Most of the 44 roller coasters in the parks visited during Le Voyage Lumière were new to the attendees. Below are some of their thoughts on coasters they were asked to review.
Mahuka.
Photo: Patrick Kaak. View full-sized image.
Mahuka, Walibi Rhône-Alps
Jo Pools, Belgium
A Small Coaster That Completely Blew Me Away. Getting on Mahuka, I expected a fun launch coaster. What I didn't expect was for it to become one of my favorite rides in Europe.
From the moment the train launches, Mahuka never lets up. The first launch is quick and punchy, sending you straight into the massive top hat. Hanging upside down at the top before diving back toward the ground is such an exciting way to start the ride, and from there it's just one intense element after another. What impressed me the most was the pacing. There isn't a single moment where the ride feels like it's taking a break. Every hill throws you out of your seat, every inversion feels smooth and effortless, and before you've even caught your breath, you're already heading into the next element. The single-rail track makes every transition feel incredibly sharp and precise, almost like the train is carving through the layout.
The second launch is another highlight. Just when you think the ride might be winding down, it accelerates again and keeps the intensity going. By the time I hit the final heartline roll, I was already wishing the ride was longer.
Something else I really appreciated was the theming. The tropical setting and temple-inspired details make Mahuka feel like more than just another coaster. It's not over the top, but it adds a lot to the experience and gives the ride its own personality. The only real downside is the length. It's over so quickly that you immediately want another ride. But maybe that's part of what makes it so memorable — it leaves you wanting more every single time.
Overall, Mahuka completely exceeded my expectations. It proves that a coaster doesn't need to be the tallest or fastest to be world class. Thanks to its incredible pacing, powerful launches, smooth ride and constant airtime, it's one of the most fun roller coasters I've ever experienced, and I can't wait to ride it again.
Timber.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
Timber, Walibi Rhône-Alps
Dave Damminger, United States
Timber has some modest theming. The entrance arch with the ride's name is made to look like cut logs with a circular saw blade embedded in the top. As you join the queue, you are greeted by a call of "timber" each time a train enters the first drop. Like many of the Gravitykraft coasters, Timber has comfortable Timberliner trains with lead cars that continue the theming — another saw blade at the head of each train.
While Timber's height and length are modest, don't mistake it for a tame family wooden coaster like the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters’ Ghoster Coasters in North America. Timber packs a punch with a ride that feels faster than its 40 mph while providing a number of forceful pops of airtime and some sharp banked turns before returning riders to the station.
Twist.
Photo: Sascha Schwarzer. View full-sized image.
Twist, Le PAL
Ryan Flamm, United States
When I rode the humble Dwervelwind at Toverland, I never imagined that I would be riding its older twin brother only a couple years later. Dwervelwind has its fairytale-inspired landscaping, whereas Twist is set in a lush jungle with plenty of tribal effects and zoo-inspired artifacts, most notably a large array of photographs taken of the animals by the park’s younger visitors. Le PAL notably opted to depart from the diverse landscape to one more reminiscent of the old Golden Kingdom at Six Flags Great Adventure, with a lot of bamboo and not much else, but it works. It creates the illusion that you are sneaking through the jungle, as with the rest of this area of the park.
Simple corrugated metal makes up the roof of the station, along with some wood to complete the design. It successfully captures the aesthetic of a makeshift shelter hastily put up in the jungle. Admittedly, it is hard to discern what exactly Twist is themed to. It kind of looks like some sort of research station, but if it is, what are they studying, and what is with the tribal images adorning everything? According to the website, it’s themed to the jungle itself having been ransacked by an enraged King Kong, which makes its home just a couple hundred feet away.
The trains are stock Mack spinner trains, with the strange lap bar that the manufacturer has since moved away from in favor of the classic lap bar more commonly used on its other models. Get the bar to the green, and you’re good. Upon sitting, the stock trains come with one big advantage: the absence of speakers leaves a lot more room for one’s knees.
Out goes the train, around a flat bend and onto the lift, very quickly as per the Mackprodukt standard. A quick 180 and then back the other way through an overbank, and then many twists and turns.
What Twist lacks in theming and sound comparatively, it makes up for tremendously in stronger and far more memorable forces and faster pacing compared with Dwervelwind. Riders experience all sorts of acceleration forces, which change with each ride, given the spinning, many of which had me screaming silly. In the right orientations, riders may even get some airtime. Before I knew it, the ride was over. Thanks to a single-rider line that was rather empty, I then went for another, and another, and another.
I wondered where those extra forces came from. The trains didn’t seem to be running any faster. Roller Coaster DataBase gives a track length that is 26.3 feet longer than Dwervelwind’s, so no doubt some elements may be a bit different. Whatever it is, it provides a forceful and intense family coaster experience, one worth repeating under the canopy of the jungle Le PAL has put together. Maybe it borrows some strength from King Kong, or indeed runs faster than its younger brother. Whatever it is, the result is obvious, a Mack spinner that is the best in its class and holds its own among the rides at Le PAL.
