South Africa and UAE - January 2025

[Tomatron]

I’ve had Gold Reef City on my theme park bucket list for over 20 years. So when the chance came to take some extra holiday in January, I figured it was finally time to scratch that two decades old itch and pay a visit. And for the icing on the cake, I spent a week in Dubai on the way back to visit all the new parks that have been built since my last quick stop in the UAE.

I also got to ride the giant Airbus A380 and I had to celebrate getting that one off my bingo card.

The flight leaving Manchester was a bit delayed, so I had a very quick turnaround to my connecting flight from Dubai, but I managed to make the flight to Johannesburg with a few minutes to spare.

Got a lovely view of the Burj Khalifa when leaving Dubai. What a ridiculously tall building.

Eight hours later, I landed in Johannesburg. After a great pep talk on how not to get mugged or murdered from the two locals sitting next to me, and fobbing off everyone trying to get me in their dodgy taxis, I got my Uber from the airport to Gold Reef City.

It’s not often that I get very excited about going to a theme park due to the law of diminishing returns, but I can’t say enough how buzzed I was to finally be here.

The theme park hotel is literally slap bang in the middle of the theme park, so as soon as you step out you’re literally a couple of minutes walk from all the rides. Once I checked in, I got to see firsthand what an epic thunderstorm in South Africa looks like.

Thankfully, the weather was great for the next three days, so all my cred anxiety disappeared very quickly the next morning. Which is where I will pick up in part two - riding some big bucket list creds.

 

[Gavin]

This was such an exclusive park to have on my list, but now I'm a basic bitch. Thanks.

 

[Tomatron]

HWFG then - a day at Gold Reef City. After blessing the rains down in Africa when I arrived at the resort yesterday, I’m glad to say that today it wasn’t raining.

I will say at this point that I booked the trip around three big coasters being open. And I delighted to say they all were.

Started off the day with a quick spin on Golden Loop.

I love the weight drop version of the shuttle loop. It’s a nice smooth launch through the loop and up the spike, and I’m sure you all know, you do the whole thing backwards and up another vertical spike behind the station. The rear spike was right next to my hotel room so it’s also a good alarm clock to wake up to.

Next up was Anaconda, the unique Giovanola inverted coaster.

For a 26 year old invert, it is remarkably smooth ride bar a couple of judders. It’s very much a back row ride, and I got a few laps in at both ends of the train. Was delighted to tick this one off even if I don’t look that enthused.

The Runaway mine train was down for maintenance, but when the big three coasters were running, who cares? At least Gavin can say he’s got a cred there that I don’t.

Speaking of the big three coasters…

Tower of Terror has been my Roman Empire, and now I finally got to ride it.

It is a ridiculous ride. Not because it’s good - it isn’t, but the fact it still actually operates and is very exclusive made up for the shortcomings. The pullout from the vertical drop is quite possibly the most intense coaster element I’ve ever done. Think of any vertical drop coaster, imagine your head being smacked into the restraints a couple of times on the way down, and then again at the bottom of the pullout - which might as well be at a right angle. It was brutal, short and very silly. And I love it to bits.

I took one more ride before giving my body time to rest, because I’m getting on a bit and I can’t marathon coasters like I used to. Especially ones that knock you about.

Because I went on a Friday and there were no lines, I did a lap of the rest of the park and got a few rerides in on everything later.

Jozi Express is a Zierer thing. Not incredible, and not rubbish. Definitely a one and done job.

This is not a Beatles reference. This George Harrison was one of the people who helped discover gold in South Africa.

There’s also a few flat rides dotted next to each other. Almost all of them were having a day off. No beserk mode today.

There is also a wacky worm, but I’ve officially retired from riding them. And this one doesn’t let single adults ride alone. And I’m not a certain person who is inclined to slip the ride operators a few Rand to let me get a lap in.

The park itself is mostly very pretty, with lots of greenery and a nice Village feel to the area that the theme park hotel is located. The second picture above is taken from my hotel balcony. Wasn’t joking when I said to you literally are staying inside the theme park.

It’s also wild that you travel several thousand miles and you still can’t escape a Wimpy burger. Honestly thought these things had died out. But they are alive and kicking in South Africa it seems.

Did a few more laps on the big creds, and finished up my day having a quick look around the casino.

You’re not allowed to photograph the casino area itself, so I made do with photographing the front page of the menu of a local restaurant in the resort casino where I had dinner.

This is only one step above going to a McDonald’s abroad, but Nando’s is a South African chain so technically I am being cultured.

Went back to the hotel bar for a pint, and then got an early night for a very early pick-up next day.

 

[Matt N]

It’s interesting to read a report from Gold Reef City, as it’s a park you hear remarkably little from!

Tower of Terror looks like a strange coaster… it sort of looks like some bizarre homemade hybrid of Oblivion and Saw! I’m glad you enjoyed it, although I’m not surprised to hear about the intensity of the drop given that it is supposedly the world’s most forceful coaster (some citation needed there, potentially, but it’s what I’d always heard).

 

[Tomatron]

Safari Day - Pilanesberg National Park

I booked myself a one day Safari tour at Pilanesberg National Park which involved a disgustingly early 5:30 am pick up from Gold Reef City.

Our group was about 10 of us, and as I was the first to be picked up, I got a tour of downtown Johannesburg very early in the morning. It very much reinforced my decision to stay at Gold Reef City because it definitely didn’t feel like the safest place I’ve ever been to!

Once everybody was picked up, we hit the road for the 2+ hour drive up to Pilanesberg.

The Dutch connection is clearly still going strong on the evidence of seeing a Spar convenience store en route.

But this was not a Spar-fari. We had some actual animals to see.

Our ride was a Toyota thing and our driver was fantastic in talking us through everything that was happening. None of the big cats were playing out today, but we still saw plenty of wildlife.

No caption needed above.

As we move further into the national park, we saw even more elephants, including one giant bull on a mission to find females. We had to reverse out of its way because that is one fight you’re never going to win.

Plenty of rhinos and zebras knocking about as well.

Halfway through the tour, we stopped for lunch at the National Park welcome centre, and after a relatively quiet drive back, we came across a couple of hippos.

Another animal not to be underestimated, because they are speedy on land and will end you if you get in their way. So I was grateful they were swimming on the other side of the lake.

After the hippo encounter, we returned to the start point and got the minibus back to our hotels.

Grabbed some dinner from the hotel restaurant, and then went to bed very tired but very happy from a great day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CanobieFan]