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More than just
a queue line! Although Bayern Park did not add any new attractions for 2012, it did complete the queue line theming for Freischütz. The coaster’s name translates as “free shoot” and its theme is inspired by an opera from Carl Maria von Weber, in which lead character Max makes a pact with the devil to win the girl of his dreams. To succeed, he must shoot a magic bullet – which can never miss its target. Freischütz traces the path of that bullet as riders are shot out of the gun, or station, and race around the track. The opera is set inside a forest, and the souvenir shop at the ride’s exit is intended to be represent the huntsman’s lodge. Here visitors can have their own shooting contest in a themed shooting gallery. But before guests get to the ride
they must first navigate a series of winding pathways, treehouse-like structures and themed sets (as pictured), completed in idiosyncratic style by Jürgen Bergmann of Kulturinsel Einsiedel. “It’s supposed to provide guests with a longer experience,” explains Bayern Park managing director Silke Holzner. “The idea is that you do not get off the ride and run straight back without first having a bit of an adventure.”
actually only 30 seconds from start to finish, but it’s full throttle for the whole ride.” A neat touch is Maurer’s “flying launch” where braking energy is recovered as the train rolls back towards the station, and then used for the next launch. This means that, although the launch requires 1MW of energy, it can run off a connected load of just 200kW. Whilst it’s clearly more power hungry than some of those smaller low-tech attractions in the park, Freischütz is nevertheless a very energy efficient launch coaster. With sand packed inside the tracks to provide insulation, it’s also very quiet during operation.
Kids not teens
Adding another rollercoaster was Bayern Park’s attempt to extend an olive branch to those older kids who had maybe outgrown some of the other attractions. “If you’d asked a 12-year old which park they wanted to go to, they maybe wouldn’t have picked Bayern Park,” explains Holzner. “Now bigger children are coming because of the launch coaster, and we are getting more guests from Austria and the Czech Republic [the border to each country is about an hour away]. We don’t want teenagers in the park, but when families come, every member of the family should be able to find an attraction that interests them.” Maurer was chosen, as with some other suppliers, because it is a local company (based in Munich): “Close to us in Bavaria there are three big factories – Zierer, Maurer and Gerstlauer,” notes the park’s managing director. “We wanted a German company because when there is a problem, they can come straight out and see us.” Bayern Park was hoping to hit the 350,000 attendance mark this year but the weather was so miserable for the first few months of the season there was no chance of getting back on track even when things brightened up towards the end of summer. For 2013 the park is planning its first ever live
show, featuring birds of prey: “Due to our roots as an animal park I think it is nice that animals will be the stars,” concludes Holzner. Fingers crossed they will also get a bit more sun.
bayern-park.de
Wildwasserrafting
Round Boat Ride
Schmetterlingstanz (Huss Sky Boat)
Burg Fellbach
The Toboggan is one of several low tech attractions in the park
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Left to right: Mrs Hochholzer Snr, friend of the park and Freischütz super fan, Elfriede Hochholzer, Silke Holzner
NOVEMBER 2012
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