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Phantasialand expansion to start in 2014

peep

CF Legend
Phantasialand have long been battling for permission to use some land which is currently occupied by a forest. It's recently come to light that the park management and the council have come to a compromise. Instead of all the land they wanted to build on (30 hectares) they will be expanding by 19 hectares.

It's still a huge proposal and is apparently going to cost them in the region of €100 million. The arrangement means that the theme park will not be expanded but the land will be used for a variety of new developments which will expand their Resort-like status. Included in the plans are:

6.25 acre water park
2.5 hectare theater/concert hall
An additional 2.5 hectares of car park
Expansion of hotels from the current 1,200 beds to 3000 - 4000 beds

The idea is for the park to be seen more as a year-round venue (it basically is already imo) and for longer stays which will increase guest spending. The plan also includes the current trend of taking away aging areas of the park and replacing them with new modern attractions which can be updated easily (not sure if this is a hint that Maus au Chocolat is getting new games or not).

The German article that explains everything can be read at this link



I think it sounds good, at least they'll be expanding in some way. Not sure why all these Northern European parks are all of a sudden interested in adding water parks but if it brings them in more money then I don't really care.

I do wonder if the new theatre will mean that Fantissimo (sp?) will move into there, leaving a bigger space to be re-developed in the park. However the way they mention it'll be a concert hall too makes me think it'll just be a generic place for anyone to bring in a show or for bands to perform.
 

nadroJ

CF Legend
If the water park decides to be closed when the park closes a la Splash Landings then it can go die. I like the idea of forest though, I hope they keep some of the trees and such, could be quite magical ^.^
 

gavin

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Social Media Team
I'm mostly excited for the 2.5 hectares of extra parking space.
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
A tale as old as time... Phantasialand's struggle to expand. The debate has been raging on for decades.
It probably goes without saying but the park's compromise expansion plans (for which work was to begin in 2014) didn't happen. Local government still haven't allowed to the park to expand in anyway.
They tried some kind of appeal in 2015 which failed. One politician from Die Linke (the left) when speaking of the park's defeat, praised the decision as he was convinced that visiting theme parks could lead to psychological disorders and ADHD caused by the sensory overload of the rides. :mad: Stupid politicians are a universal thing it seems, doesn't matter which country you're in.

The only part of the old expansion plans that has come to pass is a new massive bus parking lot next to the China car park. It was constructed last Winter and has started being used this season. This means buses no longer will use up parts of the China and Berlin car parks.
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Some on PhantaFriends.de have questioned if the park will still pursue a water park as since the 2012 plans only 19 minutes away (by car) a water park, Thermen & Badewelt Euskirchen, has opened and it has concrete expansion plans for a slide complex and hotel. Personally I think if the park still want to achieve more of a resort status for guests they would still build one. While I don't care that much for water parks, and would rather see more land be set aside for the theme park (for instance the larger 2008 proposal included plans for a wooden coaster), the idea of a water park with Phantasialand theming sounds fab.
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Regardless of what is planned, the expansion is still being talked about and recently has been in the news quite a bit. (decided to post about it here rather than start a new thread) Last May there were local government elections in NRW resulting in a new coalition and minister for the environment - bolstering hopes that the major political change might result in the expansion being finally approved.
The local residents opposition group '50 thousands trees' have been again actively campaigning this year against the extension and have said should any moves be made to approve it they will respond with legal action. The group have put up banners and posters at car parks near the park and recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary. http://www.ksta.de/region/rhein-erf...initiative-kaempft-gegen-erweiterung-27773818

Some key members in the new coalition did say back in June they support the expansion of Phantasialand and it is an urgent issue they wish to address to safeguard jobs and the park's future. However until there is some actual progress I wouldn't pin my hopes on the promises/words of politicians. http://www.ksta.de/27828292

It seems with the exception of the strip of land behind Kaiserplatz and the temporary vertical garden wall/Taron extension queueline, the park has no new land to expand on to. And they can only continue replacing old attractions for so long - going by the current rate of investment they have around 10 years until they have a real problem when it comes to new stuff.
To the north of the park is the town and residents and environmentalists have blocked any attempts to build on the lake in Fantasy. To the east the Mystery and China car parks are owned by local landowners who make the profit from the parking charges. To the south is the motorway. To the west the forest that is owned by the government and all attempts to purchase it thus far have failed - yet the park are still trying it seems.
Perhaps the new local government will approve the plans once and for all ... we'll just have to wait and see!
 

