Phantasialand - Old rumours/ unbuilt attractions

[CSLKennyNI]

When we have a look at China Town, Especially to Fen Ju Palace. It's been themed with rocks from Klugheim all around the building and it doesn't fit in my opinion. That makes China Town doesn't come to its fullest 360° believable experience.

Only last year they created a proper themed transition between Klugheim and China. Along the side of Feng Ju Palace and River Quest they created new rockwork with bamboo growing out of it and new lanterns with Chinese symbols on them. The old River Quest entrance has been painted red to blend in with the Chinese colour scheme. So, a part from the lack of a decent themed transition between China and Colorado Adventure, the area pretty much is 360 degress themed now.

Hotel Ling Bao, this new Chinese theming and the fact they are creating a new entrance for River Quest from Klugheim itself shows China Town is here to stay. The buildings are made from authentic materials and all the roof tiles are imported from China. The hotel is actually the largest Chinese building outside of Asia, while the area itself is the largest collection of Chinese buildings outside of Asia itself.

Wasn't the most plausible rumour that the China area and Ling Bao will be themed to a Tibetan village? Hopefully this will happen but obviously we won't know for years I guess. I think expanding Mystery into China would be a mistake tbh, Mystery/Klugheim are big enough I'd say.

Yes, a few months ago Freizeitparkcheck.de claimed that they were told by a "reliable source" that China will be the next area to be refurbished (including the replacement of Geister Rikscha). The refurb would include a slight adjustment/retheme of the area and hotel to make it Tibetan. Whether there is any truth in that remains of course to be seen.

Personally I can't see them going for a Tibetan theme. While Tibet is considered a part of China and therefore it wouldn't be totally out of the question for the area. However Tibet's status is extremely controversial. Would they really be so culturally insensitive? I can't see it happening. I think it will simply be a refresh of the area keeping the Chinese theme - similar to the Berlin area refurbishment between 2010 - 2012.

But as said before everything is speculation at this point. Until their is any solid evidence we can pointlessly spend ages going around in circles discussing whether the next project is China or Temple of the Nighthawk. With Rookburgh opening next year there is a possibility that this may be the last season for whatever leaves next so we might know soon enough what the next project will be (with Race for Atlantis it was known around November time that it was closing in January 2016).

 

[Phantasiastisch]

The biggest issue with that is Hotel Ling-Bao being Chinese themed. It would stick out like a sore thumb, unless of course they plan to retheme the hotel, which considering the design, roofs and structures would be a huge undertaking.

But that's the point... I think transform the hotel is easier than we think.

The roofs and certainly the structure aren't a big issue I guess. The roofs of the pathway and some other roofing on the sitting areas etc in the garden could stay like they are but they should get purple colored, like the foodstalls opposite Geister Rikscha who have a purple roof, which give me more a mystery feeling than Chinese... So it would work, I guess.

Another colourpatern for the whole building would make it also very different. The only really Chinese looking part that would be hard to retheme are the roofs of the entrance and hallway.

About the theme area itself:
I think in the near future Fen Ju Palace will get removed too... It blocks a potential shortcut pathway to River Quest and it separates RQ from the rest of Klugheim. Maybe when Fen Ju Palace got removed, there will be a pathway straight to that new entrance (picture below ) which normally will be used at the start of the season.

The thing is with China Town that it looks like the most props and decorations were just in their entirety seem to be placed with a crane (picture below ). That gives me the thought that it's also easy to remove it. While in the other areas everything looks absorbed in the environment. The China theming itself gives me an outdated feeling too in comparison to the the other areas.

 

[CSLKennyNI]

What? Did you not read my post explaining why the China theme is not going anywhere?

Here it is again just incase...

Only last year they created a proper themed transition between Klugheim and China. Along the side of Feng Ju Palace and River Quest they created new rockwork with bamboo growing out of it and new lanterns with Chinese symbols on them. The old River Quest entrance has been painted red to blend in with the Chinese colour scheme. So, a part from the lack of a decent themed transition between China and Colorado Adventure, the area pretty much is 360 degress themed now.

Hotel Ling Bao, this new Chinese theming and the fact they are creating a new entrance for River Quest from Klugheim itself shows China Town is here to stay. The buildings are made from authentic materials and all the roof tiles are imported from China. The hotel is actually the largest Chinese building outside of Asia, while the area itself is the largest collection of Chinese buildings outside of Asia itself.


