Fly through the air in the steampunk surroundings of Rookburgh or be launched at high speeds passing rockwork and cascading waterfalls in Klugheim. Take a thrilling boat ride through the vibrant sights and sounds of Mexico before twisting and diving through the landscapes of Africa, feet dangling free. Experience the best Phantasialand rides and attractions, and immerse yourself in this magical theme park in the heart of Germany.
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EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF PHANTASIALAND
It’s rare to come across a theme park like Phantasialand. Tucked away near the town of Brühl near Cologne, this impressive park will capture your imagination like no other. With a number of areas, intricately themed down to the tiniest detail, the park is captivating. I first visited Phantasialand back in 2010 and have longed to return ever since. With a myriad of developments over the past decade or so, including new state of the art rollercoasters and high quality hotels, we headed back across to Germany to spend three nights at Phantasialand to fully immerse ourselves in this world class theme park.
THE BEST PHANTASIALAND RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS
From rollercoasters, water rides, childrens rides and world class entertainment and shows, Phantasialand offers something for everyone. The themed worlds of the park seamlessly blend into the next, providing a sensory overload with fully immersive surroundings, music and atmosphere. Add food and drink into the mix and there are options for speciality dining in table service restaurants, or the opportunity to just grab a beer and sit outdoors watching the rollercoasters whizz by to the soundtrack of the delighted screams of guests. Each themed area has a variety of Phantasialand rides and attraction to suit all thrill levels.
WALK THE STREETS OF BERLIN
The main entrance of Phantasialand leads to the a traditional main street themed to Berlin. Passing Europe’s largest double storey carousel, the 1920’s street lined with ornate building facades opens up onto the large Kaiserplatz – a large open square with numerous food and drink kiosks and plenty of seating space amongst colourful planting. Catch a show at the fabulous Wintergarten theatre, or treat your taste buds to some fantastic patisserie at Törtchen & Co. The Berlin area offers a number of Phantasialand rides and attractions suitable for families.
MAUS AU CHOCOLAT | The signature attraction in Berlin is the family friendly 3D shooting ride through the kitchens of a master pâtissier, which have become infested by mice. As the Maus au Chocolat ride cars whisk you around the kitchens, use the piping bags to fire shots of chocolate at the mice, building up a great score sheet along the way. With delicious chocolate and baking aromas throughout, it’s a great fun interactive experience for all the family.
WELLENFLUG | A classic Waveswinger, or chair swing ride, Wellenflug sits at the centre of Kaiserplatz under a display of spectacular fountains. Swinging high into the air, the ride is fun for youngsters and adults, and visually great for spectators too.
MARVEL AT THE STEAMPUNK WORLD OF ROOKBURGH
A darkened brickwork tunnel leads from Berlin into the industrial age land of Rookburgh. This steampunk city, home to Rookburgh AirRail Company, whisks guest back to age of flying machines and coal fired steam trains, to a time where human flight was just beginning. Steam rises from manholes and hisses from pipes amongst the metal gantries and rusty facades of factory buildings, covered in aged advertisments of days gone by. All of this beneath the twisting metallic track of the signature rollercoaster F.L.Y. Rookburgh, quite simply, is one of the most impressive and immersive theme park areas I have experienced.
F.L.Y. | A state of the art flying coaster, F.L.Y. is simply breathtaking, both visually and in the ride system. Twisting, turning, diving and soaring around Rookburgh with over 1.3km of track, F.L.Y. is the longest flying coaster in the world, and features two thrilling launches. Riders are in the prone position, creating the perfect flying experience, and they race around the track through the steampunk city. The theming and ride station experience are incredible, and with an empty pocket policy, where guests leave all their belongings including phones in lockers, there are few spoilers and little footage available. This new generation flying coaster is intense and fun, and definitely up there as one of the best Phantasialand rides.
We spent a lot of time in Rookburgh, wandering and taking in all the details. ZUM KOHLESCHIPPER was a great spot to grab a sandwich or a cold beer and take in the sights and sounds. For chocolate lovers, EMILIE’S CHOCOLADEN & CANDY WERKSTATT was a must visit to grab some fabulous home made treats.
Rookburgh is home to Phantasialand’s third and newest hotel, Hotel Charles Lindbergh. A stay as this hotel provides direct access to the steampunk city, as well as the opportunity to explore at night when the area is spectacularly lit up.
