Heide Park
Encyclopedia
The Heide Park Resort (German: Heide-Park Resort) is a theme park in Soltau
, Lower Saxony
. With an overall area of over 850,000 m², it is one of the biggest German
amusement park
s and the biggest in Northern Germany
.
The theme park is part of the British-based Merlin Entertainments
. The current manager of the park is Hannes W. Mairinger.
The Heide-Dorf (Heide-Village), a richly detailed replica of typical buildings from the Lüneburg heath, was inaugurated in the 1988 season. In 1996/'97 the Dutch section of the park was built with a windmill and canal at the other end of the park. In the 1990s, Hans-Jürgen Tiemann was successful as a driver and sponsor in the touring car racing, while his son Marcel Tiemann began his career as a professional race car driver.
With the growth of the park, the catchment area grew as well. In the 1990s, up to two million visitors came to the Heide-Park. Until the 2001 takeover by the British Tussauds Group, the park was owned by the family Tiemann. Hans-Jürgen Tiemann still has influence in the park by shares and as an advisory director of the Tussauds Group.
In early 2007 the Merlin Entertainments Group bought the majority of the shares of Tussauds Group from Dubai International Capital, which had taken over the shares in 2005.
For their 20th birthday, Tokio Hotel
twin members, Bill and Tom Kaulitz rented out the park to have a big birthday bash with 20 of their closest friends and relatives.
Graham Smart
Ian Habgood
David Buckley
Crispin Merrell
John Sanderson
Four shows are available each day at Heide Park, these are;
One of the main attractions is Colossos
, a wooden roller coaster, which until the opening of Balder
, on 12 April 2003 in the Swedish
amusement park Liseberg
, was the steepest wooden roller coaster in the world.
The latest attraction is the Launched roller coaster
"Desert Race". It is Germany's first launched roller coaster and accelerates from 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 2.4 seconds and reaches a maximum of 5G positive during the ride. The ride is a near clone of Rita located at Alton Towers
in the U.K, which is also part of Merlin Entertainments Group.
As of June 2011 it will be beaten by another German roller coaster, the world's fastest roller coaster Ring°Racer
which shall accelerate to 216.9 km/h in 2.5 seconds.
Soltau
- Middle Ages :The region of the Lüneburg Heath had already been settled by the start of the New Stone Age about 4,000 years ago. The Soltau area was initially occupied by a few individual farms. The parish of Soltau was probably founded around 830 and the first wooden church Sante Johannis...
, Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
. With an overall area of over 850,000 m², it is one of the biggest German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
s and the biggest in Northern Germany
Northern Germany
- Geography :The key terrain features of North Germany are the marshes along the coastline of the North Sea and Baltic Sea, and the geest and heaths inland. Also prominent are the low hills of the Baltic Uplands, the ground moraines, end moraines, sandur, glacial valleys, bogs, and Luch...
.
The theme park is part of the British-based Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments
Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd is a British operator of amusement parks and other attractions. It is the largest such company in Europe, and globally the second largest after Walt Disney Parks and Resorts....
. The current manager of the park is Hannes W. Mairinger.
History
The site of the park originally belonged to the wildlife park Heidenhof. In 1978 the showman family bought terrain around Hans-Jürgen Tiemann, with the contractual requirement to keep the Heidenhof Chapel (built 1350) upright as well as the keeping of native animals. When it opened on August 19, 1978 Heide-Park offered its first 2000 guests six rides: the Monzapiste, the Heide-Park Express, the Oldtimerrundkurs, the Floßfahrt (rafting), the Wichtelhausenbahn and the Hochbahn. In the first season Heide-Park had just under 200,000 visitors from the area of Soltau. 1979 saw the first dolphin show, for which they built a large domed roof a year later. After the 2008 season, the Dolphinarium was closed due to protests.The Heide-Dorf (Heide-Village), a richly detailed replica of typical buildings from the Lüneburg heath, was inaugurated in the 1988 season. In 1996/'97 the Dutch section of the park was built with a windmill and canal at the other end of the park. In the 1990s, Hans-Jürgen Tiemann was successful as a driver and sponsor in the touring car racing, while his son Marcel Tiemann began his career as a professional race car driver.
With the growth of the park, the catchment area grew as well. In the 1990s, up to two million visitors came to the Heide-Park. Until the 2001 takeover by the British Tussauds Group, the park was owned by the family Tiemann. Hans-Jürgen Tiemann still has influence in the park by shares and as an advisory director of the Tussauds Group.
In early 2007 the Merlin Entertainments Group bought the majority of the shares of Tussauds Group from Dubai International Capital, which had taken over the shares in 2005.
