Mickey De Gaul (France - May 2012)
- Thread starter Will
- Start date
My turn then!
Asterix was a park I've been looking at going to for a long time now and I just had to return to Disney after a diabolical trip with college 2 years ago. This seemed like the perfect time to go!
I couldn't make the Saturday due to work, so my story begins on Sunday morning.
Annoyingly, I didn't finish work until 00:15 on Sunday morning and I had to be out the house at 4:45 ready for the 6:30 flight.
Flying from Birmingham was a godsend, so I jumped in a taxi and half hour later was at the airport and on my way through security.
Usual airport stuff happened, went down to my gate only to be joined by a lot of children.
I was flying with Flybe, got on the flight, only for it to be delayed on take off...
Small children kept shouting:
"Are we moving yet?"
"Has the space shuttle took off yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
Eventually the plane did take off some 15 minutes late, I was so relieved when the fasten seatbelt sign went off so that iPod could happen and I could block out the kids.
Captain came on about 45 minutes into the flight saying we were going to be further delayed and in a particular nasty landing circle somewhere over the west of Paris. Some 20 minutes later, the plane landed and the hopes of the half 9 bus to Asterix had vanished.
Charles de Gaulle is an awfully big airport and a maze at that! Eventually after a brisk walk I found the CDGVAL to take me to Terminal 3 for the bus station. The 10 bus was in sight. Got off the monorail and ran for the bus. The pesky website said I could buy my ticket from the driver. Oh no you can't...
After being pointed in the right direction, I was told I had a minute until that bus departed... Ticket in hand, I got on the bus, hoping to be there for 10:15.
That never happened, some of the worst bus drivers I had ever had to encounter decided nah don't fancy running the 10am bus, too busy having a lovely chat with the other drivers.
When the bus resembled a sardine tin, it decided to head for the park. This was now around 10:25, livid!
The journey took less than 10 minutes which annoyed me further as a taxi would have been easier! Twunts!
A momentary mood change happened when the bus pulled off the Motorway right under what can only be described as one of the best looking new coasters I've seen so far! Anger soon returned when despite being at the front of the bus, the french decided to all barge their way forward and get off the bus first..
**** them, I had my ticket already and headed through the gates! Toilet was the first stop seeing as the rest of the group weren't there yet. After that, I grabbed a park map to find somewhere to dump the burdenous bag which happened to be inside the building I was standing outside of!
Paying some woman €2, she had my burdenous bag and as I left the building I walked straight into the group.
I was informed that Sue was in the toilets so we made our way that way being told on the way that Goudurix would be the first coaster for me! Some 10 minutes passed and after removing Sue from a mirror in the ladies, we made our way over to Goudurix for an early morning doseage of pain.
A 5 minute queue stood between us and 7 Vekomafied inversions of pain. Well it wasn't that bad to my surprise! Just the odd bit of ear and neck bashing and awkward inversions. But aside from that, it wasn't the worst of the Vekomas for the weekend!
We started following the unmistakeable sounds of a B&M and got distracted by L'Oxgenarium. This was my first of this type of ride. I'm yet to have experienced Storm Surge. I did quite like it! Some of those corners were quite terrifying! Though the entry and exit to the boat isn't the most dignified of things in the world!
Onwards...
So Oz'Iris, my 2nd new B&M for 2012! I was excited to see what this ride held! First thing to note is that it looks stunning. The whole area is brilliantly done and the ride just looms over the land! It's so nice to see a brand new invert and one that isn't an off the shelf design.
First impressions were brilliant.
So into the queue and the rest of the ride layout is revealed.
The queue was about 10 minutes, but walking through the queue is lovely. You get some lovely views of the coaster from outside and the theming inside the building is brilliant. For instance some of the doorways are like walking through an open tomb.
The station is pretty damn impressive too, both on the inside and out.
So the ride then! It's butter smooth for a start. It isn't the most forceful invert out there, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing in my eyes!
From the first drop right through the break run it never lets up on speed and having a different layout to what you usually see on inverts is great!
It is just brilliant and no better way to describe it really.
