Family Gravity Coaster

If I could turn back time

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Branson, Missouri is a very interesting town. The Vegas in the Bible Belt simply stands out for its immense number of tourist traps, country theaters and hotels. Bible faithful Christians definitely get their money’s worth and go to the top with the big musical show in the Sight & Sound Theatre. Yes, the audience in Branson is different and this is also a good thing, as this way, the tourist stronghold is at least halfway tolerable. I was looking forward to two days in the amusement park Silver Dollar City.

History of Silver Dollar City

When the Marvel Cave was explored for lead ore in 1869, the potential of the area was of course still little known; after all, the first expedition did not lead to any findings. But as the miners were sure that one of the hall ceilings contained marble, another expedition was started in the year 1882. Admittedly, instead of marble, only limestone and a huge amount of guano (bat poop) was found. After four and a half years, the mining was over and the area was sold.

William Henry Lynch acquired the cave and a square mile of surrounding land in 1989, in order to guide tourists through the cave a few years later. After some initial difficulties, the cave has now been open to visitors without interruption since the early 1900s, making it one of the oldest tourist destinations in the Ozarks. After the death of William Lynch, his daughters took over the business before vacuum cleaner salesman Hugo Herschend leased the cave for 100 years.

After his death his wife Mary and their two sons Jack and Peter took over the business. After the construction of a funicular railway at today’s cave entrance, the focus shifted to the area around the cave to attract more tourists. With the reconstruction of a typical 1880s Ozark Village, the foundation stone for today’s Silver Dollar City theme park and the Herschend Family Entertainment Group was laid.

And this is exactly what one enters immediately after leaving the parking tram. In a deeply immersive way you are immediately transported back to the 80s, more precisely 100 years before my year of birth. In this area, you will find the craftsmen in the different manufactures, regardless of whether candles, fudge, jam or all imaginable wood and glassware, everything is produced in front of the eyes of curious passers-by.

Tour of Silver Dollar City

Time Traveler

The first attraction on our round trip takes us on a time travel as well, although a more modern interpretation of it. Steam punk has gone all the way to Silver Dollar City and on board is the company Mack Rides. The roller coaster manufacturer from the Black Forest surprises with its most innovative roller coaster so far, the Time Traveler. The concept of a revolving gondola roller coaster is by no means new – but the design is definitely.

After having taken a seat in the train with its four gondolas, the trip can start right away. Slowly, one is carried out of the station before one immediately gets into a 90° fall. The passengers that up to now only went forward and backwards are rotated by an eddy current brake that is installed on one side, whereby no ride is the same as the other.  27m further down the ride takes us through a valley, before we climb up a dive loop and see the world in all imaginable positions upside down. With momentum we now follow the terrain along the roller coaster Thunderation in slight swings. A turning curve leads us into the first block brake of the ride, where we also come to a stop and the rotation slows down to a minimum.

It doesn’t take too long and our train is accelerated on the launch track ahead, but unfortunately the rotation starts jerkily. Over a high banked turn we are now rapidly heading for the next element in a steep curve. In a 95ft high loop we now experience the world upside down for a second time, which is a breathtaking feeling. This is followed by a fast driven turn, which immediately leads into the third inversion element of the ride. The corkscrew marketed as Zero-G Roll is not of bad parents and convinces all along the line. After another turn and a small hill we reach the second launch section, which gives the train the necessary energy to reach station level. A turn, reminiscent of a dive loop, and a steep curve leading up to it mark the finale of the ride, before we immediately find ourselves on the braking track and soon at the station.

The Time Traveler is a very special roller coaster, which convinces with its breathtaking setting in all points. The layout is simply unique and stands out by the elements used; the not quite jerk-free first launch is the only weak point of the ride, which convinces the family audience of the amusement park like no other roller coaster.

Thunderation

To the sounds of a country version of If I Could Turn Back Time, we go straight to the neighboring roller coaster Thunderation, where I would have loved to have fulfilled my wish for a time travel. Until a few years ago, the second, as well as the fourth car of the five-unit trains ran backwards. Nowadays, however, all eyes are directed to the front, which unfortunately makes this very special mine train from Arrow a little less special.

