Spooky Halloween Weeks, Europa Park

It’s often said that Europe, particularly the UK, languishes behind the USA in terms of Halloween events, as the grim idea of the event has yet to catch on this side of the continent, the original concept of Halloween being an American Pagan idea.

However, it seems that in the case of Germany’s Europa Park, it simply gives them an excuse to embrace something at the time of year when the air gets a little chillier, and when the park is traditionally quieter.  But while most parks dabble in spooking up their grounds, Europa Park takes no prisoners.

In fact, it’s almost as if the park is determined to make sure that any Halloween sceptics come out with a wide pumpkin shaped grin embedded on their face.

Pumpkin is the key word for Europa’s Halloween event – 120,000 of the things, in fact. Flowing out of fountains, peering from the top of buildings, surrounding each and every lamppost (the lights of which are even each emblazoned with a chirpy pumpkin face) and sitting in ride stations, you’ll never be so impressed with a volume of vegetables.

And while at some points the numbers can get ridiculous, their inclusion is tasteful – a lot of Europa’s thematically gifted ‘countries’ are left untouched by this orange melee. Italy, France and Germany’s entrance area taking on most of the decoration duties.

Germany is most impressive, the park’s quaint opening playing host not only to thousands of pumpkins, but with each building covered in cobwebs, as if strewn by a giant spider – one of which is indeed visible hanging off the side of Guest Services. Entertainers, including park mascot Euro Maus, in a special Halloween costume, dance and greet passing guests, a nice distraction until at the end of the street, guest find themselves further impressed – unwittingly standing underneath a huge metallic spider, eyes alight with blue electricity.

The decoration is genius, and probably not worth describing anymore – it’s grim and spooky, without being at all macabre, and the pumpkin invasion is only at all startling for a few minutes, before it blends in surprisingly well with the season’s generally blustery atmosphere. Never before have I witnessed has a park performed such a feat so magnificently over the top, yet at the same time, tastefully sparing.

Variations include the park’s thirtieth birthday cake adorned with the blighters, Italy’s Ferrero Rocher style pumpkin pyramid, and a talking, smoke breathing pumpkin headed German farmer animatronic.  

Music, could be improved – there's only so many times you can hear The Nightmare Before Christmas’ ‘This is Halloween’, without its whimsical sound grating on your nerves.

The obvious irony here in this recording being the repetition of the lyric, ‘This is Halloween’… a daft reminder, when in the company of more spooky décor than every branch of Birthdays in the country. Other selections include the park’s own Halloween tune, its rock overtones put to great use on Eurosat, but less effectively on the quaint streets of home country Germany.

If Chessington’s Hocus Pocus event offers much style over substance, and Thorpe Park’s Fright Nights provided vica versa, Europa Park typically offers healthy doses of both these ingredients, with the main advantage being a spell of quality.

One of the main attractions is a seasonal variation on the park’s daily afternoon parade, albeit; if you haven’t guessed packed full of cobwebs and pumpkins, most notably a small army of furry, walking ones.

It’s not Disney quality – however, it’s more than pleasant, nicely lengthy and well managed, it’s long route around the park really benefiting crowd wise, and as it is particularly popular with the younger set, offers plenty of good viewing positions for small ones.

The music is, unsurprisingly, The Nightmare Before Christmas, suggesting the park have bought the whole of composer Danny Elfman’s back catalogue when planning the event.

Floats include a Ghost Train packed full of characters, a huge pumpkin puppet, a procession of jolly witches, along with various characters from dwarves to zombies interacting with passing crowds. Particularly impressive is the pair of human scarecrows, jollily jogging along the route – one whilst skilfully atop a five foot rubber ball, and the other meandering aboard a unicycle.

The procession finishes with Euro Maus and Missus Maus, and his Elephant friend all aboard a hearse dragged helpfully along by odd winged creatures.

Live entertainment further stretches across the ‘Pumpkin Kingdom’ – as well as characters from the parade, and some rather creepy bloodied monks patrolling the park, even the shows are re-keyed for the month of October.

