Hansa Park | Highlander | Funtime Gyro Drop Tower

[Lofty]

I'm sure it was mentioned in the first press release that it was going to be located inside Nessie's structure, though I may be wrong?

 

[Hixee]

I think you might be right @Lofty, but I was definitely picturing it to be closer to Karnan's tower than this. I know they said they couldn't have it next to it, but it's practically the other side of the park!

I'm not complaining much though. This is going to be disgusting enough as it is without any impact of the vortices from Karnan.

 

[kai phillips]

Do you guys reckon this will be super intense or just lacklustre.

 

[Hixee]

Do you guys reckon this will be super intense or just lacklustre.

Based on my experience on the one at Nigloland, I don't think this'll be intense in terms of the drop, but hopefully it'll still be really scary! My thoughts on Le Donjon de l’Extreme from my trip last year:

Next up was the drop tower – which frankly I’d been putting off. As I’ve said before (during the Fraispertuis City section), drop towers aren’t really my thing, but I always feel obliged to ride them. Thankfully it was a walk-on, so I didn’t have much time to think about it!

The views are nice of the surrounding area (I do love the gyro-drop style towers), and the tower is actually surprisingly tall! The drop actually wasn’t as powerful as I was expecting – I think it suffered from that ‘huge drop tower ride vehicle’ syndrome. I’ve noticed this with gyro-drops before (the one at King’s Dominion springs to mind), but I actually sort of like it. Where Le Donjon de l’Extreme excels, however, is in the length of the drop. The brakes start really far down the tower, meaning you are falling for a looooong time and pick up a lot of speed. It’s really exhilarating and I really enjoyed it! I’d be back for a few re-rides throughout the day, which is rare for me on drop towers.

http://coasterforce.com/forums/thre...k-tripsdrill-trip-summary.41391/#post-1001935

 

[FistedColossus]

In my experience, the taller ones are usually less intense. Falcons Fury and Hurracan Condor are both pretty forceless compared to the likes of Detonator or Apocalypse.

 

[kai phillips]

In my experience, the taller ones are usually less intense. Falcons Fury and Hurracan Condor are both pretty forceless compared to the likes of Detonator or Apocalypse.

From experience, I found scream at Heide park pretty intense. Detentaors added intensity is because pneumatics fire it down rather than just dropping it.

 

[Lofty]

I thought that Nigloland's was ****ing terrifying - it felt like the drop was just never going to end and constantly picked speed up until it slammed on to the brakes last minute.

 

[Kw6sTheater]

Since this is being built inside Nessie's structure (Pretty freaking smart usage of space on their part), what about Rasender Roland, the Vekoma rollerskater?

 

[cookie]

Since this is being built inside Nessie's structure (Pretty freaking smart usage of space on their part), what about Rasender Roland, the Vekoma rollerskater?

Highlander is going in Nessie's helix which is well clear of Roland if that's what you're asking.

 

[kai phillips]

Heres an image for reference

 

[CSLKennyNI]

19th January - Newspaper article about the construction with a focus on the theming. Source

Sierksdorf. Hansa Park is currently like a large construction site. A few meters from the Holstentor (the entrance), the world's tallest and fastest free-fall tower is being built. The "Highlander" should offer a spectacular view over the Lübeck Bay after its completion in the coming months - although: Who can concentrate on that with the prospect of falling at a speed of 120 km / h? All of this, however, is a dream of the future.

Currently, the area between the roller coasters "Nessie" and "Racing Roland" is mostly muddy. Workers have driven a total of 19 deep foundation piles with a depth of 24 meters into the ground in recent weeks with the Fundex F2800. "Now a 4.5-meter-deep foundation is excavated with a diameter of ten meters. That's where 30 tons of reinforcement come in, "explains Hansa Park Managing Director Andreas Leicht. All this is necessary so that the 120 meter high tower with 24 seats can be firmly anchored.

For the park manager and his wife Claudia Leicht, the transformation of the terrain in the village Sierksdorf belongs to the winter routine. Construction projects are standard. However, they are not satisfied with setting up new attractions. The whole package has to be right. Piece by piece, terrain and rides are discussed. For the "Highlander" they had traveled to Scotland and looked at 13 castles and several gardens. Since the tower is located in the middle of the two roller coasters, they are also redesigned. Many of the trunks were painted anthracite gray. Simple concrete walls become historic-looking walls.

"The 'Nessie' coaster station will be demolished and completely rebuilt, in the style of Eilean Donan Castle," explains Claudia Leicht. The original castle just before the Isle of Skye attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year and is likely one of the most photographed motifs in northern Britain. In Hansa Park already first outlines of the replica are recognizable. The foundation is poured, walls are standing. The 'Nessie' had been an unthematized aluminum construction since its opening in 1979.

But that appearance does not fit anymore. The new shell will be ready by the end of January. Then the carpenters are expected to build a historic wooden roof with battlements. The outdoor area around the three rides will also be changed. Flowers, bushes and shrubs are exchanged. "We looked at Scottish plants and provided extensive documentation," explains Claudia Leicht. All the changes make up the topic "Charming Britain".

When the first visitors may venture on the 103-meter case with the "Highlander" is still open. The Leichts speak of delays caused by difficulties in setting the bored piles. However, it is now running well and at the end of February, a 140-meter-high crane will be built using two smaller cranes. At the beginning of March, the first parts of the free fall tower are expected to follow. These are produced in Austria, powder-coated in France (to protect the steel structure), brought back to Austria and then sent by heavy transport to northern Germany.

The tower foundations from the park's blog on 23rd January.

And the most recent look at the progress on the foundations from the park's blog on 1st February.

 

[Hixee]

Huge concrete tower #2 rises skyward.

I really hope they at least bother to theme it this time.

 

[CSLKennyNI]

New 2019 park map showing Highlander towering over the park.

From the park's blog showing foundation work underway.

 

[kai phillips]

I wonder if they will repaint nessie

 

[Tomatron]

Huge concrete tower #2 rises skyward.

I really hope they at least bother to theme it this time.

They will.

But give it 3 or 4 years.

 

[CSLKennyNI]

Pictures from Hansa Blog dated 15th February - the foundation for Highlander has been poured. Not long until the tower goes up!

I wonder if they will repaint nessie

As seen in the pictures Nessie has already been repainted grey.

 

[kai phillips]

Oh okay, just the rails look kinda rusted

 

[Kw6sTheater]

Would love if more parks tapped into their coasters' footprints to build other attractions inside of them, like HANSA-Park is using good ol' Nessie's helix for Highlander. I do it in my virtual amusement parks all the time.

 

[toofpikk]

It makes for complex access, foundation and infrastructure issues (depending on the location) so its not always commonly a viable option compared to an untouched space of land elsewhere in the park. You're right tho, when it's done, and done properly, its really cool.

 

[Ethan]

Sorry but from what those pictures show, that Nessie repaint looks foul. It has that 'left in a storage lot for 7 years' aesthetic. I would have made the rails the same colour as the spine, ties and supports, because as said above, to me it looks rusted.