I visited Phantasialand as a teenager with my parents, and now it seemed natural to visit it with my own children. Of course, a lot has changed here; there are more and more rides, especially for older children, and the park keeps growing and growing. We had 3 days to take a close look at everything; here are our experiences:
Phantasialand in Brühl
Phantasialand is a wonderful theme park with a wide variety of attractions. There is something for everyone, young and old, and I predict: the day will be too short.
Here is some helpful information about the theme park to ensure your visit is a pleasant one:
Family Service:The Family Service is located right by the horse carousel. Here you can get tips, information, and an extensive range of services for families visiting the park. Furthermore, you will find a separate nursing corner and a changing table, or the opportunity to retreat so the little ones can get some rest. When we were there, there was also a collection pass that children could fill with stamps by riding certain attractions and receive a certificate at the end. You can also get children's wristbands here, on which the child's name and your mobile number can be written. In addition, a child buggy can be rented here. The daily fee is € 3.00; an ID and € 20.00 are deposited as a security deposit. Another great option is renting a handcart, where the daily fee is € 2.00, and an ID and € 20.00 are also deposited as a security deposit. Note: the handcart is not suitable for transporting children. Upon request, there are also carts for children – but please note that the number is limited. The park is very accessible with a buggy and stroller; there are paths without steps and elevators everywhere.
Reducing waiting times:A big problem in the park is certainly the waiting times. On busy days, you can spend quite some time in the queue, which is not very pleasant, especially with children. But there are ways to deal with this too. For one, there are display boards throughout the park that list the current waiting times. A very nice option is 'Baby-Switch': On larger attractions, it is usually the case that parents often have to ride separately. To save yourself from queuing a second time, simply ask the staff about Baby-Switch, and your partner can enter the attraction directly through the exit and ride along.
Another great option is the Quick-Pass, with which up to 4 people can get faster access to selected attractions on the day of purchase. The Quick-Pass is available for € 15.00 at all entrance ticket counters and at the receptions of the LING BAO and MATAMBA hotels. Note: Not all attractions are available with the Quick-Pass, only those marked.
Equipment:Definitely pay attention to good footwear, especially do not equip children with slides or flip-flops, because for some attractions you are only allowed to enter with sturdy footwear (as seen at Hotel Tartüff: a woman with slides had to get out of the elevator!). You will definitely get wet on the water rides; some pros brought rain capes. At the Chiapas water ride, there is a full-body dryer at the exit for drying off.
Berlin: Bolle’s Flight School
Little pilots will get their money's worth at Bolle’s Flight School. Whether in a biplane or a zeppelin, children can fly really high here.
- Suitable for:Children over 1 m may fly alone; under 1 m, an adult must be on board
- Fun factor:Great for smaller children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Berlin: Bolle’s Ferris Wheel
A small Ferris wheel for children can also be found in the Berlin theme area. Here, 4 children can get into each gondola and spin around nicely.
- Suitable for:Children over 0.9 m may ride alone; under 0.9 m, an adult must be in the gondola
- Fun factor:Great for smaller children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Berlin: Horse Carousel
A very classic carousel that will delight not only children. On the back of horses or comfortably in a carriage, you can take a leisurely spin here. By the way, it is the largest double-decker horse carousel in Europe.
- Suitable for:Children over 1.10 m may ride alone; under 1.10 m, an adult must be on the carousel
- Fun factor:Great for young and old
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Berlin: Maus au Chocolat
State of emergency here! The mice are loose in the imperial cake factory, and the master exterminator Oskar Koslowski urgently needs help. Wonderful ride with 3D effects: You get 3D glasses, get into a train where you are armed with a spray gun, and ride leisurely through a lovingly decorated cake factory on a mouse hunt. A must for children and adults who are young at heart.
- Suitable for:Children between 0.9 and 1.20 m may ride with an adult; under 0.9 m they are not allowed to ride; taller than 1.20 m they may ride alone.
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:Yes
Berlin: Wellenflug
In the middle of Kaiserplatz in Berlin stands this chain carousel. Over water features with fountains, you take a fascinating flight high up to the treetops.