The popular Ice Show ‘Surprise’ gains a Halloween motif and décor, and your friend and mine, Euro Maus, offers a Halloween revue on stage in Italy. Puppeteers are present throughout with spooks on strings, and a wander through Russia could bring you at the foot of a stilt walking witch, or enjoying the sounds of a tuneful singing vampire.

During two days at the park, it can honestly be said I never came across the same entertainer more than twice, and constantly ran into a friendly fiend I hadn’t wandered into the path of before.

Elsewhere, visitors can drop into Halloween craft stalls and face painting areas, allowing parents to browse while their children enjoy a cheap, cheery and suitable transformation into the beast of their choice.

Even the rides gain haunted identity – Eurosat vaguely becomes the Pumpkin Coaster, it’s already lively interior benefiting from suitably spooky projections – a nice touch. Meanwhile, Spain’s Feria Swing flat ride enjoys a Vampish touch of decoration, and offers the seasonal novelty of spinning backwards as well as forwards. 

Of course, Halloween is traditionally associated with fear and horror, and although Europa Park remains on family terms, this sort of entertainment can be found within the terraces of Greece. 

‘Horror Catacombs’ bear a prison theme, within the walls of which the inmates are creepier than you imagine. Through several dark scenes, including an encounter with a lunatic in house doctor, expect a fair few jumps, aided by the fact the actors are welcome to touch victims – however, a glance at the giggles from guests as they scarper out suggests this is much more in the name of fun than similar attractions.

Realising the popularity of this attraction, it remains open from 12PM daily, with the park transforming a typically low capacity venture into something of a people eater – fifteen guests are allowed inside by inmates on an alarmingly regular basis, before the nature of the journey reduces each group size.

Further opportunity for scares can be found in the Gheisterschloss’ Haunted House ride, with creepy actors lurking in both the queue and ride areas, and upon exiting the park – although smartly, the actors pick those to scare carefully, meaning as few screaming children as possible.

Somewhere in the graveyard between jumping out of your skin, and laughing at a fumbling friendly ghost, is the park’s transformation of Magic Cinema 4D’s ‘Pandavision’ into ‘Haunted House 4D’ – this highly commendable treat is well suited for any one above pre-teen.

The huge screen, combined with the variety of in house effects, water, air, smell, and a beautiful computer generated film, in which plucky guests experience attacks from anything and including rats, snakes and evil child’s toys is all done in the best of humour and smartly, from the point of view of an adventurous local cat.

With unique special effects, including some special surprises just for Halloween, and an immersive atmosphere, this far surpasses anything usually undertaken as a month long investment and a fantastic and eye opening temporary transformation. 

I defy any family to take a spooky trip to Europa Park this Halloween, or next, and not be somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer wealth of effort the park have placed on the brief transformation – those in the on site hotels can even find crafty decoration through the corridors and lobbies. 

Even the continent’s other family player for Halloween, Disneyland Resort Paris, don’t take the time to surround the drive up to the park with huge rustic straw witches, or adorn the side of a hotel resort with a twenty five foot arachnid.

Judging by visitor numbers, happy screams and laughing, and the way the event has grown over the past few years, shows such unparalleled effort does not go un-noticed by regular and infrequent visitors.

Such a great programme of events, and balance of ideas and sheer detail are unmatched across Europe (PortAventura’s much reputed line up tends to lean towards a more overall frightening experience), and with the park at normal price (itself, over a third less than said happy family would pay for Tussauds or Disney’s autumnal efforts) the park and event represents astoundingly good value for money.  

From 28th October to the 7th November, guests can experience the full ‘Halloween Festival’ celebration, offering yet more live entertainment, a night time parade, rides in the dark and two nightly firework, music and laser shows – and still, at less than converted £20 admission.

Without the Halloween celebrations, Europa Park is an immersive and standard setting experience. If this is only the skeletal representation of such a place, this Halloween, the park is ironically much more alive than ever.

JT 14 October 2005