Like the Time Traveller, Thunderation’s wild ride starts right after leaving the station. In a right turn we slowly but surely pick up more and more speed. After a short straight we immediately whiz through a left turn before we enter a steadily tapering right turn spiral. This then leads into a short tunnel, whereupon we race over a short hill. A right-hand bend close to the ground on the slope is the highlight of the ride. After a short left turn we are slowed down in a block brake, whereupon the lift hill of the ride is waiting for us. We are now leisurely going uphill again. At the top we immediately enter another left turn, which soon falls off unexpectedly steeply. After a short ascent and a right turn we are at the station level, where we now come to a halt in the braking section in front of the station.

Thunderation is a great Mine Train, which like all late Arrow Mine Trains is characterized by its very intense ride. The layout is incredibly impressive due to its hillside location, even though the ride after the lift hill could have been a bit longer.

The Flooded Mine and Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train

Fans of rustic theme rides will get their money’s worth with The Flooded Mine. On the way through the Flooded Mine of the local Country Prison you try to stop the prisoners from escaping. You can aim your pistols at various targets, but a ride without using them is much more fun.

Right next to The Flooded Mine is the station of the Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train. The big small gauge steam train takes you through the Ozark Mountains and the amusement park for about 20 minutes. In between, the train is robbed in a show interlude by several inexperienced bank robbers. A wonderful fun, which you should not miss by any means.

The Grand Exposition and Fireman’s Landing

In the children’s area The Grand Exposition we meet numerous rides from the Italian manufacturer Zamperla. Here, little amusement park fans can experience their first roller coaster ride on The Grand Exposition Coaster or take one lap after the other on one of the numerous roundabout rides. In addition to a boat swing, there is also a wave swinger, a teacup carousel, a Regatta ride, as well as a Disk’o and several smaller carousels from the manufacturer.

Firefall

The children’s area that I find particularly interesting is Fireman’s Landing, where there are other classic round trips in a coherent atmosphere. The most interesting attraction is the S&S Double Shot Firefall, which was previously located in the nearby amusement park Celebration City. When the sister park closed in 2008, the ride moved from one location in Branson to the other. The ride itself convinces with its great airtime and should therefore not be missed by anyone.

Giant Barn Swing

Passing the construction site of the new rafting ride Mystic River Falls we are now heading towards another attraction from S&S, the Screamin’ Swing Giant Barn Swing. This oversized swing transports the passengers with compressed air to a very remarkable height, from which you should have a great view of the new rapids ride, as well as of the nearby roller coaster Outlaw Run.

Outlaw Run

Outlaw Run is the first wooden roller coaster from the manufacturer RMC, who previously gave the old wooden roller coaster Texas Giant from the Six Flags Over Texas amusement park a new life as a steel roller coaster with its I-Box solution. As with the New Texas Giant, visitors can expect a wild ride over numerous breathtaking elements, many of which were first installed on this roller coaster.

The ride on Outlaw Run begins immediately with the lift hill of the resort, which takes you up to a height of 107ft. After a small dip, the train speeds over a narrow hilltop, whereupon, detached from our seat, we fall a good 162ft to the ground in an 81° steep gradient. After a pressure-laden valley we immediately shoot up a steep left turn, which immediately changes into an over-banked inversion at the top of the hill. In another left turn we race through the valley and instantly take a series of turns that lift us out of our seats at all times. In a twist & turn we experience for the first time the feeling of lateral weightlessness on a roller coaster before we enter the next valley. Over another curved airtime hill we approach the finale of the ride. Following a flat Airtime hill we spiral up close to the ground in a double Heartline Roll. Shortly afterwards we reach the braking section of the layout, whereupon our ride ends in the station.

What a ride! Outlaw Run is definitely not a roller coaster for weak stomachs, as it is a pretty tough one. The many airtime moments and at the same time incredibly pressure-packed valleys make for a breathtaking ride that you will never forget. The two inversions at the end of the ride are also a novelty for a wooden roller coaster, which can make you feel a bit dizzy. The ride is simply awesome and should be experienced by every roller coaster fan!

Tom and Huck’s River Blast and Fire in the Hole

On our way back from the dead end around the roller coaster Outlaw Run we come across the very slick interactive water ride Tom and Huck’s River Blast, where you can follow the paths of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Another highlight in Silver Dollar City is the dark ride Fire in the Hole. The ride deals with the fire in the mining town of Marmaros, which was created from the guano mining of the Marvel Cave. A vigilante group called Bald Knobbers is suspected to have burned down the village. More details are not known, but in the end the park decided to tell this story. Passing several scenes, the path leads us uphill in a big oval, whereby you watch the inhabitants trying to extinguish their village before you cross a collapsing bridge and the ride becomes a roller coaster. A second descent follows as one avoids an oncoming train. Under the yell Fire in the Hole you crash into a warehouse for dynamite, which fortunately could be extinguished. The watering slows down the train, shortly after you’re back in the station.