- Suitable for:Children between 1 m and 1.20 m may ride with an adult; under 1 m they are not allowed to ride; taller than 1.20 m they may ride alone.
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Berlin: The Crazy Hotel Tartüff
In the crazy Hotel Tartüff, you start a hotel tour of a different kind through 27 rooms spread over 3 floors. But something is strange, going wrong, or oddly twisted. Furniture hangs from the ceiling or walls, pictures blow air, and floors rotate and move. The walk through a glass labyrinth is exciting – it's thrilling to see if you can find the exit.
- Suitable for:Children between 1 m and 1.20 m may go through with an adult; under 1 m they are not allowed in; taller than 1.20 m they may go in alone.
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
- Extra tip:Do not let small children go through the glass labyrinth alone; go ahead as an adult, as they might get scared that they won't find their way out or run into the glass wall.
Africa: Black Mamba
The 'Queen of Snakes' awaits with rollovers, loops, and corkscrews. A lightning-fast ride through dark abysses and canyons, past rugged rock walls and over a roaring waterfall, which you won't forget anytime soon.
- Suitable for:over 1.40 m up to a maximum height of 1.95 m, minimum age 10 years
- Fun factor:Great for teenagers and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:Yes
- Extra tip:Should not eat too much beforehand ?
China Town: Feng Ju Palace
In the Feng Ju Palace, a story awaits you in which good and evil compete against each other. First, you see a film about it and are then invited into a large hall where you can take a seat. And then everything familiar is turned upside down: is the room really rotating? Is the floor moving?
- Suitable for: Children under 1.20 m may go through with an adult; taller than 1.20 m they may go in alone.
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
China Town: Ghost Rickshaw
Immerse yourself in a mysterious world of Chinese mythology with evil spirits and demons. Here you ride comfortably in beautiful shells in pairs or threes past artfully designed puppets – all in the dark. Eerily beautiful. The Ghost Rickshaw is Europe's longest underground ghost train.
- Suitable for:Children under 1.3 m may only ride with an adult
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
- Extra tip:Small children might be afraid in the dark; our 7-year-old didn't mind
Fantasy: Winja’s Fear & Force
In Wuze Town, a daring challenge awaits you in the form of two spinning coasters. After a big climb, you go winding down into the depths, and with gondolas that are always spinning, so that you sometimes look forward or backward. Winja’s Force seemed a bit more in the dark to me, but the two are very similar. A clear recommendation from me for coaster fans!
- Suitable for:Minimum height 1.3 m, maximum height 2.0 m. Between 1.3 m and 1.4 m, riding is only allowed when accompanied by an adult. Minimum age 8 years. Between 8 and 10 years, children may only ride with an adult
- Fun factor:Great for older children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:Yes
Fantasy: Wakobato
A wonderful boat trip awaits you at Wakobato. Here you cross a beautiful world of water plants and can use Wuze water pistols to clean the memorial stones of the Wuze ancestors and chase away frogs.
- Suitable for:Children over 1.20 m may ride alone; under 1.2 m an adult must be on the ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Tittle Tattle Tree
In Wuze Town, you overcome gravity in the gondolas. Up and down you go in the center of Wuze Town.
- Suitable for:Children over 1.1 m may ride alone; under 1.1 m an adult must be on the ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults too
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Würmling Express
Here you can enjoy a beautiful ride at a lofty height. Along the shore of Lake Moon, you start a great voyage of discovery. The gondolas always fit 2 explorers.
- Suitable for:Children over 1.2 m may ride alone; under 1.2 m an adult must be on the ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults too
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: The Funny Parrot
Here the little ones can spin around in the air. But this ride is also enchanting for parents.
- Suitable for:Children over 0.9 m may ride alone; under 0.9 m an adult must be on the ride
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: The Happy Bee Hunt
In cute frogs, the little ones go on a bee hunt. Here it goes up and down and in a circle – fun for young and old.
