.

This interactive and trackless dark ride is really underrated, in my opinion. It is one of the better dark rides I have done. It has excellent theming and an unpredictable ending. A bit of themed music during the ride would improve this ride even more.

Next, it was time to ride the park's dark ride - Challenge of Tutankhamon.

 

Psyké Underground (6/10)

Psyké Underground is the park's indoor Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop - Yes, indoor! The ride starts with a gentle LIM launch, not the most intense out there. But the part that follows, the vertical loop, is crazy intense, both forwards and backwards. And it is even more crazy when you don't know what is up and what is down, because it is pitch black inside. The one major negative is that the ride is way too short, it is over in a couple of seconds. Psyké Underground is also a very smooth ride for its age. The theming is fairly good, and it even has a little pre-show.

 

It is time for the park's only indoor coaster - Psyké Underground.

Because it is all indoors and you can't see a thing during the vertical loop, it is a very disorientating coaster.

It might be a classic coaster, but it still packs a punch.

Anyone for a ride on the park's log flume?

It is a 3-drop special this one, one of them backwards.

Walibi Playland, the kiddie area of the park.

Who doesn't like a ride on the park's rapids when the sun is shining?

Don't go into the tunnel!

The ride itself is okay. It looks nice, but you won't get that wet.

 

Cobra (4/10)

Cobra is the park's Vekoma Boomerang. What good things can I say about it? Okay, it is intense. That is pretty much it, to be honest. The ride has absolutely no theming, it will give you a headache if you don't brace yourself, and it is a boomerang. 'Nuff said.

 

Nothing special here, just another Boomerang.

I really like the concept of these rides, but just like the SLC's, it are torture devices.

Cobra taking the cobra roll.

You can get some great views across the lake in the middle of the park.

 

Overall, I had a great time at Walibi Belgium. I really enjoyed the new themed area and Tiki-Waka, an excellent family ride. With the addition of Pulsar in 2016, the park made a 180 degree turn and I really like this new route they are going. It really is a park to keep your eyes on in the near future!

 

Thanks for reading!