Coaster reviews

Airtimes First Drop Smoothness Dead spots

As far as wooden coasters go, Colossos is easily my favourite one in Germany. Well, it's one of my favourite coasters in general. The first drop and the following airtime-hills are outstanding. Unfortunately, the helix kills the excitement a little, but what the final stretch lacks in intensity, it makes up for in theming. The fake-out dead-end track and the giant fire-shooting monster make for a great climax. I just wish they'd do something with the barren patch of grass in the middle - there's literally nothing going on. Aside from that, Colossos is an intimidating but awesome ride that's surprisingly smooth for a wooden coaster.

Inversions Smoothness Layout Too short Capacity

Flug der Dämonen was my first wing coaster and I was really impressed by how smooth the whole experience was. The ride has some great inversions and a fun layout which unfortunately is a bit on the shorter side. When I visited the park, the coaster had some downtime and once it opened, operations were on the slower side. Unfortunate, as it's a very re-ridable coaster.

First Drop Theming Location Too short Disappointing! Layout

Theming and location are great: the first drop above the lake into the Kraken's mouth and through the ship is phenomenal. Visually, it's a great coaster whether your riding it or just observing from the sidelines. It's a shame, then, that this is pretty much it. After the drop there's nothing else, the ride is over in a heartbeat. Ultimately, it's a fun one-trick-pony that's not really worth it if there's a >10 minute queue.

Launch Intensity Too short

The star of the ride surely is the hydraulic launch which is quite punchy and intense. The layout itself is fun albeit nothing out of the ordinary. "Desert Race" is too short, though, which ultimately holds it back a little. Still a fun coaster but it could have been so much more.

Inversions Location Theming Dead spots

Big Loop is an outdated coaster that has a special place in my heart as it was my second ride with inversions and the first one with an actual loop when I was a kid. So I'm somewhat happy that it's still around even though it hasn't aged too well. It's not the smoothest ride, the layout is very basic and on top of that it's over too quickly. Definitely not a must-do but I appreciate it for its nostalgic value and it's pleasing aesthetic next to the lake.

Headbanging Discomfort Tear it down!

As a kid I was too scared to ride Limit. When I finally came back to Heide Park as an adult, I obviously had to face my fears. Little did I know that my younger self probably spared me some trauma back in the day. The repainted 'Toxic Garden', as it's now called, is the worst coaster I've ever ridden. The over-the-shoulder restraints were a nightmare as my head was constantly banging from side to side. Only ride this if you hate yourself or want to experience whiplash first hand. A turd covered in a fresh coat of paint is still a turd, I'm afraid.

Launch Pace Intensity Rattle Lap Bar

I'm in a love-hate-relationship with Freischütz: I think it's a visually beautiful ride with its colour-scheme and it's location surrounded by trees. I also love the balls-to-the-wall intensity of it. Freischütz is absolutely relentless from start to finish and might as well be one of the most intense coasters in Germany. Greying out was pretty much guaranteed after the loop. That being said, the ride has developed some serious rattle over the years which might cause some light headaches on back-to-back rides. I'm also not a fan of the bulky X-car lap bars which put some pressure on my ribcage. Despite that, Freischütz still delivers 40 seconds of pure adrenaline if that's your cup of tea. In my experience row 5 was the one with the least amount of rattle, so maybe try riding in that one first.

Theming Too short Capacity Disappointing!

It's a family boomerang that's neither intense nor very long. The only thing it has going for it is it's theming as it's located in Klugheim. Capacity is lacking and the ride is incredibly short and ultimately disappointing. Having to wait in line for more than 5 minutes is definitely not worth it.

Layout

It's greatest strength is that the train car looks like a frog. Other than that, it's a kiddie coaster that runs on a track that is equally as creative as a NASCAR circuit. There's basically no point riding it unless you're either looking for the count or are 6 years old. Is it necessary? No, but there were quite a handful of happy kids getting repeated rides in when we were there.

Capacity Fun Duration Discomfort Dead spots Lap Bar

As far as mine trains go, this one is pretty fantastic. It's quite long with three lift hills, offers a crazy dark section and nice theming overall. In the back it pulls some surprisingly strong laterals at times which makes it more intense than you'd initially expect. Unfortunately, due to its age, Colorado Adventure is not the smoothest right out there: I wouldn't exactly describe the seating as comfortable and the lap bar doesn't help either. From what I can tell, sitting on the right hand side (back row) is a bit more comfortable than sitting on the left.

Nice surprise! Fun Smoothness Capacity

FirleFranz is a great family coaster with a somewhat ingenious trick up its sleeve. The switch-track adds a lot of character and really elevates the otherwise rather conservative layout. While being far from intense, it's fun throughout and, in my opinion, so much better than regular family boomerangs. The only downside of this coaster is its limited capacity as FirleFranz can only operate one train at a time.

Capacity Smoothness Dead spots

Not that much to say about this Tivoli: It has a nice enough layout but lacks in intensity. I rode it in the back and was hoping for a little more punch. Capacity is good, though, and it's a rather smooth ride overall. I love the front car as well, it's like the caterpillar is giving you the Luigi death stare as it's rushing by.

Theming Nice surprise! Fun Too short Capacity

Winja'sFear is a fun indoor spinning wild mouse in Wuze Town. Riding and spinning through the indoor area is a fun but rather short experience. It has a few surprises up it's sleeve that are refreshing but ultimately just a minor part of the ride. It's main downside are its short length paired with low capacity. Therefore, Winja's often has the longest queues of all the coasters at Phantasialand which makes riding it not really worth it. Why wait in line for 30-50 minutes if you can get almost two rides on Taron in that same timeframe?

Fun Duration Capacity Reliability

As has been stated, one should look at Crazy Bats more as an experience than a coaster. The ride is quite long and sells the illusion of riding/sliding through a castle surprisingly well. Personally, I haven't experienced any problems with the VR-headsets myself but saw it happen in the train before me (people were offered a second ride). While Crazy Bats isn't particularly exciting, it's decent enough as long as you're not having to wait for more than ten minutes. Unfortunately, operations are quite slow, due to the VR headsets.

Theming Inversions Smoothness

Black Mamba is an amazing #3 coast in Phantasialand to complete their thrill-seeking line-up. The theming of the ride is great: after traversing the jungle that is the queue, you'll enter the darkness if the station where you're dispatched to a powerful score. The first drop sends you into a loop, the first of four inversions. The ride is smooth while the coaster maintains a great sense of speed throughout. What makes the ride is the dropping in and out of trenches, in between forests and through small caves. While it's ultimately not as unique as Taron or F.L.Y., it's a very enjoyable ride that could only be improved by a more engaging second half.

Theming Smoothness Layout

F.L.Y. is a good coaster which is elevated by its theming. The whole package makes it such a unique and awesome experience. Flying through Rookburgh and winding through its streets with all it's near-misses is amazing. I love the theming and the soundtrack once you leave the station. The transition into the flying position is nothing short of elegant. It's not the most intense ride but it's smooth and the countless turns keep you guessing. If you rate the whole experience including the incredible theming, it's close to perfect in my book. I only wish F.L.Y. had stronger moments of airtime throughout the ride. Still a must-do if you're in Europe.

Theming Launch Layout Dead spots

Incredibly fun layout with lots of near misses and a great sense of speed especially during the second launch. The theming is impeccable, operations were running fast and smoothly. The only minor flaw was that Taron seemed to noticably lose some speed before approaching the last turn leading into the second launch. If it kept its pace a little more and provided a tiny bit more airtime on the final hills, it would be an impeccable coaster in my books. Still worldclass and very re-ridable though!