GhosterForce 2016 Trip Reports
- Thread starter Ian
- Start date
Jordanovichy
Credit Whore 2016
What a trip <3
Taron was amazing, and Phantasialand was better than I remember, the fabulous fake geology in Klugheim helped that <3 so new number one park for me. Thanks to Ian for all the arranging you did, I'll chuck some photos up at some time...but I am behind on sorting all of that out.
Taron was amazing, and Phantasialand was better than I remember, the fabulous fake geology in Klugheim helped that <3 so new number one park for me. Thanks to Ian for all the arranging you did, I'll chuck some photos up at some time...but I am behind on sorting all of that out.
Day One: Walibi Halloween Fright Night
Arrived at the park tired from 3 hours sleep. Driving over hadn't worked out quite as conveniently as we had planned, but never mind. I was so excited for this event that I doubt I would have got much sleep had I been tucked up by 9pm the night before! Anywho.
It was nice to see familiar faces and meet new ones at the park entrance. We plowed onto Platform 13, which had an amazing queue line and no queue. Perfect combo! I love the ride station, the way you don't see anything until you board the train. Coaster-wise, the launch is super fun, but the ride dwindles around after that. It's a solid 6.5/10, most of those marks for the fab themeing.
We did the Boomerang next, it was Chris' first boomerang and I think it may have set his expectations too high for future boomerangs. I mean, Speed of Sound is actually tolerable! Sure, it doesn't have the fab cheesy soundtrack that it used to, but as far as boomerangs go, this one is one of the least worst. 4/10
Lost Gravity was next and I was very excited. I followed the construction of this (admittedly ugly) coaster with great fascination, it basically seemed like Macks attempt at building a Gerstslauer. Colour me intrigued by this prospect! The ride area has typical gaudi themeing that we all know and love from Walibi, including a rather pleasurable vibrating step
The coaster itself is pure joy. I love it. So many unsuspecting moments of airtime, or throw-you-out corners. And that last inversion is absolute perfection. It's the type of coaster you could ride all day and you would smile every time. 9/10
Those new to Walibi had to endure the SLC, whilst the rest of us took advantage of the parks free hot drink refills. I'll repeat that. Free hot drink refills!!! What a great idea for chilly autumnal events. Full of tea, we headed to Goliath which I have now concluded to be the worst example of a mega coaster. Yeah, it's tall and has airtime, but the overall ride experience is so bland and calculated that it never really gets the adrenaline pumping. Plus the helixes are sluggish and the trains rattle a lot. 6/10
Then it was time for those who booked scare mazes to venture off into the world of horror. Maddie, Ben, Lofty and I had tickets for the extreme, alone attraction at 15.15pm. Talk about kicking things off with a bang! I was so scared that I was very close to chickening out before we even got to The Clinic. Thankfully, Lofty and Delpiero convinced me to give it a go. We signed our disclaimers saying we don't mind being severely restrained on a bed etc and headed in one by one. *spoilers ahead!*
I was the last to go in. It wasn't like any other scare attraction, it was more of an experience. The Clinic had a really somber, morbid atmosphere. No jump scares or anything obvious. Just anxiety-inducing claustrophobic scenarios and a grim, realistic representation of death. Basically, the premise is that you have died on an operating table. You get embalmed, put in a morgue, someone mourns over you. Then they put you in a coffin. When they closed the coffin lid it nearly touched my face, and I couldn't move at all. It doesn't sound that bad writing it now, but trust me, being in the coffin was pretty horrendous. After a few seconds I panicked and said the safe word. The staff were brilliant at getting me out quickly but to be honest, I left The Clinic shaking all over. The final scene after the coffin sounds amazing though, so part of me wishes I had stuck it out, but unfortunately fear got the better of me and Delpiero spent the rest of the trip calling me "Safe Word Serena" haha. (At least I went in it, he didn't!) Although I didn't see the ending, I would give The Clinic 10/10 for originality, sets, acting and creating a different kind of intense atmosphere that I've never experienced in a theme park before.
The Villa was next. This one is themed to horror movies. They batched us in tiny groups, meaning just Maddie and I went in together. What's amazing about going through a scare attraction as a twosome is everyone experiences every scare. And trust me, The Villa has thousands of scares! I don't think I've ever jumped so much. The actors use a lot of diversion tactics to really catch you off guard. The sets were stunning, they left no doubt as to which film they represented. And for a maze based on multiple characters, each scene really flowed. The Nightmare on Elm Street bit scared me the most, and Chucky even followed Maddie and I out of the maze to scare us once more after we had left! Top notch indeed, just the kind of frightful fun I needed to recover from The Clinic! 8/10
After this was Psychoshock. The novelty of crossing a misty lake via a bridge scattered with zombies was not lost on me, what a way to enter a maze! The make up was beautiful in this attraction, all kinds of vile undead creatures with contoured cheekbones <3 There was also swat team actors who kind of reminded me of Sub Terra, but then the narrative also had that 'tell us your fears' element; it was a bit of a strange mix. The attraction was enjoyable, but not quite as strong as The Villa. 7/10
We met up with the others, in all my excitement I had forgotten to each lunch so grabbed some delicious Kaassoufle before going to Haunted Holidays - a seasonal themed horror maze! Gotta love Walibi for their unique ideas! This maze was the least cohesive, I didn't see the relevance of the day-glo paint and circus type sets. However, the final scene where a giant Christmas tree unfolds to reveal a zombie Santa was ridiculously good. Some excellent moments, peppered with moments of wtf?! 7/10
After this, it was time to soak up the scare zones, which are absolutely world class. Some serious production value going on in these! Fire, insanely elaborate costumes, chainsaws, ominous soundtracks, screens, eerie lighting...every zone had its own huge, compelling atmosphere and was just captivating to walk through. From pirates to insects to zombie Nintendo characters, the scare zones are staggeringly good and elevate Halloween Fright Night into the top league of Halloween events. Plus, there are so many to choose from! The Halloween entertainment on offer is impressively substantial and varied.
We rode Goliath at night and guess what? It's still pretty dull (for what it is. Obviously it's better than a Reverchon mouse)
Then soaked up the atmosphere in The Firepit, which was ironically one of the coolest scare zones considering it had a massive fire. (Surrounded by hill billy actors with chainsaws and a DJ!) Rode Lost Gravity at night and guess what? It's still brilliant. Could say I was Lost for words.
After that, we all did our free maze together - Jefferson Manor. A proper haunted-house-themed Haunted House, with ghostly actors and so many amazing tricks and illusions! I loved it, the sets again were so immersive, no corner was left unthemed. The originality of the scares was awesome too (the girl in the floor! Aargh!) 9/10
We watched the show after, which started kinda creepy but then unfolded into a sexy dance routine. Weird! But kind of cool. Nothing at all like what I was expecting!
The actors from the scare zones then dashed to the entrance to ensure every one left the park running and screaming. Such a good touch, to keep the scare factor heightened at every opportunity, even the exit. I bought a fab glow in the dark t-shirt
Some chavvy boys surrounded Maddie, nadroJ and I at the exit and tried to be all intimidating and start a fight. Bit of a downer to end the day on, but I can't let that scupper ruin what was easily the best Halloween theme park event I have ever been to. Special thanks to Maddie for letting me cling onto her in the mazes! What an incredible way to start the trip! Stay tuned for my next bleatings on the loveliness that is Toverland!
