Coaster reviews

Theming Masterpiece Layout

Taron is a masterpiece in theming and layout, great work between Phantasialand and Intamin. This 2-launch Blitz-Coaster features no inversion and it does not need it to become one of the best and smoothest ride experiences. The Theming of the whole world of Klugheim is Phantasialand-like perfection, Taron and Raik fit perfect into the medieval-fantasy-village between massive basalt-like walls. While the first launch sends the riders to the first overbank and some great snappy transitions, the second launch, supported by a intese sound effect shoots the train into a basalt wall and up a waterfall to the topmost point of the ride. My favourite moment of the whole ride. The layout is so confusing, you never know whats next and the fast transitions rips you out of the very comfortable seats. No banging, all in perfect harmony and well balanced. The watch the trains flying through the course from spectators view is impressive as well, because of the insane amount of track-crossings, the layout provides. One of my top rides.

Comfort Harness Smoothness Intensity

Without a doubt the best Ride at Walibi Belgium. It's as smooth as a silk towel, the layout is ultra harmonic. Maybe this is exactly, what makes it feel not as intense and overwhelming as expected. The harmonic turns are not sharp enough to rip you out of your seat, even the bunny hills at the end are no ejectors. The non-inverting-cobra-roll is only in the backrow at the last part (dive-loop) intense. All in all a very well manufactured ride, but in my opinion only reridable a few times before becoming "normal".

Comfort Capacity Disappointing!

Uncharted is a dark ride with surprising audiovisual elements and a state-of-the-art ride layout featuring switchtracks, LSM launches, and rotating 12-person trains. The good aspects of this ride first: The ride is extremely smooth, Intamin-like, and the rotation and LSM launches are controlled and pleasant. Designed as a dark ride, the immersive theming draws you into a story that is meant to be experienced. And that's where the major problems start: The story is exclusively told in Spanish, and the theming in the queue line transitions from Wild West to Maya to wild shooting, leaving a non-Spanish-speaking person with no chance of understanding the video sequences even remotely. With almost 3 hours in the queue line, we saw each sequence multiple times, and there was certainly room for an English version. So, after almost 3 hours of waiting and a 2-minute ride time in an incomprehensible story, we left with major question marks. What's the use of such an elaborate production if you deny the story, the heart of such a ride, to the international audience? Sorry, but this is just poor execution of a good idea. One star for the ride feeling, nothing more.

Duration Disappointing! Pointless

Standard Mine Train, though I don't understand why a chain lift was used instead of tires. The ride is long, but you spend more time on the lift hills than in between. The descent after the second lift hill is almost ridiculously short. Overall, a disappointing Mine Train, especially if you've ridden Colorado Adventure at Phantasialand, for instance. Diablo lacks speed and practically has no airtime. The interaction with the Log Flume is nice.

Intensity Layout Rattle Discomfort

Stampida is a wooden dueling coaster with a racing aspect. The racing element is the biggest highlight of Stampida, it's fun to duel with the other coaster, and the great surprise is when the tracks suddenly split and the trains cross paths afterwards. The intensity of the layout isn't very high, but the ride is so shaky that it gives a very uncontrolled (some would say uncomfortable) impression, and you feel like the train might jump off the track any second. I had to hold on tight throughout the entire ride, as there was a constant risk of banging your knees against something. Overall, it's a fun experience, but due to the shaking, it's not equally suitable for everyone. Subjectively, I liked the blue track a bit better than the red one.

Intensity Layout Rattle Discomfort

Stampida is a wooden dueling coaster with a racing aspect. The racing element is the biggest highlight of Stampida, it's fun to duel with the other coaster, and the great surprise is when the tracks suddenly split and the trains cross paths afterwards. The intensity of the layout isn't very high, but the ride is so shaky that it gives a very uncontrolled (some would say uncomfortable) impression, and you feel like the train might jump off the track any second. I had to hold on tight throughout the entire ride, as there was a constant risk of banging your knees against something. Overall, it's a fun experience, but due to the shaking, it's not equally suitable for everyone. Subjectively, I liked the blue track a bit better than the red one.

Comfort Launch Smoothness Too short Capacity

It's a great ride. The launch and linear acceleration are typical of LSMs: Snappy but not as intens as a hydraulic launch. Towards the end of the acceleration track, the back slightly shakes, and then the ride takes to the sky. It makes it just barely and completely airtimeless over the top hat. A brief but magnificent view, followed by the descent and tha break run. In my opinion, the final bump is hardly worth mentioning. The overall ride feeling is typically Intamin: very comfortable. The new restraints are comfortable too and offer maximum freedom. A short but intense adrenaline rush overall, especially at night. However, with a ride lasting only 20 seconds, it's definitely too short and doesn't justify the wait time of one and a half hours, even though we were able to save some time at the very end in the Single Rider Lane. The capacity is also rather weak with only 12 riders per train.

