Tomatron
Giga Poster
So earlier this year, I got out of debt for the first time in about 8 years, so I could afford to finally treat myself to some European cred visits. Because I work shifts, it's a bit of a logistical battle to find the time to go away, and go away somewhere when there are theme parks open. So after doing my research and nabbing some cheap flights, I booked a few trips. The first of which was a two night jaunt over to the Netherlands to visit some small Dutch parks I hadn't been to yet.
Last night I flew out to Amsterdam, and the trip got off to a bad start. Despite doing loads of these trips before, Silly Bollocks here left the paper counterpart of his driving license at home, which normally would be game over. However, at the rental desk I got chatting to the cute girl behind the desk, and wooed my way aroud this potential balls-up. Note: this does not work for everyone, so the simple solution is DON'T LEAVE HALF YOUR LICENSE AT HOME.
After an hour or so's drive in the dark, I arrived at my hotel, picked up my keys and slept. After a good night's sleep I hit the breakfast bar and went to the first park of my trip, Avonturepark Hellendoorn. The park was a 1 minute drive from my hotel, and I got there just in time to see half of the primary schools in Holland pile out of the coach park.
One undignified run later, I got the ticket booth before the masses, paid in and hit the creds.
First one was Donderstenen. A Zierer Force 2, kinda their version of a Vekoma Rollerskater. I think it's themed to boulders. +1.
Speaking of which, just round the corner was an actual Roller Skater. It's themed to a sewer rat like Lightwater Valley's Schwarzkopf used to be. Except the queue is a lot darker and smokier.
After some RCDBing I found out it replaced the old flitzer ride of the same name that used to occupy the building, and is customised to fit the space.
It's mostly pitch black, apart from one outdoor bit that lasts about a second. +1.
I forgot to take a picture of the train, so here's the Uitgang hole instead.
Near the first two creds, I saw this building. Had no idea what was in it so I had a look.
Turns out it was a shooting ride with nicely themed spinning cars.
After failing miserably at shooting the LEDs, I walked over the Vekoma Tornado to try and survive it.
I love it when parks name their rides after the manufacturer's ride name.
It was much better than the awful, awful one of these at Tusenfryd. +1. -0 testes.
By now the crowds were getting obscene, so I did me some photo-taking. There's lots of cool things for 9 year olds (physical and mental age) to try.
Pile of ****.
Motorhome of love.
A picture of the floor because I cover all angles.
The rapids was getting people through quick, so I obliged.
There's not much actual rapid action, but there is a waterfall.
And this amazing 'never in Britain or USA' queue line.
You can pretty much touch the boats as they go by. Not that you would, because that's how stupid people end up suing theme parks.
Station looks nice. As did the whole park.
There's also a fab rainbow tunnel of mist at the end, but you'll have to use your imagination witth that one.
After not losing a limb or dying because I must have some sensible European blood in me, I went on the plastic animatronic boat ride. There's a hippo.
A snake.
A tarantula.
And a mammoth or something in the tunnel. But since it was out of time, I can't be sure. So here's a plastic croc instead.
With most the school groups now going for lunch, I left the plastics to ride the log flume, with a much shorter queue than earlier in the day to satisfy the inner Bloomfield in me.
There's a drop. With a monorail going across it.
And a lift hill obvs.
And then, near the front of the queue, one of the boats got stuck.
If this happened in a UK or US, the staff would **** a brick, hand out hi-vis jackets and close the ride for the rest of the day while they evacuate it, investigate what went wrong and fill in 600 health and safety forms.
But because this is Holland, and people are intelligent, the ride op asks a few of the kids in queue to help free up the boat.
About a minute later, they had pushed the boats through. No one had to wear a hard hat or climbing gear to fix it.
After no-one died or got maimed, I went on the ride and got a bit wet.
After that, I was pretty much done, so headed to buy some tat for a CF Faffle in the near future, and then went to the car.
Hellendoorn is a lovely little park with something for most of the family. Was pleasantly surprised to have spent a couple of hours there before Park 2 of the day.
Last night I flew out to Amsterdam, and the trip got off to a bad start. Despite doing loads of these trips before, Silly Bollocks here left the paper counterpart of his driving license at home, which normally would be game over. However, at the rental desk I got chatting to the cute girl behind the desk, and wooed my way aroud this potential balls-up. Note: this does not work for everyone, so the simple solution is DON'T LEAVE HALF YOUR LICENSE AT HOME.
After an hour or so's drive in the dark, I arrived at my hotel, picked up my keys and slept. After a good night's sleep I hit the breakfast bar and went to the first park of my trip, Avonturepark Hellendoorn. The park was a 1 minute drive from my hotel, and I got there just in time to see half of the primary schools in Holland pile out of the coach park.
One undignified run later, I got the ticket booth before the masses, paid in and hit the creds.
First one was Donderstenen. A Zierer Force 2, kinda their version of a Vekoma Rollerskater. I think it's themed to boulders. +1.
Speaking of which, just round the corner was an actual Roller Skater. It's themed to a sewer rat like Lightwater Valley's Schwarzkopf used to be. Except the queue is a lot darker and smokier.
After some RCDBing I found out it replaced the old flitzer ride of the same name that used to occupy the building, and is customised to fit the space.
It's mostly pitch black, apart from one outdoor bit that lasts about a second. +1.
I forgot to take a picture of the train, so here's the Uitgang hole instead.
Near the first two creds, I saw this building. Had no idea what was in it so I had a look.
Turns out it was a shooting ride with nicely themed spinning cars.
After failing miserably at shooting the LEDs, I walked over the Vekoma Tornado to try and survive it.
I love it when parks name their rides after the manufacturer's ride name.
It was much better than the awful, awful one of these at Tusenfryd. +1. -0 testes.
By now the crowds were getting obscene, so I did me some photo-taking. There's lots of cool things for 9 year olds (physical and mental age) to try.
Pile of ****.
Motorhome of love.
A picture of the floor because I cover all angles.
The rapids was getting people through quick, so I obliged.
There's not much actual rapid action, but there is a waterfall.
And this amazing 'never in Britain or USA' queue line.
You can pretty much touch the boats as they go by. Not that you would, because that's how stupid people end up suing theme parks.
Station looks nice. As did the whole park.
There's also a fab rainbow tunnel of mist at the end, but you'll have to use your imagination witth that one.
After not losing a limb or dying because I must have some sensible European blood in me, I went on the plastic animatronic boat ride. There's a hippo.
A snake.
A tarantula.
And a mammoth or something in the tunnel. But since it was out of time, I can't be sure. So here's a plastic croc instead.
With most the school groups now going for lunch, I left the plastics to ride the log flume, with a much shorter queue than earlier in the day to satisfy the inner Bloomfield in me.
There's a drop. With a monorail going across it.
And a lift hill obvs.
And then, near the front of the queue, one of the boats got stuck.
If this happened in a UK or US, the staff would **** a brick, hand out hi-vis jackets and close the ride for the rest of the day while they evacuate it, investigate what went wrong and fill in 600 health and safety forms.
But because this is Holland, and people are intelligent, the ride op asks a few of the kids in queue to help free up the boat.
About a minute later, they had pushed the boats through. No one had to wear a hard hat or climbing gear to fix it.
After no-one died or got maimed, I went on the ride and got a bit wet.
After that, I was pretty much done, so headed to buy some tat for a CF Faffle in the near future, and then went to the car.
Hellendoorn is a lovely little park with something for most of the family. Was pleasantly surprised to have spent a couple of hours there before Park 2 of the day.
.
