Tag: Wie-Hex

A visit to the luges of Pottenstein

itemprop="discussionURL"0

Erlebnisfelsen Pottenstein

Hexenbesen

I can understand if you don’t run your luge due to the wetness of your track. I can also understand, that you don’t open anything where somebody might hurt himself due to the slippery underground and may even fall to the ground on your awesome looking Skywalk viewing platform. But Wiegand, why did you not operate your small suspended coaster Hexenbesen? It was the only reason why I had to stop at the Erlebnisfelsen Pottenstein on my way back from Munich to Hamburg and you did not operate it even though your website stated other things.

Don’t get me wrong. The route via Pottenstein is just gorgeous and I needed a break of all those road works anyways. It was interesting to see your new facilities, but it would have been nicer if I could use the bought ticket on more than just one of your rides. The Frankenbob is a beautiful looking Alpine Coaster, but unluckily it is also a rather tame one. The Frankenrodel on the other hand is just a nice luge and your Hexenbesen at least looks great and interesting. I’m pretty sure your expansion of the Rodelmekka Pottenstein was the right choice. I just can’t see it, if you don’t operate your rides at the Erlebnisfelsen Pottenstein in the late afternoon on a quiet Monday.

Pictures Erlebnisfelsen Pottenstein

 

What is your opinion about the Erlebnisfelsen Pottenstein and the new features of the park?  Just write them in the comment field below the report or visit our social media channels:

 

          

Erlebnisfelsen Pottenstein

Over the Bode using a witches’ broom

Preface

The Wie-Hex installations are certainly not among the most popular products of the manufacturer Wiegand, which is known above all for its toboggan runs and steel tub slides. Nevertheless, this year a second generation witches’ broom in a remarkable version, the Boderitt, was installed in the second fun park of the Seilbahnen Thale Erlebniswelt, near the cable car up to the Hexentanzplatz and in the immediate vicinity of the first generation witches’ broom.

Seilbahnen Thale Erlebniswelt

Boderitt

A little later than I thought, I reached the Erlebniswelt in the Bode Valley – which is run by the manufacturer Wiegand – only to be at the Boderitt way too early. Although the opening hours were clear, the new Wie-Hex had not even completed his test rounds, and even worse, it had not even started. Only on demand the ride was set in motion, but it was much colder than expected and the cars had a hard time to make the track at all. After almost an hour, a technician started up the ride after numerous attempts.

With the course of the day completely turned upside down, I was able to take a seat in the vehicle familiar from the Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe. After inserting the necessary 3 chips, the vehicle immediately starts moving and climbs the first lift hill. Without any noticeable deflection you make a left turn and then a small detour along the terrace of the restaurant. After a further left turn, the car is braked almost to a standstill in the following right turn, as the second lift hill is approaching. Back on a higher level, followed by a swerve, there is a serpentine-like play of curves that is driven somewhat faster, whereupon the third lift hill is reached. You also leave this hill in a left turn, followed by a wide right turn. Not surprisingly, after another change of direction you reach the final lift. The now following slope is a little more distinctive and the two curves also have a narrower radius through which the gondola swings a little more. However, also in this case, one is braked too soon and consequently one crawls towards the exit position.

The Boderitt is only remarkable because of its size, unfortunately not due to the ride. Compared to the witches broom of the Wasserkuppe, the swinging of the cars is almost non-existent, neither rocking forwards or backwards nor swinging to the side. Admittedly, the ride was certainly not yet sufficiently run in at that time and therefore the swinging might have been much lesser than in the late afternoon; but that doesn’t make the track, whose highlight in the end were the four lifts themselves and the final curves, any better. Nevertheless, it enlivens Funpark 2 at Seilbahnen Thale Erlebniswelt and fills it well, as does the new water ride from the manufacturer Zierer.

Pictures Seilbahnen Thale Erlebniswelt

 

What’s your opinion on the Wie-Hex Boderitt?  Just write it in the comment field below the report or visit our social media channels:

 

          

Seilbahnen Thale Erlebniswelt

Alpine Coaster on the Wasserkuppe

Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe

The Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe near Gersfeld is owned by the Wiegand family and, in addition to the prototype of the Alpine Coaster, offers two summer toboggan runs, a high ropes course and the Wie-Li transport cableway as well as another variant of the Wie-Hex, in which the course is not done in a lying position as in the Erlebniswelt Seilbahnen Thale, but rather resembles a small suspended coaster.

Hexenbesen

The ride on the Hexenbesen begins right after you have inserted the 2€ for the ride or scanned your card, with a small predrop into the lifthill. The first curves follow in which one swings out a little before it goes up a further lift hill, whereby the gondola swings a little strangely up and down. After two further curves the third lift hill is reached before the gondola goes up a small curve combination towards the end of the ride.

Rhönbob

After the obligatory programme has been completed, the highlight of the Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe follows, which can at best be described as Lightwater Valleys The Ultimate among the Alpine Coasters: The Rhönbob. Although its age and the status of the prototype, this is also due to trees falling onto the track from time to time, so that a consistent rattling could develop and a wildness that one looks for in vain on new-fangled Alpine Coasters. Despite its length of almost one kilometre, the track is driven through quite fast, which cannot be reduced so quickly even by the interesting braking system of the bobsleds. At the latest after crossing the Wie-Lis the wild part of the ride follows and thus one tight curve after the other until you leave the forest and enter the jumps. Shortly before the end of the ride there is a small jump, followed by a big jump and a tight right turn after which you descend at insane speed. Afterwards the unsuspecting passenger is released with a big grin in the direction of the lift.

The Rhönbob of the Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe surprised me very much, whereupon I immediately had to take a second ride to make sure what I had just experienced. It is definitely one of the better and wilder rides and should be ridden without question despite its sometimes unusual and quite brute riding style.

 

What is your opinion about the Wiegand Alpine Coaster Rhönbob and the other attractions of the Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe?  Just write it in the comment field below the report or visit our social media channels:

 

          

Ski- und Rodelarena Wasserkuppe