Arrived at the park tired from 3 hours sleep. Driving over hadn't worked out quite as conveniently as we had planned, but never mind. I was so excited for this event that I doubt I would have got much sleep had I been tucked up by 9pm the night before! Anywho.
It was nice to see familiar faces and meet new ones at the park entrance. We plowed onto Platform 13, which had an amazing queue line and no queue. Perfect combo! I love the ride station, the way you don't see anything until you board the train. Coaster-wise, the launch is super fun, but the ride dwindles around after that. It's a solid 6.5/10, most of those marks for the fab themeing.
We did the Boomerang next, it was Chris' first boomerang and I think it may have set his expectations too high for future boomerangs. I mean, Speed of Sound is actually tolerable! Sure, it doesn't have the fab cheesy soundtrack that it used to, but as far as boomerangs go, this one is one of the least worst. 4/10
Lost Gravity was next and I was very excited. I followed the construction of this (admittedly ugly) coaster with great fascination, it basically seemed like Macks attempt at building a Gerstslauer. Colour me intrigued by this prospect! The ride area has typical gaudi themeing that we all know and love from Walibi, including a rather pleasurable vibrating step
The coaster itself is pure joy. I love it. So many unsuspecting moments of airtime, or throw-you-out corners. And that last inversion is absolute perfection. It's the type of coaster you could ride all day and you would smile every time. 9/10
Those new to Walibi had to endure the SLC, whilst the rest of us took advantage of the parks free hot drink refills. I'll repeat that. Free hot drink refills!!! What a great idea for chilly autumnal events. Full of tea, we headed to Goliath which I have now concluded to be the worst example of a mega coaster. Yeah, it's tall and has airtime, but the overall ride experience is so bland and calculated that it never really gets the adrenaline pumping. Plus the helixes are sluggish and the trains rattle a lot. 6/10
Then it was time for those who booked scare mazes to venture off into the world of horror. Maddie, Ben, Lofty and I had tickets for the extreme, alone attraction at 15.15pm. Talk about kicking things off with a bang! I was so scared that I was very close to chickening out before we even got to The Clinic. Thankfully, Lofty and Delpiero convinced me to give it a go. We signed our disclaimers saying we don't mind being severely restrained on a bed etc and headed in one by one. *spoilers ahead!*
I was the last to go in. It wasn't like any other scare attraction, it was more of an experience. The Clinic had a really somber, morbid atmosphere. No jump scares or anything obvious. Just anxiety-inducing claustrophobic scenarios and a grim, realistic representation of death. Basically, the premise is that you have died on an operating table. You get embalmed, put in a morgue, someone mourns over you. Then they put you in a coffin. When they closed the coffin lid it nearly touched my face, and I couldn't move at all. It doesn't sound that bad writing it now, but trust me, being in the coffin was pretty horrendous. After a few seconds I panicked and said the safe word.
The staff were brilliant at getting me out quickly but to be honest, I left The Clinic shaking all over. The final scene after the coffin sounds amazing though, so part of me wishes I had stuck it out, but unfortunately fear got the better of me and Delpiero spent the rest of the trip calling me "Safe Word Serena" haha. (At least I went in it, he didn't!) Although I didn't see the ending, I would give The Clinic 10/10 for originality, sets, acting and creating a different kind of intense atmosphere that I've never experienced in a theme park before.The Villa was next. This one is themed to horror movies. They batched us in tiny groups, meaning just Maddie and I went in together. What's amazing about going through a scare attraction as a twosome is everyone experiences every scare. And trust me, The Villa has thousands of scares! I don't think I've ever jumped so much. The actors use a lot of diversion tactics to really catch you off guard. The sets were stunning, they left no doubt as to which film they represented. And for a maze based on multiple characters, each scene really flowed. The Nightmare on Elm Street bit scared me the most, and Chucky even followed Maddie and I out of the maze to scare us once more after we had left! Top notch indeed, just the kind of frightful fun I needed to recover from The Clinic! 8/10
After this was Psychoshock. The novelty of crossing a misty lake via a bridge scattered with zombies was not lost on me, what a way to enter a maze! The make up was beautiful in this attraction, all kinds of vile undead creatures with contoured cheekbones <3 There was also swat team actors who kind of reminded me of Sub Terra, but then the narrative also had that 'tell us your fears' element; it was a bit of a strange mix. The attraction was enjoyable, but not quite as strong as The Villa. 7/10
We met up with the others, in all my excitement I had forgotten to each lunch so grabbed some delicious Kaassoufle before going to Haunted Holidays - a seasonal themed horror maze! Gotta love Walibi for their unique ideas! This maze was the least cohesive, I didn't see the relevance of the day-glo paint and circus type sets. However, the final scene where a giant Christmas tree unfolds to reveal a zombie Santa was ridiculously good. Some excellent moments, peppered with moments of wtf?! 7/10
After this, it was time to soak up the scare zones, which are absolutely world class. Some serious production value going on in these! Fire, insanely elaborate costumes, chainsaws, ominous soundtracks, screens, eerie lighting...every zone had its own huge, compelling atmosphere and was just captivating to walk through. From pirates to insects to zombie Nintendo characters, the scare zones are staggeringly good and elevate Halloween Fright Night into the top league of Halloween events. Plus, there are so many to choose from! The Halloween entertainment on offer is impressively substantial and varied.
We rode Goliath at night and guess what? It's still pretty dull (for what it is. Obviously it's better than a Reverchon mouse)
Then soaked up the atmosphere in The Firepit, which was ironically one of the coolest scare zones considering it had a massive fire. (Surrounded by hill billy actors with chainsaws and a DJ!) Rode Lost Gravity at night and guess what? It's still brilliant. Could say I was Lost for words.
After that, we all did our free maze together - Jefferson Manor. A proper haunted-house-themed Haunted House, with ghostly actors and so many amazing tricks and illusions! I loved it, the sets again were so immersive, no corner was left unthemed. The originality of the scares was awesome too (the girl in the floor! Aargh!) 9/10
We watched the show after, which started kinda creepy but then unfolded into a sexy dance routine. Weird! But kind of cool. Nothing at all like what I was expecting!
The actors from the scare zones then dashed to the entrance to ensure every one left the park running and screaming. Such a good touch, to keep the scare factor heightened at every opportunity, even the exit. I bought a fab glow in the dark t-shirt
Some chavvy boys surrounded Maddie, nadroJ and I at the exit and tried to be all intimidating and start a fight. Bit of a downer to end the day on, but I can't let that scupper ruin what was easily the best Halloween theme park event I have ever been to. Special thanks to Maddie for letting me cling onto her in the mazes! What an incredible way to start the trip! Stay tuned for my next bleatings on the loveliness that is Toverland!
Lofty
CF Legend
Yeah, this trip was **** amazing and shows exactly why I'm on this forum!
I'm going to do a more detailed review soon, but the following made it for me:
- Walibi Fright Nights being amazing.
- Lost Gravity actually being good.
- The Clinic all up in my face.
- Overland being really good fun.
- Sue falling off of the spinning table at Toverland :lol:
- Hotel Matamba buffet in me.
- Phantasialand, just, Phantasialand <3
- Aaron being my new number one, my god the front at night <3 <3 <3
- Baron and Joris en de Draak ERT.
