Well going way back in these days of home living and memories come to mind perhaps otherwise not brought to your attention or mine. As said, Madrid is special for me, know the city like the palm of my hand. Been there since early teen and then more. One of the memorable moment is been able to bring my boys to the same places my mother took me. One of this was the amusement park or Parque de Atracciones de Madrid.
I like to take you on a guided tour of the amusement park. Hope you enjoy it as we did/do.
The Parque de Atracciones or amusement park, you will enjoy our favorites Nickelodeon Land, Lanzadera ,Tornado and Abismo that are rollercoasters, and the Walking Dead Experience rides. The Amusement Park in the Batán area of Casa de Campo. It has two entrance doors: by the Tranquility Zone and by Nickelodeonland, 50 meters from the Batan metro/subway station. The park can be accessed by car on the M30 beltway direction Badajoz exit/Salida Parque de Atracciones / Casa de Campo, although it is also connected to public transport by the Batán Metro station line 10 and by bus lines 33 (Principe Pio-Casa de Campo ), 55 (Atocha-Batàn) and 65 (Plaza Jacinto Benavente-Colonia Gran Capitàn. However, when I came with the family we went there by taking the cable car or téléferico de Madrid (see post) from Paseo del Pintor Rosales in Parque del Oeste.
The history of the Parque de Atracciones of Madrid began on May 15, 1969. And I first visited with Mom in 1972!!! Several attractions quickly became well known, such as El Tobogán, Los Coches de Shock, Labyrinth of Mirrors, 7 Picos, Enterprise, Los Piratas, El Valle de la Prehistory, El Pulpo or Jet Star. Over time, the park has undergone several renovations, in which they have been closing, opening and replacing attractions. In 1998 the most important renovation to date was carried out to remodel the park and convert it into a theme park. This complete remodeling consisted of dividing the park into 5 zones, adapting the visual appearance and name of the attractions to their corresponding zones, filling the pathways with decorations, and multiplying the number of souvenir shops, as well as increasing the number of performances. In that same year 1998, the Parque de Atracciones, together with the Zoo Aquarium, Aquópolis and the télferico of Madrid or cable car, joined the Parques Reunidos company. I brought my boys here in 2005.
The Parque de Atracciones or amusement park is today divided into four zones, in which the attractions are distributed. Until April 2012 it also had one more area, called La Gran Avenida,(too bad we love it) which has now been framed within the Tranquility Zone. These four zones are describe as follows by yours truly.
Zona de Tranquilidad or tranquility zone: La Jungla or Jungle Open Ride in which a boat goes through different scenarios pretending to be the jungle. In 2000 its route was reduced and they changed the way station to be able to install Río Encantado there. Zeppelin: It is a suspended monorail, whose gondolas are in the shape of zeppelins, which go around the park at a height of about 10 meters. Star Flyer :chains that rise to 81 meters high, being the highest attraction in the park. Virtual simulator : simulator in which a film is projected while the seats move according to the movements that take place in it to give the feeling that what is being simulated is real.
Zona del Maquinismo or Machinism Zone: Abismo or Abyss The climb is made on a 90º plane that finally ends with the cars upside down, while making a corkscrew. From there, the roller coaster begins at a speed of 105 km / h, going through all kinds of investments, corkscrews and banked curves. Tarantula: It is a long and intense roller coaster 25.5 meters high and 630 meters long in cars with capacity for four people, sitting in pairs and with their backs turned. Tornado: inverted roller coaster, The track is located at the top of the seats, unlike conventional roller coasters, allowing the public to enjoy the sensation of traveling hanging, seeing at all times the landscape that passes by their feet. La Lanzadera: A free fall of 63 meters at 80 km / h in 3 seconds, after a stop at the top of approximately 4 seconds, from where you can enjoy good views of Madrid. Cave of Tarantulas: the cars carry pistols that will be used throughout the trip to shoot all the targets that are in the cave. These targets are giant moving tarantulas. Aserradero or sawmill: Mounted passengers in themed boats as if they were logs, they will go through up to two slopes: a small one practically as soon as they leave the station, and a larger one in the middle of the route. Sillas Voladoras or flying chairs: Consists of chairs hanging from a chain. The area above which the chains are hung rotates, giving the feeling that the chairs are flying. In addition, it will rise in height as it progresses. La Màquina or the Machine: The attraction is a circular platform, hanging from a central beam, with capacity for 40 people who will look inside. The beam will move in a pendular way from right to left, reaching movements of up to 180º. In turn, the platform rotates on the axis that joins it to the central beam. Top Spin: The only attraction that still exists that has kept its original name after the redevelopment of the park. Its operation is similar to a giant swing with two rows of seats with capacity for 40 people, first performing back and forth movements back and forth to finally spin, with a second axis of rotation where the rows of seats are held. Rotor: The attraction is formed by a 32-meter tower through which a structure that holds 28 gondolas ascends, distributed in 4 circles. Those 4 circles will go around as the structure ascends, placing the gondola horizontally in certain positions. Typhoon: Its operation is similar to the attraction La Maquina, being this one softer and oriented to a younger audience. Its biggest difference is that the seats are arranged outwards and that the nacelle moves on a track instead of making a pendulum movement, thus achieving a less dizzy feeling.
