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1 minute to discover Europa-Park #MagicalWinter Season, #TheVoletarium and #CampResort? It’s possible with the Revo-Rama minute! ? @EuropaPark @EuropaParkUK #Europapark pic.twitter.com/IoE71mmheM
— Le Revo-Rama (@LeRevoRama) 15 janvier 2018
Family visit to Europa-Park for Christmas: on the road to the Magical Winter Season!
After our summer visit in July 2015, the girls’ first visit, we decided to come back again to see the park with its winter clothes, but also for a short stay at the Camp Resort, and of course to test the new attraction, the flying theater Voletarium.
We had a lovely surprise because the park is completely different at this time of the year. As night falls, little lights every cm2 light up all of the areas of the park with a dazzling gold. Very different to what we found at Efteling or Disneyland Paris, neither better, nor worse, just different. And that’s great, because it makes each experience different.
Out go the water attractions, replaced by others such as the Big Wheel. The cherry on the cake were a show on the lake and a night time parade / Christmas tree lighting which reminded us a bit of the lamented Fantillusion! (a simpler version, but still a nice surprise).
A great programme which you can see in this video episode of the Revo-Rama!
Christmas decorations at Europa-Park
Father Christmas / Santa Claus at Europa-Park
Of course, the Panorama train is decorated, and Euromauss cuddly toy is here as well.
New this year for the Europa-Park Magical Winter Season: the Chinese festival of lights.
Ed Euromaus has his Christmas statue too.
Grimm’s enchanted forest has statues of Hansel and Gretel. An excellent idea!
Unusual geese taking a walk near the lake and Grimm’s enchanted forest.
The Europa-Park Big Wheel seen from the Swiss area.
The Europa-Park Big Wheel
The Europa-Park Big Wheel
The Big Wheel is in the Portugal area
The Viking swing boat “Vindjammer”
Discovering Camp resort. The Far West in your own caravan, tipi or log cabin.
It’s the first time that we’ve sayed at Europa-Park itself. I tend to believe that spending one day, or an overnight stay at a park are very different, and it’s so true in this case.
For sure, we weren’t staying in one of the big hotels like Bell Rock, the Colosseo, or El Andaluz (next time hopefully), but Camp Resort had loads of advantage. The Far West atmosphere with its own restaurant the Silver Lake Saloon and accommodation in caravans, tipis or log cabins. It’s also the most economical hotel option.
While overall it was a lovely experience, I wouldn’t try the caravan again in winter (it’s a bit too small, the toilets are outside, and not well heated. The Wifi is also pretty inexistent). You also use the park’s main entrance (through the car park) and not the entrance for hotel guests.
Follow us for a visit to the Europa-Park Camp Resort in this video episode of the Revo-Rama!
Europa-Park Camp Resort
Map of Europa-Park Camp Resort
Will you choose a tipi, caravan or wooden lodge at the Europa-Park Camp Resort?
Europa-Park Camp Resort caravans
The entrance to a caravan at Europa-Park Camp Resort
Léopoldine inside a caravan at the Europa-Park Camp Resort
Log cabins at Europa-Park Camp Resort
Western store at Europa-Park Camp Resort
The Silver Lake Saloon at Europa-Park Camp Resort
Christmas Euromaus discovers the Silver Lake Saloon at Europa-Park Camp Resort
The local beer whose name is a reminder of the Europa-Park opening date: PALE ALE 1975
“Putensteak” menu (turkey) at the Silver Lake Saloon in Europa-Park Camp Resort
The girls discover Ovomaltine, a Swizz chocolate powder for breakfast.
Camp Resort by night. Charming!
Voletarium, Europa-Park’s new flying theater, Paddington in VR, the 4D cinema and Cassandra’s madhouse…
After testing Futuroscope’s Extraordinary Journey, and then Soarin’ at Epcot (in an upcoming episode of Revo-Rama) we took off on Europa park’s Voletarium.
Brothers Egbert and Kaspar Eulenstein take us (you can use the new Fast pass system if you like) through a fabulous waiting line representing their research to achieve their dream: to fly! It’s wonderful both aesthetically and musically, you are completely drawn in.
