Germany

Visiting Germany’s Largest Amusement and Water Park With Kids: Europa-Park Tips

Europa-Park and Rulantica With Kids: Family Visit Tips

Our family’s Europa-Park notes cover the theme park, places to stay, transport, and nearby Rulantica. The companion film below follows a separate boys’ outing to the water park.

Chris and the boys at Rulantica water park · Full film (6 min 6 sec)

▶Watch full film 6 min 6 sec

This is a Rulantica water-park film with Chris and the boys. Europa-Park is a separate theme-park experience; current tickets, calendars, access and supervision requirements should be checked with each venue.

In case you are new to our blog, welcome!  You’ll soon learn we are HUGE fans of Disney.  We’ve visited every Disney park in the world and find ourselves in some Disney park or another at least once a year.

However, we currently live in Portugal, and Disneyland Paris isn’t the best in the world (although they are improving!).  It’s still better than no Disney, but sometimes we’d rather wait to go to Disney World.

On a bit of a whim, we decided last summer to see if there were any other big amusement parks in Europe we should go to.  We went to Tivoli in Copenhagen, rumored to have inspired Walt Disney. We also found a fabulous park that is now on our favorites list: Europa-Park.

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Watch our original related video on YouTube

Is Europa-Park Like Disneyland?

In a sense, yes.  

In other ways, no.

The main difference is nostalgia.  If you grow up in Germany, watching German cartoons you can see around the park, I imagine the nostalgia runs deep.  However, as foreigners, we didn’t feel any of that. 

You’d be surprised at how much nostalgia plays a part in the Disney experience.

Outside of childhood memories, Europa-Park is better than Disney parks in a few ways:

• It’s cheaper.

• Queues are shorter.

• Food selections are better (it IS Europe, after all).

• Our original visit notes counted 13 rollercoasters; the current attraction lineup may differ.  Some are for children, but many are thrilling for adults.

• On-site accommodations are fantastic and within a 2-minute walk of the park.  Whereas outside of the central Disneyland Paris Hotel, it’s hard to find accommodations nearby.

• On our visit, we remember a ticket check at entry. Follow the venue’s current entry and security procedures.

• More playgrounds, including some incredible 3-story slides that we loved!  Pair that with reclining seats for parents, and we were hooked.

How Are Europa-Park and Disney Similar?

Like Disney, Europa-Park has done an incredible job with the level of detail.  The park impresses with its cleanliness, transporting you to another magical world.

The parks mirror each other in many aspects, such as:

• Indoor and outdoor rides.

• Several sections with themes.

• Rides, while under different names, are very similar.  Each park has its unique rides.

• Plenty of restaurants and fast food options to fuel your day of fun.

• Shows throughout the day.  However, these are probably off your list unless you speak German or French.

• If you stay on the property, you can get early entrance.

• Ask attraction staff about current single-rider or rider-switch options for your group.

• Season offerings, like Christmas.

What Are Some Of The Big Differences Between Europa-Park and Disney?

• Fireworks.  As fast as I know, Europa-Park does not offer nightly fireworks.

• Europa-Park is accessible by train from hundreds of European cities.  We love this!  Check out our experience with the Eurail pass here.

• The staff at Europa-Park are not as friendly as the cast in Disney.  Especially when they learn that we cannot speak French or German.  

• Instead of being divided into themes of different movies, Europa-Park is divided into parts of Europe. We loved this too! Visit the France section for an eclair, and then head to Switzerland for the Top of Europe ride! Sounds cool, right?

Rulantica, Europa-Park’s Water Park

Our separate boys-trip film follows Chris and the boys at Rulantica. The water-park scenes belong to that outing; our Europa-Park theme-park notes describe the other venue. Check each venue’s current calendar, admission and entry guidance when planning.

From the Journey to the Water Park

This part of the boys-trip film moves from a train platform to an indoor pool with red and blue slides and a ship-themed backdrop. It brings the travel and water-park portions of their outing together; check the venue for today’s attraction list and operating details.

From the train platform to the pool at Rulantica · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

Inflatable Rings and a Floating Course

This part of the film moves through inflatable rings in the water course and a floating obstacle area. The chapter is labeled “Grant’s Favorite Waterpark,” adding a personal angle from the boys’ outing alongside our broader planning notes.

