Port Aventura

[TPGG]

Thanks, how long do they take to come?And has anybody else got any good suggestions?

[pluk]

I went a couple of years back and there was a promotion running with some drink, coke I think or maybe a beer comany, where you got BOGOF tickets when you bought a couple of drinks from various bars. Not sure if that is a regular promotion that might be running at the mo in the area.

[TPGG]

I've had a quick scout around and the standard price is 44 Euros : (Any other suggestions?

[TP-Daniel]

Depends how many days you are intending to visit... Last time I visited the park I got my tickets from here: http://www.attractio...cketType=Ticket

[TPGG]

Depends how many days you are intending to visit... Last time I visited the park I got my tickets from here: http://www.attractio...cketType=Ticket

Aww thanks man, I'm only only for 1 day so do you reckon that 35 is the cheapest?

[TP-Daniel]

I'm not sure if that's the cheapest available for a 1-day ticket.. I've always visited the park for two or more days whilst on holiday in Salou.Have a fantastic time, will this be your first visit to the park?

[TPGG]

I'm not sure if that's the cheapest available for a 1-day ticket.. I've always visited the park for two or more days whilst on holiday in Salou.Have a fantastic time, will this be your first visit to the park?

Yeah it will be and I'm really hyper for it, any tips you could offer? I was planning on heading for Baco first because I imagine Khan has better throughput.

[RobD]

^Depending on when your going in June, it may be open 10am until midnight. There is plenty of time to do all the big rides once and catch a few shows. As you have never been, if it's a midnight opening, make sure you stay for Fiestaventura, it's a massive show that displays on the main lake at about 23:45 (in 2009 it was fri/sat/sun only, but I think it may be back to every night). Either way, it's an amazing show and certainly not one to miss.I'm returning for the fourth time for a week in July, and I would argue Portaventura is one of, if not the best single park in the world. Every detail has been designed and considered to maximise it's potential, from the location of paths and rides to create excellent views to the ride layouts and shrubbery which help to create a feeling that the park is multiple times larger than it really is. It puts every single theme park in the UK to shame and quite frankly makes Alton Towers look like a fairground. I'd pay upwards of 44 euro to enter, and whatever you pay it'll be worth every penny. Just be prepared for queuing in heat, it's very tiring and can get exceptionally hot during the peak of the day, something quite strange for us UK lot.

[TP-Daniel]

As you are only there for a day hopefully you will be able to get on most of the major rides but make sure you don't miss out on some of the excellent shows especially the Templo del Fuego attraction, the heat from the fire is unbelievable! Try to get the front seat on Furius Baco if you can and make use of the single rider queue for Hurakan Condor, it usually saves you quite a bit of time (the queue splits as you get closer to the loading area). It can be tiring especially if visiting for multiple days during the summer, prepare for quite a lot of walking as the park is rather large. It is an amazing park and I hope you have a great time!

[Tom]

I hate trip reports so here are a few thoughts about PortAventuraThe breakdown rate is unacceptable, and even rivals Thorpe. The amount of times I have queued for or walked past Hurakan Condor and Furius Baco and they have broken down is ridiculous. At one point even Dragon Khan was evacuated whilst I was queueing. The silver river flume broke down for a good 20 minutes with no communication to guests, not even the standard announcement which plays on the other rides when they are broken down.On a plus, Dragon Khan is one of the best B&Ms I've ridden in my opinion.El Diablo was quite fun, and was loading very fast.Stampida was rough but still good.The Silver River Flume was long and you get quite wet, but it lacks themeing completely.Furius Baco is too rough to enjoy but has good themeing, the story is difficult to understand and half of the pre-show wasn't working which didn't help!Hurakan Condor was my first ever drop tower that wasn't Detonator and I felt it lacked force completely, but it gives a nice view of the park and the beach.Grand Canyon Rapids were faster than Rumba Rapids or Congo, and was very well themed.The transport options around the park are good, the boat from Med to China is very useful but sometimes you have to wait quite a long time for a boat to come. The train takes a long time and it would be a lot more useful if there was a stop in China, but nice nonetheless.I have enjoyed myself so far.