- Joris en de Draak being really fab.
- Racist dark rides.
- Shading the Fairytale Forest with Ben and Jake.
Down points:
- Coming home. Womp womp.
I'm going to do a more detailed review soon, but the following made it for me:
- Walibi Fright Nights being amazing.
- Lost Gravity actually being good.
- The Clinic all up in my face.
- Overland being really good fun.
- Sue falling off of the spinning table at Toverland :lol:
- Hotel Matamba buffet in me.
- Phantasialand, just, Phantasialand <3
- Aaron being my new number one, my god the front at night <3 <3 <3
- Baron and Joris en de Draak ERT.
- Joris en de Draak being really fab.
- Racist dark rides.
- Shading the Fairytale Forest with Ben and Jake.
Down points:
- Coming home. Womp womp.
ATTACKHAMMER
Strata Poster
Lofty said:
Probably the best thing I have ever said!
Travelling/ Walibi Holland
I didn't take many photos and they are awful!
I booked a flight the evening before the live started, so I could get a good nights sleep.
I arrived at the hotel and used to escalator to get to the room my room was on. Whilst on the escalator I noticed Fraser sitting in the burger bar, so we made plans to have some beers. After consuming several strong beers, I went to bed full of excitement.
Fraser and I went to the airport, where I considered getting some naughty beans:
And then became a tourist:
We headed straight for [strike]Rock N Rollercoaster[/strike] Express!
The queue line was absolutely fab and had a moment better than DGBT!
The ride was slightly meh. I had Aerosmith in my head the whole way round!
Next up:
The onboard audio was fab! The ride itself was very smooth, for a Boomerang!
Next up:
Tivoli
Lack of theming, lack of good cred. +1!
Lost Gravity was next!
I was pleased a tribute to Merlin in the queue
The queue had a vibrating escalator:
The rest of the queue is better
It was the most surprising cred of the trip! The first drop into the airtime hill is awesome! We rode it a few times throughout the day. The seats on the wing are the best and make the ride a different beast.
Next up was this **** thing, piece of ****.
We were delayed as someone was literally stuck on the coaster, their restraint didn't release. Such spite.
It's **** ****.
Next up were the quite fab rapids:
Then we rode [strike]Goliath[/strike] The Big Green Monorail.
I was really looking forward to riding this coaster, but it was such a let down. It is literally a big green monorail. The dive thing is ok, but it has too many boring helixes. The bunny hops have nothing on Steel Dragon 2000.
Even with multiple rides, my opinion remains the same.
Next up:
**** ****. Restrains continued to pin the whole way round.
The log flume was good!
We then did the Mad house, which was ok.
The S&S tower was fab!
The park really came to life at night. It was by far the best halloween event I have been to.
This was the centre piece of Donald Trump's House:
We did a horror labyrinth, which was ok. Horror labyrinths don't really do much for me.
There was a fab heavy metal/ doom horror walk though, with jump scares!
Then some of us left and went to the bar.
The Halloween event at Walibi Holland is fierce! They use a massive overflow car park on the other side of the road to the park for regular parking and decorate the park exceptionally well. But more about that later.
After a thorough frisk by security (an indication of the clienteele the event attracts, perhaps?),I was chuffed to see everybody had made it to the park and was especially pleased to pick up a lovely large envelope containing CF’s entry tickets, Haunted House ticket and Lost Gravity fast pass.
I last visited Walibi Holland in 2011, I think, during a very quiet period and found the park rather bland. It was a lot different on this occasion. Lost Gravity was new, Halloween stuff was in place and I had had 24 CFers in tow. Instead of describing the day’s events, I’m going to go through the rides stating my observations!
Platform 13
I last rode it when it was loosely themed to Superman, or whatever it was. The new (for me) queue line is amazing and was appropriately horror themed to kick off GhosterForce. I really enjoyed the special effects, the different scenes and the whole atmosphere. It worked well right up to, and during the launch. However, after the launch, the awesome atmosphere was left behind. I find the ride quite mediocre but I do love the head choppers, they’re fab!
Speed of Sound
If ever there was a prize for a best Boomerang, SoS would win it. Although I didn’t ride it, I remember enjoying the on board audio (OBA) and the lift hill tunnel. Watching everybody’s heads wobble through the cobra roll affirmed my correct decision to sit it out.
Goliath
This cred was in my Top 10 for almost forever. When I rode it several years ago, I adored it. Since then, I’ve been on about 400 more coasters, so I was keen to see if I still rated it so highly. Aside from the first drop, Stengel Dive and the bunny hills at the end, it felt really dull. It’s still a good ride, and if I were still on about 200 creds, I probably would rank it quite highly. But no, I’ve done better coasters since and it lacked the things I usually enjoy from a coaster. The front row I did later in the evening, in gentle rain, was slightly better but it still left me wanting more. Not more rides, but more adrenaline filled moments. I’m really glad Shaun managed to get on it at the end of the day, after doing the walk of shame in the morning.
Lost Gravity
Ahh, Mack. IMO, they can’t put a foot wrong at the moment. We joined the queue and marvelled at the occasional burst of fire and really enjoyed the vibrating escalator. I mean, REALLY enjoyed it. The infinity chamber (the bit with the mirrors) was also really cool. Most of us fought for the outer “wing” seats for our first ride, and compared to the inner seats which I rode later that evening, they certainly make a difference. The ride itself is…odd. It’s so unconventional. Coasters tend to be formulaic to some extent but this one has elements in places that seem so out of place. If you couple the surprising elements with the nice bits of airtime, you’ve got yourself a fab cred. It’s nowhere near my top 10 but it’s a really good ride and without a doubt really underrated! The best cred in the park by miles. We queued up for it twice and used our complimentary fast passes for a night ride.
Robin Hood
I sat out. I thought it was turd several years ago, and didn’t want to be endure it again.
The Rapids
I like the rapids at Walibi Holland. It’s the ones with the three sections so water can flow between them and towards the middle. I got soaked down my right side and down my arse.
The Mad House
I can’t remember, or care to remember, the actual name but I was gutted to have missed it on my first visit. The pre-show was quite good, I liked the effects and the swing chamber itself, but it’s still not a patch on Hex!
Jefferson Manor
This was the only haunt I did. From what I heard from others and what I experienced in JM, I regret not doing them all! JM was incredible, so many jump scares, a good narrative and sexy effects. I especially liked the light shining through the slats highlighting the dust and the finale. I walked through in a mixture of awe for the production and the scares themselves. Really good!
The Halloween Event in General
What can I say? Walibi know how to put on a Halloween party. Throughout the park, there were free scare zones to walk through with fire, mist, themed “creatures” and typical loud noises. None of this hay bales and pumpkin nonsecnce, this is a proper adult event! The Fire Pit was so well themed, I almost cried. I loved the music they were playing in there, too – “Put your mother*cking fingers in the air”! The park really packed out during the Halloween event, so despite having the park virtually to ourselves during the day, the whole atmosphere changed dramatically for the better when night fell. If you’re going to do a Halloween event at any park, make sure Walibi Holland is at the top of your list! Seriously good!
Walibi Holland was a perfect park to kick off GhosterForce. Big rides, great Halloween atmosphere and plenty of time to do everything. I did get a bit crabby towards the end of the day, due to tiredness (thank **** for the free coffee refills!) and some people’s selfishness, but I did enjoy the day immensely.