Powder Keg

The Powder Keg roller coaster has an equally interesting history – even if only from an engineering point of view. Before it became the unique launch coaster of today, it was a water roller coaster for several years. The roller coaster was opened in 1999 under the name Buzzsaw Falls. The prototype from Premier Rides had a longer whitewater ride before it changed into the roller coaster part. A longer helix led towards the lift hill, where after a short ride in lofty heights the final shot was waiting. However, just four years later the ride was already rebuilt. The manufacturer of the new hardware became S&S Power, which means that the visitor can now expect a powerful blast of compressed air.

The journey starts with a transfer track leading up to the side of the launch track. After arriving at the launch track, the train now moves to its starting position, hooks into the catch car and waits for its release. At some point a warning siren is switched on and a traffic light switches from red to green. The launch rapidly brings us up to 64 mph, whereupon we climb a hill. Accompanied by delicious airtime you glide into the valley below you. In a wide right bend you approach another airtime-laden hill. A slightly over-bent curve joins, followed by a third hill, which bends to the left at its apex. After a speedy curve the track profile suddenly changes, whereupon you ride the track of the former water roller coaster at a breakneck speed. Then after a wide curve the lift hill of the layout follows. At the top, the rail profile changes again. While the water roller coaster would have started its final shoot down at the same level as the launch section, we now bend a bit further to the left and plunge down the big slope of the roller coaster. This is followed by an extremely intensive helix, which however also describes the final part of the ride. Shortly afterwards we find ourselves in the braking section of the ride.

Powder Keg is a really fine roller coaster. The launch, the plentiful airtime and the nice pressure in the curves and valleys characterize this roller coaster, even if the finale is a bit too much anti-climactic. All in all, however, the roller coaster is a guarantee for a good mood.

American Plunge and Wildfire

Just like the neighboring whitewater course American Plunge. Although the ride basically consists of a slightly longer concrete tunnel and a single and extremely wet shot, the ride built by O.D. Hopkins is definitely worth a ride.

Right next door is the entrance to the last roller coaster of the park. The B&M Sitting Coaster Wildfire is the top dog in Silver Dollar City since the year 2001. With its location directly on one of the slopes of the park the ride looks even bigger, which is underlined by the skilful use of the terrain.

The trip begins with a short dip out of the station, where you dive under the large viewing platform. On the other side of this platform the lift hill of the roller coaster is added, which takes you up to a height of approximately 120ft. After a predrop, a wide curve follows, whereupon a slope with a height difference of 155ft descends. As is typical for B&M, strong G-forces await you in the valley before we approach the first inversion of the ride. In an Immelmann we change direction, whereupon we make our way towards the huge loop. In a wide curve close to the ground we rush towards the Cobra Roll, which we pass through as usual. This is followed by a sweeping over-banked turn, which releases you just as sweepingly into the final corkscrew of the track. A helix introduced close to the ground then sends you into the final brake of the layout. Shortly thereafter you’re already back at the station of the roller coaster.

Wildfire is my favorite roller coaster in Silver Dollar City. The ride is simply terrific and is enhanced by the setting directly on the hillside and surrounded by the Ozark Mountains. Besides, Wildfire is actually my 600th roller coaster I’ve ridden – a milestone I wouldn’t wish otherwise.

Marvel Cave

After all the roller coasters and rides it is now time to take a closer look at Marvel Cave in a one hour guided tour. Over the huge Cathedral Room we first go deeper and deeper into the cave. In the following rooms, the history of the cave is then more and more explained. After several narrow passages, whereby one should always take care of one’s head, the old funicular takes us back to the daylight. The Marvel Cave is basically the highlight in Silver Dollar City and should not be skipped.

Echo Hollow Amphitheatre

This brings us to the end of the report. The day is coming to an end and the rides are now all closed. However, Silver Dollar City wouldn’t be Silver Dollar City without adding a little more to the fun. In the Echo Hollow Amphitheatre the big show at the end of the day is just beginning.

