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Park Profile
www.parkworld-online.com
But there’s something understated about Blue Fire view from which (see above) compensates for the
and the theming around it, as you’d expect from lack of any lift hill. An inline roll towards the end of
Iceland. The new area also includes a souvenir the ride is the most challenging and intense of the
store, fashion boutique and 160-seater Icelandic four head-over-heel sections.
coffee house. Behind the hut-like exterior of the Many of the twists and turns are possible thanks to
coaster’s station building is some additional theming the chassis underneath each car, first developed by
and a dark ride segment visible only to those brave Mack for its YoungStar (Pegasus) coaster: “If you
enough try the new attraction. look at the coasters my grandfather used to build,
On leaving the loading bay, the train travels such as the Mine Train, they had two axles per car,”
through an “energy mine” as dummies appear to details Michael Mack. “We changed that so that
process the power needed for the launch sequence. only the first car has two axles. All the additional
P&P Projects from the Netherlands was responsible cars have just one axle so the train can do more
for these scenic elements. Passengers then enter a banked curves and is freer in movement.”
straight tunnelled section, smoke surrounds the Lasting around 3 minutes and 20 seconds, Blue
space in front of them, a siren sounds and the doors Fire features just over one kilometre of track, about
part to reveal the 80-metre launch run ahead. a third less than the original 1,600-metre layout
The train is then catapulted with the force of an proposed, but enough to set it apart from similar
erupting volcano into a 40-metre-high horseshoe, rides.
down into a tunnel and out into the loop. This is “Many launch coasters are great for the launch
followed by several more sharp turns, inversions and but not for the coaster experience,” observes
a block brake section roughly half-way through, the Michael, “you do the launch and the ride is over. I
think Blue Fire is more of a coaster than some of the
The launch tunnel others on the market. You have a little bit of
everything, a smooth start, which is perfect for our
guests, a bit of time to breath and relax, and of
course the upside down elements.”
Other than the shrieks from riders as the they
leave the launch, Blue Fire is a remarkably quiet
coaster due in part surely to some solid foundation
work (the ground hardly seems to shake as the train
races past).
Family Thrills
This smooth yet exhilarating ride has been built to
appeal to a wide range of Europa-Park guests, even
if they not all of them realise it: “I have been stood
close to the ride and heard people say they are
scared to go on because of the looping,” reveals
Michael, “but really it is a family ride. You are sitting
JUNE 2009
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