Europa-Park


Europa-Park is the largest theme park in Germany, and the second most popular theme park resort in Europe, following Disneyland Paris. Europa-Park is located in Rust, in south-western Germany, between Freiburg im Breisgau and Strasbourg.
The park is home to 13 roller coasters, the oldest being Alpenexpress Enzian, a powered coaster that speeds through a diamond mine, and the newest coaster being the Ba-a-a Express, a small kiddie roller coaster. Europa-Park has very high capacity roller coasters and attractions meaning the park can accommodate approximately 60,000 guests per day. It counted 5.7 million visitors in 2017. It is also the location of the Euro Dance Festival.
Since 2014, Europa-Park has been named the world's best amusement park by the Golden Ticket Awards. In November 2019, Europa-Park's Rulantica water park opened, along with a new themed hotel "Krønasår".

History

Background and founding

Europa-Park is run by the Mack family, which have produced vehicles since 1780, circus wagons since 1880 and rollercoasters since 1921.
Franz Mack in 1958 took over the family firm, Mack GmbH & Co, together with his brothers. Together with his son Roland he visited the US in 1972 and was inspired to open a theme park in Germany, as an exhibition site for his company's products.
At first the park was planned to be located in Breisach. It was named "Europa-Park" after Breisach's nearby Europaweiher, a small artificial lake which commemorates a historical pilot poll in Breisach held in 1950, in which 95.6% of voters were in favour of European unification. The Breisach site was deemed unsuitable because of flooding hazard, and the project was moved some further north, where the Macks bought the park of the historical Balthasar castle in Rust.
The park opened in 1975 with an area of. It counted 250,000 visitors in the first year, 700,000 in the second, passing the million mark in 1978.

Themed areas and growth (1980s–2012)

The first country-themed section was "Italy", opened 1982. Like most of the original themed areas at Europa-Park, it was designed by Ulrich Damrau. The Alpenexpress "Enzian" and Schweizer Bobbahn rides opened in 1984 and 1985, respectively. The "Europe" theme was pursued further with the opening of "Holland", "England", "France", "Scandinavia" and "Spain" sections.
Visitor count passed the 2 million mark in 1991. The development of the hotel resort began in 1995 with El Andaluz, followed by Castillo Alcazar in 1999.
By the year 2000, the number of visitors had risen to 3 million, and the hotels had been booked to nearly 98% of their capacity. The park opened during the winter season for the first time in 2001/2. The current logo was registered in 2003.
In 2011, there were 4.5 million visitors, and by 2012 the park encompassed an area of 90 hectares, featuring eleven roller-coasters, five themed hotels with a turnover of close to EUR 300 million and more than 3,000 employees. In 2012, Roland Mack announced investments in excess of EUR 60 million, the largest yearly investment in the park's history. The total sum invested in the park is estimated at close to EUR 700 million.

2013–present

On 3 June 2017, Europa-Park opened the 'Voletarium' attraction. The attraction is the biggest flight motion simulator theater in Europe. It features a queue line with multiple pre-show elements culminating in the main ride section: a film showcasing European landmarks which lasts for 5 minutes. The ride is the most expensive single ride investment to date at the park and also features catering outlets, a shop and toilet facilities in the plaza for the ride.
In November 2019, Europa-Park's Rulantica water park will open, in addition to a new themed hotel "Krønasår" in May 2019. There will be 25 water attractions, including 17 water slides. Other attractions include a wave pool, a surf simulator and a wild river. There is an indoor part of and an outdoor part of

2018 Fire incident

On 26 May 2018, a fire broke out in the indoor complex between the park's Dutch and Scandinavian sections, and the complex, home to the attraction "The Pirates of Batavia," a theater, a restaurant, and an employee costume shop, was vacated. Shortly thereafter, the fire spread throughout neighboring areas, and eventually, the entire park was evacuated. Despite the efforts of the fire department, the complex was destroyed, along with parts of the neighboring Scandinavian section. The adjacent fjord rafting ride was affected by debris from burned-down wooden facades because part of its canal runs along the hall complex and the damaged part of the Scandinavian themed area. According to the operators, the incident resulted in tens of millions in property damage. No visitors and employees were injured, while seven firefighters suffered minor injuries during firefighting operations. With the exception of a few hot spots, the fire was mostly extinguished and the park reopened regularly the very next morning. Only the destroyed attractions, restaurants, show stages and shops, the affected fjord rafting, as well as the neighboring attraction "Koffiekopjes" remained closed for the time being.
Initially closed was also "Vindjammer", the giant swinging ship ride, since one of the two entrance lines runs across the fire-destroyed Scandinavian-themed area. After closing this entrance and making adjustments to the other one, the ride was nevertheless in operation again, shortly after the park opened the next day. The attraction "Koffiekopjes" reopened four days later. The park reopened the Fjord-Rafting ride in the Scandinavian section on the 9th June 2018, which happened after the collection of evidence to determine the cause of fire was finished and the canal was freed from rubble. A warehouse near "The Pirates of Batavia" attraction was suspected at first to be the location where the fire broke out.
According to the current state of the investigation, on the 6th of June 2018, Offenburg police believe that the fire broke out due to a technical failure in the fjord rafting area. However, the investigation is still ongoing. The Scandinavian village and the Pirates in Batavia were both rebuilt based on their original designs, with some updates. Both reopened in July 2020.