For their 20th birthday, Tokio Hotel
Tokio Hotel
Tokio Hotel is a pop rock band from Germany, founded in 2001 by singer Bill Kaulitz, guitarist Tom Kaulitz, drummer Gustav Schäfer and bassist Georg Listing...
twin members, Bill and Tom Kaulitz rented out the park to have a big birthday bash with 20 of their closest friends and relatives.
Music
The music played at Heide Park is a combination of commercial tracks, library music and commissioned music. The following composers have had their music played at the park:Graham Smart
Ian Habgood
Ian Habgood
Ian Habgood is a British television and film score composer, producer and instrumentalist.-Early Work:After graduating from Newcastle College in 1996 he moved to London and began composing music for Alton Towers, Thorpe Park and Madame Tussauds...
David Buckley
Crispin Merrell
John Sanderson
Shows
- Dolphin Show (enclosed 2008)
- Parrot Show (enclosed 2008)
- Maya Show
- Pirate Show
- Hallo Spencer ShowHallo SpencerHallo Spencer is a German children's television series, created by Winfried Debertin and produced by Norddeutscher Rundfunk from 1979 until 2001...
- Bird Theatre (enclosed 2009)
- Comic Theatre
Attractions
Heide Park currently has about 40 rides which are mainly aimed at families but its thrill rides are also very popular.One of the main attractions is Colossos
Colossos (roller coaster)
Colossos is a wooden roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the first wooden roller coaster to use prefabricated track. Colossos is the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in Europe and the tallest running wooden roller coaster in the world...
, a wooden roller coaster, which until the opening of Balder
Balder (roller coaster)
Balder is a wooden roller coaster at the Liseberg amusement park in Gothenburg, Sweden. It opened in 2003 and was an instant success. Balder has twice, 2003 and 2005, been voted Best Wooden Tracked Roller Coaster in the world in a major international - not because it is the biggest or fastest...
, on 12 April 2003 in the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
amusement park Liseberg
Liseberg
Liseberg is an amusement park located in Gothenburg, Sweden, the park opened in 1923. Liseberg is one of the most visited amusement parks in Scandinavia, attracting around 3 million visitors annually. Among the noteworthy attractions is the wooden roller coaster Balder, voted twice as the Best...
, was the steepest wooden roller coaster in the world.
The latest attraction is the Launched roller coaster
Launched roller coaster
The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster which has increased in use in the last decade. In place of a traditional chain lift, the launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or series of Linear Induction Motors , Linear Synchronous Motors ,...
"Desert Race". It is Germany's first launched roller coaster and accelerates from 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 2.4 seconds and reaches a maximum of 5G positive during the ride. The ride is a near clone of Rita located at Alton Towers
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
in the U.K, which is also part of Merlin Entertainments Group.
As of June 2011 it will be beaten by another German roller coaster, the world's fastest roller coaster Ring°Racer
Ring°Racer
Ring°racer is a Formula One-themed roller coaster which was due to open on August 15, 2009 at the Nürburgring race course as part of the Nürburgring 2009 project.However, two defects in the launch system mean its opening has been delayed until 2011...
which shall accelerate to 216.9 km/h in 2.5 seconds.
Roller coasters
| Name | Type | Opened in | Max. Height | Length | Max. Speed | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Loop | Steel roller coaster Steel roller coaster A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world... |
1983 | 30 m | 706 m | 67 km/h | Vekoma Vekoma Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment... |
| Colossos Colossos (roller coaster) Colossos is a wooden roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the first wooden roller coaster to use prefabricated track. Colossos is the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in Europe and the tallest running wooden roller coaster in the world... |
Wooden roller coaster Wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design... |
2001 | 60 m | 1344 m | 120 km/h | Intamin |
| Desert Race | Launched Coaster Launched roller coaster The launched roller coaster is a modern form of roller coaster which has increased in use in the last decade. In place of a traditional chain lift, the launched coaster initiates a ride with high amounts of acceleration via one or series of Linear Induction Motors , Linear Synchronous Motors ,... |
2007 | 19 m | 650 m | 102 km/h | Intamin |
