flotus Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Hey guys! i am planning a visit to PortAventura on 12th Sept Saturday when there will be a White night. How do the Express tickets work? how long would i wait? I am guessing it will be pretty crowded. What do you think waiting time with an express ticket would be? Maybe you would recommend me to visit it on Sunday 13th Sept, when there will be no White night? Monday the 14th is my last option as my flight back is then (in the evening). when do you recommend me the first-row ride to be? At day or at night? My other question is: are action cameras allowed? with what kind of accessory? I visited Port Aventura a week ago on Friday 30th May (afternoon) and Saturday 31th May White Night. There was no big difference in the waiting times between the two days: Furius Baco: 1:00 - 1:30 Hurracan Condor (drop Tower): 0:50-1:20 (No Express!) Dragon Khan: 0:30-0:50 Shambala: 0:30-1:20 Other Rides incl. Templo de Fuego: 0:30-1:30 I had an Express Premium Gold booked together with the hotel and it was definatly worth it. The price is the same as for normal days, so you get more value out of it on White Night. Waiting time with Express: <5 min. Waiting times were lower in the night: a lot lower for water and smaller rides, somewhat for the big rides. I'd recoomend to visit on the White Night and by an Express ticket. Note that even after midnight it is not really completely dark. There are a lot of lights in the park and from the near industry buildings. And on Shambala there are quite bright lights pointing in your face so that the onride-cameras have something they can film. I've seen several people at Shambala using cameras, including a guy with a stomach camera who didn't seem to got problems using it. Although staff didn't seem to care that much anyway. (Shambala station really needs 2 more op's.) A few people took out cameras / phones on the lifthill. All visitors should be aware that many rides don't open at 10:00. Only Furius Baco, Dragon Khan and 2 water rides open at 10:00. Shambala at 11:00. Others at 12:00. Shambala operates with 2 trains from 11:00 to 12:00 and 3 after 12:00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoinItForTheFame Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 (edited) My other question is: are action cameras allowed? with what kind of accessory? head or stomach? In europa park we had bought one for the head, and they said they would only let us with a one for the stomach... Contact the park for the best advice. Edited August 3, 2014 by DoinItForTheFame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Is this a very busy park in late August? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 ^Probably not, I suppose. Usually parks aren't that busy during that time, but I can't really tell as once I went there in late July and even though I thought it would be packed, it was actually very manageable, with DK no longer than 15 minutes, shambhala 20-30 (or a near walk-on with single rider line) and FB stabilizing at around 30. I got 8 rides on DK and shambhala and 5 on FB (as well as a few other rides) I'm not a local so I can't really tell you for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Going to the park with my family in late August. This will be my son's first rides on Khan, SHambhala and Baco , his first intamin. Has anybody been there recently, I mean in the last couple of weeks ? My question being.... People talked about khan's neutering in the beginning of the season when they used the mcbr rather hard. Is it still the case or can I hope to find my beloved looper the way I have always known her ? So. Braked to death or have they finally realized the coaster runs great the way it has since 95 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDG Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Looked up some videos... March 2014: no braking yet (skip video to 1:23) April 2014: heavy braking One of the most recent videos... July 23, 2014: brakes still in use (skip video to 1:25) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Thanks. I had trièd thé Youtube way myself but really find it hard to judge from the on rides, especially without a properly mounted cam. For those who have ridden it in the past AND recently... Does it feel as disastrous as some have led us to believe ? Does it kill the ride for real ? I loved how the train used to jump on the right after that unused brake... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Projektion Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I rode it just at the start of the season, the only points that get affected are the dive out of the brakes (which is a tad bit slower) and the loop (which now has floater instead of hammering you into your seat). The corkscrews are pretty much still as snappy as they've ever been. As I said a couple of pages ago, the neuter is not ride ruining, it changes the experience of the first 2 elements out of the brakes, but it does not ruin the ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Still...that dive used to be epic in itself: soooo surprising. As for the loop, I sometimes found it a bit too strong on marathoning sessions... Near black out experience on hot Spanish summer days. Let's try to be positive... This change might make repeat riding easier :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Dragon khan still is my favourite ride but while it wasn't ruined, it did lose a bit. I rode it during this year's opening day (so the first day of heavy braking) and this was affected: the dive off the MCBR (if I sat on the right side near the back before I would get some air as the train twisted which I didn't this year); the loop provides a brief moment of zero g now (although it might be cool with the bigger ones I like the small ones to be forceful); the corkscrews are a bit slower but it's during the turn between them that I felt the biggest difference). I just remembered this: do you think the park will do something for their 20th anniversary next year? I know that with the Ferrari expansion coming in 2016 it would be surprising to see something big but I would also find it odd if they didn't do anything. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 It seems both of us share a common soft spot for dear old Khan. Trimming could have been worse if they had placed it sooner in the track. At least the bitchslap roll is unaffected and this is one of my favorite coaster part on the planet. As for next year I'm not sure about a new ride... Probably shows, events, celebrations. But we cannot complain too much because this is one of the rare parks that invests so frequently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 ^Yeah, that's true. At least the kick ass zero g wasn't affected but I'm still a bit annoyed that after running for 19 seasons with little trimming this happened. And yes, we can't complain at all given that the park build shambhala (one of the most expensive coasters made recently) in 2012 and 4 years later they will build another's Europe tallest coaster. Still I was just saying I would normally expect a park to do something special for their 20th anniversary (so I would have expected the Ferrari expansion to come next year) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I've been watching Dragon khan POVs and offride videos since the season started to check how the MCBR has been trimming he speed and it looks like, right now, it's a little better than it was in the beginning of the year. That being said, it's still not what it used to be. As anyone been to the park recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooooobbe Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I've been watching Dragon khan POVs and offride videos since the season started to check how the MCBR has been trimming he speed and it looks like, right now, it's a little better than it was in the beginning of the year. That being said, it's still not what it used to be. As anyone been to the park recently? Im going in about two weeks. It will be my first time so wont be able to compare but I will sure update you with my thoughs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^It's a great ride anyway. It's just that when I first rode it in 2012 you could heard the MCBR but you could barely feel it while this year I did feel and see the train slowing down quite a bit. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Projektion Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^It's a great ride anyway. It's just that when I first rode it in 2012 you could heard the MCBR but you could barely feel it while this year I did feel and see the train slowing down quite a bit. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Before this season, you would swear the mcbr was just turned off all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^Almost. But I still could hear it. It was just a very gentile touch of braking. The biggest problem now is the turn after the second loop, the corkscrews and the turn in the middle. The loop itself was ok as it gave a moment of near weightlessness (I still preferred the forceful fast mode, though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 I am at the resort at the moment, till August 31, actually. Verdict about the mcbr: IMHO , only the drop that follows it, so the one before the second vertical loop is ruined. I remember when I first rode it in 95, it had been THE surprise, coming out of this (non) brake run. It really used to take riders off guard slamming them to the right. This effect has unfortunately gone. It was there in all my pilgrimages to the park, but it's no more. Don't get me wrong, it's still a solid ride. I would say it might make the coaster more easily re rideable for "weaker" people. Hopefully one day they return it to its former glory, it's just a software issue. I wonder if they would use it on a low crowded day, using a one train operation (even if I have never witnessed that) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^In theory they shouldn't have to use it with two trains either. (which was the amount they were running when I went there this year) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Ok, let's say it was just wishful thinking on my part Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^When I explained the situation to a friend of mien who rode it this year with me (including the job of a MCBR) he also asked if they couldn't "turn it off" if they weren't using three trains. I would really like to see it running like it used to, But if as someone here said, they got new sensors and so on for the ride this year and so I wonder if this is a change forever. By the way, how are the operations? They were terrible for opening day, I'm expecting them to be much better now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Well, being at the El Paso, and for quite a long duration (ten days with the family) , I have the express pass, so I haven't really " enjoyed " long lines, since most of the time, coasters are a walk on with it. Haven't noticed any stagging on the first three days, but admittedly, I go and ride the coasters at night with my son while the girlies go back to the hotel (my girlfriend hates coasters and my daughter is only six) . Only thing that is obvious is once again the temperamental aspect of Baco... But what do you expect with intamin launches... It hasnt improved much since opening year, it is down several hours a day, and when it is not, continues to torture edge seat riders as ever... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^Wow 10 days Returning to Khan, I wonder how "aware" the park is of this. I assume they did notice the difference and I'm curious about what they think: will they do something about it (if they can at all)? (I guess not..... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Khan Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Petition, anyone ? Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcjp Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 ^Haha! I'd sign it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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