Accommodation and transportation

Transportation

Among other features, in 1995 the park installed a monorail system, the EP-Express, with three monorail trains reassigned after the 1988 World Expo in Brisbane. It was partially extended in 2016 in order to provide additional space for development in 2017.
Among the other systems of transportation are the Monorail, another monorail system since 1990, and the Panoramabahn, a miniature train ride.

Europa-Park resort

Europa-Park is home to six resort hotels. For guests on a lower budget, the resort also has a large Camp Resort, where guests can stay in a Tipi, Chuck Wagon or Log Cabin provided they bring their own sleeping bag. Camping and caravaning is also provided for, next to the Camp Resort.

Hotels

There are three different railway systems which also double as rides. The E.P. Express, the Monorail train, and the Panoramabahn. Additionally, another station was installed in 2015 onto the parking lot called Express Lane.

Panoramabahn

The Panoramabahn has been installed since the opening of the park in 1975. At first, it served as a sightseeing train which departed and arrived near the entrance of the park in Germany. Today the train also stops at train stations in England, Spain, and Russia. The Europa-Park owns five type C. P. Huntington trains manufactured by the US-American company Chance Morgan.

Monorail

The monorail was put into operation in 1990 and was originally intended for sightseeing only, with its starting and finishing point inside the Historama in Luxembourg. In 2009, the monorail was extended by an additional stop in Iceland allowing passengers to use it as a means of transportation.

E.P. Express

The E.P. Express was built by AEG and Roll and has always been intended for transportation purposes besides its function as a panorama railway. It is a monorail modelled after a type of Alweg-monorail with closed, air-conditioned carriages, and it reaches a maximum speed of 20 km/h on a 2,5 km circuit at an average height of 6 meters.
Inaugurated together with the Hotel 'El Andaluz' in 1995, one of the purposes of the E.P. Express of the Europa-Park was to connect the hotel to the main entrance. Over the course of time, the stops 'Greece' and 'Europa-Park Hotel Resort' were added to the existing 'Alexanderplatz' and 'Spain' stations.

Events

, located annually at Europa-Park since 2007, is best known for its wide range of music and dancing styles. These are Ballroom Dance, Argentine Tango, Swing Dance, Hip hop and Breakdance. A combination of dancing classes and shows and a trade fair caters for the needs of both beginners and professionals including dance instructors and choreographers. Since its foundation it has taken place for four days every year in early spring.
Europa-Park host dozens of events throughout the summer season. The biggest of these include the Midsummer Party, when the theme park hosts a fireworks display and is open until midnight. Horror Nights takes place through October evenings and features a range of halloween horror mazes, rides and shows. For the last week of the main season, the park hosts a daily firework show and music production.

Euro Dance Festival

Every February, when the amusement park is closed during the winter break, the Euro Dance Festival takes place. Dance enthusiasts from all over the world gather at the park to learn new steps and techniques in over 200 workshops taught by some of the best and most well-known international dancers. Amongst others, star guests like Detlef D! Soost, William Pino, Alessandra Bucharelli, Isabel Edvardsson, Franco Formica, Oliver Wessel-Therhorn, Kristina & Peter Stokkebroe, Luis Vasquez & Melissa Fernandez have taught there already.

Ladies Only Festival

The Ladies Only Festival takes place on one weekend between the months of January and March, when the park is closed for a winter break. On this occasion, the festival connects elements of fitness, dance, health, beauty and wellness. More than 200 workshops and seminars held by roughly 80 coaches are spread out over four days.

Miss Germany Pageant

Since 2002, the official election of Miss Germany has taken place every February in the Europa-Park Dome, arranged by the Miss Germany Corporation from Oldenburg. The collaboration was so successful that in 2010 it was extended for another decade.

Dinner Theater

The Europa-Park offers a variety of dinner events on several nights of the year after the amusement park closes. There are several different events you can choose from. For example the Dinner Show, the Baden Medieval Banquet as well as the Dinner & Movie.

Science Days

For several days every May and October, the park offers Science Days for younger and older schoolchildren, respectively. The Science Days are the oldest science festival in Germany, featuring science talks and shows, as well as exhibitors from the industrial sector, schools, hospitals, and universities.

CloudFest

Formerly known as WebHostingDays, CloudFest is an annual conference in March about cloud computing aimed at commercial organizations. CloudFest 2020 was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Halloween

Europa-Park has been celebrating Halloween since 1998. Every year from the end of September until the beginning of November, visitors find themselves in a creepy environment, surrounded by hay bales, corn stalks, skeletons, and countless pumpkins of all colours. Numerous attractions, shows, and food and beverage facilities adopt a Halloween theme every year, as does the daily parade. In the 2014 season, Europa-Park premiered their independently-produced Halloween musical, "Spook Me!"

