Attractiepark Slagharen | Goldrush | Gerstlauer Infinity

Atractiepark Slagharen has announced the retirement of their good old Thunder Loop (Schwarzkopf Looping Star) in order to make place for a new coaster in 2017. The park has cited the maintenance costs to be the main factor behind the removal. Thunder Loop is to operate till the end of this season, with the new coaster opening at some point in the Spring of 2017. The new ride will have at least one inversion, with more details about the project being released in the coming weeks.

http://www.slagharen.com/nl/missionwild ... 3d&urlid=1

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

That's so sad. I was literally just looking at this park and making a list of all the old creds in Europe that I still need to visit.

I know some people don't give two hoots about them and obviously these things are getting more and more expensive to upkeep so they are gonna go eventually. But I love the forces in the old circular loops and I'm not ashamed to be sad. Hope they get something good to replace it.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

You're not alone Sue, I have a lot of love for these! In fact this coaster was the main draw for me to go here (as a part or a Dutch trip mind), so I'm gutted to hear this, especially as it's likely to be replaced by something generic.

Hang on though, wasn't it this place that was heavily rumoured to get an Intamin Mega lite a couple of years back?

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

That would be sweet as there are not nearly enough Megalites in the world, but the article that Tilen posted suggests an inversion so...

But I doubt the park can afford anything that decent.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

Ahh this is sad. So sad in fact that I've just decided to pop in there in the morning to show it some goon-love.

(to be fair, was gonna pop into one of the parks between where I am now (Zwolle) and Bremen airport to get home ; its just won the vote over Hellendoorn's Tornado thats all)

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

Sad to see this coaster go, but Slagharen had quite some technical problems with it the last few years and I've heard it also had trouble getting through inspections. Hopefully its replacement will be good.
I've read on a dutch forum that some people from Slagharen (including the parks director Wouter Dekkers) have visited Tripsdrill (home of Karacho) a while ago.

Actually, the rumor was about an iSpeed clone. (which I think would have been awesome )

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

And I did.



Was good, extremely slow lift hill though (slower than walking pace), perhaps thats the maintenance problems? The ride itself was good enough for a 37 year old thing though.

:-(

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

They were meant to get an Ispeed clone and then the park was bought out by Parque Reunidos and the whole thing dropped off the map.



I would imagine this new ride is something completely different though. If someone knows the park maybe they can say if the above plans are in the same area as the Looping Star.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

This park has ridiculous visitor figures though, something crazy like 8m a year (don't quote me on that, but it is certainly a lot higher than you'd expect from a park that just has two off the shelf coasters).

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

^I really doubt that since that would make it the second most visited park in Europe.

It's not even in the top 25 according to TEA.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

I don't think a park that small could afford an Intamin clone of that size. Maybe a Gerstlauer launcher could fit the bill, plus they ride rather nicely...

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

While I think a Gerstlauer Launcher is more likely, I don't think we are to say what the park can and can't afford.
The argument that "the park seems small", doesn't really hold up when we look at past investments from parks of similar size. Besides, this is just from our perspective, of course there is a lot to more to it on a business level.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

I think something like Karacho (Gerstlauer Launched Infinity Coasters) would fit that park well. A rather small rollercoaster that is lots of fun and serves a pretty wide audience (I have a photo of me on Karacho and the age of the riders reached from about 40 to 12, which kinda proves that it attracts many different people.), and that's probably what a park that doesn't have too many rollercoasters yet wants.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

In 2015, Attractiepark Slagharen had 997,000 visitors. To put that in perspective, Walibi Holland only had 860,000 visitors. A few years ago, Slagharen claimed to have a much higher amount of visitors (1.45 million in 2011), but those numbers were false. (New management of Slagharen acknowledged the false numbers)

A list of the top 50 attractions of the Netherlands in 2015 can be found here:
http://www.respons.nl/nieuws/top50-dagattracties-2016-efteling-blijft-meest-bezochte-dagattractie

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

Bullcrap. Small parks make big investments all the time.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

The park is owned by the same company (Parques Reunidos) as Mirabilandia is. Why couldn't they afford an iSpeed clone, when there is the original operating in their sister park?

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

But if Parques Reunidos wanted to boost Slagharens annual attendance figures and its gross income they could quite easily do so with a larger investment as they have the cash. Its how parks grow and reach new audiences.

 

Re: Atractiepark Slagharen to Build a New Coaster in 2017

See I said don't quote me on it :lol: