Tag: Splash Battle

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

The roller coaster within the zoo

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Le Pal

The origin of the Le Pal animal and theme park dates back to 1973, when Moulinois André Charbonnier decided to build a zoo on his family’s farmland and sold his food factory in Moulins (Allier) in return. He was assisted in this by a veterinarian from the Paris Zoo de Vincennes.

Although the zoo has had a park railway from the very beginning, it was not until 1981 that it was converted into a theme park, when the King Kong observation ride moved into the park. In the same year, however, the park’s founder died. The following years are characterised by a rather fruitless interim management, which, however, was able to realise some large installations. In 1990 Andrés stepson Arnaud Bennet took over the management of the amusement park. The park has ever since been growing steadily.

Le Pal with its 640000 visitors is now one of the five most visited theme parks in France, behind the parks of Disneyland Resort Paris, Parc Astérix and the Futuroscope. The park is probably only known to the common German amusement park fan with the opening of the roller coaster Le Twist. This year, the Family Launch Coaster Yukon Quad has been added to the list, so a visit is now a must. At least that’s what I thought, which is why I wanted to go to France for the planned opening of the roller coaster. A tour was planned and finally the visit was postponed to the second day of the ride; Walibi Rhône-Alpes was too far away to justify a visit on the second day of the journey.

Shortly before the park opened, I reached the car park of the animal and theme park and quickly bought my ticket at one of these incredibly practical ticket terminals on the right side of the entrance. But before we start our tour of the park, here’s a quick note: The Le Pal amusement park is incredibly large and its rides take eftelingesque forms, plus there’ s the zoo. Even on an off-season visit day, it’s a good idea not to go wildly back and forth between the park’s attractions. A second visiting day is advisable and can be combined with an overnight stay at the Lodges du Pal.

Le Twist

In this respect I was completely surprised and after a one kilometre long walk I reached the first attraction on the map: the spinning coaster Le Twist from Mack Rides. Naturally, there was the longest queue in the morning, and I also overlooked a small detail, but more about that later.

After the train has left the station, we soon climb the lift to the starting height of 22m. At the top we have enough time to enjoy the view in a short turn before we plunge into the valley below us. We glide powerfully through an elongated curve at 70 km/h, cheerfully turning around our own axis. In the following Immelmann Turn we look at the sky, the ground or our passengers, just before we fall to the ground again. In a right-hand bend we immediately start to climb up again to initiate an unprecedented spin in a wonderful sloping position. After a downhill left turn, we now make a short zigzag curve combination, which then changes into a curve in the shape of an eight. This is followed by a few shorter swings, whereupon the final brake is already reached and the fast, funny and by no means powerless ride ends.

Le Twist, like its sister ride Dwervelwind of the Dutch amusement park Toverland, is completely convincing. The ride also offers everything a good spinning coaster needs; after all, the passengers can enjoy a nice flow and a certain amount of spin on the ride. Simply, a really great ride!

King Kong

With the next ride, however, one can argue about such a statement. I will make it relatively simple this time and concentrate on the historical significance of a King Kong ride in Le Pal. The park needed a new edition of the HUSS ride, because many customers remembered the typical French panoramic ride from their childhood (an active ride can still be found in the Cigoland amusement park today) and thought it a pity not to find that ride in the park anymore. The design of the queue with the curved railway wagons in the forest is also very successful. In contrast to the Belgian amusement park Bobbejaanland, the ride appears harmoniously staged and appropriate. But I don’t know whether these points overlook the inconsequential wobbling around at lofty heights.

Ronde des Grenouilles and Disque du Soleil

While others are still allowed to think about it, we very quickly devote ourselves to two perennial favourites from Italy. With the Ronde des Grenouilles we have a brand new Jump Around for the smaller park guests and with the Disque du Soleil a Disk’o Coaster in a sleek Aztec look. Both rides are fun, but you won’t expect anything else from Zamperla. Interesting at the Disque du Soleil is the evacuation platform in the second valley – the French are probably a bit more careful there.