After a thorough frisk by security (an indication of the clienteele the event attracts, perhaps?),I was chuffed to see everybody had made it to the park and was especially pleased to pick up a lovely large envelope containing CF’s entry tickets, Haunted House ticket and Lost Gravity fast pass.
I last visited Walibi Holland in 2011, I think, during a very quiet period and found the park rather bland. It was a lot different on this occasion. Lost Gravity was new, Halloween stuff was in place and I had had 24 CFers in tow. Instead of describing the day’s events, I’m going to go through the rides stating my observations!
Platform 13
I last rode it when it was loosely themed to Superman, or whatever it was. The new (for me) queue line is amazing and was appropriately horror themed to kick off GhosterForce. I really enjoyed the special effects, the different scenes and the whole atmosphere. It worked well right up to, and during the launch. However, after the launch, the awesome atmosphere was left behind. I find the ride quite mediocre but I do love the head choppers, they’re fab!
Speed of Sound
If ever there was a prize for a best Boomerang, SoS would win it. Although I didn’t ride it, I remember enjoying the on board audio (OBA) and the lift hill tunnel. Watching everybody’s heads wobble through the cobra roll affirmed my correct decision to sit it out.
Goliath
This cred was in my Top 10 for almost forever. When I rode it several years ago, I adored it. Since then, I’ve been on about 400 more coasters, so I was keen to see if I still rated it so highly. Aside from the first drop, Stengel Dive and the bunny hills at the end, it felt really dull. It’s still a good ride, and if I were still on about 200 creds, I probably would rank it quite highly. But no, I’ve done better coasters since and it lacked the things I usually enjoy from a coaster. The front row I did later in the evening, in gentle rain, was slightly better but it still left me wanting more. Not more rides, but more adrenaline filled moments. I’m really glad Shaun managed to get on it at the end of the day, after doing the walk of shame in the morning.
Lost Gravity
Ahh, Mack. IMO, they can’t put a foot wrong at the moment. We joined the queue and marvelled at the occasional burst of fire and really enjoyed the vibrating escalator. I mean, REALLY enjoyed it. The infinity chamber (the bit with the mirrors) was also really cool. Most of us fought for the outer “wing” seats for our first ride, and compared to the inner seats which I rode later that evening, they certainly make a difference. The ride itself is…odd. It’s so unconventional. Coasters tend to be formulaic to some extent but this one has elements in places that seem so out of place. If you couple the surprising elements with the nice bits of airtime, you’ve got yourself a fab cred. It’s nowhere near my top 10 but it’s a really good ride and without a doubt really underrated! The best cred in the park by miles. We queued up for it twice and used our complimentary fast passes for a night ride.
Robin Hood
I sat out. I thought it was turd several years ago, and didn’t want to be endure it again.
The Rapids
I like the rapids at Walibi Holland. It’s the ones with the three sections so water can flow between them and towards the middle. I got soaked down my right side and down my arse.
The Mad House
I can’t remember, or care to remember, the actual name but I was gutted to have missed it on my first visit. The pre-show was quite good, I liked the effects and the swing chamber itself, but it’s still not a patch on Hex!
Jefferson Manor
This was the only haunt I did. From what I heard from others and what I experienced in JM, I regret not doing them all! JM was incredible, so many jump scares, a good narrative and sexy effects. I especially liked the light shining through the slats highlighting the dust and the finale. I walked through in a mixture of awe for the production and the scares themselves. Really good!
The Halloween Event in General
What can I say? Walibi know how to put on a Halloween party. Throughout the park, there were free scare zones to walk through with fire, mist, themed “creatures” and typical loud noises. None of this hay bales and pumpkin nonsecnce, this is a proper adult event! The Fire Pit was so well themed, I almost cried. I loved the music they were playing in there, too – “Put your mother*cking fingers in the air”! The park really packed out during the Halloween event, so despite having the park virtually to ourselves during the day, the whole atmosphere changed dramatically for the better when night fell. If you’re going to do a Halloween event at any park, make sure Walibi Holland is at the top of your list! Seriously good!
Walibi Holland was a perfect park to kick off GhosterForce. Big rides, great Halloween atmosphere and plenty of time to do everything. I did get a bit crabby towards the end of the day, due to tiredness (thank **** for the free coffee refills!) and some people’s selfishness, but I did enjoy the day immensely.
Mushy999
Roller Poster
I will get round to doing my trip report, possibly might make a separate one due to only being there for the Phantasialand day and going to Movieland the day before, but I just wanted to thank everyone for being so welcoming and making me, Angie and the 'rents feel a part of the gang, one of the most enjoyable days I've had for a while.
Special thanks to Ian for wangling us four extra ERT wristbands even though we weren't staying at the hotel!
Special thanks to Ian for wangling us four extra ERT wristbands even though we weren't staying at the hotel!
Jordanovichy
Credit Whore 2016
Just looking at people posting in here who went on the trip, so many favourite parks listed as Phantasialand now, mine included.
It's just so. So. ****. Good,
It's just so. So. ****. Good,
EnigmaHyena
Hyper Poster
Wow, what an incredible trip! It may have only been my second Euro Live but these Lives are always outstanding. Big obligatory thanks to Ian (from CoasterForce) for organising it and arranging all sorts of perks, and to all the drivers for being great and not punching any backseat drivers. It was great to see everyone again and meet new faces – while the parks are of course important it really is the group itself that makes these trips. Oh how sentimental and sappy of me!
My journey actually began a couple of days before the Live started so I could meet with a German friend of mine in Dusseldorf but since that’s not part of GhosterForce I won’t detail the silly escapades I had with her. It was however a good introduction to the Netherlands and Germany, for someone who’s never been to these countries before it was nice to do some sightseeing before hitting the road for CREDS. I will share this photo of a lady we saw walking her dog in a river because…that’s a normal sight in Germany I guess…
FRIDAY 14th OCTOBER
A few CFers including myself had opted to stay at the Ibis hotel near Schiphol airport so we could rest up the night before and not have to get a flight at silly o’ clock. I’d spent the Thursday night drinking beers with Daniel May or May-Not-Cock (AttackHammer) after bumping into him at the burger bar so at this point I was eager to re-unite with the rest of my fellow goons and the reality of the approaching trip kicked into gear.
Dan and I were the first to arrive at the meeting point but it didn’t take long for other CFers to start mincing over, signalled by Jake shrieking “I spy gooooonnnns!”. After a bit of traditional faff and Sue instantly being a burden with her hire car being elsewhere we set off for our first park, Walibi Holland.
The park mascots, Walibi and Squad
I hadn’t done too much research on this park, or any of the parks at that, so I could go in with an open mind and to avoid any potential overhype. The entrance area gives a welcoming enough atmosphere and the inside is more or less the same with some nice foliage, occasional theming and inoffensive layout although some areas really do show its Six Flags past in terms of blandness. After reconnecting with everyone and collecting our tickets from Mr Bell we sashayed to our first coaster of the trip!
Xpress Platform 13
The outdoors section. I'm pretty sure there are spots to get a clearer shot but I never bothered...
