Insider’s Sam Tabahriti and the Europa entrance.
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- I went to Europa-Park, one of Europe’s biggest theme parks that can welcome 60,000 visitors a day.
- I tried several of the big rollercoasters but met my Prince Charming on a more relaxing ride.
- I even felt at home in the French district and left the park feeling happy.
I went to Europa-Park, one of Europe’s biggest theme parks in Rust, southwest Germany, tried some crazy rides – and met my Prince Charming.
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Adult tickets cost $57 (€55) and parking is $8. An aquatic park called “Rulantica” is also attached to Europa.
Europa-Park
As I arrived at the entrance of the park, which can accommodate 60,000 guests a day, I became a kid again – excitement took over.
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I was so excited to hop on all the rollercoasters, including this wooden ride called Wodan. It’s noisy, but it is the one I laughed the most on.
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Sun was out – it reached nearly 100 degrees that day, and it couldn’t be more pleasant. The park wasn’t too crowded and the longest we waited to get on a ride was 45 minutes.
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Queue times vary, depending on what days you visit, but the queues tend to move quickly. There could be a 60-minute queue for Silver Star, but you rarely get held in one spot for too long.
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What surprised me was the church in the middle of the park. Its website says: “We consider the stave church as an oasis of quiet in the midst of fun-filled liveliness, between wildwater rafting and rollercoasters.” It can be used for “a wedding anniversary, a themed service or a surprising conversation with us.”
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The park is massive – about 234 acres, or 95 hectares. It has six hotels, a campground and a movie theater.
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The Silver Star is probably one of my favorite rollercoasters. Fast and smooth, it feels as though you’re flying. Compared with the Wodan, this one is gentle and it doesn’t feel shaky.
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The park has many rides involving water. I wouldn’t have minded a swim that day, but I went fjord rafting instead.
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The Atlantica SuperSplash is also a great way to cool down. It starts by going up, before descending backwards and then hitting the big splash.
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The park has everything you could want, from children’s rides to extreme rollercoasters for the most daring. There are even two ways of getting from one end of the park to the other: a train and a tram called the EP Express.
Europa-Park
The EP Express takes you from Spain to the other side of Europa-Park, stopping at Greece, Germany and the hotels.
Europa-Park
The park has more than 100 attractions and shows, 13 rollercoasters, and 18 themed areas including France – where I am from.
Europa-Park
The “Quartier Français” (French area) has bridges resembling those in Paris, as wel as restaurants with terraces. The smell of crepes filled the air, and music was playing softly in the background.
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It even has a replica of the Moulin Rouge – a landmark of Parisian nightlife that has been lit up on Montmartre since the 19th century – and a ride called the CanCan Coaster.
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After a long day of being thrown into the air, having an adrenaline overdose, it was time for a calmer ride.
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I was surprised how this calm ride made me feel. I wasn’t ready for what came next.
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My Prince Charming, who was holding a golden rose, had been waiting for me this whole time. He looked at me and I knew straight away: let us continue this journey together.
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As we glided along, he introduced me to his mother (or so I assumed), Josefina. She was elegant and looked at me kindly.
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Josefina’s Magical Imperial Journey was truly magical. My day ended on a positive note and despite its madness I still felt rested.
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