Inflatable rings during the boys’ Rulantica outing · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

Despite living in Portugal, we don’t have any waterparks close to us in Lisbon.  The southern part of Portugal has some fantastic water parks open in the summer, but in the winter, we were thrilled to find Rulantica, Europa-Park’s separate water park.

On our last trip, we visited Rulantica only one evening and craved more time here.  With dozens of water slides, tube rides, several water playgrounds for younger kids, a lazy river, and a wave pool housed in a massive indoor complex, there is something for everyone!  Parents can relax in the cabanas or lawn chairs.

In warmer months, there are many more outdoor waterslides available as well.  

Tips For Visiting Rulantica With Kids

White Slides and a Splash

The film also shows white slides ending above an indoor pool. Use the venue’s current attraction-specific height, age, health and supervision requirements when deciding which activities fit your children.

White slides and a splash at Rulantica · Scene from our film (20 sec)

▶Watch scene from our film 20 sec

The following facilities, wristband, locker, and hotel-ticket notes describe our earlier visit. Confirm current inclusions, charges, hotel benefits, and child-safety rules with Rulantica before booking.

• You can rent towels for an extra fee or bring your own.

• Lockers are available and come with admission.  You’ll also receive a bracelet at check-in that will open your locker.

• Your bracelet will be linked to your credit card. You’ll be able to limit or eliminate how much children can charge on their bracelets. 

• We don’t drink alcohol, but a swim-up bar is right in the middle next to the wave pool.  It’s a great place to relax!

• Showers are available in the locker rooms.

• The changing areas are co-gender.

• You can stay at Hotel Kronasar for direct access to Rulantica.  However, tickets to the water park are not included in your hotel accommodation.

• There are many parent loungers/relaxation stations.  Keep actively supervising children around the water, including children who can swim.

How To Get To Europa-Park

We believe flying to nearby airports and taking a train to Europa-Park is the best option.  Our original notes considered the following airports. The approximate journey times below were planning estimates; actual routes, travel modes, connections, and conditions vary, so check current journeys before booking:

Strasbourg – which is 50mins away from Europa-Park.

Basel – which is 1hr 4mins away from Europa-Park.

Zurich – which is 2hrs away from Europa-Park.

Stuttgart – which is 1hr 54mins from Europa-Park.

You can also fly into these airports and rent a car. However, within the park, a car is not necessary.  There are shuttle buses between hotels and between Europa-Park and Rulantica.

Check Deutsche Bahn’s current child-fare and accompanying-adult rules before booking; eligibility, reservation requirements, and ticket terms vary. Our original notes described some children traveling free of charge. Read more information about the offer.

Hotels Near Europa-Park

• Hotel Casa Rustica is just a one-minute drive to Europa-Park (walking must be a better choice!). This charming hotel has an onsite Italian cuisine restaurant.

• Hotel Restaurant Schiff, located near the airport and provides a complimentary breakfast buffet. Most of their rooms have a terrace. Some also have bunk beds for big families!

• Holiday Inn Express Ringsheim, an IHG Hotel is a six-minute drive from Europa-Park and has a free grocery shopping service. No need to worry about last-minute grocery shopping!

• Hotel Sleep & Dream has Superior Double Rooms with bunk beds, perfect for big families!

• Hotel Restaurant Engel offers a family room for those traveling with kids. This hotel features German cuisine.

Is It Worth It To Stay On Property At Europa-Park?

Absolutely!  While the on-site hotels are more expensive than staying in Rust, the town around Europa-Park offers many benefits.  These include:

• Early entrance to the park.

• Delicious and varied restaurants.  Our favorite restaurant had a play place in the back!

• Easier access to the shuttle buses to get to different parts of the park.

We loved our stay in Hotel Bell Rock.  We had a double-story room that we all enjoyed.

Enjoy your visit, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Xoxo,

Leslie

Additional Reading

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Seeing Northern Lights In Kiruna, Sweden And Staying In IceHotel With Kids: All You Need To Know

9 Wonderful Things To Do In Kraków, Poland With Kids