Europa-Park Ready for Season Kick-off, Giving a Glimpse into “GRAND PRIX EDventure”

(eap) Europa-Park in Rust is ready for the start of its anniversary season: on Saturday, March 22, Germany’s largest theme park opens its gates again and has some surprises in store for visitors to celebrate its 50^th anniversary. One of the highlights over the next few months will be the opening of the new dark ride attraction “GRAND PRIX EDventure”, which will offer interactive family ride fun to match the upcoming movie “Grand Prix of Europe” (cinema release: July 12) with the Europa-Park mascots Ed and Edda.

© EAP Magazin

Construction work on the novelty, which is a Gameplay Theater attraction from Mack Rides and Lagotronics Projects, is currently in full swing. The new ride experience will transport guests in gondolas through several media-based scenes where interactive challenges await them. In the role of Ed & Edda’s racing crew members, visitors can look forward to breathtaking landscapes and thrilling racing scenes in which team spirit will be required... “As an interactive family attraction, the Gameplay Theater is great fun for guests and also has a very good capacity. Even Disney and Universal have already shown interest in the concept,” says Europa-Park owner Roland Mack proudly.

Ann-Kathrin Mack & Frederik Mack (r.) © EAP Magazin

At the season kick-off press conference, it was announced that Ann-Kathrin Mack, daughter of Roland Mack, has been appointed Managing Partner. Frederik Mack, son of Jürgen Mack, is now also part of the management team as a partner and authorized signatory.

“Our guests are always at the center of everything we do. We owe our 50th anniversary in particular to the millions of visitors who have been with us for decades. My father always says 'The guest is our employer' and I think that sums it up perfectly, because this feedback from the enthusiasm of our guests is our motivation to do something new every year and get better and better. And of course, as an architect myself, I have the goal of creating experiences that will emotionally resonate with our guests. For us, it's not just about the ride, but about the overall experience. We want to immerse guests in a unique world and that is the reason why we continuously invest in new features every year, but at the same time value the park - especially the classics - and keep renewing it so that there is always something new for guests to see. And ultimately, we want our guests to have an unforgettable experience with us, regardless of whether it's their first or fiftieth visit,” says Ann-Kathrin Mack.

“It is this long-term thinking as a family business that is extremely important. It's not without reason that we say we don't think in quarters, but in generations! We can make decisions that may only pay off in 5, 10 or even 20 years, which many other companies simply can't do. I think these long-term decisions and mutual trust have always set us apart,” says Frederik Mack, explaining what makes the family business stand out.

From the start of the season, guests can enjoy the numerous other rides and attractions at Europa-Park, which this year will also include a new parade and various themed festivals under the anniversary motto “Experience.Europe.Together”. In addition, the water world Rulantica, the VR experience attraction YULLBE and the upscale gastronomy experience Eatrenalin are attracting visitors to Rust.

Find out more about “GRAND PRIX EDventure” in our next EAP magazine issue. The latest March/April edition reports on the 50-year history of the park developed by the Mack family, which is now one of the world’s leading leisure destinations – click here to access the issue. ■