The Biberburg of Familypark

Since 2019, Austria’s largest amusement park has been part of the French amusement park group Compagnie des Alpes, which operates the Walibi amusement parks and Parc Astérix, among others. While it is a shame when a family-run amusement park is bought out, on the other hand, this can create completely different opportunities that ultimately benefit the park. Especially with regard to the investment-friendly Compagnie des Alpes, we can look forward to numerous new attractions.

Almjodler

One of the last investments before the takeover was the double family freefall tower Almjodler made by Zierer. The two freefall towers are interestingly located right next to the Verrückte Vogelscheuche, creating a fun little corner of family-friendly vertical rides, with all rides being equally popular.

Der durchgedrehte Wirbelsturm

Also from Zierer, the Kontiki Der durchgedrehte Wirbelsturm moved into the park in 2019. This is a rotating swing on rails that causes a lot of excitement – especially for the smaller guests of the family park.

Stellarium

Like hardly any other ride before it, the Zamperla NebulaZ is taking the theme park world by storm, including the Familypark in 2021. The visually stunning ride offers a wild ride that is, however, very family-friendly.

Biberburg

Intamin’s Biberburg log flume is the biggest ever attraction in the park’s history. Instead of being built somewhere on the edge of the park, the ride is located in the middle of the theme park’s farm area and therefore looks as if the ride, which opened in 2022, had always been there. The log flume is equipped with all kinds of technical gimmicks. For example, there is a clever switch track that allows you to gently enter or exit without a noticeable jolt, and a vertical lift that takes passengers up to a height of 17 metres.

The ride in the spacious boats begins immediately with a short shot into the cool water. Well moistened, we then enter the Biberburg Zentrale, where a small dark ride section awaits us. Back in daylight, we bob along the canal for a while and enjoy the view of the upcoming journey before we enter a sawmill. However, instead of being reduced to rubble, we quickly leave the mill in reverse and immediately descend the second shot.  After a few bends, the path leads us below the last shot, where the vertical lift is waiting for us. Having reached the starting height of 17m, we race down the big drop and immediately over a hill, which leads us into the final water pool. Well soaked, the return to the station follows.

The Biberburg is a really nice log flume ride. The integration into the existing themed area and the clever use of the terrain speak for themselves. Despite the three drops, the ride’s level of wetness is manageable. Unfortunately, the final hill lacks a bit of airtime; a slight lift-off on the hill would have made this really good flume ride an even better one. All in all, the Biberburg is a very successful novelty for the Familypark.

Pictures Familypark

 


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The perfect family park

Familypark

At Lake Neusiedl, the largest lake in Austria – about 40 km from the capital Vienna –, you will find the Familypark, the largest amusement park in Austria. In the past few years the Familypark surprised everybody over and over again by its well-chosen novelties. With the new for 2015 ride Leonardos Flugmaschine a visit became obligatory.

Erlebnisburg

In the theme area “Erlebnisburg”, the entrance area of the Familypark, one already notices the high-quality design of the park. A large number of rides for the smaller park guests are located here, such as the children’s train Hans und die Bohnenranke, the monorail Drachenbahn or the carousel Entenparade, as well as the Heege Sunkid portfolio of the park. This includes a comet swing and a tower as well as a brand new Butterfly featuring an eagle design, but unfortunately the equipment here has to be paid for with a token and some Austrian children think that they have to ride continuously despite the queue in front of them.

Verrückte Vogelscheuche and Apfelflug

Following the paths to the right, you reach the most beautiful area of the park, which is dedicated entirely to a farm theme. Those who already appreciate the Mullewapp area in Hannover Erlebnis-Zoo will have their true pleasure here, as such a love of detail can rarely be found. Every ride seems to be perfectly integrated into the overall concept of the area, such as the abc Rides Tilt Tower Verrückte Vogelscheuche, which ran a very entertaining program, the Zierer Wave Swinger Apfelflug, which can also be found in this design in the French amusement park Nigloland, or the large tractor ride. In addition, there are some rides and play areas for the smaller park guests, as well as some animal enclosures.

Rattenmühle

In addition, the Rattenmühle is one of the park’s roller coasters to be found in this theme area. Opened in 2013, the Gerstlauer roller coaster shines above all through its successful adaptation to the terrain and the area itself, but also due to its photogenicity. The queue of the ride is neatly designed and even features a shortcut between the exit of the ride and its station, which nevertheless requires too much time for adults due to its narrow climbs.