Yukon Quad.
Photo: Lorenz Haaker. View full-sized image.
Yukon Quad, Le PAL
Lorenz Haaker, the Netherlands
Nestled within a beautiful Canadian forest setting, Yukon Quad delivers a masterclass in family-thrill coaster design, pairing an immersive atmosphere with a deceptive amount of punch. The experience begins in a nicely themed station and launch area, transitioning into a smooth tire launch that sets the quads in motion. While the first half serves as a relatively slow, scenic warmup, it perfectly sets the stage for what’s to come. For the best experience, in my opinion, the front row is the place to be; the quad-bike seating arrangement combined with an unobstructed view allows you to lean directly into the corners way better. That said, don't discount the back row, which offers a fantastic, snappy kick going over the hills and through the corners.
However, any notion of this being a sleepy children's ride completely evaporates the moment you hit the second tire launch. The ride transforms into an intensive rally that prompted at least one ACEer to laugh, "family coaster, my ass!" This second half forces you to assume the quad position and grip the steering handles tightly as you race through a rapid succession of low-to-the-ground, aggressively tight turns. In fact, if you stubbornly choose to put your hands in the air after that second launch instead of holding on, consider yourself warned: your back might suffer a bit. The unexpected intensity and sudden changes in direction elevate Yukon Quad into a genuinely thrilling, white-knuckle ride. Combined with the nice setting, it makes for an excellent coaster experience.
Wild West Coaster.
Photo: Robert Ulrich. View full-sized image.
Wild West Coaster, Winnoland
Ryan Flamm, United States
Honestly, that first ride on Wild West Coaster stood out more than anything else. It was much more than just another ride on a Vekoma family coaster. After hearing the heart and soul that was poured into the ride, it made that first ride extra special.
Défi du Dragon.
Photo: Jamey Frank. View full-sized image.
Défi du Dragon, Jardin d’Acclimatation
Robert Ulrich, United States
This is a tire drive launch coaster from SOHO Playtime, and the launch out of the station is peppy. You go along a wandering track with zippy, swoopy turns, then come to a stop on a switch track, where the track unlocks and the turntable pivots 90 degrees.
Depending on the ride, it randomly alternates either facing forward or backward. The second launch is into a simple oval over the station. During the return trip, it repeats the oval and then stops, and the switch track returns to original position. After locking in place the train returns into the station.
A very fun coaster for ERT. Thank you to Jardin d’Acclimatation for opening the coaster just for ACE during ERT!
Tonnerre 2 Zeus.
Photo: Jamey Frank. View full-sized image.
Tonnerre 2 Zeus, Parc Astérix
Jamey Frank, Portugal
In 2022, The Gravity Group completed the retracking on Zeus. However, owing to unexpected and extreme climate change in Europe, the wood didn’t last and aged 15 years in just four. In late 2025, the park contracted with Rocky Mountain Construction to install its ReTrak system, which was partially completed in the winter of 2026 and is to be finished during the off season in 2027. The park said it has a requirement that the ride never have downtime during the season, which was very refreshing to hear.
Before riding several times, I went on “L’Aérolaf” with a group of ACEers, on which you can order an alcoholic drink before riding up into the sky in a circular gondola with your feet dangling. This turned out to have been a good idea because that mojito loosened me up!
Zeus is like the love child from Knott’s GhostRider and Holiday World’s Voyage having a screaming tantrum. The sustained speed is absolutely breathtaking, and the sustained floating over the camelbacks is sublime. But the transition off of the Titan Track to the original wood is jarring, to say the least. The final section was like what I imagined being in a paint can shaker would feel like. Said my friend Kat, “My girls came loose!”
Bonus: In the fast lane called Filotomatix, they squirt you with a squirt gun upon request when you redeem your QR code — refreshing on a hot day.
I tried back row, front row, near the back and back row, and I’ve got to say the airtime in the back is absolutely wild. However, my left upper thigh was sledge hammered repeatedly by the lap bar, and I had to ultimately tap out with just a slight limp. But it was worth it! I look forward to riding again once the track renovation is complete.
OzIris.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
OzIris, Parc Astérix
Jo Pools, Belgium
OzIris is easily one of my favorite inverted roller coasters. From the moment I got on the train, I could tell this ride was going to be something special. The Egyptian theme around the queue and station really builds the excitement before you even leave the platform.