- Suitable for:Children over 0.9 m may ride alone; under 0.9 m an adult must be on the ride
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wolke’s Air Mail
With Wolke’s Air Mail, you can take off into the air, but you have to pedal hard for that. In beautiful planes with pedals, you have to pedal diligently to fly higher.
- Suitable for:Children between 0.9 and 1.2 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 0.9 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Baumberger Maze
Outdoors, a beautiful playground awaits the children. Here, children can run around in a maze and explore everything.
- Suitable for: Children
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Phenie’s Mud Fun
Here children can wonderfully explore the variety of water. With many water channels and sand areas, there is wonderful mud.
- Suitable for: Children
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wirtl’s Pigeon Tower
To get all the way to the top here, you have to pull hard. Once at the top, the seats rotate completely and allow a wonderful view of the Wuze Valley and Baumbergen.
- Suitable for:Children between 1.0 and 1.2 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 1.0 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wözl’s Water Pedalers
In funny water pedal boats, you go across the Moon Lake of Wuze. Here you can steer the pedal boat over the water yourself and make it go faster by pedaling. A lap around the lake is allowed, then the idyllic ride is over.
- Suitable for:Children between 0.9 and 1.2 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 0.9 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
- Extra info:Non-swimmers get a life jacket
Fantasy: Bumper Klumpen
You can find bumper cars for the little ones on the upper floor of the Wuze Town children's land. Here, children can take the wheel themselves and zoom around.
- Suitable for: Children are subject to a minimum height of 1.0 m and a maximum height of 1.45 m
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wözl’s Duck Washer
You can also find Wözl’s Duck Washer on the upper floor of Wuze-Town. In cute teacups with ducks, very fast laps are made.
- Suitable for: Children under 1.0 m may go through with an adult; taller than 1.0 m they may ride alone.
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wupi’s Wabi Wipper
The free fall for the little ones: in the mini free-fall tower, it goes down quickly and back up again.
- Suitable for:Children are subject to a minimum height of 1.0 m and a maximum height of 1.45 m
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wabi’s Crawling Island
Play fun for the very little ones. Here, children from 0 to 3 years can explore the crawling island.
- Suitable for: Children from 0 to 3 years
- Fun factor:Great for very small children
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Wirtl’s Adventure Cave
Letting off steam for smaller children: fun and action with a bouncy castle to let off steam.
- Suitable for: Children from 3 to 6 years, maximum height 1.45 m
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Temple of the Night Hawk
Here you experience a ride on the longest indoor roller coaster in Europe. Without seeing whether it goes down, left, or right, you whiz through the darkness here. Incredible experience.
- Suitable for:Children between 1.0 and 1.2 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 1.0 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Hollywood Tour
Here you experience an exciting river cruise where you can get up close and personal with the greats of the Hollywood dream factory.
- Suitable for: Children under 1.30 m may ride with an adult; taller than 1.30 m they may ride alone.
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Fantasy: Octowuzy
A large water playground has been set up here for children, where you can splash around to your heart's content.
- Suitable for: Children
- Fun factor:Great for children
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Mexico: Colorado Adventure
The roller coaster in the form of a mine train races through steep curves, rocks, and canyons. Wonderful for the whole family.
- Suitable for:Children between 1.0 and 1.2 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 1.0 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:Yes
Mexico: Talocan
This is the only Suspended Top Spin in Europe. Spectacularly, your senses are confused with fire bursts, water fountains, and banks of fog. On this massive gondola, you are whirled around so much that even as a spectator, you can hardly escape this hypnotic effect.
- Suitable for: Minimum height: 1.40 m, maximum height 1.95 m, minimum age 10 years, those with too large a body circumference or thigh circumference cannot ride.
- Fun factor:For the brave ?
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Mexico: Tikal
The free-fall towers for big and small adventurers offer an exciting feeling. First, enjoy the beautiful view up to the Temple of Tlaloc, and then it goes rapidly downwards.
- Suitable for:Children between 1.0 and 1.2 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 1.0 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Mexico: Chiapas – The Water Ride
Chiapas is one of the most modern water rides with the steepest drop in the world. Between roaring waterfalls and deep canyons, this adventurous ride leads, where you can also get wet.
