Last week me and Sue went to Walibi Holland. We flew out at Goon O' Clock in the morning, had the obligatory faff with a hire car and arrived at a rather empty Walibi at midday.
Firstly, deciding we were unable to face so many Vekoma's on an empty stomach; we got some Belgian waffles and joked "when in Belgium..!" before remembering that we were actually in Holland.
The nearest cred to the entrance is the "(somewhat) NEW FOR 2014!" Express: Platform 13, so we headed over to that. You enter the queue via one of Walibi Holland's many indoor youth centers.
Discontent with their luscious, natural green landscapes, Walibi (actually, this seems more like a Six Flag's decision) have plonked loads of bright orange buildings that look like the set of Biker Grove around the park. It gives that tacky, clashing feel to the place that Thorpe Park have sought after for years.
Here's a screen shot from Google maps:
It felt weird entering a coaster queue from the park's retail hub, but the gradual creepiness that sets in as you walk towards Express: Platform 13 is executed very well. In fact, I'd say it's possibly one of the best queue lines I've ever walked through.
It's a very long walk to the ride, which starts out in a normal, slightly deserted train station. Then it gets darker and darker, with visual tricks painted onto the walls to disorientate, walls smashed through, train headlights appearing in the darkness and rubble everywhere. It genuinely looks like a wreck, and was so dark that we weren't sure which way to turn to get to the cred a few times!
A ride host dressed as a train driver jumped out at me from one of the dingy corridors and I screamed my head off. I'm not sure if he was supposed to be like a maze actor, or if it was just good timing on his part.
One of my fave little touches on Express: Platform 13 was that instead of air gates, they had full length train doors that would open when you could board. There was gloomy lighting and sound effects in the ride station too, which really helped to build anticipation.
The coaster itself is a sitting Vekoma launch, just like Rock n Rollercoaster. The launch was great fun, it packed quite a surprising punch. The rest of the coaster was smooth but a tad on the mediocre side.
They've added a new indoor finale on the brake run, which features fire effects and a train coming towards you. It was pretty cool. Much better than another Superbland ride of steel.
If there's one way to win me over with a re-theme, it's to paint a coaster black and give it a dark / spooky story. So I was really pleased with Express: Platform 13. I'd say it's better than all the other coasters with 13 in their name!
We could see the Vekoma Boomerang from a mile off because, guess what...it was painted bright orange, like 90% of the park. So we decided to ride that next. It's in the 'music' area of Walibi, which featured massive guitars, speakers and a bizarre fountain that sprayed water in time to R&B music. (I believe Amanda Thompson is getting one of these installed in her bedroom for valentines day)
Speed of Sound has on board speakers (to put the 'Boom' into Boomerang.) It also has a tunnel. Being lifted up backwards into the tunnel whilst a cheesy soundtrack blared out was hilarious. It was the best Boomerang ever. We enjoyed it so much that we re-rode it!
Then we wandered over to their take on Merrie England, which featured a Vekoma Madhouse themed to talking owls. It was a hoot.
Next up was Robin Hood, a Vekoma woodie. I'd not ridden a Vekoma woodie before, so was intrigued to see if it was going to be Robin Good.
Despite having a great layout, the train felt like it was bouncing along the track. It wasn't rough enough to be comical, nor fun enough to re-ride.
Headed over to Goliath via more horrendous orange buildings. I was already disappointed that Goliath didn't have purple track supports anymore (we need more purple coasters in the world!) But I didn't let that quash my excitement.
We queued 20 mins for the front row on our first ride. The train looked a bit battered as it pulled into the dire grey station, some of the restraints were covered in duct tape :/
I love a fast lift hill, but this one wasn't fast enough for us not to notice the lift hill speakers crackling and cutting out. Anywho. The first drop is mega. The second huge airtime hill was a genuine 'whoa!" moment for me (I've not ridden that many hypers / airtime machines yet), felt like I was never going to come back down into my seat!
The stengel dive is cool, feels like you are being tipped out. The helices are a bit yucky and sluggish. The airtime hills at the end are pure joy though.
We re-rode several times in the back row, where the airtime was even better. Overall, it's a really enjoyable coaster. But I don't think it has been particularly well maintained. As well as the duct tape and broken speakers, the trains had a noticeable rattle throughout, and their paint is all chipped and faded.
After this, I kept trying to tactically divert us away from the Vekoma SLC with water rides and anything else in the park, please!!! But eventually we concluded that goons have to suffer for their art, and boarded the dreaded cred: Condor. Naturally, it was painted bright orange.
It was vile. The most headache-inducing, jerky, joyless mess of a coaster I've ridden. The cars on the train feel like they're actually going to smash into each other on the inversions. It took a rapids, a log flume and a kiddie cred to lift me out of post-SLC regret afterwards!
The kiddie cred is called Drako, and was once falsely rumored to be the heir of Slytherin. There was nobody on it, so Sue took the front row and I took the back on the ridiculously long train heheh!
Saw a bit of the show, which featured a girl playing 'the decks' while another girl danced around in a neon tutu. They didn't have much of audience, so they gave up on the performance and started chatting to each other on stage. Professional.
We had missed the last showing of the 5D cinema, so spent the afternoon re-riding Goliath, Speed of Sound and admiring the tat. Having decided I need a new gooniform, I purchased a Walibag, and we both bought some Walibadges that have a picture of an SLC inside a heart on them - ha!
Then it was time to say Walibye to Walibi Holland.
It was a really fun day with lots of laughs, and the park is easily do-able as a day trip from England. But considering Walibi Holland haven't built a new coaster for 12 years, I think they should focus less on painting everything orange and maybe contact their beloved Vekoma to build something new for them soon.
