Europa-Park vs. Phantasialand

[ThomVD]

In Germany and over here in the Netherlands, Europa-Park is often considered the best park of Germany, while Phantasialand is seen as a nice little park, but not one of the top parks of Europe. While I really love Europa Park and it lived up to my expectations, I ended up liking Phantasialand more.

Europa Park is much bigger with more rides, but when it comes down to it, there are only 2 rides that I really really love, Blue Fire and Silver Star. I like Wodan a lot and there are some other enjoyable coasters (Eurosat, Pegasus, Alpenexpress, EuroMir), but aside from coasters, nothing in the park really impressed me. The dark rides ranged from meh to alright, there are no standout flats, the water rides are alright but nothing special (rapids and flume are both nicely themed, but aside from that rather unremarkable). Then there's the theming. Wodan is one of the best themed rides I've ever seen, and the park as a whole is nicely themed, but aside from Wodan, there was nothing really mindblowing. It never really gave me a "wow" feeling. Aside from this, the park was still absolutely wonderful with a great atmosphere and tons to do, although I also feel like you need 3 days to fully enjoy it the first time, as it is quite crowded most of the times.

Phantasialand is much smaller with less rides, but I feel like it has much more quality. While EP only has 2 rides that I absolutely adore, Phantasialand has Black Mamba, Colorado Adventure, Winja's Fear & Force, River Quest, Chiapas, Mystery Castle and Talocan. There are also really fun rides like Maus au Chocolat, Temple of the Night Hawk, Hollywood Tour and the great fun house. All of these rides are some of the best of their type, and immensely themed. The entire park is incredibly immersive and gorgeous. I also feel much less rushed because the park isn't too big.

What do you guys think?

 

[marc]

Found both parks totally over rated but out the two Phantasialand

 

[JoshJ753]

Phantasialand: Amazing theming, Black Mamba and Chiapas is amazing.. (Black Mamba is one of the best B&M inverts)

Europa Park: Theming is great, Blue Fire and Wodan is the best rides in the park, and Euro-Mir was mediocre...

I pick Phantasialand =D>

 

[peep]

Europa park has amazing theming but is let down by the majority of their attractions being mediocre or becoming a little dated. Still the sheer size of the park and their constant effort to improve their offerings is fantastic and they have one of the best range of park hotels in the World.

Btw, Wodan is not the best themed ride (not by a long way), but I'd agree with one of the best themed queues.

Phantasialand on the other hand is just vastly superior in everything it does (hotels on par). Especially within the last say 10 or so years. Their lack of expansion space forces them to be more creative and interesting and I love that. There's a couple of attractions that are in dire need of a huge overhaul (or like the Western dark ride, complete removal) but they do so much right. Can't wait to see what they're building at the moment, the fact they're being so forceful with online images of the construction suggests they're trying to hide something impressive.

 

[CookieCoasters]

Both are in my top 3 parks along with SFMM.

Europa Park is an extremely impressive theme park. It has an excellent blend of great theming and beautiful landscaping. It is very big and consistently well presented in each area. I have been going to the park for over 10 years now, so a lot of the rides that some may describe as 'mediocre' I have a soft spot for. I still think Atlantica SuperSplash is one the most fun rides I have ever ridden and I will happily wait in a long queue to ride it. I personally think the coaster selection is quite interesting and expansive, with Blue Fire being the star attraction. Despite this, I do think the park needs a few more 'thrill' rides, including some good flat rides to be a fully complete park.

Phantasialand although smaller, makes brilliant use of any space they take up with a ride. There is so much quality in all different ride types, as well a varied array of fantastic theming. Phantasialand just caters a little more for what I want in a park. They either take general types of rides and put a unique spin on it (Winjas, River Quest etc.) or just simply enhance the experience of something more common (Black Mamba, Chiapas etc.). Despite Phantasialand not holding any childhood memories, it feels more special to me than Europa park in some ways.

 

[SimonSays99]

Both parks are great - I would say Germany's best two parks. Overall I would pick EP but on a bad weather day would go with Phantasia. As Phantasia resides in the middle of a living quaters near Cologne and Bonn they had to enclose many rides to reduce noise emissions - with the nice effect that they are indoors secure from rain.

 

[DelPiero]

Bit of a Resurrection but now that I've visited both I wanted to vote.

Echoing a lot of comments here. I love Europa for what it is. A huge park with a diverse set of rides but more quantity than quality. I do love the country themeing throughout though, and happily will spend time there whenever possible.
Phantasialand is just miles better in every way though, can't count how many times I said "that's the best one of those I've ridden", quite a few. I can't wait to return already.

 

[Howie]

Haven't voted, cos I've never been to Phantasialand see, but I never realised it was so highly rated by the goon squad, what with it having fewer coasters than EP and all.
Went to Europa Park once and thought it was amaaaaazing, but that was way back in '06, before Wodan, before Blue Fire even, so would love to go again but on this evidence maybe I should look at Phantasialand instead.

 

[Dar]

For me they serve different purposes. If I was in Germany for a day and wanted to go to a theme park, I'd choose Phantasialand.

If I was in Germany for a short break and could spend 2-5 at a theme park, I'd choose Europa-Park.

Phantaisialand is quite small and if you go on a quiet day you can easily ride everything more than once.

Europa-Park is so vast that you can easily spend ages just wandering around enjoying the scenery and soaking up the ambience without even riding anything. Plus, the quantity of rides is so much that you'd struggle to do everything in a couple of days!

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

Europa has a Milka shop, therefore it is the best park in the world...

 

[peep]

Haven't voted, cos I've never been to Phantasialand see, but I never realised it was so highly rated by the goon squad, what with it having fewer coasters than EP and all.

A park isn't automatically better just because it has a higher quantity of coasters

 

[TilenB]

^ So, then Sun Park in Bejing isn't one of the best parks in Asia? My ideals have been shattered...

rcdb.com/5252.htm

 

[Jamesss]

Such a difficult choice. Phantasialand is small but its few attractions are of a very high quality. Europa doesn't have such high quality attractions but it's so big and there is so much to do. They sort of cancel each other out.

 

[QUEENY]

I LOVE EUROPA PARK. LOVE Silver Star Coaster but also Mystery Maze of Balthasar Castle.
Europa Park releases a new Mystery Maze of Balthasar Castle game on Steam next week! Finally we can enjoy the park at home
Can't wait! =D>