Azteka

Past the Rapido dinghy boat slide, the path leads us to the Azteka roller coaster. Somehow the roller coasters of the French manufacturer Soquet nowadays seem to exist only in two versions, one with several short trains and one with a long train.  This ride is one with shorter trains, which again looks quite impressive.

After leaving the station in a right turn, the lift hill of the ride is already waiting for you. At a height of 17m, you immediately start a lively 360° helix sightseeing tour. With a very high speed you will now plunge over a narrow hilltop and immediately hit the ground. With full speed, you will now rush through a curve close to the ground, which will gain more and more height over time. As in an inclined loop, you now pass through a sloped curve, whereby the crest has only little inclination and offers a short moment to catch your breath. Also the following valley does not spare neither its pressure distribution nor its cross slope, which leads to an interesting driving experience. After the following ascent, we now quickly pass through a block brake, just before we throw ourselves into another downward helix. With a running start we now reach a short ramp, on which we change direction very leisurely, which makes the transition to the following right-hand bend quite interesting.  After a short camelback an upward helix follows, which then changes into a kind of steadily widening up and downhill curve and then into the braking section of the ride. Shortly afterwards the ride comes to an end.

Azteka is quite an interesting roller coaster, as it combines the thrilling ride of the Mine Trains with the sloping valleys of the Le King roller coaster by Soquet. As a solo traveller you will be shaken up quite a bit. As the ride is not very small, the ride can be described as impressive. It is surprisingly wild and untamed, just as you like a ride by Soquet.

Chaises Volantes

You still remember the little detail I kept from you on the roller coaster Le Twist? Good, because at the latest at the wave swinger Chaises Volantes it became clear to me that the park is a single rider park like no other. While other amusement parks abolish their queues for single riders, here in Le Pal there is the possibility to fill up seats at almost every attraction. This is exemplary and ensures that the use of the single rider queue is considered normal in the whole park – no envy, no vulgarity, nothing. Le Pal is just great!

Tigre de Sibérie

After such a peculiarity, the park certainly doesn’t offer any more peculiarities, does it? Well, you thought wrong. Right next to the wave swinger, the Tigre de Sibérie roller coaster extends into the sky – a large roller coaster made by Reverchon. What the carousel builder and later specialist for spinning coasters had in mind for this ride is best experienced by taking a seat directly in the hard shells of the train.

Directly adjacent to the station, the lift hill of the ride is already waiting to take us up to a height of 13m. At the top we cross a short hilltop, followed by a slightly longer curve. After the last car has left the lift, we soon fall down a steep curve. In a flowing movement we maintain the radius of the curve and storm skywards, which causes pronounced centrifugal forces especially in the valley. On the upcoming hill we change the direction of travel quite leisurely and enter a somewhat oversized downward helix with up and downhill sections. Thus we descend steadily over two valleys before leaving the element on a long ramp. After a short bend and a very wide right-hand curve, we reach the braking section of the ride. Since we are just too high to pass under the monorail shortly before the station, we have a short dip in the final bend. Shortly after that the ride is over again and we get off.

The Tigre de Sibérie is a very interesting ride with excellent driving characteristics. Unfortunately the ride flattens out towards the end. The reason for this might have been the former roller coaster Chenille Fantastique, whose thematic remains still characterise this part of the ride today. Nevertheless, the ride offers really nice curves that should not be missed.

La Randonnée Africane, La Conquête de l’Ouest and Lac de Chercheurs de l’Or

Nor should we miss the old theme area we are now entering. Passing by the vintage car ride La Randonnée Africane, which reminds us of Danish dark rides of the same theme, and the French Old’99 La Conquête de l’Ouest – which is just as long – we are drawn to the Lac de Chercheurs de l’Or on which a raft ride is taking place. This is how fast the transition from Africa to North America can go.