WANDER AMONG THE FORTRESSES OF MYSTERY & KLUGHEIM
A land of towering fortresses and intrigue, wander through Phantasialand’s Mystery area to discover some of the most impressive rides in the park. The area was expanded to include the medieval village of Klugheim in 2016, with dominating rockwork creating deep canyons around the area. Amongst these rocky canyons, medieval stone and wooden buildings depict a village that can be explored, with every corner and turn offering a different view of this impressive land.
MYSTERY CASTLE | Towering above all other Phantasialand rides and attractions, the imposing fortress of Mystery Castle stands at 215 feet tall dominating the surrounding area. A tall and narrow tower, it should be no surprise as to what kind of ride sits within these castle walls, but this is not a standard drop or shot tower. The queue line of the ride takes you on a journey through the castle’s heavily themed rooms before entering the main ride area for a thrilling and exhilarating experience, which really took me by surprise.
RIVER QUEST | Phantasialand’s rapids ride is like no other. Where rapids rides were once a meandering journey in circular boats, with the occasional splash of water, River Quest takes this to the next level. Built into a castle like structure, River Quest’s vampire bat themed boats head on an exhilarating journey with vertical lifts, whirlpools and steep, fast drops concluding in an inevitable drenching of everyone on board.
TARON | Taron is my favourite of all Phantasialand rides. This multi launch steel coaster twists and turns it way through Klugheim with two high speed launches and quick directional changes. A mass of black steel twisting around the rockwork of Klugheim, the coaster speeds through the village at a top speed of 73mph, creating a number of near misses with the buildings, rocks and cascading waterfalls. It’s a high speed thrill from start to finish, but the mid ride second launch in a deep underground canyon is like nothing else and takes your breath away. A masterpiece in ride design.
RAIK | For something slightly more sedate, Klugheim’s second coaster, Raik, is more suited to younger guests too. That’s not to say it’s a tame ride, mind you. This family-boomerang rollercoaster reverses up a lift hill from the ride station before flying back through and twisting and turning through Klugheim, before traversing the whole track in reverse. You might be lucky enough to get a second ride before you disembark.
Blown away by the theming and atmosphere of Klugheim, we spent a lot of time in this themed area. There are numerous spectator points to watch Taron, along with an outdoor dining area in the middle of the village with access to numerous food and drink kiosks. To experience some of Phantasialand’s exceptional food offerings, we had lunch at RUTMORE’S TAVERNE in Klugheim – a table service restaurant in a mythical tavern which was a fabulous experience.
BE AMAZED AT THE VIBRANT FIESTA IN MEXICO
An explosion of colour, Phantasialand’s Mexico area is one big party. Wander through the streets packed with colourful buildings under the brightly coloured papel picado banners above. From ornate bell towers to cute restaurants, the streets are lined with colourful planting and the tiniest details such as washing drying on balconies. This immersive land is a great place to relax on a sunny day observing the nearby attractions.
CHIAPAS | The signature ride of the area, Chiapas is a large scale flume ride with a difference. Making its way through the Mexican landscapes, the boats pass through tunnels and past waterfalls, sometimes backwards and sometimes forwards before plunging down the steepest water ride descent in the world. A stunning ride.
TALOCAN | One of the long standing Phantasialand rides and attractions, head into an Aztec temple and test your nerve on Talocan – an impressive spinning ride with fire and water effects. This classic suspended topspin ride is not for the faint hearted, the intense ride flipping riders over and over before dangling them over tall water fountains.
COLORADO ADVENTURE | Another classic, Colorado Adventure is an impressive mine train ride that’s suitable for all the family. With a lower height restriction that many of the other Phantasialand rides, Colorado Adventure takes guests on an adventure through canyons, tunnels and mine shafts. A great introduction to rollercoasters for the younger thrill seekers.
Wandering around Mexico, there’s no shortage of places to stop to eat and drink, whether it’s tortillas from a cantina or sipping a cerveza next to the splashdown of Chiapas. For another great table service option in the park, RESTAURANTE COCORICO is a wonderful spot behind Talocan, overlooking the main Mexico plaza, offering some great tapas dishes.
MEANDER THROUGH THE STREETS OF DEEP IN AFRICA
Step into the heart of the jungle and explore an African themed village which has been expanded for the 2023 season. Taking inspiration from the architecture of western African countries like Mali, with mud brick buildings, explore Avenue Africa and Wewe Road, passing by and through the Embassy Building, a fictional hair salon and souvenir shops, all intricately themed to most minute detail. There are plenty of rest stops with brightly coloured terraces and food and drink kiosks dotted around the area. Take some time, look around.
