Sven: Europe isn’t always sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. One of theme parks biggest enemies is the weather. Both too rainy and too scorching can be deadly for attendance. That’s why parks invest in indoor attractions. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re good rides! Let’s have a look at Europe’s best (completely) indoor coasters!
5) Revolution/Mount Mara – Bobbejaanland
A theme park icon for Belgium is this one-of-a-kind Vekoma Illusion coaster. It doesn’t only feature the longest coaster train in the world, it’s probably one of the longest “lift-hills” as well. Once you’ll ride, you’ll definitely feel the 90’s vibe right away. Revolution reaches a max speed of 31.1 mph (50 km/h) which is perfect for both fans and families alike. They added a VR experience in 2016, adding a second name to the ride: Mount Mara. Not a bad experience at all, but personally we prefer the classic. By the way, Revolution is celebrating its 30thbirthday this year! Congrats!
4) Inferno – Cinecittà World
Cinecittà World, a fairly new theme park in Italy near Rome, features only a few coasters. Even though it isn’t the most thrilling, Inferno probably holds the crown for best in the park according to many. Originally, the ride opened under the name Darkmare, which changed in 2017. This Family Drop coaster by Intamin holds fun for the whole family, reaching a top speed of 43.5 mph (70 km/h). Theming wise, you can expect a mix of sets with projections completely in the dark. The highlight being of course the drop section! Thus a pretty modern indoor coasters that deserves its spot in the top 5!
3) Van Helsing’s Factory – Movie Park Germany
Ready to go kill vampires? Well, let’s head to Movie Park Germany for a very unique Gerstlauer Bobsled coaster. Stats wise you’ll be very surprised as the max height is only 26.3 feet (8 m) high. Yet, this isn’t just your average Family Bobsled. Because of the way it is designed, it always feels a lot faster than you think. The theming isn’t incredible, but does feature some cool effects. One of them being a mist curtain which always gives such a surprise once you go through. Before Star Trek, this was the best coaster at the park and it’s still a hidden gem in the European coaster kingdom.
2) Winja’s – Phantasialand
Okay, so here we have a special case. These Maurer Spinning coasters are considered indoor because they are built inside an enclosed structure for more than just the rides. Nevertheless, this makes this pair of coasters two of Europe’s best indoor coasters. (So yes, we kinda cheated into fitting 6 coasters in a top 5). But let’s face it, these rides have been around since 2002 and are still known for being innovative. The surprises along the way are real mindf*cks if it’s your first time riding. Additionally, you have the choice between Winja Force and Winja Fear, the latter one being our favorite. By the way, these rides are a perfect way to start your day to avoid long queues later on!
1) Space Mountain – Disneyland Paris
It might not come as a surprise, but the best indoor coaster in Europe is without a doubt Space Mountain – de la Terra a la Lune / Space Mountain: Mission 2 / Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain: Rebel Mission. What’s in a name! Many prefer the original, but the current Star Wars version is definitely a crowd pleaser. The ride doesn’t only have one of the best buildings to hold a coaster in the world, it’s one of the few indoor inversion coasters as well. The steampunk theming really looks stunning, but the cherry on top of the cake is when the canon is working. It’s known to be a rough ride, but the new trains definitely helped solve that partially. We’re excited for what will happen once they remove the Star Wars layout! #Bringbackthemoon
Honorable Mentions
We do need to add some honorable mentions that almost made the list too. Psyké Underground at Walibi Belgium for example has been completely indoor since 2013. Yet, it doesn’t really feel as an indoor coaster compared to the others. Eurosat – Can Can Coaster, the renewed classic at Europa-Park can’t be forgotten either. Yet the ride experience isn’t as good as the others. Vogel Rok at the Efteling also deserves a mention as being a perfect family coaster for the park. Last but not least, there’s Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster at the Walt Disney Studios. It’s not a unique coaster plus it’s about to get a big transformation, so that’s we preferred the other rides. Nevertheless, all four deserve you consideration to ride!
Thank you for checking out this list! Stay tuned for a weekly list coming your way on thecoasterkings.com!
All coasters are enclosed coasters, except the Winja Fear and Winja Force. They are the only indoor coasters.
Correct, but by Indoor we do mean both terms 😉