The ride starts with a great first drop that immediately throws you into the action. My favorite moment is the dive loop right after the drop — it feels so unique and really sets the tone for the rest of the ride. After that, the coaster barely gives you a chance to catch your breath. Every inversion flows smoothly into the next, and the speed never seems to let up. What impressed me most was how smooth the ride is. Even with all the intense elements, I never felt uncomfortable. Instead, it feels like you're flying through the layout, especially in the trenches and near the scenery. The pacing is fantastic, and by the time the brakes hit, I was already thinking about riding it again.
The theming also deserves a lot of credit. While it's not the most elaborate theme park land I've ever seen, the giant Egyptian statues, temples and overall atmosphere make the experience feel much more immersive than a typical roller coaster. If I had one complaint, it's that OzIris is incredibly popular, so the queue can get pretty long on busy days. Still, once I experienced the ride, I felt the wait was completely worth it.
Overall, OzIris is a coaster that combines smoothness, intensity and great theming into one amazing experience. Every time I ride it, I come off smiling, and it's one of those attractions I always look forward to whenever I visit Parc Astérix.
Toutatis.
Photo: Jonathan Hymes. View full-sized image.
Toutatis, Parc Astérix
Lisa Douris, United States
Toutatis, France's tallest and fastest coaster, opened at Parc Astérix in April 2023 to much acclaim. This steel Intamin beauty has since delivered major thrills with three inversions, four punchy launches and an exhilarating spike. It recently became my 700th coaster credit.
Upon dispatch, Toutatis lilts into a shallow drop followed by a low-speed launch, overbanked curve and right turn. Zooming through a couple of bunny hills, the train encounters a switch track that thrusts it into a swing launch — forward at first, not initially clearing the top hat immediately ahead, then backward up a spike, and forward again, now gaining the propulsion needed for surmounting that famous Intamin top hat element. Riders are thrilled at the 101-degree drop and subsequent rapid turn into a zero-G stall, followed by a left turn and three zippy airtime hills, each posed at different angles. A heartline inversion and two additional airtime hills complete this fantastic 90-second thriller.
As a self-admitted Intamin fan girl, I don't find Toutatis to be the most amazing of the similar versions (think Pantheon and VelociCoaster), but it is absolutely world-class and a can't-miss while in France. This enthusiast gives it an 8.5/10. Vive la Toutatis!
Wild Buffalo.
Photo: Jamey Frank. View full-sized image.
Wild Buffalo, La Mer de Sable
Jamey Frank, Portugal
Trip participants rated this as the No. 1 wood coaster on the trip!
The storyline is that we are riding on the buffaloes to escape from the bad guys. The ride is butter smooth, and it’s not even a Titan track or precut track. It has signature Jeff Pike design, including lots of zigzags with perfect banking, perfect centerline, over a dozen crossovers and lots of pops of airtime.
All the wood is imported from the United States and treated with chemicals for preservation, which environmentally would no longer be allowed today. Great Coasters International, Inc. was chosen because the cars were lower maintenance, and they’re easy to work with.
Alpina Blitz.
Photo: David Lipnicky. View full-sized image.
Alpina Blitz, Nigloland
David Lipnicky, United States
Ignoring the chairlift, “Baby Blue Fire” (Europa-Park) is what comes to mind when riding Alpina Blitz at the stunningly beautiful Nigloland. The second thing that comes to mind is that its name is perfect.
Wicked hills and drops, lightning-quick turns. This coaster dives, hops and twists all over the place. From the top of the lift, full Blitz Mode engages until the brake run.
While not a mega, this coaster punches well above its weight class and keeps on hitting until the very end with speed, airtime and fun!
Timber Drop.
Photo: Cory Iwatsu. View full-sized image.
Timber Drop, Fraispertuis City
Cory Iwatsu, United States
This S&S Worldwide roller coaster has been operating since July 2011. It celebrated its 15th anniversary just a few days before our visit.
Timber Drop is an El Loco coaster with a first drop of 113.1 degrees. It still holds the record for the steepest roller coaster drop in Europe. Although it is only 29 meters (96 feet) tall, it delivers a thrilling ride in a compact space.
While similar El Loco coasters can be found (El Loco at Adventuredome in Las Vegas and Steel Hawg at Indiana Beach), what makes Timber Drop special is its excellent Redwood forest theme, which is built around and through the coaster. The train dives into and through giant tree stumps, making the ride feel even more exciting.
The queue building looks like a traditional sawmill, with logs floating in from a mill pond before being cut. Visitors from the Pacific Northwest will find this style and scenery very familiar.
A great ride experience with incredible theming has made Timber Drop a star attraction at this charming park.
Anaconda.
Photo: Amanda Harper. View full-sized image.
Anaconda, Walygator Grand Est
Alex Rigsby, United States
Anaconda is a Bill Cobb-designed woodie that debuted in 1989. It received new trains in 2025. They track and ride well, but the second and third hills should be lowered a bit so as to allow for some airtime. Were that to happen, this would be an excellent woodie. As it is, it is a mild family attraction.
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