Europa Park - tips wanted

[BorisJohnsonsPhysique]

We’re off to Europa later this month - booked after 20th August so hoping it might be slightly quieter as some countries have started school that week. We’re in a park hotel and have two days in the park and one at Ruatlantica. We’re all very excited and would love any advice on best things to do (rides and non-rides), places to eat, best stuff to do in our half hour before general opening, and anything else really!

It won't be all that much quieter, as the French and nearby (Baden-Württemberg) German schools are still on holiday.

Our kids went there every summer 15-20 years ago as we lived not too far away. I don't have up-to-date tips, but I do remember (from my one visit and what DCs said) that it was everything a theme park should be, terrific value for money and very safe.

Yeah, I wasn’t expecting much of a drop off! We could only go during the summer holidays so I figured the later the better just because demand might have dropped a little. I’ve heard that the queues aren’t too horrific though? Still recovering from a couple of days in Futuroscope a year or so ago with a mad inaccurate app and too many queues to get on anything good.

Love it there! If you’re in a park hotel you can go in early the ride that’s nearest the main gate with the voluntarium I think it’s called is soo good, gets huge queues so try and do that early. Bob sleigh ride in Switzerland and there is a restaurant where all the food comes via robots! Def worth a visit.
Even if you get bad weather check out the outside water rides at Rulantica, and my daughter loved the lazy river. Coffin slide horrendously scary and I’m still traumatized:)

Thank you! Did you need to book the restaurants at all?

You can only book certain restaurants. The Foodloop is a fantastic restaurant where your food is delivered via a mini rollercoaster. When I visited in August, there was quite a big queue to get in and we nearly gave up. But I noticed that the queue was actually moving really quickly and they were slotting in individuals and couples to make sure all the seats were used. We only ended up queueing for about 10 mins and it was well worth it.
In the first half hour, start with Wodan and Blue Fire, they have the highest Qs all day long. Move against the flow of people. I would do Arthur and then to the French area.

Thank you. Is the food in the Space Loop any good though? We went to something similar at Futuroscope and it was the worst food I’ve ever eaten in France!

Best theme park we've ever been to!

The food at Foodloop is mediocre, but better than some other restaurants at the park and worth it once for the experience.

I’m not sure if the Silver Star is still going. I still have pts thinking about it.

Rulantica has all kinds of sunbeds and lounge areas you can book, can recommend, so you have your own quiet place to chill.
Rides that have long queues are Blue fire, silver star, wodan. Arthur is also cute.
Get the app and make use of the virtual queues as well.

Thanks. I’ve already got the app and have noted which rides offer the virtual queues. I think we will probably not do the Space Loop if the food is poor as we’ve done the same concept already.

I’ve noticed the bookable spaces in Ruatlantica. They say for two people - do you know how strict they are about kids coming and going and using it as a base? They’re not cheap so was hoping to just book one if we could.

Hey we didn't book the spa areas - if your children are younger than 12, I suspect their armbands won't allow access. We had the outside beach island, which was perfect on a sunny day. https://tickets.mackinternational.de/en/rulantica/beach-island

Thanks - and they were fine with more than 2 of you using it?

yes, no restrictions there, nobody checks how many people you have using it.

Oh brilliant, good to know, thanks. I know sometimes rules are strictly observed!

We just got drinks and chips at foodloop - went at 4 pm - no queues.

If you haven't watched it already, themepark worldwide, on YouTube have some really informative videos on this place. I haven't been (yet,) but their videos have loads of helpful information!

Hi, went around same time as you last August for 2 days (didn't do the water park though). Was absolutely amazing. 2 teen kids and they loved it.

Was really really hot, about 34 degrees, but because there are so many rides and little indoor hideaway rides we coped OK.

Wipes the floor with UK parks in everything :cost, food, theming, rides, queues. Longest queue was 40 mins for Silverstar , bearing in mind that was peak season. Apart from that we didn't queue more than 20 mins. So efficient, queues move so quickly. And there are soooo many rides.

Loads of places to get food and drinks and prices very reasonable. We didn't eat at space loop as there was so much more easily available

The key thing I took was....no need to plan too hard. There are so many rides and little indoor fun filler rides and experiences, just work your way around. We're usually big theme park planners, but really no need to at Europa Park. Just enjoy it.

Don’t forget the Frigg Tempel 😁

Ha! Thank you. Frigg Tempel already noted.

