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Big Amusements in a strange Holiday Destination

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The holiday resort of Ingoldmells is mainly characterised by its numerous holiday parks; after all, the first Butlin’s Resort in the country has been located here since 1936. In order to expand the resort’s offerings, the Fantasy Island amusement park was built in the 1990s, including a large indoor area with an arcade and a bowling alley. Since 2016, the park belongs to the Mellors Group, England’s largest fairground operator.

Rhombus Rocket

The Rhombus Rocket powered coaster was the theme park’s first roller coaster. As was often the case at the time, the roller coaster was paired with a log flume to place two of its main attractions in the smallest possible space. The interaction with the log flume is still the ride’s greatest charm today. The otherwise very family-friendly ride by WGH Transportation convinces with its long helices and the big dip just before the station entrance. As is often the case on a good powered coaster, you ride the layout several times.

Volcano, Sea Storm and Magic

The Rhombus Rocket roller coaster is surrounded by some wonderfully designed rides. In addition to a typical English Twister, the Sea Storm ride and the classic Magic formerly owned by German showman Ludewigt, the Space Shot Volcano by S&S, which shoots out of an artificial volcano, is particularly impressive.

Pyramid Attractions

The indoor area of the Pyramid is the big flagship of Fantasy Island theme park. Around the Mystical Dragon Mountain, which houses a really fast dinghy slide, there are numerous really nice attractions here. The cute oldschool themed ride Seaquarium and the brand new interactive dark ride Harrington Flint’s Island Adventure’s stand out positively. But a ride on the monorail Toucan Tours or the flying theatre The Guardian should not be missed. In addition, the Pyramid features the Jellikins Coaster, a roller coaster for very young park guests, which is a rather uncomfortable experience for most adults due to its enclosed cars.

Millennium

Until a few years ago, the entrance to the Millennium roller coaster was located directly in front of the pyramid. Nowadays, the waiting area is inside the pyramid, which on the one hand offers a clearly immersive experience, but on the other hand comes with the circumstance that you now call a largely unused station your own. Due to the lack of separation between entry and exit, one is held back in a small area until the last passenger of the roller coaster has passed it. Only then is the ascent into the station via the exit of the roller coaster.

After entering the station, the train is quickly dispatched and sent on its way. Having reached a height of 46m, we immediately descend the first drop to the left. After we have smoothly passed the first valley, we immediately go through an unusually high loop – for an MK-1200. After a long straight, we skilfully change our direction in a sidewinder, but not without completing an oversized Bavarian curve above Ingoldmells Market – Europe’s largest weekly market. After a short climb, we plunge down once more and immediately into the ride’s second loop. The rest of the way around the pyramid is a little more relaxed as we glide over several hills before we move on to the grand finale. In a helix we are pressed into the seat for one last time before we reach the braking section of the ride and our ride soon comes to an end.

Millennium is one of the greatest roller coasters by Vekoma. Although the layout is not quite as imaginative as more modern rides from the manufacturer, the huge MK-1200 can convince with its pressure-rich elements and its fantastic ride characteristics. This ride is simply smooth.

Family Roller Coaster and Wild River Rapids

On the other side of the pyramid, the big roller coaster Odyssey is joined by the small family roller coaster Family Roller Coaster and the water ride Wild River Rapids. The Spinning Raft from Reverchon is hit or miss, because the ride can very well get you soaked, but the likelihood of that is low.

Odyssey

Originally opened as Jubilee Odyssey for Queen Elizabeth II’s golden jubilee, the ride is the tallest inverted coaster in the world to date at just under 51m. However, the ride, which was built directly on the North Sea, was rarely operated by the previous owner of the amusement park due to the high wind load, which gave the ride a questionable image. With the change of operator, the Odyssey also picked up speed again.

After leaving the 50m-high lift hill behind, the ride goes very steeply back down to the ground. With a lot of pressure we pass the first valley, whereupon a huge loop awaits us. Immediately afterwards, we shoot up a huge Cobra Roll, which turns us upside down two more times. In a very unusual way, we change our direction of travel once again in a huge turn. As if that wasn’t enough, a sidewinder follows immediately. We then circle the exit of the Cobra Roll in a large helix. Far from the ground we glide through a dip before we are turned upside down one last time in a corkscrew. With plenty of speed left, we reach the braking section of the ride and soon the station of the roller coaster.

Odyssey is a really strange roller coaster. The size of the ride speaks for itself, and the unorthodox layout is somehow appealing, but the rough ride characteristics don’t really make it fun to ride.

Pictures Fantasy Island

Conclusion Fantasy Island

Fantasy Island is a thoroughly nice amusement park in a more than strange place. The large selection of rides and the very high quality are surprising and leave a very positive overall impression. Especially the attractions inside the pyramid stand out positively due to their immersive design. The rides outside the pyramid, on the other hand, are more classic and convince with their unique layouts.