[TraX]

Thats a pretty negative review of the park! I love PA, although with a huge B&M hyper on the cards for next year, I'd personally hold off on a trip until then.

[Tom]

I hope I've just come at a bad time for the park or I have bad luck going to rides which are closed, because from these past few days it really does seem like just another Thorpe Park in terms of ride reliability. For example, I waited to see Templo Del Fuego and it suffered technical difficulties, but then was back in operation so I went inside, then it suffered technical difficulties so I left towards Hurakan Condor which was suffering from technical difficulties, then past Stampida which was suffering technical difficulties, then Grand Canyon Rapids which was suffering technical difficulties, and then finally Furius Baco which was suffering from technical difficulties. I then spent the rest of the day at the hotel pool. ;)Although the shows and themeing are top notch!

[Cornflakes]

PortAventura Trip reportIn Summer I visited Spain with my family,The main reason we went was to go to PortAventura, It was the first foreign theme park I've ever been to and I really enjoyed it.Sunday - PortAventura ParkWe arrived in Spain on Friday, after a couple days of relaxing we headed to PortAventura.We decided to go to Furius Baco first, as a friend told me it attracted very large queues, we thought it would be walk on, because it was the beginning of the day, unfortunately the queue was an 1 hour and a half, but it was so worth it. The ride is very rough but that didn't detract from my experience, the winged seating position feels amazing as you launch, it makes the launch seem so much more powerful, I was surprised how much my eyes were watering, I really didn't expect that because its never happened to me on any other launched coaster.Next ride we did was Dragon Kahn, it surprised me how massive it was, it has much more visual impact then Colossus just because of its stunning 148ft drop, it makes Colossus look weak, The ride itself was awesome, the ride had a much better design than Colossus, its probably because half the inversions aren't just the same thing over and over again.Next ride of the ride of the day was Hurakun Condor, the intimidating 376ft drop tower cast a shadow across the entire Mexico area, after nervously waiting for about 10 minutes it was time to board, I strapped myself in and prepared myself. As the ride car climbed the tower I was getting more and more nervous then we finally reached the top and then almost instantly they shot us back down to earth, to be honest the ride was rather... weak, I expected the drop to be much more forceful but unfortunately it just felt like the car glided its way down.after Hurakun Condor we got some lunch and headed for Stampida.Stampida was my first ever Wooden Coaster and my first ever duelling coaster and it was great but it gave me a massive headache.After doing all the main rides we did some other things and then headed back to the hotel.Monday - PortAventura Aquatic park (AKA Costa Caribe) (AKA Caribe Aquatic)The next day we went to PortAventura's water park.The slides were fun and so was the Wave pool, El Tifon and El Torronte were the best.But there was one thing about this day that wasn't fun, Sunburn, followed by shingles Wednesday - PortAventura Park (again)We arrived at PortAventura around Midday, we decided not to do Furius Baco first this time, so we headed to the Far West area and went on Wild Buffalo's.After Wild Buffalo's we went on Tomahawk which was a fun little family wooden coaster. After Tomahawk we went to see Bang Bang West, it was entertaining although I didn't really know what was going on as it was in Spanish, the story didn't really matter though because it was a stunt show and people don't watch stunt shows for stories.After Bang Bang we went around and rode some rides.By the time we finished galavanting around the park it was nearly 8.00pm So we had a delicious meal in Raco De Mar, after our meal we headed for Furius Baco, we thought that as it was night time the queue would be shorter, it wasn't, it was longer, although riding Furius Baco in the dark was one of my best rollercoaster experiences ever.Final Verdict:PortAventura is a great park although in my opinion its not as good as Alton Towers, It just doesn't have enough main rides that draw in the tourists, hopefully PortAventura will get some more rides soon, but until then all we have is a Wooden Coaster, an fun B&M, a rough but great Intamin and a weak drop tower.8.5/10

[AstroDan]

The ride is very rough but it doesn't detract from the experience?I think not!! It's bloody horrific on outside seats.Thanks for sharing your reviews. I agree with you about the number of good rides though. PortAventura lacks a decent dark ride and frankly, only has one truly decent coaster... at least next year there'll be two.I actually feel PortAventura is one of the most overrated parks in Europe. As much as it has beautiful area theming, the on-ride is for the most part nothing special and queuelines are usually cattlepens with a roof over them. Great shows, mind. And the Water Park is fun, too.