The first thing that hits you about this coaster is the queue, it’s very immersive and the theming is top notch – it genuinely does feel like you’re in a train station albeit a twisted and sinister one, complete with set pieces that simulate a train charging towards you. Impressive stuff! As for the ride itself it’s essentially Rock n Rollercoaster But Not in a Shed. The launch packs a gut-wrenching punch into some decent inversions but it quickly dies down to a snooze fest above the lake. There was meant to be an exploding train at the end according to Sue but in Thorpe style the effect was broken Boo! Still a pretty solid ride overall, maybe an 8/10.
Speed of Sound
Next up was the Vekoma Boomerang which despite their mediocrity and how common they are I still enjoy. This one does mix it up a bit with an enclosed lift hill and some funky music that just so happens to be timed with the coaster’s actions (the ‘drop’ of the music in time with being dropped from the first lift hill for example). It’s touches like this that are really nice additions to rides, especially a boomerang which usually offers the same experience no matter what one you ride. Me and JayJay were towards the front, meaning the backwards section was particularly intense. Noice! Average coaster improved by audio interaction, 5/10
Drako
Faces of sheer joy...
A shameless +1, it used to be themed to a runaway train in the Wild West (how creative!) but now it’s themed to a metallic Norse dragon thing with a rusty train in the Wild West…Uh? Eh, one and done I guess. 2/10
Lost Gravity
The new addition for 2016 and arguably now the park’s signature ride, it’s like Mack’s take on a Gerstlauer…except actually done right It’s an action packed coaster filled with steep drops, pops of airtime and a smooth, fast speed. However if you’re not a fan of hang-time then this may affect your opinion since it does feature some slow inversions and twisting dives, but personally I have no issue and the the fact only a lapbar is holding you in only improves the coaster. It was fun during the day and a total beast at night, whether you’re on the outside wing or inside seat it stands out proudly amongst the rest of the lineup. 10/10
We did the rapids next I think. I didn’t get any photos best I assure you I got soaked as is usually tradition when I’m on these rides. The theming was virtually non existent but the wildness of the water made up for it. 6/10
El Condor
Being the first ever SLC I’d heard all sorts of horror stories about this one and that some CFers had to take pain numbing meds before or after riding it, but I decided to ignore the naysayers and remained optimistic. Foolishly. Oh how naïve. As we prepared to board the coaster broke down which was probably a sign of things to come. Engineers eventually got it running again to the sound of half-hearted cheers and we were on. I can’t remember if I sat near the middle, front or back but that’s probably because the ride gave me amnesia. It’s rough – even the crawl to the lift hill is juddery – and legit unpleasant to ride, made apparent by the symphony of despair and groans from our train of CFers. Gross. As I said to Maddie after riding: “I’d rather s**t in my hands and clap than re-ride that”. 0/10, disssssGUStannnn!
Goliath
Lol, the guy's expression in the bottom left
A coaster I used to be excited about when I first became an enthusiast in 2009. Was it worth the wait? Kind of. It has the height and decent amount of airtime but other than that it doesn’t really DO much, it’s tall enough to have the potential to do something thrilling with all that energy but instead just sort of begrudgingly drags itself along like an angsty teen doing anything involving “effort”. My first ride was back row which actually was quite fun especially on the last few hills but after reriding at night in various seats it became clear it’s a ride that IS fun in places but just doesn’t do much. 6/10.
Robin Hood
Booooooooooooo! That is all. It’s actually not horrendous but it’s really really really boring. 3/10
The group split for food and I think most of us ended up at the kebab and pulled pork place. With the park having it’s Halloween Fright Nights event it was nice to sit around and chat whilst being surrounded by spooky hay and ghoulish pumpkins. BOO!
One of many scare zones throughout the park, complete with rockin' metal music. These zones really came alive at night!
Merlin’s Magic Castle
We met up at the Mad House next. It was hard for most of us to follow the story since it’s all in Dutch but I think the general story is the wizard and an owl are bickering and get caught up in a sort of magic duel. It’s one of those rides where there’s enough good theming, like rotating staircases and projections that it doesn’t matter if you can’t understand what’s being said. The actual spinning octagon room was done very well with cool architecture and the wizard and owl still quarrelling to keep riders entertained. The soundtrack created enough tension and added to the atmosphere which is always a bonus. 9/10
We did the shot tower where most of us rode and some went off to experience their pre-booked horror mazes. I still dread drop towers but I’ll ride shot towers since the suspense before the launch is at least tolerable compared to to agonising wait for a drop at the top, though I find shot towers can either be forceful and thrilling or really dull. Sadly, this one fell into the latter category. At least it was entertaining to record the reaction of riders in slow-mo on a camera! 4/10
Not even a night ride in the rain after the coaster had warmed up could save it from being mediocre.
It was getting dark so we got some night rides in on Lost Gravity and Goliath, and headed to our free horror maze, Jefferson Manor. I do enjoy these horror attractions although I find myself very intimidated by the more extreme ‘Go It Alone’ style ones. Luckily this was a group one and for once I wasn’t a prime target at the back or front! The theming was insane, it genuinely felt like being inside a rickety old mansion with twisting corridors and split beams with rays of false light pouring in through the gaps. The highlight was probably the group’s reaction to the girl underneath a glass floor panel erratically crawling face-up after us. Perhaps the scare factor was lowered slightly since our multiple groups caught up with eachother creating a huge group but I still think it was a good 10/10.
It was past 9.30pm at this point and the sky had decided to spit on us so we called it a night and went our separate ways to drive to our hotel. I was in DelPiero’s car and I still laugh at how smug he was about its size and automatic boot. So humble! As for my thoughts on the park as a whole I definitely enjoyed it…it’s a bit patchy in places and not all the rides live up to today’s quality expectations but what it DOES get right surely outshines the bad, I think it’s safe to assume Lost Gravity is the diamond in the rough and a promising sign of the park’s future.
After a soaking wet trip to a local McDonald’s at midnight (in DelPiero’s suave car of course) full of obnoxiously loud kids who looked so baby-faced they couldn’t have been older than 15 we had some beers at the hotel and rested up, ready for another day of creds at Toverland. Hoping to have that report up in a few days. Thanks for reading!
My journey actually began a couple of days before the Live started so I could meet with a German friend of mine in Dusseldorf but since that’s not part of GhosterForce I won’t detail the silly escapades I had with her. It was however a good introduction to the Netherlands and Germany, for someone who’s never been to these countries before it was nice to do some sightseeing before hitting the road for CREDS. I will share this photo of a lady we saw walking her dog in a river because…that’s a normal sight in Germany I guess…
FRIDAY 14th OCTOBER
A few CFers including myself had opted to stay at the Ibis hotel near Schiphol airport so we could rest up the night before and not have to get a flight at silly o’ clock. I’d spent the Thursday night drinking beers with Daniel May or May-Not-Cock (AttackHammer) after bumping into him at the burger bar so at this point I was eager to re-unite with the rest of my fellow goons and the reality of the approaching trip kicked into gear.
Dan and I were the first to arrive at the meeting point but it didn’t take long for other CFers to start mincing over, signalled by Jake shrieking “I spy gooooonnnns!”. After a bit of traditional faff and Sue instantly being a burden with her hire car being elsewhere we set off for our first park, Walibi Holland.
The park mascots, Walibi and Squad
I hadn’t done too much research on this park, or any of the parks at that, so I could go in with an open mind and to avoid any potential overhype. The entrance area gives a welcoming enough atmosphere and the inside is more or less the same with some nice foliage, occasional theming and inoffensive layout although some areas really do show its Six Flags past in terms of blandness. After reconnecting with everyone and collecting our tickets from Mr Bell we sashayed to our first coaster of the trip!