After we boarded the car, the journey starts immediately. After a small descent we take a left turn towards the lift hill. As usual, we pass this hill in a fast way before we take a steep turn towards the ground. After a turnaround, we go ascent a hill in a left turn. At its highest point we pass a short distance without any inclination of the track, similar to a top hat element, before we rush towards the valley. In an oversized Bavarian curve, the track leads us up to the top where, after passing the first block brake, we take the only hairpin turn of the track. Going down a straight slope, we take another turn into a slightly steeper curve, which is followed by two smaller bends. After another turn, the second block brake is waitin’ for us. On the following meters two sweeping hills and a helix are on the way until the final brake is reached.

The Rattenmühle is a very satisfying roller coaster, even though it is very atypical compared to the other coasters of this type, as Gerstlauer Bobsled Coasters are usually characterised by their variety of helices, hairpin curves and camelbacks. At least this doesn’t detract from the fun of the ride and especially the audience of the Familypark likes the layout.

Fliegende Fische

Through the worth seeing fairytale forest we head towards the adventure island, the biggest theme area of the park, which seems to be a little mixed up. The area itself is quite coherent, but the Zierer Flying Fish Fliegende Fische – which unfortunately comes without a kitschy children’s song – created an area with a separate design. This wouldn’t be particularly awful, if this year’s novelty wouldn’t take up the theme of the rest of the section with it. Since there is still a lot of space available and the maritime design was also implemented beautifully, an independent area with a few smaller rides would be desirable.

Sumpfburg

Passing the Sumpfburg, where one would have spent some hours as a child, and the equally wet water playground, our way leads to the Mediterranean area, where on one hand the dinghy slide Tempelrutsche gets on one’s nerves because of its constant announcement, and on the other hand some other attractions are extremely satisfying.

Krokobahn

A very nerve-racking ride is the small abc Rides log flume Krokobahn, which does not seem to offer much except for a small double shot ride seen from the outside. As the channel was more than sufficiently filled with water, the boat tipped from one side to the other, despite desperate attempts to remain somehow in a straight position. Although a capsizing was not possible, the ride to the lift hill was more than adventurous, moreover we sat quite cramped and very uncomfortable in the boat. After climbing the aqueduct we went down the 4m high shot after a short left turn. The promise of the employee, according to which we will be properly soaked, is more than fulfilled.

Götterblitz

Within sight of the log flume there’ s the Götterblitz, a youngster coaster from Mack, similar to the roller coaster Pegasus at Europa Park. The ride begins, this time without music, with the ascent of the lift hill. After a small gradient we quickly take a turn before descending the big drop. With full speed we enter a horseshoe, which is rapidly passed through. In a right bend we go uphill again, whereupon a leftside helix with an adjacent slope is added. This is followed by an alternating uphill and downwards helix, which are carried out close to the ground. Another right turn leads up to the brake section before heading towards the station.

The Götterblitz, like its identical counterpart Correcaminos Bip, Bip from the Spanish Parque Warner, offers a wonderful ride that made you want to stay seated. The biggest roller coaster of the park fits perfectly into the general picture and perfectly matches the target group.

Herkules

Not quite as perfect, as it is no longer rideable for people who are halfway grown up, is the small soapbox roller coaster Herkules, the second novelty this year, which has been added to the Familypark portfolio. Like the Heege products, the Kiddy Racer has to be paid for with a token.

Leonardos Flugmaschine

The main reason for our visit this year is definitely the Gerstlauer SkyFly Leonardos Flugmaschine. Although the first laps surprisingly were without any rollovers, we were fascinated by the SkyFly after the third ride at the latest. As veterans of the interactive Gerstlauer rollover carousels we spent countless laps on the ride thanks to an average of 40 – 100 rollovers per ride – according to the RideOps counting even a little bit more – at the burden of both our shoulders. Unfortunately we were the only visitors who rolled over on this day, although some guests at least tried, but at the end they didn’t find out about how to change the position of the wings properly.

Pictures Familypark

Conclusion Familypark

The Familypark is, despite its trivial name, a really great amusement park. The overall design of the park is outstanding and the portfolio of rides has been very well aligned. It would be nice to see another water attraction coming into the park in the next few years, as the small crocodile ride alone does not do justice to the size of the park. A bigger white-water ride would be just as praiseworthy as a splash battle or even a roller coaster. Nevertheless, the Familypark is the best amusement park in the country.

 

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