Since I have a huge collection of pictures laying around of all previous visits to certain parks. I decided to dig the archive and dump some of the lesser known/popular parks here as a Trip Report.
Today's report is from Belantis. I've visited this park twice, first time was back in September 2009! Nearly 10 years ago. What was the reason? We did a tiny East Germany trip including Belantis and Plohn. Plohn opened their GCI: El Toro and this park was only about an hour apart. Another reason was that Belantis housed the prototype from the Gerstlauer Sky Roller, still being the only ride in the world at that time, we just had to experience it.
In 2012 I returned to the park because we 'were in the area' anyway due a Rodelbahn tour we did, featuring imo several of the more crazy and insane rodelslides I've still done to date. The speeds you obtain on some slides combined with the tight curves and transitions still amaze me on those few rodelslides.
Anyhow, Enough chatter about the general trips around the visit. Time to tell more about this park.
23 September 2009
We started our day by first visiting a nearby Alpine Coaster. After a few runs we quickly continued to the park. Plenty of new to discover!
The entrance from the park. I don't think I've ever seen such entrance before. It's quite iconic now for this park. The parking lot was kinda weird though for being at a themepark. As it functions pretty much as any common city parking. You pay for as long you are parked there. Prior entering the park, you go up to the parking machine and get a ticket of how long you'd want to park. With that ticket you go back to the car and display it behind the window.
The first thing we noticed was how short of a queueline the swinging ship had. Literally no queueline at all. I really wonder what chaos there will be on the path on busy days.
On our way to the coaster, we pretty much passed the G??tterflug aka. Gerstlauer Sky Roller. Plenty of time left, let's do a ride!
My traveling companion was all set and ready. Time to take a flight of the gods!
With little practice, it was simply just flipping end over end. The ride was tactically placed on top of a hill, being up so high made it easy catching a bunch of wind. Resulting in some really intense spins! With some crazy speed increasements as soon as you rotated into a strong gust of wind. My favorite thing still is changing the rotational direction just before you hit that gust, as it instantly stops your spin and then continues with the same speed into the other direction. Pure madness!
Another one of the weird rides we found in this park was a rapids ride using inflatable rafts! Featuring a big drop on the side of the 100ft pyramid made it even seem more crazy.
If that wasn't enough, it even had a functioning whirlpool.
Another one of those rides I do not want to queue for when it's busy. Queuejumping would be so easy.
The ride itself was quite bizzarre, inside the pyramid was a vertical lift and the transportation onto the mechanics was all via big rollers, those rubber benches inside the boat just kept rocking back and forth. It was weird and hilarious at the same time.
The park was enormous on size. On the lake there was some kind of boatride passing several mythical scenes. It took us a while to find out though
Of course we couldn't leave the fun little Gerstlauer Bobsled in the park! It was pretty much a standard ride featuring the typical sequence of big drop, mouse turns, helixes, bunny hills and a helixy finish.
Also good to know. Inside this castle is apparently as well a Madhouse/Revolving house. It only runs several times a day. So you need to pay attention to the clock. We were being told about this fact after our visit.
These helixes are always a lot of fun, gotta love that quick transition between both.
Also they've added a quite creative tunnel.
I really like the way the entire ride is nicely built around the castle. Creates a lovely esthetic.
And before we knew it, our time in the park was up. We managed to grab a picture with the park mascot and we certainly enjoyed our day. The park itself was really spread out with rides and being still a relative new park. Plenty of growing potential!
29 May 2012
About 2,5 years later. I've returned. Sooner then expected but who knew back then that both East German parks were pushing out new rides like Six Flags does.
Above the treetops something red appeared. Something we haven't seen 2,5 years ago. Excitement grew.
The entrance was a whole lot busier then a while ago. But with the same parking system as 2,5 years ago. There were 2 lines. First one to get a parking ticket and the 2nd for an actual entrance ticket.
But eventually we got everything we needed and we were royally greeted by staff.
And what do Rollercoaster enthausiasts do as they enter a park with a new coaster to ride? Correct, head straight for it! It's a good thing for us that the new coaster is right beside the entrance.
It looks like it's running and with quite some speed too!
Open until 5pm. That should provide enough rides for us.
The ride itself is quite rough, but also completely insane. It just keeps going with pretty much no break until the final brakes. Constant high g forces, good airtime and just pacing was just fast! This definitely shot to the top of one of my favorite Gerstlauers.
It's also quite awesome that you can see the ride throughout the entire park. As well as on the highway which is right beside the park. You can't have any better advertising.
This was a little fun ride we missed out last time. It's a mini drop tower that tilts from side to side as well, Loads of fun!
The condor was up and running as well. These little Huss rides are underappreciated though. There can be so much power in these!
More small rides appeared around the park. Including some cool physics learning stuff.
Yes, here we are again! <3 Time for some more flights of the gods!
This time winds were powerful enough to even start flipping before the entire ride was on it's highest point. <3
Still prominent visible at the other end of the park. I'm sure it's that red color that helps!
This time we managed to ride the little revolving house. I can't remember the story around it, but it was themed quite nice.
These rides are also a lot of fun! Too bad it wasn't possible to splash people on the side.
Hey look! Even other people managed to get those seats flipping upside down! It's not that hard!
We've spotted some park entertainment for the kids as well. Treasure hunt, limbo and silly slapstick humor specially for the young ones.
Learning Path. This is kinda why I love these German parks. They have to add stuff around the park where you can actually learn stuff from. Only then German schools are allowed to do a fieldtrip to the park. Simple but effective!
Time to finish the day at this red devil. I recall a story that this ride was originally meant for Ferrari World in Dubai. But due delays or so that it was eventually put up for sale and bought by Belantis.
I took so many pictures of various angles of all that weird and lovely shaping. It looks so wrong but it works so well.
Goodbye fun park and extremely fun ride. I wonder when my next visit will be. Perhaps around 2020 when Plohn opens their Mack Big Dipper?
Thanks for reading! If anyone wants more pictures of all those Huracan angles. Feel free to let me know.