Zona de la Naturaleza or nature zone: TNT – Tren de la Mina: mine train. Despite being an attraction also for children, it reaches 17.5 meters in height and 55 km / h. Vertigo: It is a wild mouse type roller coaster, which does not reach great speed but has very rapid and abrupt changes of direction. Los Rapidos or the Rapids: Mounted on a circular tire, 8 people will be navigating the river prepared to simulate a raft descent. Travelers will go through rapids, areas where there is no way to avoid water. Los Fiordos or the Fjords: After climbing a 15-meter slope and seeing the landscape, the boat falls down a ramp, landing in the water and creating a wave that drenches all the people who are in it. There is a bridge as a viewpoint, just in front of the descent ramp, where people also end up soaking wet after the boat fell. Tiovivo or merry-go-round: It is the classic carousel or merry-go-round of wheelies and other animals. It is the park’s longest running attraction (even older than the park, from 1927) that is still in operation. 4D Cinema: Cinema room where a film with holographic technology will be shown.
Nickelodeon Land: Splash Bash: Aquatic attraction consisting of six rotating gondolas on a rotating platform. Patrulla Canina or dog patrol: roller coaster themed in the television series Patrulla Canina. Hero Spin: Themed in the TV series SpongeBob, it is an attraction similar to the well-known octopus or grasshopper, with the difference that in this the gondolas are cars, which you control with a button inside each car. Nickelodeon Express: elevated train that travels throughout Nickelodeon Land. Al Bosque con Diego: bus-shaped cabin that makes 360-degree turns similar to the hands of a clock. Los Globos Locos or the crazy balloons: Eight hot air balloons on a rotating central axis. The circle above the axis that holds the balloons rotates at the same time as the axis, but with an undulating movement. Padrinos Voladores: the only suspended roller coaster in Spain, with a route similar to that of a wild mouse. Jimmy Neutron’s magneto: a drop tower like the one placed in the Zona del Maquinismo, only this differs in that its height is much lower and in which its route is motorized ; there is no free fall. Cazamedusas de Patricio: or Patrick’s jellyfish hunter: Similar to Splash Bash, but not aquatic. As in the classic attractions known as tazas locas or crazy cups, several rotating gondolas intermingle with others thanks to the rotating platforms on which they are located. La Aventura de Dora or Dora’s adventure: Tour on board a Jeep through a forest with characters from the animated series Dora the Explorer. Coches de Choque de Rugrats or Rugrats bumper cars: Classic bumper car attraction, but smaller, since it is childish. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles License: a children’s attraction in which to learn how to drive a small car on a tour set in a city. Water Games: aquatic attraction formed by different jets of water to cool off.
There are services and restaurants in each zone for your comfort and great lunch experience with the family. In all a great park right at the door of the city of Madrid. Wonderful family souvenirs at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid. Hope you enjoy it as we did.
Some webpages to help you plan your trip here and a family must are
Official Parque de Atracciones de Madrid
Tourist office of Madrid on the Parque de Atracciones
And there you go another childhood memories of my Madrid. Never forgotten and now so lucky to be able to bring my boys on them too and relive again the joy of adolecent living in the movida city of Madrid, my Madrid. Hope you enjoy the Parque de Atracciones as I/we did/do.
And remember , happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 