- Suitable for: Children between 1.2 and 1.3 m may only ride when accompanied by an adult; under 1.2 m they are not allowed to ride
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:Yes
- Extra tip:There is a full-body dryer at the exit
Mystery: Mystery Castle
Experience a free fall from a height of 65 m, and in the dark too. In seats, you are 'dropped' 65 m into the depths high up in the reverent tower of Mystery Castle.
- Suitable for:Minimum height: 1.30 m, maximum height 1.95 m, minimum age 10 years
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Indoors
- Quick Pass usage:No
Mystery: River Quest
On the rafting ride, you go in bat boats through curves and whirlpools through the medieval castle complex into the abyss. Here it can happen that you get wet.
- Suitable for: Minimum height 1.4 m, minimum age 10 years
- Fun factor:Great for children and adults
- Indoors or outdoors:Outdoors
- Quick Pass usage:Yes
Shows at Phantasialand
Throughout the park, there are also shows and performances; we didn't see all of them. Our children were very taken with the acrobats on the open-air stage in China Town. At certain times, top-class artists perform the high art of acrobatics. In the Musarteum, the exhibits come to life with fantastic acrobatics and dance and keep the night watchmen on their toes. A special film pleasure is offered by “Pirates in 4D”, where you embark on a highly turbulent treasure hunt on board with comedy legend Leslie Nielsen. With the “Ice College 2016”, breathtaking choreographies and hot rhythms are laid down on the ice surface. “JUMP!” is a show highlight with pulsating beats, captivating light effects, daring jumps, and tricks by the best trampolinists, stilt-jumpers, BMXers, and breakdancers in the world. In the adventurous cave, children experience big and small surprises with the two trolls Hack & Buddl. Miji African Dancers fascinate with rousing drum rhythms, exotic dance, and melodic singing and convey a piece of African tradition. The Drakar’ium is an explosive mix of great images, acrobatics, special effects, and music.
Accommodation at Phantasialand
At Phantasialand in Brühl, there are 2 hotels directly in the park: Hotel LING BAO in China Town and Hotel MATAMBA in Africa. We chose the family hotel MATAMBA. This is located not far from the entrance to Phantasialand, directly in front of the Black Mamba. The rooms and suites are furnished in an African style with the advantages of Western standards.
The hotel is ideal, especially for children. A play area is set up both indoors and outdoors. In the hotel, a large ball pit with many climbing opportunities is set up in the playroom. Outside, children can also climb around on wooden play equipment and let off steam. I think the climbing opportunities in front of the dining hall are a great idea, so parents can finish eating in peace. The mascot Moyo regularly picks up the children to play with them, so that parents can eat in peace here too. For breakfast and dinner, there is an extra children's buffet with very fine dishes. We only had breakfast, and it tasted very good to us; there was a large selection such as warm dishes, muesli, yogurt, fruit & vegetables, or pastries. Small treats also crept into the children's buffet. In the evening, we were also in the bar once, which is also very comfortably furnished in an African style. Here you can also sit outside and enjoy the 'jungle'.
Conclusion
First of all: We are completely thrilled and want to come back. The park is wonderfully laid out and lovely to walk through with children: there is something to eat and drink and toilets everywhere. There is an attraction for everyone. There are also a few attractions for very small children where they can climb around and let off steam. Everywhere there is child-friendly food and many treats, such as chocolate fruits, sweets, waffles, donuts, and much more. Anyone who has brought their own packed lunch will find some places where you can sit down – but on busy days, it can happen that seats run out very quickly. Even if it rains a little, there are still some attractions you can visit: Wuze-Town, Ghost Rickshaw, Maus au Chocolat, or the crazy Hotel Tartüff. For us, there was a lot going on on all 3 days, and the waiting times were often 30 to 60 minutes. With the Quick-Pass, that was a very practical solution. We didn't try the Baby-Switch.
Also read: The best amusement parks around the world
