Europa Park (Germany) | Theme Park Tips

Europa Park

Europa Park is the biggest and, in our view, the best theme park in Europe. This park really has everything, including major thrill rides which would stand out in any theme park in the world. It’s not just for the adrenaline seekers though. The park has invested heavily in more gentle rides and themed experiences, meaning it has a charming, all-welcome atmosphere. It is a very big park, but there is a monorail and a miniature train to help you get around; perfect when you’re arriving early to head straight to the back of the park, as all readers of our site do!

The park is actually owned by a company that makes rides, which probably explains why they build new ones almost every year. Many of their rides feature new technological developments. There are several on-site hotels. They have also recently opened a really excellent water park called Rulantica. All this makes Europa Park superior to the better-known Disney and Portaventura resorts. The park is located in a beautiful and quiet town very near the France-Germany border.

Amazingly, in spite of it being little more than an hour’s flight from London, Europa Park seems to be something of a hidden gem in regards to the British tourists. But we would highly recommend it, and you can easily combine it with a trip to their world-class water park, and also to Phantasialand which is only a few hours away and is almost as good as Europa Park. We promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Last visited May 2024

INVESTMENT

THRILL FACTOR

FUN &

LAUGHTER

STAFF &

FACILITIES

UNIQUNESS

VALUE

THEMEING &

IMMERSION

THOMPSONS'

RATING

Silver Star

BEST BITS

The park is exceptionally efficiently managed. The staff organise the queues superbly, and the rides always run at full capacity. Also, the park does not have fast track tickets; everyone uses the same queue. This means wait times are much shorter than at most parks.
It is very good value. Tickets are cheap compared to other parks, and there are very few extras you have to pay for.
When the park is open it is OPEN. The rides are tested and ready to go. No standing around waiting for the rides to start going.
The park is very well themed, with each of the areas representing a different European country.
Maybe we have been very lucky, but we have been to Eurpoa Park five times so far and have never been in a queue when a ride has broken down; which is very rare.
Within the park there is a very wide range of restaurants, giving a lot of choice over what you eat (not just the standard burger vs pizza decision).
The park is right in the middle of a beautiful town. If you would rather not stay in one of the park’s own hotels there are a range of local hotels, guest houses and restaurants within walking distance of the park.
Our favourite rides are Silver Star and Blue Fire. But what really stands out to us is that there are also so many rides which are great fun and can be enjoyed by everybody.

DOWN-SIDES

Transportation is not as easy as some of the other major parks in Europe. We have only ever arrived by road which is simple enough, but does require a car. There is no straightforward rail access, and the nearest airports are 45 minutes or more away.
There are no boards to display the queue times around the park making it difficult to know how to make the best use of your time.

TOP TIPS

Europa Park is big. It is possible to go on the main rides in a single day but not to cover the whole park.

Smoothness

N/A

Matterhorn Blitz

Thompsons' overall rating 3

Thrill

Fun

Themeing

Immersion

Smoothness

Thompsons' overall rating 4

Thrill

Fun

Themeing

Immersion

Smoothness

Tiroler Log Flume

Thompsons' overall rating 4

Thrill

Fun

Themeing

Immersion

Smoothness

N/A

Voltron Novera

Thompsons' overall rating 7

Thrill

Fun

Themeing

Immersion

Smoothness

WODAN - Timburcoaster

A large wooden coaster, conveniently located right next to Blue Fire, and themed around a Viking God. The ride features fast, banked corners and drops. It is intense and jerky.

Our view: We don’t particularly enjoy wooden coasters as they are never smooth. That said, WODAN is probably the best wooden coaster we have been on. The cars are very padded (an absolute must on a wooden coaster) with plenty of knee room. The ride is intense but does not throw you around quite as violently as some others do.

Blue Fire

Silver Star

A hyper-coaster that features lots of high drops, airtime moments and long banked-turns. This ride has harnesses that hold you into your seat by closing in on your stomach and the top of your legs, leaving your upper-body and legs to move around with the flow of the rollercoaster whilst still feeling very secure.

Our view: This type of coaster is our favourite, as we both love the massive airtime and the smooth flying feeling it provides. Silver Star is an excellent ride, surpassed in Europe only by Shambhala at Portaventura (which was built by the same company a few years later). It is a shame that there is a fairly abrupt brake during the ride which detracts from the overall smoothness. It is also a bit less smooth in the outside seats.

Tips:

Sitting towards the back means that you are not left hanging down the first drop whilst the rest of the car comes over the lift hill. If you are a bit afraid of the first drop then definitely sit towards the back as you will be pulled down the drop sufficiently fast that you won’t have time to worry about it!
People tend to queue for longer to sit on the very front or very back row. Joe thinks rows 2 and 7 have a similar experience and with a much shorter queue. However, Hayley thinks the front row is worth queue for. So pick your side!
However, we both agree that sitting on the left-hand side is better, to enjoy the banked turns.