Pictures Silver Dollar City

Conclusion Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City is a beautiful amusement park that can rightly be called the best amusement park in the world. The park offers a great mix of roller coasters, rides and shows that you can rarely find anywhere else. Accordingly, the park’s target group is a bit different – during my visit in April, it consisted almost exclusively of pensioners or families with younger children. In other words, Silver Dollar City is a theme park for everyone.

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Silver Dollar City / Texas Round-Up Day 6 to 8

Italian Miniatures and Rollercoasters

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Leolandia

The history of Leolandia starts 45 years ago, when the entrepreneur Guido Pendezzini presented his miniature park under construction, modelled on the Dutch miniature park Madurodam near The Hague, to the public. However, the park was not officially opened as Minitalia until three years later. The centrepiece of the park, which has also been a prominent feature of the park’s official name for a very long time, is the Italian-style miniature village Minitalia with its replicas of striking Italian buildings and towns. In addition, the country was presented with smaller regional stands and even back then some rides were offered.

In 1997 Pendezzini sold his park to the Triberti and Fabbri families, who, as showmen and manufacturers of amusement park equipment, had considerable experience in this field. They developed the park into an amusement park and operated it as Fantasy World Minitalia until 2007, when the Zamperla family, also an amusement ride manufacturer, took over the park. Since then Leolandia has been regularly expanded and supplemented with products from the company’s own catalogue.

Twister Mountain

A prominent example of this is the Twister Mountain spinning coaster, which is perfectly placed directly at the exit to the park, next to the already oversized park sign, to attract customers of the hypermarket opposite to Leolandia. However, this is only the small version of the well-known funfair model based on the layout of the French manufacturer Reverchon.

After leaving the station you climb the 10m high lift hill. At the top, you pass through two hairpin bends at a rapid pace, whereupon the first descent is already waiting. Above the station you pass through a block brake and shortly after that, halfway parallel to the lift hill, the second major shot of the ride. Without any strange bumps in the ascent you reach the other side of the roller coaster. In the next brake the rotation of the car is released, whereupon the next four hairpin bends are passed with surprisingly much momentum. Without a bump, the return to the other side of the ride follows and finally, after another hairpin bend, the brake track.

Although the Spinning Coaster variants by Zamperla are not considered to be very spin-friendly thanks to their optimised carriages and therefore usually miss their target, the Twister Mountain offered us a solid, albeit quite short, ride. The comfort in the gondola is unfortunately not quite as high as with Reverchon, but in theory the ride offers better restraint, especially for smaller children, thanks to the single bars.

Electro Spin and Donna Cannone

Just as solidly we were entertained by the Mega Disk’o Electro Spin and the Flash Tower Donna Cannone. While the Disk’o offered intensive spinning action, the pulley tower could convince with surprising airtime at the upper turning point. Unfortunately a launch from the cannon is not simulated.

Leo Coaster

The other attractions of the rather sparse Expo 1906 area are a cogs ride with a king kong look, a fire fighting carousel, a wave swinger and the small children’s roller coaster Leo Coaster. This roller coaster comes in the standard version of the manufacturer, i.e. oval-shaped with a helix in the middle, but has comparatively good riding characteristics.

Mondo di Peppa Pig

With the Mondo di Peppa Pig, an attempt was made last year to establish a toddler area in the park based on the English model. However, what in England ensures that Paultons Park is only known as Peppa Pig World and provides it with masses of visitors, seems a little unlovingly put up here. Although there is the possibility to look at the original house of the main protagonists of the series and to take a photo with the actors, the merchandising sales seem to be the only basis for this area.

Il Trenino

The whole thing continues with the Masha e Orso (Mascha and the Bear) show and the train ride Il Trenino by Thomas & Friends. Admittedly, a train ride with Thomas and his friends is always a good idea, as you can see at Drayton Manor in England, but outside of the shape of the train there is no reference to the series.

Minitalia

In the rear part of the Leolandia park, right next to the miniature village Minitalia, there are several animal enclosures, most of which show indigenous farm animal species. The enclosures are sufficiently large and resemble a farm. Unfortunately there are some smaller aviaries with parrots next to them, which is a great contrast to the newer looking farm area.

The Cowboy Town forms the western part of the Leolandia, where the combination of log flume and powered coaster, well-known from the Wunderland Kalkar, is presented. In addition, there are several round and high rides in this area, including the very uncomfortable kite flyer Wild Avvoltoi, as well as a larger show stage.

Gold River

After leaving the station of the log flume Gold River, the boat bobs a little through the channel and after a longer S-curve and a short left turn you reach the first steep lift hill, which takes you into the equally steep shoot. After a good moistening you are released into the channel again and cross a larger right-hand bend to climb the second lift hill at a 90° angle to the first shot. Typically Zamperla, the second downhill run is no less steep than the first one, so that one is led quite abruptly into the second run; here too, the wetness of the downhill run is within a pleasant range. The return journey to the station follows.

Mine Train

Above the log flume is the access to the Mine Train roller coaster, whose course runs mostly over the fairway of the Wild River. After a somewhat longer ascent with a slight left bend, which is climbed quite leisurely, a rather long right turn follows. The first increase in speed is in the downward helix to the left. Immediately afterwards, the waterway’s channel is crossed at a dizzy height in a right-hand bend. In a slightly larger downward helix you now circle the second shot of the log flume, followed by a rather wide right turn, which immediately closes the course. The train then races through the station and completes another, rather leisurely round.

Although the track of the roller coaster from the Wunderland Kalkar was built much more compact it is clearly the better roller coaster of this quite special combo. The Mine Train from the Leolandia, however, crosses the track a little bit too slowly and unfortunately also very jerky, so there is no fun to ride on.

Rapide di Leonardo

Opposite it is the round boat slide Rapide di Leonardo, an Italian interpretation of the popular River Splash rides by the manufacturer ABC Rides with a very special twist. After leaving the station, you immediately make a small right turn and enter the vertical lift, which brings the boat into position, holds it and lifts it up without any technical control frills. After you have been quickly transported upwards, the basket tilts forward and the boat rolls out of the lift. You are now thrown into the first helix at full pelt, whereupon the boat is immediately set in rotation. After a few meters you make an S-curve combination around the tower, which makes the boat turn at a breathtaking speed. This speed increases in the following downward helix and lets you play Russian Roulette during the following shot. After the soaking, the boat goes through a 180° turn, where a round and spinning cannon apparatus fires water at the passengers at regular intervals. The return to the station now features some elements of a rapid river, such as a waterfall that turns off and various rapids. It is the much quieter part of the ride, which allows you to put what you have just experienced into words and makes you wonder why Zamperla has not been able to sell another ride of this kind. The Hydro Lift at least is an unparalleled fun machine and wins every prize for the best dizz with ease.

Riva dei Pirati

The visually most convincing theme area at the Leolandia is the pirate area Riva dei Pirati, which consists mainly of children’s rides, but which is presented in a great design. Besides the good ship swing Galeone and the beautiful Splash Battle Mediterranea, you will find the prototype of the Stand-Up Disk’os Surf’s Up Scilla e Cariddi. Although the ride through the long gondola is a bit rough in parts, the Floating Airtime is worth an experience, so it is a pity to find only a small version of this ride. Unfortunately, the restraint system charges you a little bit statically, so you can get a little shock at the exit.

Pictures Leolandia

Conclusion Leolandia

Leolandia is a really nice theme park with a pretty good idea right from the beginning of its existence. The Minitalia is quite nicely realised and can keep you busy for a few hours, compared to the Legoland parks around the world. At the same time this miniature outdoor wonderland offers a wonderful view of the corners of this charming country, which you would like to see in real life. The quality of the theme park is, with the exception of the Expo 1906 area, very high and is further underlined by the matching workers’ uniforms, divided according to the theme areas of the park.

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Il Viaggio dei due Runner Day 1 / Leolandia

A lot of TNT for small (joy) explosions

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Parque de Atracciones de Madrid

Not far from the Batán metro station, the Puerta Batán is a side entrance to the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, the Spanish capital’s inner-city theme park. In contrast to other urban theme parks, such as the Copenhagen amusement park Tivoli Gardens or the Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza, the Tivoli principle, where you only pay a small entrance fee and pay for the rides in addition, is not applied, so that the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid functions as a theme park in the classical sense.

Nickelodeon Land

If you enter the park via the side entrance you will find yourself at the top of the Nickelodeon Land, a theme area that can be found in a similar form in the English Pleasure Beach Blackpool or the German sister park Movie Park Germany. Here too, existing rides were redesigned using licences from the well-known Viacom children’s channel Nickelodeon, and supplemented with a children’s driving school and additional artwork. What previously seemed to be a bit too much of a jumbled up children’s land now shows a consistently colourful mix, which is also very well done.