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TKathke October 9, 2022 July 19, 2026 Fantasy Island

Everything new at Freizeit-Land Geiselwind

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A lot has happened since my last visit to Freizeit-Land Geiselwind. In 2016, the animal and amusement park was taken over by showman Mathias Mölter and has been steadily expanding ever since. Interestingly, the charming funfair is developing more and more into a theme park as more and more funfair rides are added.

Verrückte Farm

It all starts with the nice children’s area right at the entrance. The crazy farm is home to the Doggy Dog children’s roller coaster, a classic Big Apple.

Freizeit-Land

The charm of the old amusement park can still be discovered today in Freizeit-Land. Most of the rides have been given new names, and the Shot ‘n’ Drop Tower T-Rex Tower has been completely re-themed with an artificial volcano, from whose crater you are now ejected.

Drachenbucht

Wo früher noch Autos parkten, befindet sich heutzutage der Themenbereich Drachenbucht. Der weitläufige Themenbereich bietet fernöstlichen Charme, ohne dabei allzu kitschig zu wirken. Hauptattraktion hier sind die SBF Visa Frisbee Auge des Drachen, der überaus kurzweilige Walkthrough Meister Ling’s magisches Labyrinth (Master Ling’s magical maze) und die Drachenhöhle.

Drachen Höhle

Die Drachenhöhle ist die ehemalige Black Hole des Schaustellers Schierenbeck. Der Hell Diver aus dem Hause Zierer ist mit seiner rasanten Achterbahnfahrt in den kleinen Bobs auch heute ein wahres Highlight und sollte deshalb keineswegs ausgelassen werden.

Land der Piraten

The Land of the Pirates used to be home to the theme park’s terrific HUSS corner, where you could experience a variety of classic rides from the HUSS company. Today, the main attraction here is Jack’s Versteck (Jack’s Hideout)- a huge funhouse, as well as a variety of well-themed rides. Unfortunately, however, the new Bounty ship swing doesn’t really fit in here.

Fluch des Kraken

The world record roller coaster Boomerang now also belongs to this area. The ride, now known as Fluch des Kraken (Curse of the Kraken), convinces with a coherent overall concept and the still magnificent ride characteristics. Personally, however, I think it’s a shame that the original design has been thrown overboard, because it was actually very successful. It’s a pity that an Australian themed area didn’t fit into the concept of the theme park.

Safari

At the back of the Freizeit-Land, in the middle of the forest, is the Safari themed area. Here you will find a number of children’s rides, the great horror walkthrough Dr Lehmann Horror Lazarett, and the roller coaster Taka Waka.

Taka Waka

The roller coaster that sounds confusingly similar to Tiki Waka from Walibi Belgium is a cyclone coaster from SBF Visa. The medium-sized roller coaster offers a classic Figure 8 design based on the Pinfari model, with several smaller drops and a large number of helices, as well as rather rough brakes. The ride is not worth mentioning and looks outdated despite its fairly recent construction.

Forbidden Kingdoms

The newest themed area is the Forbidden Kingdom. This area is home to the Cobra roller coaster, as well as the Merlin sling shot and the Ramses walkthrough (the former Tal der Könige by showman Bügler). The theme area’s focus is a mishmash of all kinds of adventures, be it in mystical England, the ancient Egyptians or someplace in the jungle. Surprisingly, the concept works and the Forbidden Kingdoms proves to be an extremely coherent themed area.

Merlin

The undisputed main attraction of this themed area is Merlin – a Sling Shot from Funtime. The ride catapults two brave passengers to lofty heights, where they then experience several somersaults. The ride is absolutely breathtaking and definitely a recommendation for anyone who wants to brave the rather short (yet very long) queue.

For me, it was the first Sling Shot. Although I have already stumbled across many rides of this kind, the high price of the attractions, which are usually operated as up-charges, was never worth it to me. Here at Freizeit-Land Geiselwind, however, the ride is included in the park ticket, just like at Skyline Park, and is therefore a must for every amusement park fan. The ride, which seems quite extreme, is simply a great and surprisingly gentle experience in the end.

Pictures Freizeit-Land Geiselwind

Conclusion Freizeit-Land Geiselwind

Freizeit-Land Geiselwind has changed considerably. Although it was much emptier during my visit this year than during my first visit, I spent much more time in the park. Nowadays, there is something to discover around every corner, and sometimes you even come across attractions that you hadn’t even thought of before and which you really want to try out. Especially the self-built walkthroughs are all worth a visit. A visit is therefore definitely worthwhile, especially as the next few years will certainly offer one or two more surprises.

What do you think about the new attractions at Freizeit-Land Geiselwind? Just write it in the comment field below the report or on our social media channels:

TKathke July 19, 2022 July 17, 2026 Freizeit-Land Geiselwind

The overambitious theme park

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Schwaben Park has its origins in 1972 when the Hudelmaier family’s animal and amusement park opened its doors as Safari Park. The park became famous for its chimpanzee show, which was discontinued in 2017.

To be honest, I never had any desire to visit Schwaben Park. However, since the focus has been shifted more and more to the classic amusement park business and the zoo has been reduced in the same process, things have changed a bit. The park now stands out positively because of its interesting ideas.