Rivière Canadienne

As in every French family park, a good log flume is a must, usually called the Rivière Canadienne, as is the case here. The ride in Le Pal is made by Soquet and is particularly impressive because of its course up to the lift hill – after all, you pass the lift hill twice and bob along the landscape for a surprisingly long time. The ride itself is very wet. All in all a really solid ride.

Les Caravelles

If you are not careful, you will end up in a dead end at the Forêt Enchantée. As we are less interested in the toddler ride than in the ride whose passenger carriers have passed us several times before, we quickly look for another way. On an island we then meet the cog ride Les Caravelles, which looks really good both forwards and backwards.

Alligator Baie

But just before we reach our actual destination, another ride magically attracts us. I don’t know how I could have missed it completely in advance, but here in France we have Alligator Baie, probably the most stylish Splash Battle from Mack Rides. Thematically beautiful and also technically wonderful, a truly extraordinary ride is presented here in Le Pal. Unfortunately there were no rivals for a splash water battle. But those who were there made good use of the system.

Descente du Colorado

Now finally arrived at the Descente du Colorado it doesn’t take long until we take a seat in one of the rafting boats. The trip through the beautifully designed canal, which is full of rapids at the beginning, convinces all along the line. On the way we will experience the proven elements of a European rapid river of the early 90’s, such as a tunnel with an included waterfall and a waterfall section with falls on both sides. However, the actually obligatory wave machine is missing. The level of wetness is manageable.

What fascinated me personally is the station of the ride, as this is also where the unused boats are stored. A crane is available for this purpose, which can be moved into position via a rack. What is amazing is the adjustment of the jetty roof so that the crane can be used without major conversions. Another fun fact is the circumstance that the ride used to use boats with individual seats and later replaced them with the manufacturer’s proven 8-seater boats.

Voyage au-dessus du Monde

Fun facts are almost as exciting as Easter Eggs. One such can be found at the station of the Voyage au-dessus du Monde – i.e. the journey around the world or, more appropriately (if translated literally) the journey above the world – where we encounter the Tigre de Sibérie as painting. Shortly afterwards, the ride in the monorail also offers an excellent view of the aforementioned roller coaster.

Ciné Dinamique 3D

Past the station of the Train Aventiers, a park railway with special effects, the tour continues into an oriental-looking area. Here you will find numerous rides by Zamperla, including a teacup ride and a children’s free-fall tower, a Fabbri ship swing, and the 4D simulator Ciné Dinamique 3D. The latter one interested me very much, because it shows the 4D film Happy Family, a Mack Media production. Many of you may know the film from Europa Park, but I personally didn’t know the film before. I was quite astonished when half of the film was told in the pre-show and you were only invited to board the simulators shortly before the roller coaster sequence of the ghost train ride. Other parks would have shown the full movie in the pre-show. The ride in the large-capacity simulators scores with its timing and the beautifully animated film. Hats off!

The Zoo

On the way to our last attraction, we now enter the park’s zoo. First we follow the Circuit Court with its 90 minutes, before we change to the Circuit Long with its 3 hours, after all we want to see the meerkats. French people have to sprint through a zoo, because both times are wrong, here you can easily spend a whole day. At a normal visitor’s pace, 4-5 hours should quickly come together here.

Passing the giraffe enclosure we follow the signs before we come across a large lake. There we watch the hustle and bustle of the squirrel monkeys a little closer before we enter the farm area with its integrated petting zoo. I like the concept and the animals have really large areas of retreat.

Past the chimpanzees, the path now leads us into the predator area directly at the entrance. Both lions and tigers have enormously large enclosures here, which teem with retreat areas. Since the enclosures are only visible to the visitor in a few places, you have to search for a long time until you meet the animals.

Just wow, but the elephant enclosure in the immediate vicinity clearly hits the target of species-appropriate enclosures. The enclosure is larger than many German zoos or amusement parks! You’d think Flamingo Land in Yorkshire would have big enclosures, but Le Pal tops it all. I did not expect that in advance. The amusement park is already great, but the zoo has a lot more to offer and we have only managed a good third of it.

