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Phantasialand | F. L. Y. | Vekoma Launched Flying Coaster | 2020

^No I didn't get a chance to, and when I went past later they had closed up the gap.

A bit more detail though about the passage though. As previously known the passage is covered with a glass roof however in the open space under it there are a number of features. The large clock (which is functional and shows the correct time) is on the wall above the entrance to the actual tunnel, under the workshops behind, into Rookburgh. Above the clock is a large window similar in style to those depicted on the Rookburgh art. Around them; red brick walls with riveted steel beams.

On the site itself there didn't appear to be anything happening yesterday. The Barth crane for track installation was sitting on the roof of the station. The first supports have been erected on this level (on top of the underground station). One finished support is at a 90° angle. Presumably this will be a heavily banked curve.
A concrete building and wall has also been built here (in fact one of the supports goes through the building); along the edge of the site between the new large towers and the high level of ground, where the entrance of Race for Atlantis once was, behind Maus au Chocolat.
Since there is no visible gap or archway in the new building and wall, the only flat level location now where there could be a step-free path/transition between Fantasy and Rookburgh is inbetween and under the large towers next to Wuze Town.

Directly at the end of the launch and break run tunnels there is a new large support (the massive supports parts where pictured a couple of pages ago on the back of a lorry). It looks almost like a stretched out upside down V or a large archway. It will hold both the launch track exiting the tunnel and the track going into the neighbouring break run tunnel.

Across the site there are a lot, and I mean a lot, of supports lying around/being stored. Given the complex and compact nature of the site they can't afford to having all that lying around for ages so I definitely think in the next few weeks we will see a lot of track installation.

Thanks for the updates CSLKennyNI! :)

I'm in the park tomorrow and wednesday and I stay at hotel Matamba. We'll have a room with parkview so I'll make some pictures from my room (if I didn't forgot). ;)
 
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Progress on the theming of these building is coming along well. The corner stones/blocks of the large building have been painted. The small building on the right (with a triangular shaped roof) has been themed with old cracked brickwork walls. The left side has been made to look like a plastered wall but due to its age patches have crumbled off exposing the bricks underneath. Seems like quite a nice finish. And varies the from the clean new style of bricks seen elsewhere.

Also new large support is now visible from Fantasy. A number of others were also erected on this side of the site. The tall support there is the first in a row which together will form a highly banked curve which ends low to the ground in the flying position. Plus a small stand alone support (for inverted flying track) on the edge of the station roof towards the centre of the site, and another tall incomplete support to the left of the two ones seen the in last site pictures from Looopings.

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3 of the 4 towers on the Berlin side of the site have one of those crane/outrigger/bridge things attached. Visible from the Wurmling Express.
 
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That does look rather nice.

My only comment, and it's only half-critisising, is that it does look a bit link a pinch-point. I assume there will be a second entrance round towards Winjas? Although I suppose to be fair they're hardly working with acres of space. ;)
 
That does look rather nice.

My only comment, and it's only half-critisising, is that it does look a bit link a pinch-point. I assume there will be a second entrance round towards Winjas? Although I suppose to be fair they're hardly working with acres of space. ;)
There's the gate between Maus au Chocolat and the 4D cinema in the corner of Kaiserplatz which will almost certainly be another entrance. And there's a space between the towers next to Wuze Town which presumably will be another. Also the steps up to where Race for Atlantis' entrance used to be are still in place so that could also be used.
 
I love it! The color choices are great and it makes me even more excited to see the final product!
 
What I noticed and made me curious is what the shielding attached at the windows above the clock is hiding... ;)

It just could be to shield the site or maybe there's something behind it.
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I also made a picture from my room on the second floor of hotel Matamba, as promised but you can't see much but it's something. :)
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(I made screenshots because the pictures were too big to upload, so sorry for that.)
 
What I noticed and made me curious is what the shielding attached at the windows above the clock is hiding... ;)

It just could be to shield the site or maybe there's something behind it.
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I also made a picture from my room on the second floor of hotel Matamba, as promised but you can't see much but it's something. :)
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(I made screenshots because the pictures were too big to upload, so sorry for that.)
THAT IS THE VIEW FROM YOUR ROOM!?!?!