peep

CF Legend
Thanks for the update. I'd stopped tracking the topic about this over at Phansiafriends due to google translate making it quite hard to understand the situation. Glad to hear the park are continuing to pursue the expansion plans and I hope something positive happens within the next few years.
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
In an unexpected turn of events Phantasialand is introducing a Park + Ride car park. The park did previously have a Park + Ride but the site has been unused since the 90s. The old site is currently being worked on for reuse and new signage has been put in place.
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To avoid traffic on the road (along which there are a number of houses) previously used to access the car park a new laneway is being cleared.
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The folding signs on the motorway that led people down to the P+R in the 90s are still in place and were retained even after the motorway was renewed last year.
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An overview of the site made by TOTNHFan on FreizeitparkCheck.de.
In orange is the new access road. The car parks are the two green boxes. He is uncertain whether the site marked in a yellow belongs to the park and will be used.

The P+R is next to the motorway and about 3km from the park. If you are driving from Cologne towards Phantasialand it is the motorway exit before the actual park itself. Also right next door to the site is a tram stop, Bruhl Schwardorf, on the 18 line which runs between Cologne and Bonn city centres.

Especially if the park secures (or has secured) the rest of the land at that site, the potential would exist to open up some empty space on their current car parks for the park to expand on. (It wouldn't be the first time as Black Mamba was built upon a former car park)

Of course with the China and Mystery car parks there is the issue that the park do not actually own these. There have been suggestions on the german forums that the park by operating more of their own parking are attempting to decrease the income made by the car park owners and become less dependent on them. As mentioned above the park last year built their own parking for all buses and coaches that visit. Perhaps this is the next step?
If the car parks became less profitable it would bring down the price of buying that land from the operators. And then Phantasialand could at long last expand the theme park, as their efforts over the past 30 years to purchase the land opposite the Berlin entrance have so far proved unsuccessful (although they are still trying).

Alternatively this could be a replacement for the Berlin entrance/Fantissma car park which is actually owned by the park.
I remember Screamscape years ago had rumour that the car park would be the future home of a new themed area connected to the park via bridges.
Or most recently off the back of rumours/speculation that Rookburgh will include the park's third hotel it has been suggested that the hotel could go on the car park and be connected to the park via a bridge. The issue I can see with that though, is unless the admin block is being demolished soon, the boundary of Rookburgh couldn't be directly connected to the hotel site. If a hotel was built there it would make much more sense for it to be Berlin themed.
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Either way the end of the Berlin car park might mean the end of the old much loved Berlin entrance.... ;)

It's an interesting move and has provoked some rather extreme speculation, but it's certainly something to watch.
 

Mysterious Sue

Strata Poster
This is really great news. Although the current car parks are in a convenient location (almost every time I've visited I've parked right behind Mystery Castle) the parking 'experience' is not what you'd expect from such a high profile park. The service road to get in there looks awful. Then there's the uneven ground. I always thought the car parks looked unprofessional.

It'll be a bit of a pest to get the bus/tram in but if it opens up more land for the park, as suggested, then I'm behind the move.
 

Ethan

Strata Poster
I usually walk to the park from the Ramada, however I think the decision to move parking away is fantastic. Also, if there are screens in the buses like they have on the bus to and from Brühl station, it could be an opportunity to increase excitement before entering the park!
 

Jared

Hyper Poster
I was always under the impression that the 3rd hotel was going in Klugheim to replace the grass wall... With one side being themed to Klugheim and the other side being themed to Rookburgh?
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
I was always under the impression that the 3rd hotel was going in Klugheim to replace the grass wall... With one side being themed to Klugheim and the other side being themed to Rookburgh?

The park own the strip of land along the back of the Berlin square and behind the vertical garden wall in Klugheim, and they have said the vertical garden wall is a temporary measure (as is the extension cattlepen queue for Taron in front of it). But what exactly is planned for that site is unknown.
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From PhantaFriends.de you can see the site marked in orange. Fans have merely speculated that a hotel could go there.

Who knows what will eventually go there. But the most likely options I could see are a hotel or a theme park attraction.
The park themselves might not even know 100% yet (despite how far into the future they plan) .

I'm sure a hotel with views over Klugheim and the Berlin area would be popular, but then there is of course speculation/rumours that the third hotel will be in the new Rookburgh area instead. Or if a miracle happens and they get their extension approved they would most likely go back to their original plan to build a third hotel as part of a waterpark.

If it was an attraction of some kind it would need to be enclosed and I imagine that we wouldn't see it until they are finished with replacing their older attractions within the already existing park (Hollywood, Temple and Geister).
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
Is it confirmed that Geister is next?
Nope. Nothing is confirmed about what is next to leave. The German forums are divided on the matter. Some speculate Geister is next to go. Others Temple of the Nighthawk + Hollywood Tour. Loads of "rumours" about each.

