Thrill ride is Star of the show
THE Silver Star is the one of the tallest roller coasters in Europe, at 240ft, and when it comes to the turnstile, its tracks looming upwards from the station, I just can’t get on it.
Frozen, an impatient queue of thrillseekers behind me, I decline my seat.
That doesn’t worry my son Tom, 14, who jumps on without me and takes a threeminute white-knuckle ride at 80mph, loving every camelback turn.
Never mind my last-minute nerves, Europa-Park in Rust, Germany, has attractions for every age and comfort zone, from its magical Grimm’s Enchanted Forest – which toddlers can roam through like Hansel and Gretel, discovering Sleeping Beauty’s castle – to its air-conditioned coffee bars, where we sit and recover while the kids laugh at mum for not being brave enough to go on a roller coaster.
Sited reasonably near a couple of international airports, Europa Park’s location also offers the chance to explore the picturesque towns and villages of south-west Germany or eastern France.
The largest theme park in Germany and the second most popular in Europe after Disneyland Paris, it has 18 themed areas, many based on European countries. The Eurosat CanCan Coaster takes visitors on an enclosed whirlwind trip round Paris, while in the German area, the flight simulator Voletarium offers a spectacular four-and-a-half minute journey across Europe.
A monorail and small railway will happily transport guests from one ride to the next, but we were happy to meander and see the white backdrop of Greece magically melt into the glassy skyscrapers of Russia.
We found that there was enough in Europa-Park to keep us fully entertained for three days. In common with any theme park, queues can be up to an hour on some of the most popular rides, and the summer heat meant that we all got pretty exhausted.
But that is part of the experience and we felt it was all a tad less brash and more magical than other parks we have visited.
We stayed at the Hotel Bell Rock, a four-star superior hotel decorated to replicate 18th century New England, just a short walk from the park entrance. The kids, especially ten-year-old Ruby, loved their boat-shaped bunk beds.
Guests at the five Europa-Park hotels get a short time in the park each day before the gates open to the public. The park has an app giving queue times, age limits and distances from the nearest rides.
For those on a tighter budget, Europa-Park also has a camping area where guests can stay in a teepee or log cabin, and a further campsite for those with their own tents and caravans.
Tom and Ruby also tried out Europa-Park’s other major roller coaster, the Blue Fire Mega coaster, which goes from 0 to 60mph in 2.5 seconds and takes riders upside down four times.
It’s quite something to send your children topsy-turvy, but the peace and quiet as they stood in the hour-long queue, while I enjoyed a nice cold beer, was all the thrill I needed.