Which theme park to visit in Alsace?

Europa Park and Rulantica – The must-sees

Europa Park is THE amusement park not to be missed if you are in Alsace. It is located in Germany, close to Alsace, and was voted best amusement park in Europe by Tripadvisor. It’s worth crossing the border to spend the day there during your vacation in Alsace, isn’t it? A large number of Alsatians go there (very) regularly, as the place is so popular.

Europe’s best amusement park

This theme park is dedicated to Europe. It is built as a reconstruction of Europe, with different zones for each country. We walk between small Swiss chalets, between white and blue Greek houses or on an Italian square. It’s fun and well done!

Europa Park is a leisure park suitable for the whole family. It has attractions adapted to the little ones as well as to the biggest thrill seekers. I tested for example the Silver Star, a 73m high roller coaster with a peak speed of 130km/h, I can tell you that it really blows your mind! In any case, don’t expect to see it all in one day – it’s huge!

Rulantica, Europa Park’s water park

Rulantica is Europa Park’s water park, located right next door and inspired by Norse mythology. With more than 50 attractions and slides, 2 pool bars, 3 saunas, a steam bath and 14 Nordic themed areas, this park is gigantic and allows you to combine attraction and relaxation!

Parc du Petit Prince – An aerial park

I tried out the Little Prince Park , located in Ungersheim, right next tothe Alsace Ecomuseum. It’s a family-friendly amusement park based on the theme of *The Little Prince* and the world of Saint-Exupéry in general. It’s a beautiful place with lovely green spaces—very pleasant! It’s also France’s first “aerial park.” The idea is to create a poetic amusement park—a “slow park”—and let visitors of all ages explore Asteroid B612 at their own pace. Notably, the park was built near the site of the Ensisheim meteorite crash, the oldest recorded in Europe, which occurred in 1492.

Family attractions

The park has 34 different attractions: there are very simple attractions like swings or water jets, but also real rides. It’s globally nice, but really dedicated to a family audience: don’t go there without children, you’ll get bored very quickly! Children, on the other hand, seem to have a field day, with a choice of attractions that’s pretty good for a park of this size: they can go trampolining, have thrills in the Serpent, the Pierre de Tonnerre or the South Atlantic, climb aboard a little train, see sheep, a pigeon show, draw on a wall…

You can also watch films about the Little Prince and l’Aéropostale in several cinemas, get lost in giant mazes, take part in games and quizzes, and meet several animals.

Concerning the waiting times at the attractions, they were very long for us, but maybe we were there on a particularly busy day…

The ball in the Little Prince Park

One of the special features of the Parc du Petit Prince is a tethered balloon (unlike a hot-air balloon) flying 150m above the ground. Unlucky for my arrival, this one didn’t fly: the balloon stops as soon as there’s too much wind. You can check the park’s website before you arrive to verify the status of the Ballon du Roi.

Another really special attraction is theAerobar: you sit around a large round table, in an individual seat with your feet in the air, and a platform slowly raises this large table to a height of 35m. The idea is not to have a thrill ride (although having your feet in the air is a strange feeling!) but to let you enjoy the view, which is really great! You can admire the park from above, see the Vosges summits, the Black Forest, guess Mulhouse and Colmar… The attraction is called Aerobar, because you are supposed to be able to have a drink up there, but you will have to buy it beforehand at the refreshment stand at the bottom of the ride… And considering the waiting time for us (1 hour), we might as well say that the drink would not have been very fresh! But it is still an attraction that I really enjoyed.

Cigoland, a multi-activity park for the whole family!

Cigoland was tested by Clémence – We took our family to Cigoland, a park that combines outdoor attractions, shows, animals and… storks! In the center of Alsace, in Kintzheim, near Sélestat and the Volerie des Aigles, this park, created almost 50 years ago, offers a rather surprising mix of attractions that make for a great family day out, because there’s something for all ages!

A water play paradise

First, there’s an entire area dedicated to water play, featuring water attractions (don’t forget swimsuits for the little ones!), slides, bumper “boats” with water guns to soak your opponents, small canoes, giant ducks… It’s a must-visit spot to cool off on the hottest days.