[Cornflakes]

The ride is very rough but it doesn't detract from the experience?I think not!! It's bloody horrific on outside seats.Thanks for sharing your reviews. I agree with you about the number of good rides though. PortAventura lacks a decent dark ride and frankly, only has one truly decent coaster... at least next year there'll be two.I actually feel PortAventura is one of the most overrated parks in Europe. As much as it has beautiful area theming, the on-ride is for the most part nothing special and queuelines are usually cattlepens with a roof over them. Great shows, mind. And the Water Park is fun, too.

I sat on the outside and inside and, in my opinion they just felt the same.

[AstroDan]

Perhaps it's been improved since 2009, then. But I wouldn't be overexaggerated to say that the outside seats in the 2nd half of the train are beyond the realms of acceptability. I got off (as did others) with a pounding headache on both occasions. I also rode on the inside seats on row 1, and it was OK. However, it's no wonder they haven't sold any more.

[Tom]

^ It hasn't, the inside is nicer than the outside and the roughness completely detracts from the ride experience. Roughness like wooden roughness is alright because wooden coasters are supposed to have that out of control rough feeling, but steelies shouldn't imo

[RobD]

BUMP! Interesting that so few people seem to share my experience of PortAventura. It is the best park in Europe, and rightfully so, built by a Busch/Universal/Tussauds collaboration, you would expect nothing less. It has an excellent but small collection of fantastic rides, beautifully set in themeing that leaves everything the UK brings to the plate looking like a shabby half arsed attempt at decorating a fairground. It's immersive, believable, and most importantly makes you forget the outside world. It achieves total escapism, something the UK parks are miles away from. I could list for days, but firstly, rides. PortAventura brings quality over quantity, and I do believe it works in their favour. They haven't made the same mistake as Thorpe Park have in cramming many rides into a limited space, loosing all sense of theme. They have Stampida, an excellent roller coaster with plenty of re-ride value, offering a very different ride depending on which side you choose and where you sit. Designed by John Wardley, it does exactly what a re-ridable coaster should, it doesn't blow your mind with one element, it delivers consistent fun. Dragon Kahn is very much the same. It's relentless, it offers a long ride and is a classic B&M, far better than Nemesis (sorry, but it is). Baco is AMAZING (when you get the correct seat). I'll not deny that the wrong seat causes pain, but find the right ones, and it is fantastic. The main problem is there is no pattern to the roughness, it's actually down to several factors, including wheel wear, type and temperature, and so varies daily. The remaining rides offer fun, well themed attractions that fit beautifully into their surroundings and are either visually stunning or just enjoyable. Then there are the shows, they just add so so much to the overall package.The other significant selling point to PortAventura, is the themeing. We rant and rave constantly about Thorpe Park's music, because, the music is practically all the park offers in terms of themeing. PortAventura, has fantastic music and even it's own theme songs, something people would be crazy for in the UK, but this goes unnoticed at PA, because the eye candy is enough, without everyone immediately jumping to 'theme' music to establish 'theme'. Everything is excellently executed to deliver not just a theme park but a destination, suited to everyone, from 5 to 75 (as demonstrated when my entire family went there a few years ago), that is not just about rides, its about an experience, a place that is just as enjoyable to walk around, to be in and to enjoy the sights and sounds of, without the rides. It uses its rides excellently, in the summer months using Hurakan Condor as a show for one ride cycle per evening (Fantastic). Not only this, they don't skimp on costs. The park charges LESS than any Merlins park for admission, and LESS for fastrack, yet offers 10am to 12pm opening hours for 2 months solid in the summer, ending every evening with a fireworks show that must cost over £20,000 per night, and attracts an audience of 10,000 people per night (also awarded the best multimedia show in the world award). This is clearly a recipe that works, attracting around 1 million guests per year and being able to retain the majority of it's UK audience, with the vast majority of (tourist) reviews rating the park as one of the best holidays they have ever had. Simply put, it's amazing. It's a theme park, doing EXACTLY what a theme park should. It retains guests based on quality, the experience it gives and it's ability to provide a timeless experience for every member of the family. This is something UK parks are yet to achieve, and are, in every case, far from.