Santa Lore

Since almost all the main attractions are in the same corner of the park, we start our walk clockwise. The first ride we come across is the Santa Lore ship swing by Metallbau Emmeln, which – for whatever reason – has its own soundtrack by IMAscore. The ride itself is pretty solid and great fun for the whole family.

Azura

One of the main attractions of the amusement park is located in an old riding hall: the Azura water ride. The combination of the quiet boat ride with a fountain show is convincing all along the line. You wouldn’t expect such a spectacle in a medium-sized amusement park, and yet you can experience it at Schwaben Park. Hats off!

Schwaben Express

One ride I’ve been looking forward to for ages is the Schwaben Express from Gerstlauer. This flat ride has a rather steep hill in the course of the ride, which is travelled at a decent speed both forwards and backwards.

Bobkart

The Bobkart ride in Schwaben Park is a rather short one. As soon as we leave the station, we take the first wave. After a ride through a helix, we speed through a wide left turn. Parallel to the monza track Anno 1950, we race over several waves and a few curve swerves before we enter a helix once more. After a change of direction, we continue spiralling upwards, but then drive directly into the exit area of the ride, where the fun ride unfortunately comes to an end.

Das Sägewerk

Past the Märchenfahrt, which is a leisurely boat ride past numerous fairytale pavilions, as it was at Heide Park, we head straight to the log flume ride Das Sägewerk (The Sawmill). The classic Reverchon ride with its two drops convinces with its elaborate design and a fitting soundtrack.

Raupen Express

Directly opposite is the entrance to the family coaster Raupen Express. The Force Zero from Zierer convinces with its classic Tivoli Coaster layout including this funny little twist. In keeping with the rules, several laps are made one after the other.

Märchenturm

In addition to the abc rides children’s log flume Kroko Splash, the Pferdereitbahn and the dinghy slide Wellenreiter, you can also ride the Twist & Turn Märchenturm in this area. The mixture of a teacup ride and a Ferris wheel is always a guarantee for a good mood in Schwaben Park.

Kreiselkarussell

The Kreiselkarusell is another ride from Gerstlauer that I’ve been looking forward to for ages. The gondolas of the ride are similar to those of the Suppenfahrt in Erlebnispark Tripsdrill, but here they run on a circular track. The rotation of the gondolas creates a real spinning sensation in no time at all.

Verrückte Palme

Directly above the Kreiselkarussell is another family classic that no amusement park should be without these days. The family free fall tower Verrückte Palme convinces with its fun ride programme and the hopscotch included in it.

Wilde Hilde

Passing no less than three scenic rides – the Oldtimerbahn, the Papageienbahn and the Traktorbahn – we now approach the corner mentioned at the beginning, where three highlights of the amusement park are located. The first is the Wilde Hilde.

This roller coaster from RES runs mainly vertically. To prevent the whole thing from becoming too fast, a large part of the ride is slowed down. The highlight, however, is that the gondolas can swing freely and the transitions to the next level always result in very funny swinging sections. Unfortunately, however, the ride is ultimately a little too repetitive, so that you rarely get to enjoy the chicken cackle of IMAscore à la Popcorn.

Hummel Brummel

Things are a little different with the Hummel Brummel. Wiegand’s Wie-Flyer is basically a suspended Bobkart track. Passengers decide on their own travel speed as they whiz around the track.

The ride begins quite leisurely in a wide left-hand bend, where we gain a little height. A few bends in the airy heights follow before we make a small turning manoeuvre in a tight right-hand bend. This is followed by several wide left and right turns. Another tight right-hand bend later, we approach the station again.

Unfortunately, the suspended powered coaster Hummel Brummel lacks a bit of speed. If the ride were a little faster and the swing of the gondolas a little greater, the ride would be a lot more fun. As it is, the fun is unfortunately a little limited.

Force One

The biggest roller coaster in Schwaben Park is Force One. This ESC by Zierer offers a thoroughly impressive layout, which is notable for its numerous drops. The ride starts with a shot from a height of 22 metres. After the big drop, we immediately shoot just below the lift, where a big helix awaits us. After a smaller dip, we take another drop parallel to the first. Immediately we race into another helix close to the ground. A short turn just above the lift entrance later, the path leads us over hill and dale before we reach the final brake following several small hills.

Force One is a really cool family coaster with unfortunately not so cool ride characteristics. The ride vibrates, and not too little. Interestingly, this only slightly reduces the repeat factor. After all, Force One is still a good, albeit not perfect, family coaster in the end.

Pictures Schwaben Park

Conclusion Schwaben Park

Schwaben Park is a very solid amusement park with some really good ideas. They try to make the best of the park and that is definitely noticeable. The concepts are good, but some of them are a bit overambitious. However, I think that once the discovery phase is over, a coherent overall concept will emerge at some point. Until then, we can’t wait to see what else Schwaben Park will surprise us with.

What is your opinion about Schwaben Park? Just write it in the comment field below the report or visit our social media channels:

TKathke June 6, 2022 July 19, 2026 Schwaben Park