Xpress Platform 13
The outdoors section. I'm pretty sure there are spots to get a clearer shot but I never bothered...
The first thing that hits you about this coaster is the queue, it’s very immersive and the theming is top notch – it genuinely does feel like you’re in a train station albeit a twisted and sinister one, complete with set pieces that simulate a train charging towards you. Impressive stuff! As for the ride itself it’s essentially Rock n Rollercoaster But Not in a Shed. The launch packs a gut-wrenching punch into some decent inversions but it quickly dies down to a snooze fest above the lake. There was meant to be an exploding train at the end according to Sue but in Thorpe style the effect was broken Boo! Still a pretty solid ride overall, maybe an 8/10.
Speed of Sound
Next up was the Vekoma Boomerang which despite their mediocrity and how common they are I still enjoy. This one does mix it up a bit with an enclosed lift hill and some funky music that just so happens to be timed with the coaster’s actions (the ‘drop’ of the music in time with being dropped from the first lift hill for example). It’s touches like this that are really nice additions to rides, especially a boomerang which usually offers the same experience no matter what one you ride. Me and JayJay were towards the front, meaning the backwards section was particularly intense. Noice! Average coaster improved by audio interaction, 5/10
Drako
Faces of sheer joy...
A shameless +1, it used to be themed to a runaway train in the Wild West (how creative!) but now it’s themed to a metallic Norse dragon thing with a rusty train in the Wild West…Uh? Eh, one and done I guess. 2/10
Lost Gravity
The new addition for 2016 and arguably now the park’s signature ride, it’s like Mack’s take on a Gerstlauer…except actually done right
It’s an action packed coaster filled with steep drops, pops of airtime and a smooth, fast speed. However if you’re not a fan of hang-time then this may affect your opinion since it does feature some slow inversions and twisting dives, but personally I have no issue and the the fact only a lapbar is holding you in only improves the coaster. It was fun during the day and a total beast at night, whether you’re on the outside wing or inside seat it stands out proudly amongst the rest of the lineup. 10/10We did the rapids next I think. I didn’t get any photos best I assure you I got soaked as is usually tradition when I’m on these rides. The theming was virtually non existent but the wildness of the water made up for it. 6/10
El Condor
Being the first ever SLC I’d heard all sorts of horror stories about this one and that some CFers had to take pain numbing meds before or after riding it, but I decided to ignore the naysayers and remained optimistic. Foolishly. Oh how naïve. As we prepared to board the coaster broke down which was probably a sign of things to come. Engineers eventually got it running again to the sound of half-hearted cheers and we were on. I can’t remember if I sat near the middle, front or back but that’s probably because the ride gave me amnesia. It’s rough – even the crawl to the lift hill is juddery – and legit unpleasant to ride, made apparent by the symphony of despair and groans from our train of CFers. Gross. As I said to Maddie after riding: “I’d rather s**t in my hands and clap than re-ride that”. 0/10, disssssGUStannnn!
Goliath
Lol, the guy's expression in the bottom left
A coaster I used to be excited about when I first became an enthusiast in 2009. Was it worth the wait? Kind of. It has the height and decent amount of airtime but other than that it doesn’t really DO much, it’s tall enough to have the potential to do something thrilling with all that energy but instead just sort of begrudgingly drags itself along like an angsty teen doing anything involving “effort”. My first ride was back row which actually was quite fun especially on the last few hills but after reriding at night in various seats it became clear it’s a ride that IS fun in places but just doesn’t do much. 6/10.
Robin Hood
Booooooooooooo! That is all. It’s actually not horrendous but it’s really really really boring. 3/10
The group split for food and I think most of us ended up at the kebab and pulled pork place. With the park having it’s Halloween Fright Nights event it was nice to sit around and chat whilst being surrounded by spooky hay and ghoulish pumpkins. BOO!
One of many scare zones throughout the park, complete with rockin' metal music. These zones really came alive at night!
Merlin’s Magic Castle
We met up at the Mad House next. It was hard for most of us to follow the story since it’s all in Dutch but I think the general story is the wizard and an owl are bickering and get caught up in a sort of magic duel. It’s one of those rides where there’s enough good theming, like rotating staircases and projections that it doesn’t matter if you can’t understand what’s being said. The actual spinning octagon room was done very well with cool architecture and the wizard and owl still quarrelling to keep riders entertained. The soundtrack created enough tension and added to the atmosphere which is always a bonus. 9/10
We did the shot tower where most of us rode and some went off to experience their pre-booked horror mazes. I still dread drop towers but I’ll ride shot towers since the suspense before the launch is at least tolerable compared to to agonising wait for a drop at the top, though I find shot towers can either be forceful and thrilling or really dull. Sadly, this one fell into the latter category. At least it was entertaining to record the reaction of riders in slow-mo on a camera! 4/10
Not even a night ride in the rain after the coaster had warmed up could save it from being mediocre.
It was getting dark so we got some night rides in on Lost Gravity and Goliath, and headed to our free horror maze, Jefferson Manor. I do enjoy these horror attractions although I find myself very intimidated by the more extreme ‘Go It Alone’ style ones. Luckily this was a group one and for once I wasn’t a prime target at the back or front! The theming was insane, it genuinely felt like being inside a rickety old mansion with twisting corridors and split beams with rays of false light pouring in through the gaps. The highlight was probably the group’s reaction to the girl underneath a glass floor panel erratically crawling face-up after us. Perhaps the scare factor was lowered slightly since our multiple groups caught up with eachother creating a huge group but I still think it was a good 10/10.
It was past 9.30pm at this point and the sky had decided to spit on us so we called it a night and went our separate ways to drive to our hotel. I was in DelPiero’s car and I still laugh at how smug he was about its size and automatic boot. So humble! As for my thoughts on the park as a whole I definitely enjoyed it…it’s a bit patchy in places and not all the rides live up to today’s quality expectations but what it DOES get right surely outshines the bad, I think it’s safe to assume Lost Gravity is the diamond in the rough and a promising sign of the park’s future.
After a soaking wet trip to a local McDonald’s at midnight (in DelPiero’s suave car of course) full of obnoxiously loud kids who looked so baby-faced they couldn’t have been older than 15 we had some beers at the hotel and rested up, ready for another day of creds at Toverland. Hoping to have that report up in a few days. Thanks for reading!
jayjay
Giga Poster
I haven't had any luck so far with the camera. I'll open it up and get the hard drive out (the camera needs replacing anyway), but for now... lower your expectations. In lieu, trip report time!
I traveled in from Birmingham the night before. Flew with Flybe, so of course I was delayed, but it turned out I didn't have much to do with myself for a while. I met Sue and Owain at Amsterdam Centraal, fresh from Essen Spiel, we bought some chips from the fair that had rocked up and headed to the hotel (an actual real Ibis instead of the Ibis Budget Sue thought we booked).
Walibi Holland
Two parts to this visit: the "meh" daytime park and the great Halloween park.
Walibi is a bit of a mess. You've got sparsely themed Six-Flags-esque areas and new bits with bright colours. The park is a nightmare to navigate too. But it has some good rides, especially...