Yes, a few months ago Freizeitparkcheck.de claimed that they were told by a "reliable source" that China will be the next area to be refurbished (including the replacement of Geister Rikscha). The refurb would include a slight adjustment/retheme of the area and hotel to make it Tibetan. Whether there is any truth in that remains of course to be seen.

Personally I can't see them going for a Tibetan theme. While Tibet is considered a part of China and therefore it wouldn't be totally out of the question for the area. However Tibet's status is extremely controversial. Would they really be so culturally insensitive? I can't see it happening. I think it will simply be a refresh of the area keeping the Chinese theme - similar to the Berlin area refurbishment between 2010 - 2012.

But as said before everything is speculation at this point. Until their is any solid evidence we can pointlessly spend ages going around in circles discussing whether the next project is China or Temple of the Nighthawk. With Rookburgh opening next year there is a possibility that this may be the last season for whatever leaves next so we might know soon enough what the next project will be (with Race for Atlantis it was known around November time that it was closing in January 2016).

But that's the point... I think transform the hotel is easier than we think.

The roofs and certainly the structure aren't a big issue I guess. The roofs of the pathway and some other roofing on the sitting areas etc in the garden could stay like they are but they should get purple colored, like the foodstalls opposite Geister Rikscha who have a purple roof, which give me more a mystery feeling than Chinese... So it would work, I guess.

The map is stylized and not a true representation of the roofs there. Only the edges are a shade of purple and have been for a long time before Klugheim.
The Ling Bao hotel only recently received a massive refurbishment and the buildings were entirely repainted. Given how far in advance they masterplan they wouldn't waste money on it if it were to be rethemed.
Why would they move River Quest's entrance from China into the Mystery area if the China area was going to be rethemed to Mystery?

I think in the near future Fen Ju Palace will get removed too... It blocks a potential shortcut pathway to River Quest and it separates RQ from the rest of Klugheim. Maybe when Fen Ju Palace got removed, there will be a pathway straight to that new entrance (picture below ) which normally will be used at the start of the season.

The thing is with China Town that it looks like the most props and decorations were just in their entirety seem to be placed with a crane (picture below ). That gives me the thought that it's also easy to remove it. While in the other areas everything looks absorbed in the environment. The China theming itself gives me an outdated feeling too in comparison to the the other areas.

The back of Feng Ju Palace has been extensively themed and repainted as it faces Klugheim. And as I mentioned along the side facing River Quest it received new Chinese theming last year. That will have cost a lot of money so there is no way Feng Ju Palace is being removed.
River Quest's new entrance at Raik is perfectly accessible there's no problem there.
With Klugheim they created a new gateway in between Feng Ju Palace and China Snack to future proof for when the Snack stall and Geister is replaced and the street between them is closed for construction.

Overall, the China theme is staying. End of story.
The outdated aspects will be modernised - the main aspects being Geister getting replaced and Feng Ju refurbished - that is all.

 

[Ethan]

After reading CSLKennyNI's post I'd say China isn't going anywhere. Thinking about it, moving RQ's entrance and all the other things just wouldn't make sense if China was going. Plus didn't they recently paint the China buildings in the actual park, not just the hotel? A Tibetan theme would be nice but I guess that won't happen, but even that is more likely than Mystery taking it over...

I'd say although the rides are bad, China is a really pretty area of the park tbh.

 

[Ben]

What the China area needs is Geister ripping out and being replaced with the terracotta army dark ride from Fantawild - that would be the absolute tits.

There's so many obscene Chinese themed dark rides across the Fantawild/Oriental Heritage parks that Phantasialand could easily do something along the lines of - the theme itself is actually really wide so I'd love to see them do it properly.

But yh, with the hotel there they're never going to get rid of the whole area - it just wouldn't make sense. I think it'll be refurbed either next or after Temple of the Nighthawk, but the theme will be here to stay.

 

[chainedbanana]

Is there any possibility that the park could expand the park into the car park behind China town? even if its just a show building for a large dark ride?

 

[CSLKennyNI]

Is there any possibility that the park could expand the park into the car park behind China town? even if its just a show building for a large dark ride?