Horror Nights

Between 2007 – 2011, the park's Terenzi Horror Nights were organised in the month of October in cooperation with Marc Terenzi. Visitors were able go on night-time walks through the Italian and French themed areas in 2007–2008 and through the Greek and Swiss themed areas in 2009, where they would be chased and spooked by actors dressed as various horror-themed monsters such as zombies. The event was again included in Europa-Park's yearly program between 2010 and 2016, billed as Horror Nights starring Marc Terenzi. Between 2013 and 2015 it was simply called Horror Nights, as it took place without Marc Terenzi during that period.

Traumatica

In 2017, the Horror Nights were replaced by the Traumatica event. It takes place in the evenings, partly in the Greek-themed area and partly outside of the theme park's territory. Visitors are taken into a post-apocalyptic world in which five different groups fight for dominance. The group members are played by live actors and are set up in haunted houses with special effects as their main quarters, which can be attended by visitors.

Tortuga - Vergessene Piraten

Tortuga - Vergessene Piraten took place in the Greek-themed area in 2006, and in the Scandinavian-themed area from 2007 to 2011. Visitors would walk through dark alleys and get scared by pirates, which ensured heart-stopping moments. The Spanish name Tortuga designates Haiti's second largest island which was a focal point for pirates in the years 1640 to 1670. The maze only took place in the weeks around Halloween.

The Villa

After the horror maze Tortuga - Vergessene Piraten was cancelled, The Villa put the fear of God into visitors in 2012 and 2013. Numerous horror actors and special effects awaited the visitors in the horror maze that was situated in a 19th century style, Victorian dream house.

Tenem's Revenge

In the years 2015–2016 the daytime maze Tenems Rache was located below the waiting area of the Poseidon. Visitors had to navigate through a horror mansion and its dark corridors, where boos crews were creeping through lighting and fog effects. The design of the house was inspired by Egyptian burial chambers.

Halloween Festival Mysteria

Every other year from 2011 through 2016, the park's festival grounds were home to the Halloween show Mysteria, offering live music, artistic performances, pyrotechnics, and lighting effects. During off years, 30-minute concerts by the Swiss DJ BoBo took the place of the show. Starting in 2011, the show was set in a ghostly castle, with the title Mysteria: Castillo Mystico. In 2013, the park introduced an entirely new story revolving around two enemy gangs in a shantytown on the outskirts of the city.

Hellfire Fountains

In 2017, the show was replaced by the fountain and fire show Hellfire Fountains, offered multiple times every evening in the last week of the season.

Seasonal Hours of Operation

During the main summer season, the park opens at 9:00 am and closes from 6:00 pm. Closing time is extended by up to 3 1/2 hours, depending on how busy the park is. This is usually the case on weekends and holiday periods. The park opens selected rides 30 minutes early for hotel guests.
In 2001, Europa-Park opened for its first winter season. That year, approximately 180,000 visitors attended during the winter; as of 2012, that number had grown to 500,000. The park celebrates the winter in style – offering an ice rink, a skibob track, the Big Wheel Bellevue and festive decor. The park is also home to an annual Christmas market. Since 2002, the park hosts an annual Weihnachtsmann-Treffen. Visitors who enter the park wearing a Santa Claus costume can purchase their tickets at a discount.
During the winter, most outdoor and/or water rides are closed: the African Queen, Atlantica SuperSplash, Fjord-Rafting, Poseidon and the cable ferry. Both the Blue Fire Megacoaster and Silver Star are only in service if the weather allows. The park opens at 11:00 am and closes at 7:00 pm and opens selected rides 1 hour early for hotel guests. Although the park does extend closing time if it's busy, this doesn't happen as often in the winter seasons, partly due to low temperatures in the evening. In the winter season 2019/20, the park will reopen the once-destroyed attraction Pirates of Batavia, now resurrected as Batavia of Ice.

Themed areas

Adventureland

NameImageYear OpenedManufacturerLocationDescription
Alpenexpress Enzian1984Mack RidesAustriaMine train, powered coaster
Swiss Bob Run1985Mack RidesSwitzerlandBobsled coaster
Euro-Mir1997Mack RidesRussiaSpinning coaster
Matterhorn Blitz1999Mack RidesSwitzerlandWild mouse
Water Rollercoaster Poseidon2000Mack RidesGreeceWater coaster
Silver Star2002Bolliger & MabillardFranceHypercoaster
Atlantica SuperSplash2005Mack RidesPortugalWater coaster
Pegasus - The YoungStar Coaster2006Mack RidesGreeceFamily coaster
Blue Fire Megacoaster powered by GAZPROM2009Mack RidesIcelandLaunched coaster
Wodan Timbur Coaster2012Great Coasters InternationalIcelandWooden coaster
ARTHUR2014Mack RidesARTHUR - In the Minimoys KingdomInverted, spinning, powered coaster
Ba-a-a Express2016ART EngineeringIreland – Children's WorldKiddie coaster
Eurosat - CanCan Coaster2018Mack RidesFranceIndoor coaster

Attendance

Top amusement parks in Europe of annual attendance

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points: color:yellow width:2 #2012: 4.600.000
points: color:yellow width:2 #2013: 4.900.000
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