Joe with his VR headset on

Pegasus Coastiality

An otherwise standard junior rollercoaster which has been significantly enhanced by the optional addition of virtual reality (VR) headsets. The VR is all encompassing; no matter which way you look you see only the VR world. The VR tells a story of a family on the ghost train ride pursuing a witch who has magically transformed them into monsters. It also has sound which enhances the immersiveness of the ride, but it is in German.

Our view: The VR turns this ride from mundane to good fun. The technology is exceptional, and it exaggerates the movement of the ride making it more thrilling. The only slightly disappointing feature is that you have to pay extra to use the VR headsets and queue longer for the ride. Otherwise we would have gone straight back on again. That said, it is only €2.

Tips:

Don’t forget to look all around you with the headset on. The images are 360 degrees and change as you move.
Check that the headset is working properly before you get on the ride; Joe’s did not work once.

Euro-Mir

A spinning coaster on which you sit in twos facing outwards from the car. The ride starts with a very long spiral lift in the dark (with a 90s techno soundtrack). Once at the top of the spiral lift you come out on a track which features lots of wild mouse-style turns at a considerable height before dropping. The spinning is fixed to happen at set times, giving you a different experience depending on which car you ride in. You may be riding different bits forwards or backwards depending on where you sit, but it does not constantly spin.

Our view: The beginning of the ride is very slow but don’t be fooled; there is a substantial drop which speeds things up a lot. The ride is quite jerky, particularly towards the end, but it is good fun. As with most spinning coasters we laugh all the way around.

Tips:

There is not much leg room in the cars. Taller people should sit as far back in the seat as possible to give themselves room.
If you start the ride facing backwards then you will generally go down the main drop backwards (which is great in our view). But then you will go forwards for the rest of the ride (and vice versa).

Silver star

Poseidon

Euro mir

Wodan

Fjord Rafting

A water rapids ride themed around a boat ride along a fast-moving Scandinavian river.

Our view: This is a typical rapids ride. Good fun, but nothing exceptional.

Tips:

Although riders generally don’t get as wet on this ride as on some newer rapids ride, there are elements which can soak riders. We strongly recommend you consider the weather before getting on this ride. Being wet is one thing, but being wet and cold is very unpleasant!

Cassandra's Curse

A ride combining motion and visual effects, where riders sit on a bench that moves. It is themed around an ancient Greek legend.

Our view: We really like these types of rides, which give the illusion of greater movement than is actually happening. The theming was detailed, and although the ride isn't thrilling, it is enjoyable.

Pirates in Batavia

A slow boat ride which tells a story of pirates in the far east. The ride uses animatronics and sound effects, and several scenes of battles between boats.

Our view: It is very similar to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. The animatronics and effects are excellent. The story is mainly in German, so we didn't follow it all, and it is a no-thrill ride. But it's very well done.

Water Rollercoaster Poseidon

A hybrid water and steel coaster, this ride features two big drops into water. There are also a number of coaster elements where the boat travels around a water-free track which has banked turns.

Our view: The second half of the ride is a lot better than the first. There are two good drops into water, but the water-free elements make for quite a rough and jerky ride.

The first launch on Voltron Novera

Atlantica SuperSplash

A water ride which takes you up a steep hill, has a small drop that you ride backwards, then spins you round to face a big drop facing forwards. This main drop is quite steep and at the bottom takes you over a small airtime hill before its final splashdown.

Our view: Although remarkably similar to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean Ride in the theming, this ride is completely different and in our view, much better. We enjoy rides that go backwards and also the main drop is good fun. It is impossible to go on this ride and not get wet as the splash is enormous.

Atlantica SuperSplash - expect to get wet

Matterhorn Blitz

A wild mouse coaster, themed around a Swiss alpine family home (!). The ride features an elevator style of lift which carries the cars straight up to the track at the top. There are lots of sharp turns (as with any wide mouse ride) and several small drops.

Our view: Hayley in particular is not a fan of wild mouse rides, and this is no exception. That said the sharp turns are smoother than on some rides of this style. The best feature is the initial lift which takes you by surprise. Joe enjoyed it more and would go on it again if the queue was small.

Ghost House

A ghost train ride which you get to by going in an elevator in the dark. The ride is slow and does not feature any ‘coaster’ elements; it’s all about the special effects.

Our view: A fairly typical ghost train experience, but with a few more horrifying scenes than we have seen elsewhere which may scare younger children.

Swiss Bob Run

A trackless coaster which simulates a bobsleigh by sliding the cars down a half-pipe route. It features numerous banked turns. You sit either one or two people per car, one in front of the other (one person between the legs of the other).

Our view: A very tame ride, made more fun if you sit near the front where you can watch it slide along the course.

Tips:

It is much more comfortable for two adults to have a car each than one sitting in between the legs of the other.
It is more fun to ride near the front.