Inversions Layout Headbanging Harness Discomfort

We rode Dragon Khan only once. A classic twister coaster, this thing is almost 30 years old! Unfortunately, you can now feel this in the way it rides, accompanied by uncomfortable over-the-shoulder restraints. The elements (almost all inversions) per se are not bad; however, everything is jerky and shaky, leading to headbanging. It would be time to install a modern, compact, and intense coaster here, for example, a Vekoma in the style of Lech Coaster.

Airtimes Comfort Smoothness Intensity

Shambala is a classic B&M Hyper Coaster. An airtime machine with beautiful design and color scheme. The hills are so perfectly balanced that you enjoy seconds of floater airtime and hardly notice when you touch the seat again. It's the perfect floater. The ride is as smooth as it can be on a coaster, and the turnaround element looks great. However, you shouldn't expect ejector airtime or aggressive turns and lateral forces. It is a relaxing ride, we enjoyed 15 rides in one day.

Launch Intensity Rattle

A wild ride! This coaster is absolutely crazy. You can either hate it or love it. I belong to the first group. Admittedly, on the wing seats, you get shaken up in the curves like in a shaker. But the hydraulic launch is absolutely insane, the ride is fast, the Heartline Roll provides great hangtime, and the last curve over the lake is just fantastic. The ride is short and wild, the inside seats are significantly less affected by the rattle than the wing seats. A night ride in complete darkness was the highlight; I love this coaster.

Fun

Powered family coaster with the possibility to ride it with VR. I enjoy the ride without VR much more. Good for what it is but not more.

Fun Layout Duration Discomfort

This is a long Mine Train with three lift hills and several ejectors, which you wouldn't expect. The seats especially in the back are not the most comfortable, but that is more or less all I have to complain about the ride. The long and fast paced layout with a surprising dark section has all you can expect from a family mine train. For sure, its not the most thrilling ride, but it you take it for what a coaster like this stands, you will be positive surprised. Backrows are a bit more intense on the drops after the lifthills, but you can ride this at every single position with a lot of fun.

Airtimes First Drop Layout

Hyperion is an Intamin hyper coaster. But compared to most parking lot coasters from B&M, it shines with not only wonderful floater airtime hills but also a fantastic dive loop and two Stengel dives in the twister-layout in the second part. The two airtime hills at the end jerk you out of your seat once again. Also worth mentioning is the first almost vertical drop, which leads seamlessly into the first airtime hill, inviting seconds of floating sensation. A great parking lot coaster with many different elements. It's worth noting that there is some rattle from the middle of the last U-turn on the parking lot, which can be slightly uncomfortable on the wing seats until you exit the curve. However, all is forgotten with the next change of direction. In general, the inner seats are smoother, the outer more intense. A fantastic coaster.

Pace Intensity Smoothness Too short

Formula is a fast-paced ride, very short, but quite optimal given the space constraints. It reminds me of a little brother to Lech Coaster, with its intensity and the pace of inversions. Good, solid, and smooth, but too short.

Comfort Smoothness Duration

Abyssus is a Vekoma Launch coaster with a beautiful layout, comfortable trains, and a Batwing element. Although the comparison with Lech Coaster is inevitable, these two coasters couldn't be more different. While Lech rushes through its twisty layout, Abyssus leisurely glides through some banked turns after the initial launch. It only becomes more interesting after the second launch over the top hat, but never reaches the same intensity as Lech. Even the Batwing element is comparatively tame. Like most modern Vekomas, the ride is smooth and free from rattling. There's nothing really bad to report about Abyssus, but for hardcore fans, it might be a bit too tame.

First Drop Pace Masterpiece

Wow. This coaster is a masterpiece, both visually and in terms of its layout. The first ride in the front row in the morning was absolutely insane. The first drop, the insane stall, the outer banks, and inversions - all mind-blowing. But in the afternoon, under the warm sunshine, the train pounded through the layout with brute force, never letting up, one element crazier than the next. After just about a minute and a half (lift hill included), you find yourself hurtling into the final brake run with brutal force, wondering what just happened. 16 rides in two days, and each one was more spectacular than the last. This coaster is one of the most extraordinary ones I've ever ridden, and despite the high-speed elements, the ride glides smoothly through the structure. Unbelievable.

Fun Capacity Discomfort

Well, what to say after riding several times Lech coaster in a row, just to queue half an hour for this one... One train running, 4 People per ride, manualli pushed into the lifthill :) Just the behavior of this ride is funny, the rest does nothing but rattle and banging your knees.

Pace Intensity Layout

Lech Coaster is a wild ride with high G-forces, whippy transitions, and ejector moments. The train smoothly navigates through the compact and twisty layout, which, however, does not diminish its high intensity. The fast paced elements relentlessly follow one another, and within a few seconds, the ride is over. After 7 rounds, my stomach felt a bit queasy, but the coaster is incredibly fun, with the personal highlight being the half barrel roll through the station which leads to the absolutely crazy section behind the building. An aggressive Vekoma ride which would feel even better with only lap bars instead of the additional Vekoma shoulder straps.