At the moment no chance.
See the recent posts on this thread:
http://coasterforce.com/forums/threads/phantasialand-expansion-to-start-in-2014.35186/

 

[chainedbanana]

Even though China town doesn't have any outstanding attractions - I still think it's a very viable area - almost equivalent to a Disney downtown - it's Phantasia's Hotel/Eating/Shopping 'district' - Ling Bao and it's surrounding gardens are stunning, they just need to give whole area some TLC and a facelift because it has excellent theming foundations!

Could they change the are to a broader 'Pan-asian' theme - along the lines of Chessingtons old 'Mystic East' - In that way I'd love them to expand into Japanese Mythology - and perhaps retheme their ghost train to Yokai and Yurei folklore!

 

[Sandman]

It would feel a bit odd having a delightfully themed area with no attraction to complement it. China Town doesn't need a lot of attractions, just one good one would be better than a couple of mediocres. Ling Bao really wraps up that area nicely too.

 

[chainedbanana]

A lot of Theme park hotels have themes that aren't represented within the park itself - thats nothing new, so to be honest it wouldn't be that odd to have Ling bao without a Chinese representation in the park!
But to be honest I think China town should stay with a couple of non-headliner attractions, albeit a replacement for the ghost train and a revamped madhouse also think of the 7 (or is it 8) Dragon mascots. be shame to loose one!

 

[Crazycoaster]

I honestly don’t think the chinese part of the park needs changing at all? Maybe fix up/replace geister rikshaw, but it’s a nice area of the park to chill and watch that acrobatic show. The building containing temple of the night hawk/hollywood boat ride is far more of an issue of something that needs to be updated.

Not every part of the park has to be crammed with attractions and I like that about the china town area.

 

[chainedbanana]

Resurrecting an old thread - only because I came across a couple of pieces of new info on the origins of River Quest!

On one of my deep dives via waybackmachine - came across this animated gif of how the drop element/trapdoor on RiverQuest would have worked - its not what I expected! Apparently the effect worked for test quests on River Quest, but it catapulted people out their seats too violently - and H&S would only have signed it off if they installed seatbelts....sadly Phantasialand didn't want that and we get the third top we have today.

Not sure if the below link will work (but managed to attach the saved GIF too).............

Theme Park ride feasibility test, gif animation

Special Effects Theme Park mechanical ride test, gif animation of ride feasibility test in action.

web.archive.org

Also below is an alternative design for River Quest (you can see the ground plan for mystery castle behind - so definitely Phantasialand) obviously they had bids from Intamin before they went with Hafema - notice the whirlpool and freewill elements which made it to the end design - but also a windmill lift (that was installed on the El Rio rapids at Bobbejaanland - but never full operation due to being a unsafe), but also a 'pinball effect'......which colours me intrigued and makes be wonder if that would have been the water ride equivalent of a Virginia reel? - sounds fun, and don't think such an elements has turned up any river rapids since!

 

[Bentleya]

Speaking of El Rio rapids at Bobbejaanland - @chainedbanana; do you know if the trough bypassing the windmill lift was put in after the ride was constructed?

I’ve just watched a POV video and it’s very strange to see the lift / drop in situ and you just float past it.

 

[nadroJ]

Omg that trap door looks so violent

 

[Gazza]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Wuze Ball Zacspin?

 

[Magic-Man]

Man that trapdoor effect would have been crazy. Almost wish they would have just added the seatbelts or something of that nature.

 

[TPoseOnTantrum]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Wuze Ball Zacspin?

The rabbit hole, it is.

 

[Trax]

Their Monorail was actually meant to be expanded to the local train station, instead of the shuttle bus they use today. The trains were capable of speeds upwards to 40 km/h, which would have made them a good mode of transportation.
However, they never got the permission for the expansion, partly due to concerns that the modern look of the trains would interfere with the look and feel of the "Schlossstadt" (Castle City) Brühl. Yes, they have an old castle (not a fortress, just to avoid confusion) and I always feel like they would take the castle over the park anyday. I guess those concerns came from the same people, who moved next to a theme park just to start complaining about its noise 5 years later.

 

[JoshC.]

Damn that trap door looks mental. When I first heard about it, I assumed that it would be a more 'traditional' trap door style in that the boat would be bought to a stop, then the trap door would activate, not whilst the boat was still moving!

Can only imagine how much more unreliable it would have been with the windmill than the elevator lift though

 

[CanobieFan]

Their Monorail was actually meant to be expanded to the local train station, instead of the shuttle bus they use today.

RIP Schwarzkopf Monorail