Lost Gravity - I went in having read lukewarm reviews, but was impressed. The first drop is insane and save for some dead sections in the middle, its unusual nature leads to some exciting moments. The last airtime hill and the zero G over the water fountain were the highlights from me.
Robin Hood - Not as bad for me as everyone else finds it, but the restraints kill a lot of the potential enjoyment. Overall, it's got decent speed and airtime.
El Condor - When people tell you something is the worst of its kind, you can't really comprehend that it could be worse than other ones. It is.
Platform 13 - Fab queueline, fab launch, not so exciting outdoor portion. However, some of us re-rode at night, and the outdoor section gains a feeling of speed considerably.
Goliath - It has one or two highlights, but it ultimately comes across as a drawn out version of Expedition GeForce, thereby removing most of what sets GeForce apart from other rides.
Speed of Sound - Set apart from other Boomerangs on the basis that I remember it. The on-board music and the **** restraints mean this is pretty fun.
Rapids - I approve of the European approach of having segmented boats that allow water to go everywhere easily.
Soon, night fell and Halloween descended upon the park. Glowsticks came out, and there was much faffing with strings and connectors. I always thought that I wasn't a horror sort of person, but I changed my mind over these few hours. The scare zones seemed really original, with detailed costumes and committed scare actors. I loved the area with zombified video game characters, adorned with lasers and retro graphics.
Jefferson Manor was your classic haunted house walkthrough. I got caught out by some of the jumpscares, and I appreciated some coming from unusual directions (I think there was one underneath a glass floor panel at one point). This all builds to a finale corridor with about three ghosts reaching out, and it's all kinds of glorious.
As a park, Walibi is OK. It's got a big range of rides, but none are top examples of their respective ride types (apart from Lost Gravity). The Halloween transformation brings out an amazing atmosphere in the park, and the effort put into every corner seemed to impress everybody in the group.
I traveled in from Birmingham the night before. Flew with Flybe, so of course I was delayed, but it turned out I didn't have much to do with myself for a while. I met Sue and Owain at Amsterdam Centraal, fresh from Essen Spiel, we bought some chips from the fair that had rocked up and headed to the hotel (an actual real Ibis instead of the Ibis Budget Sue thought we booked).
Walibi Holland
Two parts to this visit: the "meh" daytime park and the great Halloween park.
Walibi is a bit of a mess. You've got sparsely themed Six-Flags-esque areas and new bits with bright colours. The park is a nightmare to navigate too. But it has some good rides, especially...
Lost Gravity - I went in having read lukewarm reviews, but was impressed. The first drop is insane and save for some dead sections in the middle, its unusual nature leads to some exciting moments. The last airtime hill and the zero G over the water fountain were the highlights from me.
Robin Hood - Not as bad for me as everyone else finds it, but the restraints kill a lot of the potential enjoyment. Overall, it's got decent speed and airtime.
El Condor - When people tell you something is the worst of its kind, you can't really comprehend that it could be worse than other ones. It is.
Platform 13 - Fab queueline, fab launch, not so exciting outdoor portion. However, some of us re-rode at night, and the outdoor section gains a feeling of speed considerably.
Goliath - It has one or two highlights, but it ultimately comes across as a drawn out version of Expedition GeForce, thereby removing most of what sets GeForce apart from other rides.
Speed of Sound - Set apart from other Boomerangs on the basis that I remember it. The on-board music and the **** restraints mean this is pretty fun.
Rapids - I approve of the European approach of having segmented boats that allow water to go everywhere easily.
Soon, night fell and Halloween descended upon the park. Glowsticks came out, and there was much faffing with strings and connectors. I always thought that I wasn't a horror sort of person, but I changed my mind over these few hours. The scare zones seemed really original, with detailed costumes and committed scare actors. I loved the area with zombified video game characters, adorned with lasers and retro graphics.
Jefferson Manor was your classic haunted house walkthrough. I got caught out by some of the jumpscares, and I appreciated some coming from unusual directions (I think there was one underneath a glass floor panel at one point). This all builds to a finale corridor with about three ghosts reaching out, and it's all kinds of glorious.
As a park, Walibi is OK. It's got a big range of rides, but none are top examples of their respective ride types (apart from Lost Gravity). The Halloween transformation brings out an amazing atmosphere in the park, and the effort put into every corner seemed to impress everybody in the group.
Thekingin64
Strata Poster
Right, about time I got a trip report done I suppose. Can’t believe it’s already been a week since we were in the Phantasialand hotel, trying to sort food!
Haven’t taken many photos and what I did take were on a phone so don’t expect great quality!
Day 1 – Walibi
Started with a 1am alarm in order for me to get my half 2am coach to Bristol Airport. It was a weird feeling having breakfast while my housemates were still up and considering heading to bed!
Coach trip to airport went smoothly and caught my 6:20 flight to Schiphol no problem. Only hitch was that the self-check-in machine didn’t want to work for me so had to queue for the only working machine! One positive of getting a flight at stupid o’clock was of getting to fly into the sunrise!
After finding my way through the huge airport that is Schiphol, I got to the meet point to find no-one I recognised. It was at this point I realised I had to set my phone up for roaming before I left so was completely out of signal. Eventually, someone I was recognised (Owain/Ploddish) turned up and we found the group together. I then opted to follow Sue to the hire car to find we had to get a shuttle bus to a location near(ish) the airport. Hire car was gained without too much faff and we were soon on our way to Walibi Holland!
Once at the park (and through the adventure that was getting to the overflow carpark), first impressions of the park were quite good and liked the pink fountain outside.
First ride was Xpress: Platform 13 which had an awesome queue line. I had heard stories of the queue line being more of a walkthrough attraction than an actual queue and it lived up to expectations. Unfortunately, other than the launch and first inversion, the ride was average at best. Good way to end my almost yearlong coaster drought though. (6/10)
Next up was the boomerang, Speed of Sound. The on-board music definitely helped this one but it is still a boomerang at the end of the day. (4/10)
The kiddie coaster Drako was done next. Not much to say really, one and done though. (1/10)
Next up was what everyone was waiting for, Lost gravity! This being my first modern Mack, I had a lot of expectations and I’m glad to say it lived up to them! First drop and airtime hill was fab and I always completely forgot about the dip before the MCBR. Wasn’t expecting the huge difference the wings seats made, makes the first drop even better! Queue line was also great and didn’t know the vibrating stairs existed until we were on them! (8/10)
While waiting for everyone to get off, I went and got my only souvenir of the trip, the mug from the €5 unlimited tea/coffee refills offer! Not great quality tea but definitely needed after getting up at 1am!