Padrinos Voladores

Especially the small roller coaster Turbulencia shows its full potential as Padrinos Voladores designed after the children’s series Fairly Oddparents. The layout features a few hairpin bends without any major difference in height; however, this makes the swing of the vehicles during the ride much more pronounced and thus also the riding pleasure. The Padrinos Voladores therefore offer a really great ride for smaller children, but can also be enjoyed by adults.

Vagones Locos

The Vagones Locos, on the other hand, are in the Naturaleza themed area, although the squeaky-coloured design makes the ride should be part of the Nickelodeon Land. This is the standard model of the Family Gravity Coaster of the Italian manufacturer Zamperla. Using a chain lift, you can reach the starting point for the winding descent relatively quickly. This is followed by a short ascent, whereupon a downward right helix and the return to the station takes place in a slightly Bavarian style.

Naturaleza

Telesaurio and Tiovivo

The Naturaleza theme area is by far the most beautiful area in the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid and, in addition to the larger attractions, is home to Telesaurio, a fully functional telecombat by Zamperla with lateral rotation, and Tiovivo, an old horse carousel as well as a 4D cinema.

TNT Tren de la Mina

However, the actual main attraction of the area is likely to be the family roller coaster TNT Tren de la Mina, which opened in 2012. As I had not followed the construction I did not know where exactly the German interpretation of a mine train should be located within the park and was therefore very surprised to find it perfectly integrated between the children’s area Nickelodeon Land and the Spillwater Los Fiordos. I was all the more surprised to find that a large part of the ride uses a large portion of the water ride’s queue, which had hardly been used previously.

As soon as the train is finally cleared, it leaves the station and immediately goes through a left turn on the way to the lift hill. In the beginning it is still moving up quite fast and loses speed very quickly and crawls slowly over the top of the lift. After a short curvy ride the train picks up speed again before it heads towards the abyss just below the hilltop of the lift. Still far away from the ground the train shoots up again and turns in a horseshoe element, similar to the Youngstar Coaster of Mack Rides, whereupon an upward-moving swivel adds up. In a steep curve below the first helix the train seeks contact with the ground level for the first time, but the stay is only short, because an upward helix leading to the left is entered immediately. This is followed by a small drop with a subsequent camelback through a grotesquely shaped environment. In a right-hand bend, contact with the ground level is re-established, followed by some increasingly tighter curve changes, whereupon the brake section is reached immediately and shortly thereafter the station.

Gerstlauer has created a very neat family roller coaster with TNT Tren de la Mina, which gets a little lost in the fast-moving part of the layout. The strength of the roller coaster lies in its beginning and middle part, which is surprisingly close to the competing product from Mack Rides, only the end spoils the general ride pleasure, as well as the general handling of the ride – which is why TNT Tren de la Mina is not the kind of roller coaster I would go for if I had to wait longer. But for in between, this ride is more than perfect.

Los Fiordos

Formerly passing lush greenery that covered an entire show stage, the boat of the Spillwaters Los Fiordos chugged through the canal until the lift was climbed parallel to the park’s border. The aforementioned stage of the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid fell victim to the construction of the family roller coaster TNT Tren de la Mina, as well as the vegetation, which is why you can now ride below the roller coaster through a rather bare landscape, but with good views. After climbing up the rocky mountain, after a short bend to the right, the only downhill run of the ride follows. Once you reach the bottom, you will immediately come into contact with the water, whereupon, after a short 180° turn and a wide left turn, you will start your return journey towards the station. To my own surprise, the degree of wetness did not correspond to that of a normal log flume, as I had experienced on my last trip four years ago, but to that of the passage through a wall of water, which resulted from the direct reflection of the water at the bridge. Soaking wet and quite satisfied we left the ride, which I would like to describe as the wettest ride of this kind in Spain.

Vértigo

The dispatch of the Wild Mouse Vértigo is an outrage! Actually, there would be nothing, absolutely nothing to complain about with this stylish mouse featuring the well-known layout and absolutely great handling characteristics, if only instead of 10-15 minutes you wouldn’t have to invest a good hour of your valuable time for a ride. Due to the lack of separation between the boarding and deboarding areas, all cars are loaded simultaneously and then sent on their way one by one. The new passengers are only allowed into the station after all the cars have returned and been unloaded – a total of 16 people. This procedure reduces the capacity of the ride immensely, so that one always longs for a normally operated Wild Mouse, such as the other half of this former double ride, which is still located in the Belgian amusement park Bobbejaanland.

