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|  Dutch Coastin' .// Silver Star (Europa-Park)It's a well-known phenomena in Europe, the Grand Prix. All famous car manufacturers are represented, Ferrari, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, and many others. Every race the drivers risk their lives for a few seconds of fame on the podium. Speeds in excess of 300 km/h are no exception. Adrenalin Pur. :) Europa-Park is one of the largest European theme parks. It is the number one on most enthusiasts' lists. It can be only surpassed - perhaps - by Port Aventura, Alton Towers, or the Dutchtheme parkk de Efteling. But that is personal. Fact is that Europa-Park amazes over three million
In the past 27 years, Europa-Park has become a very largetheme parkk, with a variety of rides. There aredark ridess, family rides, and ofcoursesthrill ridess and high speedroller coasterss. There isn't a single guest who finds none of Europa-Park's rides entertaining. To put Europa-Park on the map for good, Franz and Roland Mack (senior-manager and manager) decided they wanted something unique. Something big. Really big. They wanted the largestroller coasterr of Europa. It was to degrade the Big One to nothing but a - be it very rough - kiddie coaster. It was to stand a record shattering 73 metres tall. But who was to built it? Almost all rides in Europa-Park where manufactured by Mack self. But Mack didn't manufacture hyper coasters, nor was planning to in the future. So they contacted the Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard, according to some the bestroller coasterr manufacturers in the world. The idea was rather simple. Silver Star had to be devine. Nothing in Europa was to surpass Silver Star. Only the experience of flying was to be greater than a ride on Silver Star. Quite a challenge, but if you would ask a random coasterenthusiastt, if anyone could, it would be B&M. Let's put that to the test. The train slowly moves out of the station. Once on the lift-hill the speed increases. Thanks to B&M's special seats you barely notice how steep this lift-hill in fact is. It is the steepest lift-hill of the world. Within a few seconds you are exactly 73 metres above the Europa-Park parking lot. Right in front of you, you can see the massive B&M track curl down almost 60 metres.
Silver Star is more or less a populist. The common people love this coaster, but the true enthusiast won't think too much of it. Thanks to the many anti-airtime brakes Silver Star is spoiled. I would almost call it a missed opportunity. But if you see the people coming out of Silver Star all impressed and excited, you instantly realize Silver Star is a success.. but not a top roller coaster.
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