And thanks to everyone offering advice. I’ve not met anyone in real life who has been as an adult, and most people have never heard of it, so real experiences are so helpful.

We are 50/50 in our family on enjoying fast rides so Europa looked perfect for us given how much more there is to do, and one of my children is obsessed with geography so the theming is ideal too.

Love europapark

get to your hotel early. They might give you evening entrance free. Or you can use the pool.

the buffet at bell Rock is lovely. Eyewateringly expensive but go anyway.

we ate at casa antica in Rust on the first night which was great and good value.

We also at at the Silver lake saloon which was expensive for what it was (American food) but was actually better value.

Make sure you book your restaurants in advance.

Hotel guest entrance is through Portugal/spain area. We stayed at colluseo but all the hotels are great. KRONASAR is a bit far away as its a bus ride to Rutlantica. Bell Rock is lovely. We loved colluseo and would go back but id be tempted by all the others.

Visit the hotels. they are really cool. The sea creature skeleton in Kronasar is fab. I liked the chapel in Santa Isobel.

Definitely book an lounger area in Rutlantica. Not thst expensive. If its summer you could book outside but I liked chilling out indoors with a view of the scandi coastal town! Sooooo much better than having to bag a place in the main part of the pool.

Theres not that many slides indoors at Rutlantica and it got too busy in the afternoon. Its better i think when it's warmer outside but DC did outdoors in April! Also maybe try and get a cocktail at the bar above Rutlantica depending on what time you leave. Looked good.

As you go in first thing Head to blue fire first then Wodan. You can do blue fire twice before wodan opens at 9. It's VERY rickety and I really hurt my neck.

Day 2 after hurting my neck DH and DS did Blue fire twice then wodan but I went to pirates of batavia (which is a great dark ride and opens at 8.30) then I queued at the gate for Arthur and LEGGED it to get on Aurther quickly.

After your first 2 rides of the day Head for Euromir one day (the tune!) And Silver Star on the other day. Its a great ride and really churns through people but still good to get there early.

I love Arthur. Really is the perfect family coaster. I queued for 45mins on day 1 but walked on in the morning of day 2. Much better.

I just missed the new ride (voltaron)so strategise how you are going to fit that in. It might be that after the early rides (check what opens first on the days you are there) you head straight for it on at least one day.

We used the monorail to get back to the hotel, chill, shower and then go out refreshed. My usual instinct is to kick the arse out of the park until we are exhausted. It wasn't too busy in April so we left the park early to get ready for dinner. You could do the water rides one afternoon, get wet then go home before coming back out using the monorail to get back to where you are. I didn't do all the water rides (too cold) in April but you don't get soaked on posideon.

Eat breakfast early then get an early lunch near wherever you are at 1130. It should be easy to get food without queuing.

I'd go back. I really loved it. It's great for all ages. Enjoy!

Are you going anywhere else? I recommend Freiburg and Colmar and Strasbourg. I'm definitely revisiting that region.

Also my dc loved the bumper cars that look like football boots in 'England ". They are 10 and 13 so we left them to it (every time they finished they went around and queued again) and dh and I went and did Euromir as id mussed it on day 1 due to my neck pain. Seriously you are going to love the Euromir tune. I'm off to listen to it on Spotify now!

To answer your question I just booked one area in Rutlantica. It says for 2 people but my dc were too busy off having fun so it was mainly me on my own zzzzing with my sore neck. I still enjoyed everything the park offered but I liked chilling a bit too. I wouldn't book another lounger for the DC. How much are they really going to sit down in a water park?!

You get a locker in the curtained off area next to your lounger which is nice. We kept the refillable drink container in there too. 2 dc did not get through the allowed 10 refills of the drink.

Also get fast food early. Its nice food and not too ££ but the queues are long.

Thank you for all that! Where was your indoor lounger in Ruatlantica? There are so many options and I wouldn’t want to get one in an over-12s bit by mistake!

We are staying at the Bell Rock but only arriving at 8am on our first day so will be grabbing tickets and heading for the shuttle asap when we arrive.

We know (and love) the Alsace so I share your enthusiasm. We’re en route to the Alps for a week so this time just dashing through.

Love Europapark. We went in the height of summer, not long after a Disney trip. Preferred Europa. No queues, or at least minimal. In some cases we could walk into a ride then off it and back on straightaway.
But there were enough of a crowd milling around to give it a bit of an atmosphere.
The foodloop was great.
The beers were good. Felt we got value for money.