This year is quite likely to be the last season for whatever is going next, so just need to wait and see what happens.
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
If Nighthawk goes then Phantasialand's coaster line-up will be completely untainted.

Nighthawk will definitely be going. More a question of when, rather than if.
There are some in denial TotNH fans who think it could stay but the park can't afford to miss out on such a prime site for redevelopment such for the sake of nostalgia. And precedent shows the park have no issues with removing old beloved rides for new projects.
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Just look at how much space Temple and Hollywood Tour take up. It is last large site available in the park.

The only issue is Fantissima needs a new venue before they can demolish that building. And if Fantissima doesn't move into Rookburgh well then Geister Rikscha will be the next to be removed to give them a few more years to re-home it, or it will move into the China area as part of the Geister redevelopment.
While I would prefer to see Temple and Hollywood leave before Geister, if it does go first it isn't a bad thing - the possibility of a new modern Phantasialand dark ride in Geister's space in a few years time is exciting.
 

Pear

Strata Poster
I dislike both rides about an equal amount so I don't mind which goes first. If they do take out Geister I hope Feng Ju gets some TLC as well as the ride itself is not that good compared to the long preshow.

Also I heard that if Phantasialand demolishes Nighthawk's building they will not have permission from the town to build anything in that site. Is this true?
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
I dislike both rides about an equal amount so I don't mind which goes first. If they do take out Geister I hope Feng Ju gets some TLC as well as the ride itself is not that good compared to the long preshow.

Also I heard that if Phantasialand demolishes Nighthawk's building they will not have permission from the town to build anything in that site. Is this true?

I've heard that too but it is false. The park seemingly don't need to get planning permission (eg. Rookburgh and Klugheim) as long as they stick to the height and noise restrictions. As long as the building isn't taller than the current one they can build there.

When the China area is redeveloped and Geister replaced I imagine Feng Ju Palace will extensively refurbished and updated. Like how River Quest is being refurbished as part of Klugheim.
 

Phantasiastisch

Mega Poster
When they build a new themed area at the Berlin parking lot, I hope they'll make the Berggeiststraße underground (a tunnel) so the park extension could be just connected normally.
 

CSLKennyNI

Giga Poster
Well there has been an interesting development regarding car parking at Phantasialand. As previously mentioned in this thread the large car park at the China entrance is not owned by the park. Attempts over the years to purchase it from the local landowner have been unsuccessful, and the local government has not assisted them in anyway. The owner still has a house in the car park.
The owner has now banned pedestrians from passing through the car park, therefore unless you have parked in the China car park you cannot access and use the China entrance. Large warning signs have been erected around the car park. Basically the only people allowed on the owner's land now are those he profits from; he has no regard for the other park guests.
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One of the signs warning people that this is private land. Source: TotNHFan on PhantaFriends.de.

Last year Phantasialand opened their own massive parking lot for buses and coaches next to the China car park (location marked in red in the image below).
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The ban means that, rather than the short walk across the street and a few meters along the side of Ling Bao to the China Entrance, guests arriving by bus (mostly school groups) will have to walk along the pavement, around the park and hotels to enter via the Berlin entrance. Signage has already been erected to direct them to Berlin.
Also say for instance that you visit one of the hotels after park close for a drink or to eat and you are parked in the Mystery car park. Since pedestrians are forbidden crossing the China car park you would have to walk around the hotels and Africa, through the road tunnel under the park (which has no footpath or pavement) to get to the Mystery car park.

Additionally and rather bizarrely the landowner has started building his own private miniature railway through the car park (not along the side of the car park but actually right through it!), along its entire length. A trench for the trackbed has been dug, filled with ballast and now rails and sleepers are being laid. The owner did have many years ago a short railway but it has been abandoned for a long time.

Seemingly the landowner is purposely trying to inconvenience guests to Phantasialand who are not paying users of his car park. Is this a reaction to/revenge for the loss of custom from all the buses which now instead park in Phantasialand's newly built lot? And the potential loss of further custom this year with Phantasialand seemingly opening up a Park + Ride for cars nearby the park?
Fans had speculated that Phantasialand's moves to operate more of their own parking to become less dependent on the privately owned car parks. By decreasing the income of the car park owners the land would become less valuable, and the park may then to able to purchase the land at a cheaper more reasonable price. So is the landowner fighting back? (Although if I was Phantasialand I would be careful about getting into a fight with the landowner as he is a gunsmith).

Curious. Hopefully this "car park drama" doesn't effect PHL too much.
 
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