Fénix - Toverland (NL)
Toverland is growing fast and is becoming a park to take serious. July 7th 2018 was the day Toverland revealed their 35.5 million euro expansion with two themed areas with several shops, rides and interactive elements. The highlight of all of this is Fénix, a B&M wing coaster.
Four days after the expansions opened we made a visit. Somehow it was really quiet that day so we could ride it quite a few times. When you enter the area Avalon, you immediately notice this bright blue coaster, which is placed beautifully in the landscape. You walk to the back of the area over some winding paths to enter the queue line which is nicely themed in a fantasy or medieval style. These are really dark though, a bit to dark in my opinion, among other things because of safety reasons. The grouper hands out 'golden feathers' to make sure only people who waited for front row are seated in front row. Let's just say I have seen this done better elsewhere.
Then your ride starts. The station area is themed nicely, but the floor is not themed, which stands out and is a bit disappointing. The next room is a dark warehouse, which is even more disappointing. Then you start climbing the lift hill and turn right into a wing over drop. An airtime hill, immelman, helix, zero-g roll and some banked turns follow.
The ride does not loose its speed, has some good head choppers and the helix is proper forceful. It is a short ride, but it is a good ride. The first ride we were not amazed, but when it warmed up and we rode it more, it got better and better. If I had to rate it, I would give it an 8.5/10.
My friend, who has not been to Toverland in 15 years, had an image of Toverland still being just a warehouse with playgrounds inside. So the questioned why I took him there. When we approached the park he was surprised by how much the park has changed and improved. "I do not have the feeling I am in Toverland, at least not the Toverland I remember." This expension has been a really big push for Toverland and I truefully hope this will clean up Toverland's Image and establish them between the other great theme parks in Europe.