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Phantasialand Improvements for 2018

With the expected change of the 4D cinema becoming guest services, I hope it doesn't affect the best attraction on park: Hotel Tartüff
 
New video from the park showing the TUV safety inspections on Black Mamba including the clearance envelope to ensure the plants and new theming to do not get in the way, and an emergency break run test.

New blog post:
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The Black Mamba lurks in the heart of Africa. She's fast. Very fast. And she has a bite, the queen of the snakes. This is also known to Rainer Reichelt, a specially trained expert from TÜV Rheinland. "No other roller coaster that I know of passes as close to rocks and buildings as the Black Mamba. This is of course a very special kick for the guests - and makes the work here particularly interesting." Rainer Reichelt conscientiously carries out important tests together with our employees, before the Black Mamba hisses headlong with you through our newly designed Africa - past the sandy, hard rocks that have arisen here.
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Restraint system, safety brake and clearance gauge: The Black Mamba has everything just right. We ensure this at our comprehensive annual audit. Once a year, our professionals completely disassemble the Black Mamba, inspecting each component and then faithfully reassembling the rollercoaster. We put the Black Mamba through its paces. And before the recommissioning, the experts from TÜV come to Phantasialand - for the external view of the fascinating technology.
Clack. Clack. Clack. The LED light is on. The shoulder strap is closed. At least three teeth must engage when a guest takes a seat in the Black Mamba. Only then will the system clear the ride. Rainer Reichelt checks this at every single seat. And he is satisfied. But before the first test drive can start, he still has to get out of the station. There, in the track, the so-called gauge space waiting for him. A big iron pole hangs on the rails of the Black Mamba. This template not only mimics the size of the train, but also the safety distance. This ensures that you can enjoy the rapid ride through Africa completely without danger. "The stencil nowhere touches the ground and has sufficient distance to plants and rocks. This is controlled everywhere, all the way. In the season, the employees of the Phantasialand take over - every day! The plants, for example, will grow in the course of the year. "And not even the smallest leaf may protrude into the gauge - so that the Black Mamba can unfold its full force without danger. Special attention is this time on the nature-identical mountains, which originated in our Africa. Even as the rock builders of Universal Rocks reshaped the rocks in Africa, it was clear that the space gauge is inviolable. No crumbs of cement may survive. At the same time, however, the Black Mamba should rush as close as possible to the weather-beaten rocks - for the near-miss effects that make driving on our inverted coaster so adventurous.
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The Black Mamba rushes around the last corner, lies down at full speed a bit on the side. And suddenly ... the empty train stops. "Impeccable", rejoices Rainer Reichelt. The emergency stop shortly before the train station works without any problems. "The safety brake prevents the trains from colliding if, for some reason, the other train is parked here in the station," the expert explains, picking up his suitcase and pasting the TÜV sticker. When African drums sound, the temples slowly close and your feet lose contact with the ground, it's at its peak: the sheer anticipation of a racy ride on the Black Mamba. Through tight curves and upside down you roar through our Africa - and you can rediscover the Inverted Coaster in Germany's best theme park. Experience the adrenaline rush when you come very close to the newly designed rock of the authentic African mountains. Just sneak past a small, lovingly decorated village. Here you can prove that you are not intimidated by the Black Mamba - even though the new Monkey Rock shows you his teeth!
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https://phantasialandblog.de/auf-herz-und-nieren-die-black-mamba-beim-tuev/
 
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CSLKennyNI said:
The wonderful Tartüff is a separate building so it will be unaffected!
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Ah yeah, for some reason I had it in my head that the little foyer you come out in was further along than it is! Thank goodness!

I'm really impressed by PL's use of social media, especially the blog. I'm sure there's lots of other nerds like us in the general public that find all the technical details fascinating.

I also really like that there seems to almost be a sense of camaraderie between the European parks, EP's spokesman wished all parks opening this weekend a successful and prosperous season. Compared to the UK where you could be forgiven for thinking only Alton, Thorpe, and Chessington exist
 
The new Black Mamba theming is great. Photos don't really do it it justice. It's so detailed. I love all the carvings and drawings on the wooden fangs of the monkey.


The completed Schauspielhaus with the hidden transmitter in the middle tower.

After part of the unit was demolished for the gateway to Rookburgh the rest of the Wafflebakery has been refurbished. There is now a brand new cafe in part of it. And the Wafflebakery now has a larger new modern counter.
 
The new Tacana entrance.

This was a surprise new addition. They have hung up a lot of these coloured flags. They are Himalayan Prayer Flags, very common in Tibet...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flag

There are also some new banners, in the same style and colours as the ones in the new refurbished restaurant (with a new Tibetan style theme).

If the rumour of the next project being a Tibetan restyle of China including the replacement of Geister turns out not to be true these are a hell of a lot of coincidences...
 
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CSLKennyNI said:
The new Tacana entrance.