| Grottenblitz | Powered roller coaster | 1985 | 6 m | 370 m | 45 km/h | Mack MACK Rides Mack Rides is a German company that designs and constructs roller coasters. The family that owns the company also owns Europa Park.-History:The creation of the Mack company goes back to 1780, by Paul Mack, when he started building carriages. The Mack company started to design roller coasters in 1920.... |
| Limit | Vekoma SLC Vekoma SLC The Suspended Looping Coaster is a model of steel inverted roller coaster built by Vekoma. There are at least 39 different installations across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is or more.-History:... |
1999 | 33 m | 689 m | 80 km/h | Vekoma |
| Schweizer Bobbahn | Bobsled roller coaster Bobsled roller coaster A Bobsled roller coaster is the generic name given to any roller coaster that uses a track design that is essentially a "pipe" with the top half removed and has cars that are sent down this pipe in a freewheeling mode... |
1993 | 27 m | 990 m | 53 km/h | Mack |
| Indy-Blitz | Steel roller coaster | 2008 | 4,5 m | 128 m | 23 km/h | Zierer Zierer Zierer is a German company located close to Deggendorf. Zierer manufactures Tivoli and Force line of roller coasters, as well as panoramic wheels, wave swingers, flying carpets, Hextentanz and Kontiki rides... |
| Krake | Diving Machine | 2011 | 41m | 476 m | 103 km/h | Bolliger & Mabillard Bolliger & Mabillard Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president... |
Water rides
| Name | Type | Opened in | Max. Height | Ride length | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Rafting | Rapid River River rafting ride A river rafting ride is an amusement ride that simulates whitewater rafting.-History:The river rapids ride concept was proposed by Bill Crandall and developed by Intamin AG... |
1992 | - | 600 m | Intamin |
| Wildwasserbahn I | Log flume Log flume (attraction) Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats... |
1980 | 12 m | 600 m | Mack |
| Wildwasserbahn II | Log flume | 1990 | 23 m | 575 m | Anton Schwarzkopf Anton Schwarzkopf Anton Schwarzkopf was a German engineer of amusement rides, and founder of the Schwarzkopf Industries company, which built numerous rides and large roller coasters for both amusement parks and travelling funfairs.... |
| ToPiLauLa-Schalcht | Splashbattle | 2010 | |||
| 150 m | Mack |
Other attractions
| Name | Type | Max. Height | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bounty | Pirate Ship | 15 m | Intamin |
| Break Dance | Break Dance Breakdance (ride) The Breakdance is an amusement park and fairground ride, designed by HUSS Maschinenfabrik in 1985. Upon release, the ride design proved to be an instant hit, with HUSS now producing four varying designs, all of which can be acquired in transportable, semi-permanent, or permanent forms.-Design and... |
- | HUSS Maschinenfabrik |
| Dampfkarussel | Carousel | - | Dentzel |
| El Sol | Enterprise | 20 m | Huss |
| Lady Moon | Tilted spinning ride | 13.5 m | Huss |
| Floßfahrt | Raft ride | - | Mack |
| Heide-Park Express | Miniature Train | - | Chance Rides Manufacturing Chance-Morgan Chance Morgan, a roller coaster and amusement ride manufacturer, was formed in 2001 with the merger of Chance Industries and D. H. Morgan Manufacturing . The main office is D. H. Morgan's former location in La Selva Beach, California and they utilize Chance Industries' former manufacturing... |
| Kanalfahrt | Slow boat ride | - | Mack |
| Magic | fast spinning ride | 9 m | Huss |
| Monorail | Monorail | 6 m | Intamin |
| Oldtimer | Steerable oldtimer track | - | Mack |
| Panorama | Panorama Tower | 75 m | Intamin |
| Panormabahn | Train | 4 m | Mack |
| Okti | Octopus spinning ride | 4 m | Schwarzkopf |
| Huracan | Standup spinning ride | 11 m | Fähtz |
| Scream Scream (Soltau) thumb|uprightThe Gyro-Drop Tower Scream is an amusement ride in the Heide Park, Soltau, Germany. With a height of to the pinnacle it is the tallest "gyro drop" free-fall ride in the world.... |
Gyro-Drop Tower | 103 m | Intamin |
| Aqua Spin | Top Spin Top Spin (ride) The Top Spin is a thrill ride developed by HUSS Maschinenfabrik, and is the generic name for a series of rides from other manufacturers that follow the same principle. The ride consists of a passenger platform suspended between two counterweighted arms... |
19 m | Huss |
| Wichtelhausen | Children animal trains | - | Mack |
Trivia
- Heide Park was one of three playable real world parks (with Alton TowersAlton TowersAlton Towers is a theme park and resort located in Staffordshire, England. It attracts around 2.7 million visitors per year making it the most visited theme park in the United Kingdom. Alton Towers is also the 9th most visited theme park in Europe...
and Blackpool Pleasure Beach) added to RollerCoaster TycoonRollerCoaster Tycoon (game)RollerCoaster Tycoon is a construction and management simulation video game that simulates theme park management. Developed by MicroProse and Chris Sawyer and published by Hasbro Interactive, the game was released for Microsoft Windows on March 31, 1999 and was later ported to the Xbox game console...
in the Loopy Landscapes expansion pack.