Time for a show. Along the enclosures of the red pandas, gibbons and jeladas, we will go to the big bird of prey show. We will have a look at it from the entrance path, because in Le Pal the paths are blocked right on time at the beginning of the show. So it is not worth coming late. But what is very worthwhile is the show itself. One by one, numerous birds of prey are presented, before the park moves on to the brilliant finale and releases all the large birds present to the show visitors. All of a sudden storks, ibises and cattle egrets are in the middle of the crowd. This show is not to be missed!

I was immediately drawn to the next show, which was to start just a few minutes later. Parrots are the stars of the Carnival des Plumes. Although not everything went well so shortly after the start of the season, nobody should be forced in animal shows. Here, too, the educational approach is dominant, but even those who don’t speak the language get their money’s worth. After all, you can watch parrots during recycling.

The next show will be a while away, so let’s get into round no.2 through the magnificent zoo. This time we concentrate on native species and watch wolves and lynxes before we turn to snow panthers and exotic birds. The Alligator Park – a fully themed walk past American alligators and turtles – is a particularly interesting attraction, which could be standing around somewhere in Florida.

After a fleeting glimpse of the flamingos, the time has come to take a seat in the large stadium, as the sea lion show Le Ballet des Otaries is about to begin. Apart from all kinds of slapstick, visitors can expect a brilliant spectacle of balancing tricks, jumps, swimming passages with the trainers and a nasty shower for selected park visitors. You should have seen this show too.

Slowly the review of Le Pal is coming to an end here, but the zoo is still not quite finished yet. Hopefully you had enough time to take a breather, so let’s go for round no. 3. This time the path leads us to the big steppe, where zebras, numerous antelopes and ostriches cavort. On the opposite side of the steppe there is a kind of game park, which is beautifully situated in a wooded area with a treetop path, from which you have an excellent view of the great novelty of this year.

Yukon Quad

Past the meerkats, whose enclosures are literally hidden away, as well as the kangaroos, hyenas and emus, we are now drawn to the park’s largest and longest roller coaster, the Family Launch Coaster Yukon Quad. It’s not my fault that Le Pal really did put the ride in the middle of its far too big zoo. Although the ride is still brand new, it already looks incredibly harmonious, as the vegetation also plays along. But the general design of the ride is a class of its own. But before I go any further, let’s take a seat on one of the quads.

The Preshow tunnel is quickly reached. A few light effects, some fog and zack, you will be accelerated by the friction wheels. With a pronounced speed we now throw ourselves into a left turn close to the ground before we climb a hill. We cross this hill with shallow airtime, but the following course presses us well into our seats. With good luck we now go over hill and dale in a curve and then wonderfully alternate between left and right curves close to the ground. On the following straight the second launch follows, which, as we all know, adds a good amount of fun. With 90 km/h it goes immediately into a right turn close to the ground, which changes into a short zigzag passage. Now one races up and down through a turn-around curve before a change of direction close to the ground follows. The following curve leads into a higher hill, which results in a turn close to the ground. Now two straight hills follow crosswise to the other end of the ride. After a right bend close to the ground, which changes into a wide left turn, the braking track of the ride is reached, whereupon the ride of more than 1000m slowly comes to its end.

Those who know Juvelen from the Danish amusement park Djurs Sommerland will also get their money’s worth with the mirror-inverted Yukon Quad. The ride convinces with its near-ground and quite wild curve manoeuvres. Furthermore, the pacing of the roller coaster is simply fantastic. It is therefore hardly surprising that the ride was immediately well received by the park’s family visitors. As the wildest family roller coaster since Taron, it can’t be marketed Europe-wide, but for France this statement is absolutely true. A great ride, which hopefully serves as a beacon in the French park landscape.

Pictures Le Pal

Conclusion Le Pal

We are now done with Le Pal. I hope you enjoyed this park as much as I did. The mix of zoo and amusement park is presented here in perfection; thanks to Yukon Quad, the areas are also becoming increasingly mixed. Nevertheless, each area can fully convince on its own. The amusement park is great and the zoo is terrific, so you should definitely take enough time. The advice about the two visiting days is serious, because even on my visiting day, time was running out quite quickly.

