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Plopsaland de Panne


Benin

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

The park reopened this weekend. Ride to Happiness isn't scheduled to open until the summer (likely July 1st), but we have a closer look at the ride now. A good video:

 

 

It gets surprisingly close to pathways, and in its own right looks fantastic.

 

Still not convinced this is the best thing for Plopsaland, as it really does completely change the dynamic of the park. Presumably that's the point, but I'm not quite sure it works for me.

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The ride itself looks really good tbf!

 

I'm planning a little road trip to include this when it opens which so far includes (likely in this order too):

  • Plopsaland
  • Walibi Belgium
  • Bobbejaaland
  • Efteling
  • Toverland
  • Movie Park Germany
  • Phantasialand

Any good'ns to add or any you'd suggest missing out?

 

Cheers all!

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46 minutes ago, TPGG said:

The ride itself looks really good tbf!

 

I'm planning a little road trip to include this when it opens which so far includes (likely in this order too):

  • Plopsaland
  • Walibi Belgium
  • Bobbejaaland
  • Efteling
  • Toverland
  • Movie Park Germany
  • Phantasialand

Any good'ns to add or any you'd suggest missing out?

 

Cheers all!

 

Bobbejaanland is bit rubbish (although it's 6 years since I visited, so can't comment on Fury), although it's convenience within that trip is hard to deny. 

 

Walibi Holland isn't too much further away from anything you're doing really, and with the likes of Untamed, Lost Gravity and Goliath, you get a huge bump in quality. Another one worth looking at is Bellewaerde - not huge and no must-do big rides, but a nice little park with a nice zoo to at least do once at some point, and again, not far from that route.

 

In any case, that's still a very solid trip with some very good parks and rides. Just down to taste (and cred counting if that's what you're into) whether you include or ignore the likes of Bobb, WalHol and Belle.

 

As a little aside: that's a bit of a weird route for a road trip, no? How are you planning on getting to/from mainland Europe? If you're getting ferry/tunnel, you end up having a long drive from Germany back there.. Might be worth considering turning it into a loop to make the drive times smaller?

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Another cool video: 

 

 

If you look round the 2:20 mark, you see that the cars get an induced spin on the first launch track section, and it's quite a starting spin!

 

Time Traveller at Silver Dollar City has this as it leaves its station (into a vertical drop), and apparently these Xtreme Spinning Coasters are capable of having this induced spin on any straight sections. Something to remember in case any more of these rides pop up I guess

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57 minutes ago, Mark9 said:

Interesting. A few of the Time Traveller videos discuss how they control the spinning to slow it down. This one just based on this video alone seems far more spinny.

 

Apparently this does have that ability, but they currently aren't using the the 'dampers' to control the spinning yet.

 

There have been test riders now too, and the plan is to see what feedback is from them - and probably from the masses when the ride opens - to see how dampened / controlled the spinning will be. In that case, it might mean that the ride experience is very different to how these comparatively early tests look.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

3.5 years after what was arguably my most disastrous theme park trip to date, I returned to Plopsaland. 
 

On this occasion, I was lucky to stay at the Plopsa hotel, next door to the park. This was honestly delightful and reasonably priced too. Featuring a theatre theme, I especially loved the theatre centric lobby and (self-playing) piano there. 
 

The room was also generally decent too and the buffet grub in the restaurant substantially better than the in-park food. 
 

Now, for the park. 
 

One cold soggy winter trip, I was spited the two main creds and Ride To Happiness didn’t exist. The curse would surely end. Or would it?

 

Did Heidi first as staggered openings galore. Clearly a terrible idea as we’d waited at least 90 minutes in a one train 90 minute queue. And just as we were about to have our go, disaster struck. Breakdown! 
 

Fortunately they fixed it we had our ride. It’s a charming little woodie that fits the park. Not the best by any means but pleasant. 
 

Finally got Anubis done too. This is such a hidden gem and this is by far one of the best highlights. A highly themed and decent layed out coaster. 
 

And finally, also did Ride To Happiness. This was interesting because the first ride was just alright but the second incredible. Make sure you sit towards the front if you experience this. Nicely themed and landscaped. 
 

Managed also some rides on their decent flume and their quaint plop dark ride, before heading to their water park. It isn’t biggest but has a decent selection of slides and activities and is certainly worth a visit if you can. 
 

Certainly a better visit (mostly) from last time, but even with two good coasters I probably won’t go back anytime soon. 

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  • 1 year later...

Visited yesterday (apparently no one else has since Creek?), wasn't a particularly great day unfortunately as RtH was closed (min 6 degrees needed to run, and was testing all day due to an issue with that train), the park was busy as hell (special shout to Circus Bumba being hell on earth), and understaffed with a number of eateries closed it was like being at a Merlin park.

 

The stringent ride op didn't help as wouldn't let us (RAP user and carer) ride on the same train in different rows with the RAP, suggesting the lil one could ride with a complete stranger. Even more frustrating since we'd literally just ridden the Roller Skater moments before with no problem. Common sense required sometimes.

 

Just a stark contrast from 3 days at Efteling really.

 

Maybe next time.

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Yeah, if I'm being honest, Plopsaland's operations leave a lot to be desired in recent years.

 

I visited in mid-August this year. RtH on 1 train, being run poorly. Park was busy too.

When I visited around this time last year, again 1 train, but only 3 of the 4 cars in service on that train.

Anubis might run 3 cars, but may as well run 2. Etc

Heidi is the only major ride they run well.

 

Food has never been the park's strong point, but it's gotten much more expensive and much worse in recent years. People complain about Merlin's food but it's Michelin-quality compared to Plopsa frankly.

 

Circus Bumba is a weak dark ride too.

 

I'm not RtH's biggest fan. It's good, but I don't rate it anywhere near the upper echelon's of my count, like many people seem too.

 

That RAP situation is ridiculous too btw. Real shame. 

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Even from my glossier perspective from last year, the park still left a lot to be desired with 1 train and slow operations. Funnily enough Heidi was the worst operated when I went in 2023. 
 

Plopsa is this park that looks like it could easily be a top European park contender with it’s theming and some of its lineup, but feels short due to failing some key fundamental areas in the experience. 
 

Besides the hotel, the F&B is definitely worse than Merlin and even PA. I also second Josh’s thoughts on RTH, it was a good ride but it didn’t leave me thinking it was incredible after experiencing it.

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I can't say I get the uss around RTH either TBF! Was hugely disappointed!

 

80 mins on a 1 train Heidi was not fun on my last visit in 23, and the nearly €4 for a can, yes can of coke as well as poor food offering left a sour taste! (which was according to Looping a slight reduction on F&B costs at the time!) 

 

I won't rush back personally. 

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13 hours ago, Mark9 said:

any park should want a model. 

Don't disagree here tbf. Fantastic model choice which would add to pretty much any park's line up. I certainly won't say no to any park having one. But yeah, RtH just didn't do it for me. 

(The temptation to use the "o-word" that you love oh so much Mark is strong here, but I'll resist ;))

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