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originally posted on 5/6/2024

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Europa-Park (Rust, Germany) is an award-winning theme park known for its attention to detail. Among its approximately 70 rides are a startling number of rides that go upside down: two. While the park’s coaster arsenal is in the double digits, it wasn’t until 2009 that blue fire Megacoaster provided the first ride to go upside down out of the entire lineup. A second one officially opened on April 26 — Voltron Nevera.

Difficult as it may be to believe, Europa-Park’s extensive collection of rides only featured one upside-down roller coaster before the debut of Voltron Nevera.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

It would be so easy to simply refer to Voltron as a multilooping steel coaster, but that would ignore some remarkably notable attributes. Seven inversions is a record for Mack Rides, and the 105-degree vertical launch is a world record (not to mention totally cool). At 4,544 feet long, it is the longest looping coaster in all of Europe. The top speed is 56 mph.

Quite fittingly, legendary inventor Nikola Tesla figures prominently in the theme of the coaster set in the park’s new Croatian section.
Photo: Jan Liebricht. View full-sized image.

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Voltron Nevera is the anchor attraction to the new land themed to Croatia — the 17th country to receive an area at Europa-Park. The architecture of the building, which holds part of the queue as well as the station, is detailed and rich with theming. The storyline of the ride centers on real-life inventor Nikola Tesla and a fictional tale of him trying to use electrical energy to transport people from Point A to Point B between two towers. The attraction boasts two Wardenclyffe towers (one of which was built in Long Island in the early 20th century).

As is typical of Europa-Park, the details are elaborate and plentiful, including two Wardenclyffe towers.

At the ride’s opening, ACE Europe Regional Rep Jo Pools asked Lukas Metzger, head of park operations, about what made the new coaster so special. Metzger answered, “With this ride, we started with capacity early on with 1,600 people. In order to use the space most efficiently, we needed a station with omnimover trains like we did with Arthur, where the trains are not stopping. We have about 10 seconds per row.”

Park officials were on hand for Voltron Nevera’s debut and spoke of the coaster’s innovative design.
Photo: Jan Liebricht. View full-sized image.

The operations at Europa-Park are among the industry’s best, and high throughput is achieved with seven trains in operation. Three or four can be out on the course at one time, and it is a marvel to see screaming riders soaring through the air in all directions at the same time.

Voltron Nevera’s ability to operate many trains at once contributes to its high capacity and makes it visually impressive.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

If coaster fans look at the list of elements on the ride, Voltron Nevera checks a lot of boxes.

• Airtime
• Hangtime
• Double up
• Four launches, one 105-degrees vertical, another backward
• Seven diverse inversions
• A dark ride element early in the ride
• Steep drops
• Dramatic banking
• Turntable
• Themed setting

One might even say that Mack has learned a few maneuvers in the style of Rocky Mountain Construction in a couple of places.

Short trains make possible dramatic elements and tight transitions.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Mack Rides terms the ride as a Stryker coaster, which is an expansion on its Big Dipper genre, in which short trains seat riders in rows of four. The original versions featured trains of two rows. These trains are four rows deep, meaning 16 riders are dispatched every 36 seconds.

Photo: Jeffrey Seifert. View full-sized image.

The first “scene” in the ride places the trains within an electrical field. No spoilers here as to what happens, but it is one of the coaster’s cleverest surprises. From the dispatch to the brakes, the ride lasts close to three minutes.

As is typical of the most effective launched roller coasters, Voltron Nevera features a blend of low upside-down maneuvers and high-flying aerial moments.
Photo: Jeffrey Seifert. View full-sized image.

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

The ride itself is graceful and fluid. Some riders will prefer the center seats, while others might opt for the outer seats that hang beyond the width of the track. The highly stylish trains are undeniably beautiful, and each comes with lights that illuminate at certain times. The load/unload process couldn’t be simpler, and the restraints are impressively comfortable.

Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Construction began in January 2022, so more than two years have gone into the erection of Voltron Nevera. Among the Croatian elements in the plaza are a bell tower, a stone observation tower (where trains rush through an opening in the wall) and a gelato café across from Voltron. Even those who aren’t riding can get a charge from a spectator’s standpoint.

Photos: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

View full-sized image.

Overall, it’s a very advanced ride system that will serve the park well for years and years. Energy was high at the ride’s opening, and from the initial rush of patrons and thrill seekers buying souvenirs, it was clear that Voltron Nevera is a major hit.

— Tim Baldwin, ACE News

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