Los Rápidos

Los Rápidos is a truly special rafting ride in the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, as it is the only ride of its kind in Europe by O.D. Hopkins. With it the Naturaleza area was founded in 1996, which can be seen in the consistent and beautiful design of the ride. The level of wetness is still elevated due to the rather wild end of the ride, unfortunately during our visit we did not see the metre-high fountain, which regularly rained down on the passing boats.

Maquinismo

Top Spin, La Maquina and La Lanzadera

In the Maquinismo themed area, three cream cakes are waiting to be taken right in the entrance area, because here the crème de la crème of the Spanish flat rides are gathered together, all of them of course beautifully designed. We start off with the Top Spin from HUSS, which has a similar ride programme as the Aqua Spin ride from the German amusement park Heide Park, but which turns into a totally wild swing at the end of the ride. Right next door, the Frisbee La Maquina, also from HUSS, is making its rounds. Thanks to the great ride programme, you should take a ride or two on this outstanding attraction. Last but not least, the Intamin Freefall La Lanzadera offers a great view over the Casa de Campo and Madrid and a quite intense fall with good airtime at a comparably low altitude.

Abismo

The access to the roller coaster Abismo – so far the only XT 450 ride by the manufacturer Maurer – is slightly elevated. The roller coaster can be described relatively simply as a 300 meter extended Sky Wheel ride from the German amusement park Skyline Park. The start of the layout is identical, as well as the length of the cars, so even with a manageable crowd there are always long waiting times. However, this is always the case even on empty days, because the roller coaster only runs as soon as the train is fully loaded.

After the unfortunately somewhat time-consuming clearance, the train starts moving and is immediately transported upwards in a vertical position. A special feature of the Humpty Bump Lift is that the train is turned upside down at the top of the lift, creating an extremely queasy feeling at a height of about 46m, which is briefly interrupted by the subsequent roll at a lofty height. Now, one races towards the abyss in the true sense of the name of the ride. With a little more than 100km/h the train shoots past the station and passes a valley full of pressure before the lift is surrounded in a steep curve. The following drop is initiated with a strong cross slope, which leads you far above the waiting area. This is followed by a classic camelback, which, at least in theory, lifts the passengers out of their seats. Still far above the heads of the passers-by, another valley follows before a 127° steep Immelmann Turn introduces another turn in the layout. On a straight line the speed for the following finale is adjusted, because instead of the classic transition to the brakes, you now shoot through the station and up the vertical tower once more. Relatively high up and thus without great energy loss the train is stopped and hooked into the chain, whereupon it is quickly driven back to the station.

I do not like Abismo. Actually, this should be enough to sum it up, because I simply don’t enjoy riding this roller coaster very much. The ride characteristics are profound, it rattles like crazy. During my last visit, I’ve searched for the airtime of the ride and now I’ll give it up for good. The ride could be very good, as Daniel, who was sitting to my left, had experienced during the same ride, but for that the restraint system would have to be upgraded a lot.

Tarántula

Practically speaking, the entrance of the Tarántula spinning coaster is located directly opposite the exit of the Abismo Sky Loop. Despite single cars, the ride offers the highest capacity of the whole park, probably because of the separate entrance and exit areas. At least the queue is moving pleasantly fast, which makes the waiting time fly by compared to all the other rides at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid.

Shortly after you have taken a seat in one of the four seated chaises, the ride starts with a left turn towards the rather large lift hill. At a height of more than 25m, the gondola begins to rotate, so that the first slightly twisty descent can be made with a slight turning motion. This is followed by a generously designed turn, which slightly resembles an Immelmann Turn. Now the rotation of the gondola can hardly be stopped, which is also due to the rather steep and winding ascent into the first block brake. You pass this brake quite fast, whereupon you are torn into the depth by another curve. This leads into a generously designed bend with up and down movements until the second block brake is reached at an airy height. This releases you into an incline, which immediately leads into an Immelmann Turn, similar to the one from Dragons Fury at the English amusement park Chessington World of Adventures. A steep curve follows, which after a change of direction leads into the third block brake. A rapid zigzag course determines the course to the next block brake.This is followed by a left and a right turn before reaching the end of the ride.