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Le Pal / Tron-Tron-Trône Day 2

On a sleigh ride with Heidi

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Preface

Without a theme park the trip from Germany to England is somehow too long and too boring. Since I was already visited Efteling just before Christmas and I had to go through the winter hustle and bustle without a ride on the Bobbaan, I drove to the Belgian coastal town of De Panne, where Plopsaland De Panne holds its Winter Plopsaland Event for more than 10 years. The main reason for the visit was the roller coaster Heidi – The Ride, which I could only visual inspect during my last visit. As the theme area of the wild sleigh ride was still under construction, the area resembled a grey concrete complex rather than a colourful Swiss village. I was also very curious about the restrictions during the park’s winter operation.

Winter Plopsaland

The first impression of the event was quite positive. Plopsaland is very nicely decorated and even has a Christmas plop at every corner of the park. However outside the entrance, this design gets very repetitive. On the other hand, the number of rides in operation is significant. Winter events are nice and good, but if nothing is in operation you can skip the event. In the morning, it truly looked like that. In the afternoon, all rides – with exception of the park’s log flume – where in use. Even the Star Flyer welcomed its guest. Due to the high winds, the ride is kinda scary.

Heidi – The Ride

From the top you have a good overview of the region, Plopsaland and the wooden roller coaster Heidi – The Ride. By the late afternoon, the queue on the roller coaster was very short, therefore it was not a problem to try each of the 12 seats; some even double or triple. Towards the evening, the ride became more popular and the park noticeably fuller.

In a short dip you leave the station, whereupon the lift hill of the ride is climbed. Once the maximum height of 22m reached, you immediately plunge down the curvy first drop. Close to the ground, you are now swerving from one side of the ride to the other in a wild s-curve manoeuvre. This is followed by a double-up element with a double-down element ensuing. Unfortunately, the three hills here are very shallow and the airtime is quite low. Back on the ground level you immediately shoot up into a turnaround where the banking of the track increases steadily before you fall down to the ground. Rushing over hill and dale the track is now running parallel with the already experienced one.

After two fairly high hills follows a slightly twisted S-curve hill, which flows into a small double-down. In a tunnel, you now whiz over a very, very small hump before you are pushed to the right side of the train in a small curve. This is followed quickly by another very flat hill, before approaching in a short left-right corner combination the break run of the ride. In the same building as the station, you quickly cross the transfer track for maintenance before reaching the station in a 180° turn. If you are lucky, say goodbye to Heidi and her friend; during my visit the screen was not in use.

Well, how should I judge the roller coaster?! After my first rides with Heidi I was really underwhelmed – it took a very long time until I was ok with the coaster. At the same time, I do not want to blame the not yet retracted condition of the ride in the morning, as in the afternoon the ride was quite similar. For me, the ride is a little bit too short, which is also due to the fast paced sections near the ground-level, especially at the end of the ride (which I don’t really like). After a great first drop and the amusing S-curve, the ride loses its pressure. The ride catches itself somewhere in the middle and offers plenty of fun in a series of airtime hills, but before you know it the finale of the ride already starts.

But one thing must be left to the coaster: It just looks gorgeous and it fits the park’s audience perfectly. The wild sleigh ride is indeed family friendly and due to the fast dispatch – which is also due to the interestingly placed luggage rack (a chest in the middle of the exit platform) – family members don’t have to wait to long, when another one is currently riding. Overall, Heidi is a great ride for the whole family.

Pictures Winter Plopsaland

Conclusion Winter Plopsaland

As far as the Winter Plopsaland is concerned, I can fully recommend it. If the weather cooperates, you can easily spend a few hours with no waiting times within the whole park. In conjunction with the swimming pool Plopsaqua you can spend with ease the whole day in De Panne.

 

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Plopsaland De Panne