I think that's enough of Oz for now! More on that later. Next on our rounds was SOS Numérobis. Just a plus one really with nothing more to say. Although 3 laps was a little excessive.
We carried on around the park and next was Trace de Hourra. This presented us with our first significantly longer queue of the day. This is where handmade Top Trumps made their appearance.
This queue was tiresome.
Eventually got on a front row ride with Neal. We watched amusingly as a child who was too small got locked in a pen whilst their dad rode.
I like Bobsleighs and this was no exception apart from a vile restraint in the stomach and vile breaks.
We wanted lunch, but decided on water rides first! The Log Flume was first. Me, Mark & Marc got ponchos as this looked a particular wet ride! And we were right, it was just a little bit moist.
Although my poncho blew up on the final drop resulting in some wetness.
We done La Grande Splatch next. This was nothing exciting but the name keeps making me laugh for some reason. Full of stuff that gives you a sense of high anticipation then nothing comes of it! Hello music and water features, I'm talking about you.
Whilst next to it, we done Ronde des Rondins which is cleverly hidden, but not well enough for a group of enthusiasts to not sniff out! It was yet another +1.
We done the Crapids next and never has a rapids ride needed the title crapids as much as this one. Seriously what was the point in them?! They aren't rapid and with the boat full, not exactly wet either! Apart from the odd wet shoe or two.
Lunch was finally on the cards and we all headed to the Pizza and Chicken shop. Reasonably priced food and at a decent quality was consumed and the creation of CF Top Trumps continued says Will/Stone Cold in the Pizza and Chicken shop.
We eventually left there.. My memory seems to be trying to fail me now. But I think we done Le Defi de Cesar. Out of all the mad houses I have done, this one goes down as one of the most impressive in terms of pre-shows. However, the ride let it down with it being slightly out of sync on the ride. And some of the bits were lost in translation, but that's to be expected with it being in French.
We made our way around to Zeus, but had Vol D'Icare first. I don't understand this coaster at all! But jeees the brakes hurt and it can help to father children
Next and the last of the coasters was Zeus. I'd heard good things but I have to say I wasn't overly impressed.
The queue was reasonable and I was joined by a Will. It is a good ride which some nice pockets of airtime and good speed. However, what really let it down for me was there was far too much rattling and being slammed sidewards into the seats.
It's a good ride, just not for me. But can see why others would rate it highly.
I forget what we done next. I think we wandered aimlessly around for a while before heading back to OzIris for some more B&M goodness.
We decided to queue for the front row which would turn into our longest queue of the day and the most eventful.
They blocked the front row queue off right after me! Don't worry ride op, I love having a bin shoved in my back. But whilst they done this, the ride op decided to open the gate that had previously separated the front row queue from the rest of the train, whilst the front row queue was still in the cattle pen.
This then meant contending with people trying to get in the front row queue ahead of all the people already queuing for it.
Bins also don't seem to stop people getting in the queue despite it being blocked off.
But front row Oz. OMG <3 Actual love for it. From the front, the drop looks almost vertical and taking that tunnel is brilliant but mildly moist! First class ride, really really enjoyed it.
That was my last ride. We spilt up for a bit with Neal and Kim heading for Zeus and Stone Cold, Sue and Will doing the pedal boats. The rest of us took a few more photos of rides and watched the guys on the boats.
That was it for our day at Asterix before heading down towards Disney.
I enjoyed Parc Asterix a lot. Some great rides and brilliant theming. The one thing that really let the park down for me was the staff and their actions. The majority I came across were rude and not at all welcome. The exception being the woman at guest services who had my burdenous bag who despite clearly not understanding English all that well was lovely and through both of us trying to speak French/English we got there in the end.
Asterix was a park I've been looking at going to for a long time now and I just had to return to Disney after a diabolical trip with college 2 years ago. This seemed like the perfect time to go!
I couldn't make the Saturday due to work, so my story begins on Sunday morning.
Annoyingly, I didn't finish work until 00:15 on Sunday morning and I had to be out the house at 4:45 ready for the 6:30 flight.
Flying from Birmingham was a godsend, so I jumped in a taxi and half hour later was at the airport and on my way through security.
Usual airport stuff happened, went down to my gate only to be joined by a lot of children.