Tarántula is a really good spinning coaster with a fantastic layout, although unfortunately the track is not as outstanding as the two English representatives of this type. However, the spin on the ride in the Parque de Atracciones de Madrid is pronounced and therefore almost automatically provides a great overall experience. Furthermore, the design of the ride is excellent, even if it is only very minimalistic, especially as it forms a unit with the dark ride La Cueva de las Tarántulas below the roller coaster. Unfortunately, this interactive dark ride is only a shadow of its former self, because apart from darkness you can hardly see anything.

El Aserradero, Tifon, Rotor and Sillas Voladores

Besides the rather long log flume El Aserradero by the manufacturer Zamperla featuring two shots and a tunnel at the end of which a waterfall awaits you that only switches off at the right moment from time to time, the Maquinismo themed area also features a Disk’o called Tifon, the wave swinger Sillas Voladores and the HUSS Condor Rotor, from which you have a wonderful view on the roller coaster Tornado below.

Tornado

Since 1999 the Intamin Suspended Looping Coaster Tornado is located in a dead-end street without equal. The ride, which used to be painted in lemon yellow and lemon green, has been completely painted in black for several years now. The layout of the ride is generally quite wide and free of any special features, but these can be found in the supporting structure of the ride, especially the supports of the two loops.

After climbing up the access ramp to the station and clearing the station, the long train can finally be loaded. After the employees have checked it off, it leaves the station in a slight right turn and shortly after climbs up the lift hill. After reaching the starting height of 30m, the train goes over a small straight line for a few meters and then turns left with full effort. With 80 km/h the train shoots through the valley into the first loop, which is passed quite forcefully. In a wide upright right turn the train takes momentum again to pass the second loop. This is also followed by a right-hand bend in the valley, but this time a classic corkscrew is waiting for you, which you pass through with a lot of momentum. In the following left-hand bend you take up some altitude again, which is immediately reduced in a downward helix after a change of direction. Below the lift the last change of direction into the bend before the brakes follows.

Tornado lives up to its SLC name, although the manufacturer is different from the often spurned Vekoma rides. The layout of Tornado is simply boring and doesn’t offer much on too much space except for the three inversions. Although the contact with the restraint is minimal, the vibrations of this ride can be felt up to the last meter, which is partly due to the too bulky trains. In addition there is a relatively lengthy dispatching process, where one wonders how the Spaniards intend to operate the ride with two trains at all, and whether the second train is even available. Especially if you want to take pictures from outside you should take a lot of time into account, especially on quieter days when hardly any guests enters this cul-de-sac.

Tranquilidad

Zeppelin, La Jungla and The Walking Dead Experience

Almost as quiet as the area around Tornado is the theme area Tranquilidad, although admittedly the bear tends to tap-dance over here. This area is mainly home to quieter rides such as the Zeppelin monorail or the raft ride La Jungla, which is particularly impressive because of its old charm. But also a simulator or the Star Flyer can be found here. Friends of good horror mazes got their money’s worth with El Viejo Caserón, which was replaced this year by The Walking Dead Experience, whereby the jumbled up scenes fell victim to a consistent leitmotif and thus the charm of the building, which has existed since 1989, was somewhat affected.

Fantasia

With Fantasia, however, this theme area offers a really nicely designed dark ride based on the model of Disney’s It’s a small World. The boat trip through our oh so happy and small world starts here in space, because it shows the view of extraterrestrials on this planet. Past small scenes, which are equipped with really cute puppets, you will go through the different countries of our world, accompanied by a kitschy soundtrack, which you will hardly notice. This is also the biggest criticism of the otherwise very popular ride, because apart from the rather low capacity, the ride is simply not kitschy enough. You only have to adjust the music and the lighting of the scenes a little bit and you would have one of the best dark rides ever. In its current state, however, the ravages of time seem to have taken their toll on the ride.

Pictures Parque de Atracciones de Madrid

Conclusion Parque de Atracciones de Madrid

The Parque de Atracciones de Madrid is a good park with a charm all of its own, which was certainly much more pronounced in the days of the Tivoli principle, i.e. until 2011. The park offers many beautiful corners, but also unfortunately many unattractive and unused areas, especially in the theme area Tranquilidad. Despite this, the park seems to be following the right strategy, as the Nickelodeon Land and Naturaleza themed areas are truly impressive since the last update. The Parque de Atracciones de Madrid itself offers a nice portfolio of rides, but it doesn’t invite me to stay there for long. At least I would not say no to another visit in the late afternoon until the evening hours during the next visit of the city of Madrid.

 

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Parque de Atracciones de Madrid