“Eleven detailed scenes and a talking drone to explain the special journey. In seven chairlift-type airplanes, the passengers take flight on three floors in one of the two theatres. The film is projected onto a screen of over 425 m2 and 21 metres in diameter. Effects such as wind, mist and fragrances give the 140 passengers in the 16 meter high domes a unique flight feeling.”
With your feet off the ground, and a screen on which your rarely see the outlines, you move around and visit Europe, from the Eiffel tower to Europa-Park (it reminded us a little of the Epcot version). We loved it so much that we did it three times during our stay. We thought that the film produced by Mack media could have taken a few more risks, like the one in Futuroscope. Why not in Steampunk style? Our advice: go 30 minutes before opening, take a fast pass for the day and be the first to take off!
Mack media, who’ll be opening a studio in Alsace – news that was of particular interest to Léopoldine –, also use 4D cinema to show really interesting films! (and that exist in French in their DVD version, good job!). For this winter season we saw “Happy Family” and “The Mystery of Balthasar Castle”. The only problem, there’s an irregularity in the trailers before the film, which give each visitor the impression that their glasses have a mark on them.
Third test, coaster in VR. Paddington has arrived with the Coastiality application and Gear VR type headsets, in the “Alpen Express” train. Unfortunately, it was Gameloft’s Paddington Run game… Putting a smartphone application in front of your eyes is not enough to provide a new sensation, the only interesting effect was the impression that you’re moving backwards when you’re actually going forwards! With a more powerful application and better equipment, we’d be happy to test it again!
As fans of this type of attraction since we discovered the excellent Villa Volta in Efteling, we visited “Cassandra’s Curse” madhouse. It’s interesting and amusing with effects under the seats, but it’s not as good as our favourite.
Come with us through our on-board camera to discover the Europa-Park attractions in this episode of the Revo-Rama!
Special Voletarium menu with a free past pass for the attraction. Wish we’d known about it earlier!!!
Ready to discover the Voletarium, just inside the Europa-Park
Ready to discover the Voletarium, just inside the Europa-Park
A Fast Pass system was implemented at Europa-Park for the really popular Voletarium.
The entrance to the Voletarium
The waiting line for the Europa-Park Flying theatre: The Voletarium
The waiting line for the Europa-Park Flying theatre: The Voletarium
The waiting line for the Europa-Park Flying theatre: The Voletarium
The waiting line for the Europa-Park Flying theatre: The Voletarium
Before take off in the Europa-Park Flying theatre: The Voletarium
Alpen Express! The visitors at the back of the train have VR headsets.
The VR headsets for the Alpen Express. They look really like the Samsung Gear VR.
Europa-Park’s 4D Cinema. Why not have films relating to each of the park’s most symbolic attractions!
Cassandra’s curse / Fluch der Cassandra: the Europa-Park madhouse. Interesting but not as good as Efteling’s Villa Volta.
Intriguing Moulin Rouge images for the renovation of Eurosat at Europa-Park
Eurosat is getting a makeover in the French area, for a new attraction in 2018.
Overall: an excellent trip which showed us a new side of Europa-Park. The park’s future is looking really bright with the renovation of Eurosat in 2018 with a Moulin Rouge theme in the French area, and especially a new water park “Rulantica” in 2019!
In the meantime the park celebrated its 5.6 million visitors in 2017. A figure that’ll continue to rise for sure.
The illuminated statues at night in Europa-Park Magical Winter Season: Ed Euromaus
The illuminated statues at night in Europa-Park Magical Winter Season: The witch, Hansel and Gretel
The Europa-Park Big Wheel is magnificent in the dark
The music and light show also showcases the Europa-Park characters
A horseman and his illuminated mount for the show and the parade
Music and light show on the lake, with water fountains: Luna Magica!
The Christmas tree before the lighting ceremony.
The Europa-Park night time parade: Winter Starlight Parade
Lighting the Europa-Park Christmas tree
Lighting the Europa-Park Christmas tree
Edna Euromausi during the Winter Starlight Parade!
The Christmas tree after the lighting ceremony
So what did you think of Europa-Park’s Magical Winter Season and the Camp Resort?
A bit of shopping with the Ed Euromaus and Edna Europausi toys, the DVD of the Time Carousel, the souvenir drinking bottles we received on arrival (to compensate for the tourist tax) and a shoulder bag in memory of the Eulenstein brothers, inventors of the Voletarium!
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