This was a surprise new addition. They have hung up a lot of these coloured flags. They are Himalayan Prayer Flags, very common in Tibet...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flag

There are also some new banners, in the same style and colours as the ones in the new refurbished restaurant (with a new Tibetan style theme).

If the rumour of the next project being a Tibetan restyle of China including the replacement of Geister turns out not to be true these are a hell of a lot of coincidences...
Click to expand...

I guess you're in Phantasialand? Could you tell us if the queue line from Colorado Adventure had a little refurbishment already? And the entrance of River Quest isn't really moved yet?
 
Those prayer flags just add another layer of theming and I love the tunnel effect they have. I do think the rumour of a Tibetan overlay may in fact be true as there does seem to be an artistic transition into a new asian styling. Really cool to watch.
 
As well the new Monkey rockwork and huts, Universal Rocks have also renewed the rockwork at the bottom of the first drop. New tables and chairs with small wooden roofs over them for shade have also been added to the central hub area of Africa.

The park's shows have all been refreshed and seen some changes. I saw Musarteum in the Berlin theatre today and literally only two of the acts were the same as last year, the rest all brand new.

I also want to take a moment to dwell on how wonderful the new waffles from the refurbished Wafflebakery are.

Phantasiastisch said:
I guess you're in Phantasialand? Could you tell us if the queue line from Colorado Adventure had a little refurbishment already? And the entrance of River Quest isn't really moved yet?
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No changes at Colorado Adventure (I expect as part of the remodelling of that area when Geister is removed they will create a new queueline and new prominent entrance for Colorado).
The only visible change at River Quest is the trough and basin between the station and lifts has been repainted. A new grey colour that looks a lot better than the previous yellowish colour.
I also found out that River Quest has had new pumps installed to improve reliability. Last year they had some major problems with the old pumps. The new ones are from a different supplier.

Lofty said:
Those prayer flags just add another layer of theming and I love the tunnel effect they have. I do think the rumour of a Tibetan overlay may in fact be true as there does seem to be an artistic transition into a new asian styling. Really cool to watch.
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The flags were great. A wonderful surprise addition. (the fact the park didn't even acknowledge it makes me think even more that this part of a gradual restyling of the area).
 
jokerman said:
I'm impressed that they make all these additions and improvements at the same time, whilst some parks would spread out the work over a longer period.
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That's what I like about Phantasialand.

Maintenance and innovations happen all during the closing period. If the park is open, all attractions are open and everything is neatly without too many fences (Only the Rookburgh site).

That's how it should be in every themepark. :) ;)
 
CSLKennyNI said:
As well the new Monkey rockwork and huts, Universal Rocks have also renewed the rockwork at the bottom of the first drop. New tables and chairs with small wooden roofs over them for shade have also been added to the central hub area of Africa.
Click to expand...
Pictures of the new shelters. I also noticed today that inside the tower either side of Black Mamba's lifthill they have added colourful African banners.

With all the new rockwork this year, and in previous years, there is only one major section of the old original dark brown rockwork left. The trees on top of it have been cut down, presumably so next offseason they can replace these rocks and then the Africa refurbishment project will be finished.

This wooden hut was added last year to sell pizza and drinks from in the summer, to reduce the queues at the permanent pizza food outlet in the passageway behind it.
Between 9am and 3pm today they painted the panels black which looks far nicer than the plain white it was last year.

I spotted some more new banners on Ling Bao. Most of them are also in a similar style to the Tibetan knots banners in the newly refurbished restaurant. Did a quick google search while in the Taron queueline but couldn't find out what the symbols mean.
And as you can see in the first photo, they have hung up prayer flags at Ling Bao as well.
 
CSLKennyNI said:
Pictures of the new shelters. I also noticed today that inside the tower either side of Black Mamba's lifthill they have added colourful African banners.

With all the new rockwork this year, and in previous years, there is only one major section of the old original dark brown rockwork left. The trees on top of it have been cut down, presumably so next offseason they can replace these rocks and then the Africa refurbishment project will be finished.

This wooden hut was added last year to sell pizza and drinks from in the summer, to reduce the queues at the permanent pizza food outlet in the passageway behind it.
Between 9am and 3pm today they painted the panels black which looks far nicer than the plain white it was last year.

I spotted some more new banners on Ling Bao. Most of them are also in a similar style to the Tibetan knots banners in the newly refurbished restaurant. Did a quick google search while in the Taron queueline but couldn't find out what the symbols mean.
And as you can see in the first photo, they have hung up prayer flags at Ling Bao as well.
Click to expand...

It's unfortunate that one large part of the rocks aren't done yet. Just because the difference between the old and the new rockwork is so big and makes it clearer in how bad conditions the rocks were. Hopefully the year passes by soon so this will get done too.

I'm not excited about the black-white pizza stal on the Kaizerplatz... In my opinion it doesn't fit. I hope they'll put some theming on it.
 
It does look very "plonked" there, IMHO. I think it could have been better if they'd made it part of the arch behind it, so it blends in a bit better, rather than just a big beige box
 
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