Blue Fire

Arthur

Part dark ride, part hanging coaster, this ride takes you slowly through a series of big screen and animatronic scenes related to the film. There are two outdoor sections where it becomes a hanging coaster, and picks up a bit of speed. This includes a small drop which some cars do backwards. The ride also goes around the ceiling of the indoor Arthur-themed area, high over the heads of other guests.

Our view: Although aimed at families, this ride is good fun. The theming is very detailed (although a bit hard for us to follow as it’s mostly in German and we have not seen the film), and the ride is well designed to ensure that all riders get the full immersive experience.

For us, it is not up there with the more thrilling fun of the Harry Potter rides (Universal Orlando), but is certainly more thrilling than the more child friendly Ratatouille (Euro Disney) and Empire of the Penguin (Sea World Orlando). Although it is not particularly fast, the height and the twists/backwards sections might scare some younger children.

Tips:

Keep your park admission ticket handy; you will need it to activate the lockers on this ride.

Europa Park is well themed and picturesque

Alpine Express Coastiality

An otherwise standard mine train ride which has been significantly enhanced by the optional addition of virtual reality (VR) headsets. The VR is all encompassing; no matter which way you look you see only the VR world (including a cartoon version of your own arms and legs when you look down!). The VR tells a story of Euromaus (the park’s mascot) and his friends who take you on an adventure.

Our view: The VR turns this ride from mundane to fantastic fun. The technology is exceptional, and you quickly forget that you’re actually on a mine train ride. Events in the VR story are perfectly aligned to the twists, turns, accelerations, and decelerations of the ride. The only slightly disappointing feature is that you have to pay extra to use the VR headsets. Otherwise we would have gone straight back on again. That said, it is only €2.

Tips:

Don’t forget to look all around you with the headset on. The images are 360 degrees and change as you move.

Blue Fire

Eurosat - CanCan Coaster

An indoor coaster themed around a performance at the famous Paris Moulin Rouge. It features a dark spiral lift and numerous visual and lightening effects depicting locations in Paris. During the ride there is loud music. The ride features a number of small drops and banked turns (mostly to the right).

There is also an option to ride this coaster with a VR headset, which is themed on a futuristic space mission.

Our view: This coaster is a really good illustration of why we love Europa Park. A few years back they realised that the old Eurosat coaster was dated and jerky, so they completely re-built it using more modern track and cars. The result is that the ride is much smoother and a lot more enjoyable. The theming is very detailed and adds to the overall ride experience.

Tips:

You have to take your bag onto the ride with you.
The VR is good, but be aware that you put the VR helmet on before getting into the ride car. That means you have to walk with it on, with a virtual version of the ride car being displayed. It is quite disconcerting.

Blue Fire

An electromagnetic launch coaster, with four inversions and numerous banked turns. This intense ride has the benefit of lap bars rather than over-the-shoulder harnesses, allowing your upper-body to move freely. The handlebars on the harness have pulse monitors built into them.

Our view: So many launch coasters are disappointing because all they do is launch. Blue Fire is the complete opposite; the launch is just the beginning. The thrills come thick and fast, but with enough respite between them to catch your breath. Each of the inversions has a great airtime moment before the speed of the ride catches back up with you. And we love how holding onto the handlebars makes it feel like you’re steering the ride yourself!

Tips:

The ride is faster but slightly jerkier at the back.
As it’s right at the back of the park it is a great ride to do at the beginning of the day.
The front row queue is always long because the cars only have two people in each row. It is not worth it; don’t bother.

Blue fire

Tiroler Log Flume

A standard log flume ride which features a small drop and a larger, steeper drop at the end.

Our view: This is a typical log flume ride.

Tips:

You will get wetter sat at the front.
The first drop is actually wetter than the last one.

Volatarium

This is a simulator ride where you sit in rows in front of a large screen, as if you are riding a hang glider. The effects include smells, noises and visual effects as if you are flying above different geographic scenes including fields and mountains. There are also additional features that simulate flying, such as changes in the air flow.

Our view: The ride is quite enjoyable, but ultimately it still felt like we were sitting on a bench in front of a large screen. This was exaggerated by the quick changing of scenery, which does not take you through a journey but just cuts between different (unconnected) scenes. That said, the smells used during the ride were the best feature and were very authentic.

Tips:

Don’t prioritise this ride over others if there is a queue, it is not worth it.

Voltron Novera

A multi-launch Mack coaster themed around the inventions of Nicholas Tesla. The first launch goes beyond vertical. As well as multiple launches, the ride has a number of inversions and a backwards section. The ride is in two halves, coming to a complete standstill before a backwards launch into the second part of the ride.

Our view: It is very much a ride of two halves, with the first half being much more enjoyable than the second. The launches are all smooth and the first vertical launch is particularly thrilling. Unfortunately some of the other elements are quite rough. This is particularly noticeable in the outside seats.

The theming throughout the queue and the beginning of the ride is excellent.

Tips:

Inside seats are smoother than the outside seats. It is also smoother sat towards the front of the car.
There is a single rider queue.
There are lockers inside the queue line to store your bags.