More classic attractions that do the job

There are other, more traditional attractions—which we all enjoyed—on offer: the famous “King Kong” ride, which lifts you high above the park in a gondola; the “La Cigogne” monorail, which takes you around the park at a stork’s pace; the little train; the “Le Train de la Mine” roller coaster; the bumper cars, the 1900 carousel, the galloping horses, etc. We had a particularly good laugh on the Cigopanoramique, which really made our heads spin!

In several places throughout the park, you may come across animals— mostly native species or those chosen to delight the little ones: storks, the stars that gave the park its name; peacocks; swans; dwarf goats and donkeys; llamas; cranes; fallow deer… A small museum dedicated to the stork lets you learn more about this iconic animal of Alsace.

A circus show… all year round!

And on top of all this, there’s the Cirque Joubinaux show, in their big top all season long. The juggling and clowning acts are always a big hit with the kids!

Funny World – For children aged 2 to 12

Funny World was reviewed by Clémence – It’s at Funny World, in Kappel-Grafenhausen, Germany—just a few minutes from Europapark—that we spent a summer day with the family. But what exactly is Funny World? It’s a children’s playground I’d been hearing about for a few years now and had been eager to check out! You know those indoor play centers like Okidok or Royal Kids? Funny World is exactly like that—with the added bonus of an outdoor area featuring even more attractions! This amusement park is designed for families with children ages 2 to 12.

Tortuga, the country where it doesn’t rain!

Tortuga is the name of the large indoor space of Funny World Germany. Children can have fun in two different universes offering rides of all kinds: the sea and pirates and the “jungle”. There are inflatables, slides, games of skill or strength, trampolines … There are also two small rides: a small farm train with pigs and a mini Ferris wheel. The kids loved it! And we were set up on a table outside, with no risk of them getting away.

The exterior of Funny World, a “do it yourself” park

Outside, there are quite a few attractions, but don’t expect a long stroll—the area is fairly compact. Many of these rides are for children only (you might end up capsizing the little plastic boats, derailing the little train, or causing the flying chairs to come loose?). The most “thrilling” rides are only for children ages 7 and up. Most rides are operated manually, either from inside the ride itself or by another person at the control station. Once the ride is over—thankfully, it has a time limit, just like in other parks—it’s “on to the next one”! There are also a few playgrounds and slides available for visitors.

My little girl – 7 years old – and I really enjoyed the zip line, where we “flew” in a seat above the park, or the “Funny sombrero”, a ride where you can do complete turns thanks to a front and back lever. Laughter guaranteed! As for the little brother – 3 and a half years old – the little boats to maneuver, the little train “El Paso” or simply the slides had his preference. As you can see, the themes of the outdoor space are diverse: Mexico, cowboys, circus, countryside … However, expect something rather “vintage” and a bit old-fashioned. The installations are no longer youthful, such as the mannequins or the space dedicated to the circus. In short, the outdoor space could use a major facelift!

And what services are there?

We are in an amusement park, as small as it is! Visitors can find food in a self-service area that offers hot dishes and desserts. In Germany, food is generally cheap so we get by with a very decent rate. As for the two points of sale offering sweets, drinks and of course souvenirs, we dare you to leave empty-handed…

My review of Funny World in Kappel Grafenhausen

Let’s just say that at Funny World, it’s more like a time for kids. We could only participate in a few attractions. Nevertheless, we pay the same entrance fee as the children. As in indoor playgrounds, we should think about introducing a reduced admission fee for larger visitors. But, beyond the price, I was disappointed by the fact that I didn’t “really” enjoy this moment with my family. I think it is worth the trip if you live in Colmar or Strasbourg, but if you come from Mulhouse, there are other parks closer by with an offer that is just as attractive or even more so.

Badeparadies – Water park with slides

Still in Germany, Badeparadies is a huge water park in Titisee, comprising three different areas: a naturist spa, a relaxation area and a leisure area. The latter turns out to be a veritable water theme park, with plenty of slides!

Other theme parks for young children (under 13)

We haven’t tried it out yet, but here’s another amusement park in Alsace that’s sure to please the kids:

• Didi’land is a small family-friendly amusement park located in Morsbronn-les-Bains, in northern Alsace. It is primarily intended for children between the ages of 4 and 12.