[Mark9]

I'm posting this as someone who is yet to visit Port Aventura and will be doing so next year but..I feel that your post isn't so much praising Spain's effort but more a rant at UK theme parks. I think we'd be the first to admit that our parks aren't perfect but anyway I'm going to attempt a reply.When you say Port Aventura is the best in Europe. That is rather a large claim, rather brave actually. I wouldn't dare to say it isn't but considering how strong the competition is in Europe (Europa Park, Miribilandia and Phantasialand spring to mind) I'll take your praise with a pinch of salt.So onto Stampidia and Dragon Khan. Both rides approaching 20 years of age and built under a completely different era of the park. Sounds famililar to some UK parks actually.. Riding is quite subjective as it is. I don't doubt that Khan could be better then Nemesis actually, I certainly prefer the more American style B&M's like Katun and Superman / la Atracción de Acero over Nemesis. But that being said, Nemesis is still a classic B&M without a shadow of doubt regardless of whether the record breaking Khan is better then it.As for Furius Baco. If you have to ride a ride at a certain time, certain train, certain seat then I'll almost certainly hate it. To overcome so much just to get a decent ride is an effort I can't be bothered to put in when it comes to rollercoasters.I've certainly found European parks like their own theme tunes. Gardaland has the "Welcome to Gardaland" theme tune as you enter the park and Miribilandia has a 'We will rock you' remix when the park opens and closes.

Simply put, it's amazing. It's a theme park, doing EXACTLY what a theme park should. It retains guests based on quality, the experience it gives and it's ability to provide a timeless experience for every member of the family. This is something UK parks are yet to achieve, and are, in every case, far from.

Certainly agree on this. Europeans just get theme parks right. When we were in Rainbow Magicland, a freshly opened theme park, it's hours were 10am-11pm along with fireworks and the gate figure was an outstanding 17,000 guests. Few years back went to Europa Park and due to the parks business that day, park hours were extended by an extra three hours. You're lucky to get an extra half an hour out of our parks (In fact, it's only Chessington that do this regularly)You've certainly set my appetite up for some Spanish goodness though RobD, can't wait till my birthday now.

[Fred]

Ohh lego used to do it regularly... now they just have rather large opening times (probably the longest openings in the UK? Beating, or almost beating thorpe?)Oh, and I'm sure their attendance is more than one million a year. Even chessie got more than that this year

[BenC]

Oh, and I'm sure their attendance is more than one million a year. Even chessie got more than that this year

You're right - according to the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), Port Aventura's gate figure stood at 3,050,000 for 2010. By comparison, Thorpe's came in at 1,850,000.Linky

[TraX]

Port Aventura IMO is far from the best park in Europe! Hello.. Disneyland Paris (parc Disneyland atleast) and Europa, Phantasialand...As for Furious Baco, I agree it's ridiculously rough, although the launch into a downhill trench was fantastic. From there it's awful, and as already said, it's painfully (ha ha) obvious why it rates low on the enthusiast list.

[Benin]

Taken from the Blows it up topic...

PA attracts an audience of 10k to it's fireworks, that are on every night, for 2 months.... Gate figure wise, PA's average attendance is around 4200. It's prices for food and gifts are similar to Merlins', it's admission rates are similar to Merlins', and it's fastrack is substantially cheaper, yet the park invest SO much more in shows, themeing and overall experience. It's nothing to do with gate figures, it's Merlin's lining it's shareholders pockets.

