Phantasialand: The Theme Park that has Everything for Everyone

By Aarushi Ganguli

Having been to my fair share of theme parks and planning to visit many more, Phantasialand will forever be one of the absolute best. Not only is it one of the biggest theme parks in the entirety of Europe, but it quite literally has something for everyone. The thrill seekers among us need to stay for days on end in order to give the park justice. When the kids complain about not wanting to go back home, it’s because they are genuinely having fun.

Phantasialand is located in the Bruhl region southwest of Cologne, putting it very close to the Dutch border and therefore more accessible to a wider group of people. Although it may have started out as just a regular fairytale theme park, it has turned into so much more. It was first founded in 1967 as the brainchild of dollmaker Richard Schimdt and his friend, businessman Gottlieb Löffelhardt. The two men bought a piece of land to exhibit the dolls Schimdt made. Each building exhibited the fairytales behind each doll. In the years following, the park expanded naturally, including the country’s first dark ride. From then on, it turned into one of the best theme parks in the world.

Each attraction is based on the theme of the designated park section, often geographical. There are China, Africa, Mexico, and Berlin sections, as well as areas of Mystery and Fantasy. There are also hotels built into the park, themed as China, Deep in Africa, and Berlin. Each hotel and area have its own style and lends itself to the uniqueness that is quintessential to the park. Going from one ride to another will not only thrill you but will also allow you to change perspectives in which you are situated within the park (with food and decorations to match), Personally speaking, my favourite area would have to be the Mexico area, purely due to the food found there as well as the wet ride rollercoaster. Additionally, the drinks found at Hotel Ling Bao were some of the best that I have ever tasted. Every penny, unlike many theme parks, is absolutely worth it.

As mentioned before, this park is also very child-friendly and has something for everyone. They have dance-themed shows throughout the day. They have different times of music playing in different areas. The rollercoasters range from those made for toddlers to those for the adrenaline thrill seekers. The dark rides are not necessarily scary for small children and entire families can go on rides together around the park. Last, but not least, there are 4D rides and madhouses that allow people to put themselves into the ride like no other, something I have not witnessed in many other parks around the world.

Phantasialand brings with it its own charm, with different parts of the park based on different areas in the world, such as the Potsdam-inspired square in the centre of the park. The food options, if you go to the right places, are different from what we are used to, such as spicy nachos with drizzled cheese. This place is the place to spend a family vacation where everyone will have fun. So, go book a room in the theme-inspired hotels and have a relaxed vacation—that I can guarantee.