That's sexual.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
As I've nothing better to do with my spare time here's an analysis of the new entrance portal.
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Views of how the gate fit into the Berlin street fronts.
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There has been some discussion on a few sites about whether there will be anything to fill the gap left between the facades either side. Some are not happy as they think disturbs the street. Could there be a theming element on top - Zeppelin, Hot Air Balloon, a dome or something?
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Personally I don't think so. When you look at this picture from a higher view point taken by Chris Theis, Executive Assistant at PHL, there isn't much space and no visible points for connecting anything on top.
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The interior still very much fits with the 1920s Berlin theme but its noticeably more industrial and darker with the riveted steel balconies and beams, metal pipes, bare bricks, large windows (similar to those on the Rookburgh concept art) and caged lights. The start of the style transition into the more industrial and steampunk world of Rookburgh.

Given the Berlin similarities and the name on the archway I take it that Rookburgh will be new world within the Berlin themed area - like how Klugheim is a theme world within the Mystery area, and Wuze Town and the Wuze Valley are within the Fantasy Area.
Last year after the announcement I believed it would be another world within Fantasy but thinking about it and seeing things develop I would now agree with all those who think it will be part of Berlin. I now envision Rookburgh as an industrial district of Berlin. After all Phantasialand's Berlin is not a historic representation but a whimsical and fantastical version of the 1920s - one with bakeries over run by mice which you fight by shooting chocolate at them, a crazy hotel where everything is on the ceiling and street characters walking their invisible dog. So walking down this dark side alleyway down into an industrial area which is steampunk rather than historically accurate would work. Also further evidence for it being part of Berlin would be that the park confirmed last year that Rookburgh is pronounced/spoken as a German word.

The clock is functional and tells the correct time. The writing on it is hand painted to give it an authentic historic look.
It reads:
Markus Grossmann
Glashütte 1/5 A
Made in Germany

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I can't find anything about a 'Markus Grossmann' but there was a clock and watch maker called 'Moritz Grossmann'. The name still lives on in new watch making company which has the same logo as the one on the Rookburgh clock. Perhaps this company may possibly have made the clock for PHL? I imagine they were involved in some form as their historic name has been adapted for Phantasialand's version of 1920s Berlin.
https://www.grossmann-uhren.com

Also Glashütte is a town in Saxony, Germany known for being the birthplace of the German watchmaking industry.
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The metal work may seem fresh and new but the brick walls all have this nice aged finish. Gotta love Universal Rocks.

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On the ceiling under the balconies the two lights have small fake dials/gauges of some sort attached to their cables a little touch of steampunk theming coming through there perhaps?
At the back the two large steel gates, behind which is the tunnel into Rookburgh. I've seen a few people elsewhere say they are getting a bit of a Diagon Alley vibe from it. Which I do agree with. It will certainly be some experience - walking off the Berlin Street into a side alleyway, down the tunnel and then emerging into another world, similar to Berlin but not quite, with F.L.Y. going directly overhead.
Only thing is the other entrances to the area will probably pale in comparison as they can't offer such an experience (although I'd love to be surprised).
On the left some additional outdoor seating for the new for 2018 Lilli's Cafe on the right which now as an extra side entrance/exit.
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From the inside looking out.
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Hats off to Phantasialand though for creating more hype and excitement without any official announcement or releasing any videos or pictures. Just quietly opening up the gate without saying anything or any fanfare as a tease of what is to come.

I've said before in this thread the marketing and blog/video updates from the park for Taron started mid/late August 2015 so I expect we won't get anything else until next month.
 
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I guess the integration into Berlin should also be justification enough to leave Rookburgh with "only" F.L.Y. as the only attraction (which is what I'm expecting at this point, looking at how the construction site is progressing). Oh well, I think this will be fine. There's two dark-rides on the chopping block with Rikscha and Hollywood Tour, and I'd much rather see them using the area to it's fullest potential for one monstrous coaster. At this point, I can totally imagine how they are going to fit the world's longest flyer into this plot of land.
 
Someone made a new sketch of how the building is probably going to progress. It shows that the coaster will go through the tower/ wall against Wuze Town and then into another building.

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Could it be the building of the concept-art? Then the wall against Wuze Town is hidden behind the man.
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