Firstly, deciding we were unable to face so many Vekoma's on an empty stomach; we got some Belgian waffles and joked "when in Belgium..!" before remembering that we were actually in Holland.
The nearest cred to the entrance is the "(somewhat) NEW FOR 2014!" Express: Platform 13, so we headed over to that. You enter the queue via one of Walibi Holland's many indoor youth centers.
Discontent with their luscious, natural green landscapes, Walibi (actually, this seems more like a Six Flag's decision) have plonked loads of bright orange buildings that look like the set of Biker Grove around the park. It gives that tacky, clashing feel to the place that Thorpe Park have sought after for years.
Here's a screen shot from Google maps:
It felt weird entering a coaster queue from the park's retail hub, but the gradual creepiness that sets in as you walk towards Express: Platform 13 is executed very well. In fact, I'd say it's possibly one of the best queue lines I've ever walked through.
It's a very long walk to the ride, which starts out in a normal, slightly deserted train station. Then it gets darker and darker, with visual tricks painted onto the walls to disorientate, walls smashed through, train headlights appearing in the darkness and rubble everywhere. It genuinely looks like a wreck, and was so dark that we weren't sure which way to turn to get to the cred a few times!
A ride host dressed as a train driver jumped out at me from one of the dingy corridors and I screamed my head off. I'm not sure if he was supposed to be like a maze actor, or if it was just good timing on his part.
One of my fave little touches on Express: Platform 13 was that instead of air gates, they had full length train doors that would open when you could board. There was gloomy lighting and sound effects in the ride station too, which really helped to build anticipation.
The coaster itself is a sitting Vekoma launch, just like Rock n Rollercoaster. The launch was great fun, it packed quite a surprising punch. The rest of the coaster was smooth but a tad on the mediocre side.
They've added a new indoor finale on the brake run, which features fire effects and a train coming towards you. It was pretty cool. Much better than another Superbland ride of steel.
If there's one way to win me over with a re-theme, it's to paint a coaster black and give it a dark / spooky story. So I was really pleased with Express: Platform 13. I'd say it's better than all the other coasters with 13 in their name!
We could see the Vekoma Boomerang from a mile off because, guess what...it was painted bright orange, like 90% of the park. So we decided to ride that next. It's in the 'music' area of Walibi, which featured massive guitars, speakers and a bizarre fountain that sprayed water in time to R&B music. (I believe Amanda Thompson is getting one of these installed in her bedroom for valentines day)
Speed of Sound has on board speakers (to put the 'Boom' into Boomerang.) It also has a tunnel. Being lifted up backwards into the tunnel whilst a cheesy soundtrack blared out was hilarious. It was the best Boomerang ever. We enjoyed it so much that we re-rode it!
Then we wandered over to their take on Merrie England, which featured a Vekoma Madhouse themed to talking owls. It was a hoot.
Next up was Robin Hood, a Vekoma woodie. I'd not ridden a Vekoma woodie before, so was intrigued to see if it was going to be Robin Good.
Despite having a great layout, the train felt like it was bouncing along the track. It wasn't rough enough to be comical, nor fun enough to re-ride.
Headed over to Goliath via more horrendous orange buildings. I was already disappointed that Goliath didn't have purple track supports anymore (we need more purple coasters in the world!) But I didn't let that quash my excitement.
We queued 20 mins for the front row on our first ride. The train looked a bit battered as it pulled into the dire grey station, some of the restraints were covered in duct tape :/
I love a fast lift hill, but this one wasn't fast enough for us not to notice the lift hill speakers crackling and cutting out. Anywho. The first drop is mega. The second huge airtime hill was a genuine 'whoa!" moment for me (I've not ridden that many hypers / airtime machines yet), felt like I was never going to come back down into my seat!
The stengel dive is cool, feels like you are being tipped out. The helices are a bit yucky and sluggish. The airtime hills at the end are pure joy though.
We re-rode several times in the back row, where the airtime was even better. Overall, it's a really enjoyable coaster. But I don't think it has been particularly well maintained. As well as the duct tape and broken speakers, the trains had a noticeable rattle throughout, and their paint is all chipped and faded.
After this, I kept trying to tactically divert us away from the Vekoma SLC with water rides and anything else in the park, please!!! But eventually we concluded that goons have to suffer for their art, and boarded the dreaded cred: Condor. Naturally, it was painted bright orange.
It was vile. The most headache-inducing, jerky, joyless mess of a coaster I've ridden. The cars on the train feel like they're actually going to smash into each other on the inversions. It took a rapids, a log flume and a kiddie cred to lift me out of post-SLC regret afterwards!
The kiddie cred is called Drako, and was once falsely rumored to be the heir of Slytherin. There was nobody on it, so Sue took the front row and I took the back on the ridiculously long train heheh!
Saw a bit of the show, which featured a girl playing 'the decks' while another girl danced around in a neon tutu. They didn't have much of audience, so they gave up on the performance and started chatting to each other on stage. Professional.
We had missed the last showing of the 5D cinema, so spent the afternoon re-riding Goliath, Speed of Sound and admiring the tat. Having decided I need a new gooniform, I purchased a Walibag, and we both bought some Walibadges that have a picture of an SLC inside a heart on them - ha!
Then it was time to say Walibye to Walibi Holland.
It was a really fun day with lots of laughs, and the park is easily do-able as a day trip from England. But considering Walibi Holland haven't built a new coaster for 12 years, I think they should focus less on painting everything orange and maybe contact their beloved Vekoma to build something new for them soon.