I was flying with Flybe, got on the flight, only for it to be delayed on take off...
Small children kept shouting:
"Are we moving yet?"
"Has the space shuttle took off yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
Eventually the plane did take off some 15 minutes late, I was so relieved when the fasten seatbelt sign went off so that iPod could happen and I could block out the kids.
Captain came on about 45 minutes into the flight saying we were going to be further delayed and in a particular nasty landing circle somewhere over the west of Paris. Some 20 minutes later, the plane landed and the hopes of the half 9 bus to Asterix had vanished.
Charles de Gaulle is an awfully big airport and a maze at that! Eventually after a brisk walk I found the CDGVAL to take me to Terminal 3 for the bus station. The 10 bus was in sight. Got off the monorail and ran for the bus. The pesky website said I could buy my ticket from the driver. Oh no you can't...
After being pointed in the right direction, I was told I had a minute until that bus departed... Ticket in hand, I got on the bus, hoping to be there for 10:15.
That never happened, some of the worst bus drivers I had ever had to encounter decided nah don't fancy running the 10am bus, too busy having a lovely chat with the other drivers.
When the bus resembled a sardine tin, it decided to head for the park. This was now around 10:25, livid!
The journey took less than 10 minutes which annoyed me further as a taxi would have been easier! Twunts!
A momentary mood change happened when the bus pulled off the Motorway right under what can only be described as one of the best looking new coasters I've seen so far! Anger soon returned when despite being at the front of the bus, the french decided to all barge their way forward and get off the bus first..
**** them, I had my ticket already and headed through the gates! Toilet was the first stop seeing as the rest of the group weren't there yet. After that, I grabbed a park map to find somewhere to dump the burdenous bag which happened to be inside the building I was standing outside of!
Paying some woman €2, she had my burdenous bag and as I left the building I walked straight into the group.
I was informed that Sue was in the toilets so we made our way that way being told on the way that Goudurix would be the first coaster for me! Some 10 minutes passed and after removing Sue from a mirror in the ladies, we made our way over to Goudurix for an early morning doseage of pain.
A 5 minute queue stood between us and 7 Vekomafied inversions of pain. Well it wasn't that bad to my surprise! Just the odd bit of ear and neck bashing and awkward inversions. But aside from that, it wasn't the worst of the Vekomas for the weekend!
We started following the unmistakeable sounds of a B&M and got distracted by L'Oxgenarium. This was my first of this type of ride. I'm yet to have experienced Storm Surge. I did quite like it! Some of those corners were quite terrifying! Though the entry and exit to the boat isn't the most dignified of things in the world!
Onwards...
So Oz'Iris, my 2nd new B&M for 2012! I was excited to see what this ride held! First thing to note is that it looks stunning. The whole area is brilliantly done and the ride just looms over the land! It's so nice to see a brand new invert and one that isn't an off the shelf design.
First impressions were brilliant.
So into the queue and the rest of the ride layout is revealed.
The queue was about 10 minutes, but walking through the queue is lovely. You get some lovely views of the coaster from outside and the theming inside the building is brilliant. For instance some of the doorways are like walking through an open tomb.
The station is pretty damn impressive too, both on the inside and out.
So the ride then! It's butter smooth for a start. It isn't the most forceful invert out there, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing in my eyes!
From the first drop right through the break run it never lets up on speed and having a different layout to what you usually see on inverts is great!
It is just brilliant and no better way to describe it really.
I think that's enough of Oz for now! More on that later. Next on our rounds was SOS Numérobis. Just a plus one really with nothing more to say. Although 3 laps was a little excessive.
We carried on around the park and next was Trace de Hourra. This presented us with our first significantly longer queue of the day. This is where handmade Top Trumps made their appearance.
This queue was tiresome.
Eventually got on a front row ride with Neal. We watched amusingly as a child who was too small got locked in a pen whilst their dad rode.
I like Bobsleighs and this was no exception apart from a vile restraint in the stomach and vile breaks.
We wanted lunch, but decided on water rides first! The Log Flume was first. Me, Mark & Marc got ponchos as this looked a particular wet ride! And we were right, it was just a little bit moist.