(Pictured on my desk at home after I got back)
After Lost Gravity, it was time for El Condor. Being the first SLC, I’d heard a lot of bad things about this and ufortunately, they turned out to be true. While not headbanging style rough, it just jerked about everywhere and at various times, sounded like it was going to fall apart! I knew it wasn’t going to be great when it was bumpy leaving the station! (4/10)
Rapids were up next which had a funny design of boat, making them completely flexible. Allowed for a much greater level of wetness though than conventional rapid boats. I was in Richards boat so was fun watching him shout whenever any drop of water came near him! (6/10)
After navigating the parks really odd layout, we eventually made it to Goliath. Although it was only my 2nd proper hyper coaster (after the big one), I still felt it was lacking in many places, most noticeably the middle section with the giant helix. First drop and bunny hills were fun though and the whole ride was noticeably better in the back. (7/10)
(taken from Haunted Holidays queue) (Just noticed they’ve doubled up one of the supports as a mobile phone tower! Quite clever that…)
Robin Hood was up next. I am still trying to get my head round whoever thought it was a good idea to put Vekoma and Wooden Coaster together! Rough, airtimeless and rather uninspired layout. Still good enough for me to consider a reride though. (5/10)
Lunch break happened and most people (including me) ended up at the kebab place in the food court. It was quite nice but way overpriced for what it was and left me wanting more. Due to that, I got some chips to go with it (again overpriced) which was a decent sized portion and I mentioned to get free mayo! That did lead to getting my hands covered in mayo though when trying to reach the bottom chips from the container.
After lunch, the group split and I joined the group doing the mazes. I did every maze except the clinic and thought all of them were great. The theming in all of them was fantastic, especially the mine scene in the villa. A lot of jump scares were had from lots of unexpected positions. Think my favourite was the guy jumping out the Christmas tree in Haunted Holidays. The scare zones dotted around the park were also fab and very atmospheric, especially the pirate one and Game Over.
Once all mazes were done, the group reunited for some night rides on Goliath and used the free fast pass for Lost Gravity. Night definitely improves both rides but it had started to rain while we were queueing for Goliath so I spent most of the ride trying avoid the rain flying directly into my face.
After all that, there was a lot of faff since some of the group wanted to leave but some (including me) wanted to stay till the end. This took a while to sort and more faff was had when we realised we lost a member of the group! It soon turned out that he’d left with some of the group to head to the hotel without telling anyone.
Once that was sorted, me, Sue and a few others opted for 1 final ride on Xpress. While still not brilliant, the ride is definitely improved at night. At some point, I took this photo of the big wheel over the main stage but can’t remember when so leaving it here.
After Xpress, we left the park to head to the hotel but there was a huge queue to leave the carpark and then there was a road closure on the way! We eventually made it to the hotel for the night where I virtually immediately crashed out after being up for over 24hrs!
Overall thoughts: Ok park, wouldn’t rush back but Halloween event is fantastic. Best Halloween atmosphere yet! (7/10)
Toverland should be up tomorrow.
Haven’t taken many photos and what I did take were on a phone so don’t expect great quality!
Day 1 – Walibi
Started with a 1am alarm in order for me to get my half 2am coach to Bristol Airport. It was a weird feeling having breakfast while my housemates were still up and considering heading to bed!
Coach trip to airport went smoothly and caught my 6:20 flight to Schiphol no problem. Only hitch was that the self-check-in machine didn’t want to work for me so had to queue for the only working machine! One positive of getting a flight at stupid o’clock was of getting to fly into the sunrise!
After finding my way through the huge airport that is Schiphol, I got to the meet point to find no-one I recognised. It was at this point I realised I had to set my phone up for roaming before I left so was completely out of signal. Eventually, someone I was recognised (Owain/Ploddish) turned up and we found the group together. I then opted to follow Sue to the hire car to find we had to get a shuttle bus to a location near(ish) the airport. Hire car was gained without too much faff and we were soon on our way to Walibi Holland!
Once at the park (and through the adventure that was getting to the overflow carpark), first impressions of the park were quite good and liked the pink fountain outside.
First ride was Xpress: Platform 13 which had an awesome queue line. I had heard stories of the queue line being more of a walkthrough attraction than an actual queue and it lived up to expectations. Unfortunately, other than the launch and first inversion, the ride was average at best. Good way to end my almost yearlong coaster drought though. (6/10)
Next up was the boomerang, Speed of Sound. The on-board music definitely helped this one but it is still a boomerang at the end of the day. (4/10)
The kiddie coaster Drako was done next. Not much to say really, one and done though. (1/10)
Next up was what everyone was waiting for, Lost gravity! This being my first modern Mack, I had a lot of expectations and I’m glad to say it lived up to them! First drop and airtime hill was fab and I always completely forgot about the dip before the MCBR. Wasn’t expecting the huge difference the wings seats made, makes the first drop even better! Queue line was also great and didn’t know the vibrating stairs existed until we were on them! (8/10)
While waiting for everyone to get off, I went and got my only souvenir of the trip, the mug from the €5 unlimited tea/coffee refills offer! Not great quality tea but definitely needed after getting up at 1am!
(Pictured on my desk at home after I got back)
After Lost Gravity, it was time for El Condor. Being the first SLC, I’d heard a lot of bad things about this and ufortunately, they turned out to be true. While not headbanging style rough, it just jerked about everywhere and at various times, sounded like it was going to fall apart! I knew it wasn’t going to be great when it was bumpy leaving the station! (4/10)
Rapids were up next which had a funny design of boat, making them completely flexible. Allowed for a much greater level of wetness though than conventional rapid boats. I was in Richards boat so was fun watching him shout whenever any drop of water came near him! (6/10)
After navigating the parks really odd layout, we eventually made it to Goliath. Although it was only my 2nd proper hyper coaster (after the big one), I still felt it was lacking in many places, most noticeably the middle section with the giant helix. First drop and bunny hills were fun though and the whole ride was noticeably better in the back. (7/10)
(taken from Haunted Holidays queue) (Just noticed they’ve doubled up one of the supports as a mobile phone tower! Quite clever that…)
Robin Hood was up next. I am still trying to get my head round whoever thought it was a good idea to put Vekoma and Wooden Coaster together! Rough, airtimeless and rather uninspired layout. Still good enough for me to consider a reride though. (5/10)
Lunch break happened and most people (including me) ended up at the kebab place in the food court. It was quite nice but way overpriced for what it was and left me wanting more. Due to that, I got some chips to go with it (again overpriced) which was a decent sized portion and I mentioned to get free mayo! That did lead to getting my hands covered in mayo though when trying to reach the bottom chips from the container.
After lunch, the group split and I joined the group doing the mazes. I did every maze except the clinic and thought all of them were great. The theming in all of them was fantastic, especially the mine scene in the villa. A lot of jump scares were had from lots of unexpected positions. Think my favourite was the guy jumping out the Christmas tree in Haunted Holidays. The scare zones dotted around the park were also fab and very atmospheric, especially the pirate one and Game Over.
Once all mazes were done, the group reunited for some night rides on Goliath and used the free fast pass for Lost Gravity. Night definitely improves both rides but it had started to rain while we were queueing for Goliath so I spent most of the ride trying avoid the rain flying directly into my face.
After all that, there was a lot of faff since some of the group wanted to leave but some (including me) wanted to stay till the end. This took a while to sort and more faff was had when we realised we lost a member of the group! It soon turned out that he’d left with some of the group to head to the hotel without telling anyone.
Once that was sorted, me, Sue and a few others opted for 1 final ride on Xpress. While still not brilliant, the ride is definitely improved at night. At some point, I took this photo of the big wheel over the main stage but can’t remember when so leaving it here.
After Xpress, we left the park to head to the hotel but there was a huge queue to leave the carpark and then there was a road closure on the way! We eventually made it to the hotel for the night where I virtually immediately crashed out after being up for over 24hrs!
Overall thoughts: Ok park, wouldn’t rush back but Halloween event is fantastic. Best Halloween atmosphere yet! (7/10)
Toverland should be up tomorrow.