How can this park (if it's so AMAZING) only have an average attendance of 4200?Whilst I haven't been for years, I can't imagine it being the best park in Europe, and I also agree with everything Mark said... ESPECIALLY about Baco... That arguement cannot slide with any ride, a ride needs to be good in EVERY single seat, not just the 4th inside right hand seat at 12:02 when the temperature is 32 degrees... There MUST be a reason why Baco is one-of-a-kind for Intamin...10'000 is also a bit low... Considering how massive the park is... Maybe Shambalalalalaladingdong will get a few more thousand in, but for an average of 4200 which is probably what Chessie can boast, the park must not be doing everything right surely?Dunno, I should probably go back soon, but effort, cos it's in Spain and the queues there were absolutely VILE when I went last, with the general nice atmosphere of the park being balanced out by claustrophobic and dank cattlepen queuelines that would make even Rita's blush... Plus they got rid of Sea Odyssey...

[RobD]

When you say Port Aventura is the best in Europe. That is rather a large claim, rather brave actually. I wouldn't dare to say it isn't but considering how strong the competition is in Europe (Europa Park, Miribilandia and Phantasialand spring to mind) I'll take your praise with a pinch of salt.So onto Stampidia and Dragon Khan. Both rides approaching 20 years of age and built under a completely different era of the park. Sounds famililar to some UK parks actually.. Riding is quite subjective as it is. I don't doubt that Khan could be better then Nemesis actually, I certainly prefer the more American style B&M's like Katun and Superman / la Atracción de Acero over Nemesis. But that being said, Nemesis is still a classic B&M without a shadow of doubt regardless of whether the record breaking Khan is better then it.As for Furius Baco. If you have to ride a ride at a certain time, certain train, certain seat then I'll almost certainly hate it. To overcome so much just to get a decent ride is an effort I can't be bothered to put in when it comes to rollercoasters.

Your probably very right, in terms of me having more of a rant at the UK industry, and your also very correct that it's all subjective; it's based on my opinion, and indeed, I haven't been to Europa Park, but I have been to some of the other's mentioned, and also draw comparisons to Disneyland and Florida. I'd further add my experience is based on the summer holidays, generally comparing like for like with other theme parks in the UK during summer, and other parks globally whenever I have visited. It is also subjective upon this, I will admit without that audience attending the park when I was there, and without some of the shows, I would not rank it quite as highly; but still consider it a quality park.Stampida and Kahn are not built under different era's of the park, they were both what I'll call the core rides, built a few years apart, but none the less always in the plan (you'll understand what I mean when you visit). Baco is a new addition, but it sits very well in the park and doesn't feel out of place *cough* Rita *cough*. Baco is a strange little ride, get it right and it will be pretty darn good, get it wrong and it's torture (literally). There always have been 2 sides to this argument; that a ride that painful can never be good, I stood firmly on that side of the line, until I was told repetitively that if I support that side of the argument I can not have had a good ride on it... and after re-riding, I realised how correct these people were; get the right seats and you can forgive all it's sins.I think I should also add my experience is based on several days on the park, staying on resort in a PA hotel. I do strongly believe you have to have a few days on this park before you can truly notice everything and appreciate it for just how special it is. It's another argument I've had on other forums, where people are of two very different mind sets; it's either a good park that's over-rated (in almost every case, based on the opinions of people who have visited for a single day outside of peak season), or an amazing park that people absolutely love (based on the opinion of those who visit during peak season or Halloween and spend a few days on resort). I'm sure you'll fall nicely into one of these two boxes.As for gate figures, I was basing this on a 15 year average; the park celebrated it's 15millionth visitor during it's 15 year anniversary celebrations (2010). The reason I base it upon this is because, in terms of event quality, shows and rides, the majority have been around from season 1, more highlighting how much other theme park operators are willing to invest compared to Merlins.

[Fred]

I still believe investment is down to attendance. UK can never really compete with europe for holiday destinations. We leave the country to go on holiday, barely anybody comes here to go on holiday. Plus, the weather instantly puts us at a disadvantage.