Although my poncho blew up on the final drop resulting in some wetness.
We done La Grande Splatch next. This was nothing exciting but the name keeps making me laugh for some reason. Full of stuff that gives you a sense of high anticipation then nothing comes of it! Hello music and water features, I'm talking about you.
Whilst next to it, we done Ronde des Rondins which is cleverly hidden, but not well enough for a group of enthusiasts to not sniff out! It was yet another +1.
We done the Crapids next and never has a rapids ride needed the title crapids as much as this one. Seriously what was the point in them?! They aren't rapid and with the boat full, not exactly wet either! Apart from the odd wet shoe or two.
Lunch was finally on the cards and we all headed to the Pizza and Chicken shop. Reasonably priced food and at a decent quality was consumed and the creation of CF Top Trumps continued says Will/Stone Cold in the Pizza and Chicken shop.
We eventually left there.. My memory seems to be trying to fail me now. But I think we done Le Defi de Cesar. Out of all the mad houses I have done, this one goes down as one of the most impressive in terms of pre-shows. However, the ride let it down with it being slightly out of sync on the ride. And some of the bits were lost in translation, but that's to be expected with it being in French.
We made our way around to Zeus, but had Vol D'Icare first. I don't understand this coaster at all! But jeees the brakes hurt and it can help to father children
Next and the last of the coasters was Zeus. I'd heard good things but I have to say I wasn't overly impressed.
The queue was reasonable and I was joined by a Will. It is a good ride which some nice pockets of airtime and good speed. However, what really let it down for me was there was far too much rattling and being slammed sidewards into the seats.
It's a good ride, just not for me. But can see why others would rate it highly.
I forget what we done next. I think we wandered aimlessly around for a while before heading back to OzIris for some more B&M goodness.
We decided to queue for the front row which would turn into our longest queue of the day and the most eventful.
They blocked the front row queue off right after me! Don't worry ride op, I love having a bin shoved in my back.
But whilst they done this, the ride op decided to open the gate that had previously separated the front row queue from the rest of the train, whilst the front row queue was still in the cattle pen. This then meant contending with people trying to get in the front row queue ahead of all the people already queuing for it.
Bins also don't seem to stop people getting in the queue despite it being blocked off.
But front row Oz. OMG <3 Actual love for it. From the front, the drop looks almost vertical and taking that tunnel is brilliant but mildly moist! First class ride, really really enjoyed it.
That was my last ride. We spilt up for a bit with Neal and Kim heading for Zeus and Stone Cold, Sue and Will doing the pedal boats. The rest of us took a few more photos of rides and watched the guys on the boats.
That was it for our day at Asterix before heading down towards Disney.
I enjoyed Parc Asterix a lot. Some great rides and brilliant theming. The one thing that really let the park down for me was the staff and their actions. The majority I came across were rude and not at all welcome. The exception being the woman at guest services who had my burdenous bag who despite clearly not understanding English all that well was lovely and through both of us trying to speak French/English we got there in the end.
Martyn B
CF Legend
What a difference a week makes ey? I was there on Saturday, and to say it was veyr busy was an understatement. Every major line had more-than-full queue lines, which were spilling out on the pathways. Needless to say I was **** gutted. But OzIris is amazing, that first drop in the back row is great! And I love the zero-g's, which were so different to any others that I had been on. They actually felt like you were experiencing zero-g as you gracefully rolled over! Fab coaster.
Oh, and am I the only one that noticed Goudurix having square wheels? The car we were in was genuinely lumping and bumping constantly - yet the trains appeared to have new chassis' and wheels?!
Oh, and am I the only one that noticed Goudurix having square wheels? The car we were in was genuinely lumping and bumping constantly - yet the trains appeared to have new chassis' and wheels?!
Martyn B
CF Legend
It seems silly for the park to invest in what looks like new parts that aren't from Vekoma, when they could just go to Vekoma for their new trains/restraints? They may be a bit pricey, but the park know how rough it is, hence the warning signs dotted around the station and queue. I only actually found a couple parts rough really, the loop and corkscrews were fine for me. But that first element, what on earth were Vekoma thinking?!