Theming Smoothness Too short

Raik is unfortunately less than the little brother of Taron. Perfectly embedded into Klugheim-Theme, the ride would have deserved a longer Layout und a bit more intensity. Even for a family Boomerang Raik is too short.

Inversions Smoothness Launch

A really nice Mack launch coaster. The launch is not intense, too tame in my opinion but its quite ok. The ride is smooth and well paced, but not too extreme. A mix of inversions and non-inverting elements lead to a fine layoutwhich is finalized by the barrel roll at the end as best element in my opinion. The restraints are comfortable but the heart rate sensors are completey pointless.

Fun Layout Capacity

Nice spinner with wild mouse elements and some surprising moments. Not a favorite ride, but good as what it is.

First Drop Inversions Intensity Rattle

Black Mamba is like all coasters at Phantasialand perfectly embedded into its african inspired world. What this coaster makes that intense is the fact, that the main part of the layout meanders below the walkways and remains hidden. The riders, especially in the backrows don't see, whats coming and the nice inversions, positive G's do their job perfectly. There are some footchopper as well, which are impressively scary. After 16 years of operation, there is a slight rattle at some points, but it's still not an uncomfortable ride. B&M and Phantasialand did a crazy job taking into account that there are strict height limits at Phantasialand to lower the main ride course below ground. Intense invert ride without any weak spots. Love it!

Airtimes First Drop Pace Theming Capacity

Let's name the bad things first, there are few: Theming is not existent (no, a corrugated metal shack is not what you can call Theming) and the capacity is awful, about one train every 4.5 minutes. But to be honest: Holiday Park lacks of additional great coasters and is a family park. The queue line of Expedition GeForce is not as crowded, as it would make sense to run a second train or hire more staff to accelerate the boarding/unboarding process. The good things, that make this ride to an exceptional experience have much more impact: Airtime on every hill, a crazy first drop, headchopper on the first of four bunnyhills at the end. Even after 20 years of operating a great ride with so much aspects for having fun. The airtime is astonishing well balanced between front and back rows. If you ignore the first drop, which is clearly a backrow-hammer, all of the airtime hills have great floater on every seat. Especially on the last four bunnyhills, the riders in the front rows are pushed over the hill while the tail is still acceleratingwithin the compression before. There is a trim after the second bunny hill which takes a bit of force while the backrows still overrun the crest, thats a pity, but necessary not creating too much stress to the track on the last two bunnyhills. Great ride and a must-do for every thrillseeker.

Intensity Hangtime Lap Bar

Overall not a bad ride but it comes with some cons: The Lap Bars makes it very uncomfortable to cross the train to store your backpack at the exit side. The ride overall is too short. The Hangtime at the top is nice, but the break before the drop brings the train to an almost full stop which takes away a lot of the trill. The launches forward and backward are okay. At Holiday Park this second coaster was worth to ride once and switch back again to Expedition Geforce.

Theming Layout Capacity

Nice Wild Mouse Ride with some banked turns and even slight moments of airtime. The Layout changes between sections with typical hairpins and hills and banked curves. Not a long ride, not an intense ride, but as good as you can expect.

Disappointing! Discomfort Airtimes

Complete disappointment. Looks nice, but thats more or less it. The Layout is boring, hills are much to slow for experience a glimpse of airtime, turns are tame. The train is bumpy and rattles through the course, while my knees hit the restraints constantly. There is a kind of pre-show that could be nice, but blown away by the very hard hit in your back as the chain grabs the train roughly. This is a waste of wood.

Inversions Launch Rattle Disappointing! Dead spots

I rode it with high expectations, this Gerstlauer Infinity has an excellent reputation. The Launch was not as strong as expected, I felt only few weak airtime moments and the second ride on the outer seats gave a constant and annoying rattle. I have to say that this is not a bad coaster at all. Some nice inversions, especially the dive loop into the tunnel and a dark section make this a bucket list Gerstlauer. But for this reputation I expected much more intensity and less rattle. It claims the first spot at Tripsdrill, but in my ranking is the much smoother and better paced Hals-über-Kopf is easily the No. 1.

Theming Masterpiece Smoothness

F.L.Y is perfectly embedded within the Rookburgh "city" and its attached stores, Restaurants and the Charles Lindbergh Hotel at Phantasialand. The mixture of historic and steampunk theming in its details is an absolutely unmatched masterpiece. The coaster itself couldn't be smoother, because of that it feels maybe less intens as it actually is. The launches are fun, but well balanced as the whole rest of the course as well. There are nice and also smooth inversions and many near miss elements. The course leads the trains throu a spaghetti-like layout abobe and under the pedestrian ways, which is a lot of fun! The station contains a very creative dispatching system with separate exit and entering, which leads to a good capacity. Wery vell done, Phantasialand and Vekoma!