BLACK MAMBA | Dominating the Deep in Africa landscapes, the twisting tracks of Black Mamba snake their way through the mud buildings and jungle landscapes. This inverted rollercoaster, where your feet hang free, features a ground hugging layout and four inversions, the most impressive being a vertical loop built around a walkway. With a tight layout, getting close to the surrounding landscapes, riders will be sure to pull their legs in at some points with several ‘near-miss’ sections.
DEEP IN AFRICA ADVENTURE TRAIL | New for 2023, an exciting family friendly adventure trail takes guests on a journey through Africa crossing swinging bridges, stepping stones and through caves, offering close up and unique views of Black Mamba along the way.
Deep in Africa, you’ll find access to Phantasialand’s African themed four star hotel, Hotel Matamba. With cosy safari rooms and a range of dining options, it’s a fabulous spot to indulge on a weekend break.
FIND YOUR ZEN IN CHINA TOWN
Walking through streets under lines of Chinese lanterns, the China Town area of Phantasialand is packed full of beautiful Chinese inspired buildings, statues and peaceful gardens. Tucked away to the rear of the park, this calming area is a far cry from the thrill of some of other areas of the park, with relaxing music and plenty of areas to sit and relax. With no large outdoor Phantasialand rides in the area, the heavily themed indoor attractions are family friendly and perfect for wet weather days.
GEISTER RIKSCHA | A classic haunted house ride (think Disney’s Haunted Mansion), Geister Rikscha is a fabulous and long underground ghost train ride, heavily themed around Chinese mythology and culture.
FENG JU PALACE | A battle of good and evil, Feng Ju Palace is another indoor dark ride at Phantasialand which will leave riders in a spin. The pre show sets the scene before the main ride leaves guests not knowing whether they are up or down.
With stunning Chinese decor, breathtaking gardens, a wellness spa and outdoor swimming pool, Hotel Ling Bao is Phantasialand’s third hotel. This four star superior property is stunningly beautiful, with a range of rooms, suites and hospitality.
HEAD TO THE PHANTASIALAND WEBSITE TO DELVE FURTHER INTO THE THEME PARK
EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF FANTASY AND WUZE TOWN
A child friendly fantasy world, the Fantasy area of Phantasialand is very different to the remainder of the park. This area, themed to a mythical land with an indoor section called Wuze Town is magical and packed full of smaller and gentler rides for younger children. The Fantasy themed area also features a large outdoor lake with a pathway snaking around the perimeter, which is an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of the other side of the park on busier days. While there are many smaller attractions in the area, there are a number of larger Phantasialand rides to tick off the list here.
WINJA’S FEAR AND FORCE | These duelling spinning coasters are located inside Wuze Town and are great fun rides, with hidden trick-track sections. Entering the queue line, guests make a choice of Fear or Force where the queue separates. Both coasters offer different ride experiences, and are both great fun.
CRAZY BATS | An indoor rollercoaster that’s stood the test of time in Phantasialand, a recent retheme has converted this old ride into a VR Experience, giving it a new lease of life. Arriving at the ride station and donning VR headsets, riders on this family coaster are whisked on an icy adventure with three crazy bats. Crazy Bats is the longest indoor rollercoaster in the world, and the VR element has really enhanced the experience with a perfectly smooth animation matching the ride experience.
WAKOBATO | An interactive and gentle boat ride around the lake in the Fantasy themed area, Wakobato is a great ride to take a breather from the thrill elsewhere in Phantasialand. While there is an interactive element of water guns which can be used to aim at targets and trigger fountains in the lake, we found the ride a relaxing experience and the opportunity for a rest.
GETTING TO PHANTASIALAND
Phantasialand can be easily accessed from Cologne. We flew from Manchester to Cologne Bonn airport with Ryanair – a short flight of 1h 25m. From the airport, we collected a hire car booked with Sixt and made the 33km journey by car, via the A553 motorway. The journey time was less than thirty minutes.
The park can also be accessed easily by public transport, by taking a train from Cologne (airport or city centre) to Brühl and picking up a direct shuttle bus from here.
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I enjoyed reading this, the place sounds absolutely brilliant for theme park lovers but I’m afraid I stay very firmly away from anything which takes me more than three feet off the ground or turns me upside down 🙂
Thank you! It’s a great park.