PTR: Deutschland 2014 (Tripsdrill posted)

[TilenB]

At the end of June our family (which only consists of me and my parents) usually goes for a couple of days of vacations by car. In 2007 we've been to Switzerland, 2009 Tuscany, 2010 Germany (area around Black Forest) and in 2012 area near Mirabilandia. For this year we've decided to once again visit Germany, only that our trip won't extend (distance- and time-wise) as much as it did in 2010.

Day 1 (25th of June) - Flugwerft Schleissheim

After a few hours of driving, our first port of call was Flugwerft Schleissheim, an ex airport, now living as a museum, operated by Deutsches Museum. The airport was first built in 1919. For first few years it was mostly used as a public airport, but in the years before WWII it was converted into a military unit which was, if I recall correctly, operated as US's military base in central Europe. The USA maintained the ownership in the first few decades post war, but left the building abandoned in the 1970s (or was it in 1980s?, not quite sure on this one). The main building then collapsed in the middle of the 1980s. The place was then renovated and has opened as a museum in the 90s.

One of the first (German) plane prototypes

They also have a working workshop in which they restore planes to their former glory

Body of a plane which has been salvaged from lake Chiemsee after resting underwater for more than 40 years.

Flight simulator (which wasn't open on the day we visited...)

Model of the airport

And that was more or less it for the first part of Day 1.
Part 2 will be coming up soon.

 

[TilenB]

Re: PTR: Deutschland 2014

Day 1 (25th of June) - Munich Botanical Gardens

After leaving Flugwerft Schliessheim we made our way to the city of Munich and its botanical gardens. We'd spent quite some time finding the parking lot, but after 10 minutes of driving around the area we found it just across the street from gardens' entrance.
We didn't spend too much time in the Botanical Gardens. Most of the time there, I spent playing with my camera's settings and taking some pretty (and some less pretty) photos.

First thing we've checked out were the greenhouses

Turtles have fancied to pose for pictures

Ugly fish!

Random gazebo

Squirrel!

We left gardens at about 6pm and then reached our destination, a smaller town Bietigheim, at around 8:30 pm. Our hotel was situated near the old Town Hall, which I also took a picture of.

After some wander around the city, we took a seat in a nearby Asian restaurant (mostly because it was also the only restaurant which still served cooked meals after 9pm. Damn you northern European countries!).

...and that was it for day 1. Day 2 (which will also include the only theme park of the trip) coming up soon!

 

[TilenB]

Day 2 (26th of June) - Erlebnispark Tripsdrill

We arrived at the park at about 9am, which is also when the park opened its gates. Upon arriving my mum pointed at apparent treehouse not too far from park's entrance, mistakenly thinking that it's one of the park's lodging possibilities (it later turned out to be a part of themeing for the drop tower).

After buying our tickets (and discovering that the entrance ticket also includes wine glass), first thing we did was Altweibermühle, which also happens to be the park's first ever attraction. It's basically just a slide, which is cleverly disguised as a mill.

On a relatively sharp turn at the top of the slide I've also somehow managed to scratch my arm. This is how it looked like a day after.

After that we wandered around a bit and did the wine barrel and soup 'cup' pseudo-Virginia Reels spinning rides.

Random fountain, hidden behind the flowers

And then... First coaster of the trip and also the first Zierer Tivoli I've ridden - Rasender Tausendfüssler! Being an dumbass as I am, I went straight for the front row (forgot to mention that the park was more or less dead on the day we visited, although it was sunny and warm). And anybody who has ever ridden a Zierer Tivoli would know that the ride experience in the front row is weird, to say the least. The train doesn't pick up any speed until the bottom of the first hill. In the latter part of the course the ride had some hints of possible airtime, but it was just a bit too slow to achieve any. We were sent round twice, which was more than enough in the end. 4,5/10

Then we went to the three spinning flat rides - your ordinary toadstool themed chair-swing, relatively unusual spinning ride, which was themed to pizzas and another weird spinner which was apparently themed to shoes, or something like that.

The 10 o'clock finally came around and we moved ourselves to the part of park with all of the bigger rides.
First one we did was G'sengte Sau, which is a superb example of a Gerstlauer's Bobsled coaster. The ride itself is themed to some old vehicle which goes relatively fast and is quite famous for it among the local villagers. Now to the ride. After few ordinary mouse turns it enters a relatively fast descending helix, which is cleverly hidden in of the 'towers'. Then, after a few sweeping turns it continues to three small bunny hills which provide some airtime. the ride ends with another fast helix. Overall, I think it's the best family coaster I have so far ridden. Gerstlauer really knows their stuff, at least when it comes to family coasters, if not else. 8,5/10

After exiting we went to the next coaster, Mammut, which is know as being the only coaster ever built by Ingenieur Holzbau-Cordes (or is it a Gerstlauer woodie, I'm still not sure). The ride itself is pretty good, maybe a bit shaky on some parts, but overall I believe it's a nice ride, which I'd rank somewhere around Blackpool's Nick Streak. 7/10

After completing our lap, mum breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she'll now be able to go to the toilet. But since there was nobody queueing in the station, the operator, after some approvingly enthusiastic screams from two middle-aged ladies, sent us around once more. Mum was being all green after the second lap and we went to search the toilet.

Since Karacho still hasn't opened when we exited the toilets, we went for another go on both the G'sengte Sau and Mammut. I chose the back row for my second ride on G'sengte Sau and I have to say that the front is a lot more exiting than the back.
When we came to Mammut's station, the train had just been dispatched. Since there was nobody queueing in the station me and dad went for the front. The ride was considerably better in the front than it was in the middle.

When we exited Mammut, we saw that Karacho has finally opened. We went straight to it. We queued for some 10 minutes (as I recall, it was the only time we had to wait for any ride that day).

The ride was just amazing! I wasn't aware that it had an indoor Heartline Roll, so it took me as a bit of surprise. Roll was quickly followed with a powerful launch and a top hat. After that it's a cluster of twisted steel and some random airtime hills. Then it makes a long left turn and to the brake. It then continues to the second part of the ride which is as good as the second, albeit a bit shorter. After riding it, I can now say that I've ridden all the Gerstlauer Infinities (or better said, both of them) and this one is certainly the better one. If not least for the lap-bars. 9/10

It was also my 100th ever coaster, so I had to took this obligatory goony photo.

When dad was taking the photo, a stork came and it desperately wanted to be photographed, so I allowed it to take a picture with me.

 

[TilenB]

Re: PTR: Deutschland 2014

After Karacho we went to ride both of the main water rides.
Bathtube flume was great with some relatively unusual (for a family park that is) themeing. It also had a backwards drop with took us all a bit as a surprise.

You've f*cked her up, Leonardo...

Clothes washing rapids were also quite unusual. But relatively boring and calm compared to some of others.
Queue line themeing:

Upon exiting the rapids, dad and me went to ride Karacho, which was a walk-on now, twice more. After that we continued to the older part of the park, where we first rode the Rocking crib ride. Our crib was named after Fritzl.

After Fritzl - SCHMETTERLING!!!
Another lame ride, only that this time it was human powered (by pedals). And my parents tried their best to crash into me. They kind of succeeded, since I gave up at about halfway through.

After that, we took a bit of a break and went to pick up our wineglasses. They're pretty neat example of free theme park tat.

Then I was denied on smaller log flume, which looked quite neat.

Next up - Soapbox racers.

After that we did the tilting drop tower. After making some ups and downs it raised all up to the top, tilted violently and dropped us to the ground. My crotch still hurts when I think about it.

We also did the splash battle thingy. Although I'm not even sure whether it was really a splash battle. Dad did the steering and pushing the gas, while me and mum were spraying water from the pistols in random directions. I managed to hit some grandpa who was riding the ride with his grand kids. The little ones weren't particularly exited over my move...

After that we also did the funhouse, some unusual Mayflower spinning ride, Coffe cups and Laundry basket ride.

Before leaving the park we (actually just me and dad) rode G'sengte Sau twice. The ride was more than just a walk on. After completing our first lap we had to change our cart to the one ahead of us in order to re-ride it.

The last two rides were on Mammut and Karacho respectively. Just before we left I snapped some more photos of wonderful Karacho.

We left the park at about 3pm, and went to the adjacent Wildlife Park which was also included in the price.

I hope you like the report so far.

 

[PeskyTrimBrake]

Planes and Coasters in the same report? AWESOME! Tripsdill looks beautiful! Great report so far!

 

[CookieCoasters]

I'd forgotten what a nice park Tripsdrill is. I'm glad you liked Karacho, as I'm going back to the park this year primarily to ride it. I actually thought Mammut was incredibly bland. Nick Streak kicks it's ass!!!

The bath flume is so fab (and creepy).

 

[TilenB]

If anybody is still interested in the rest of the report, I can finish it in the coming week (we've also visited Mercedes museum and the rest of Deutches Museum among others). But if there is no interest, I'll try to focus on some other things that are currently still up in the air for me.

 

[andrus]

Karacho looks great! Really need to get back down to south of Germany to ride it