Europe’s latest theme park opening – which is hoping to rival the likes of Thorpe Park and Disneyland Paris – has finally welcomed its first thrill-seekers, after a month-long delay in opening.
Fairytale-themed Hossoland had been due to open in the village of Brojce on Poland’s northern coast on May 31st – but last-minute delays have seen it lose four vital weeks in the lucrative summer season.
Now though, the doors have officially opened and the verdict is in on the park, which spans 400,000sq m and boasts 50 rides and attractions across four themed lands.
Some have said Hossoland, which centres around a lighthouse and is inspired by local Baltic legends and fairytales, should have been more ambitious – particularly in how many big thrill rides there are.
While Poland’s biggest theme park, Energylandia, has 18 rollercoasters, there are just four at Hossoland, with one critic wasping: This is supposed to be competition for Energylandia? 4 rollercoasters?’
Another added: ‘But do you plan something more hardcore for adults? Me and my 15-year-old son are waiting impatiently.’
GhostRider, a steel coaster, was set to be one of the park’s standout attractions – but that now doesn’t seem to be on the menu anytime soon.
The new rollercoaster, which cost several million pounds, was supposed to stretch 53m in the air taking guests on a thrilling ride at speeds of 72mph.
Fairytale themed Hossoland has opened on Poland’s northern coast after a four-week delay
The park was billed to rival Poland’s biggest theme park, Energylandia – but it has just four rollercoasters compared to the 18 at its rival park
Some griped over the £34 adult entry price, with one saying tickets ‘aren’t cheap either’.
Others defended the new park, saying that while it appears to be aimed at younger children, new rides were still being built.
There has been plenty of excitement on the park’s social media sites too though, with many theme park goers impressed and others saying they’re keen to visit this summer.
One person wrote on the park’s official Instagram site: ‘I was there today I’ll say yes… MEGA! I liked the most on the roller coaster in the dragon zone.’
Another added: ‘Really one of the most beautiful entrances. Not getting over it. Bravo’.
The four lands include the Dragon Valley of the Mines, the Land of the Vikings, the Kingdom of Baltambrya and Mermaid City.
Karen Hovsepyan, vice president of the park’s operator Hosso Group, previously told Planet Attractions: ‘Hossoland will be the only amusement park of such a large scale on the Polish coast.
‘It will certainly become a recognisable symbol and a frequently visited place in this region.’
The park will be centered around a lighthouse and its attractions are inspired by local Baltic legends and fairytales
Some early visitors to the park said they were impressed, including one who wrote on social media: ‘I was there today I’ll say yes… MEGA!’
GhostRider no show: The steel coaster was set to be one of the park’s standout attractions – but has now been pulled (Pictured: Digital artist’s impression)
It’s hoped that the park will soon attract one million tourists per year.
The closest airport to Hoosoland is Szczecin and Brits can book direct flights with Ryanair from both Liverpool and London. Hossoland is then about a one hour drive from the airport.
The park is also under three hours drive from Berlin.
Last week, it was revealed that a former theme park could be transformed into hundreds of homes 15 years after the site was closed and left to rot.
A planning application has been submitted to turn the former Camelot Theme Park in Charnock Richard, Lancashire into 350 homes.
The park closed in 2012 after nearly 30 years and has been empty ever since, aside from occasional use for immersive Halloween events and laser tag.
Story Homes has submitted the application to turn the site into housing, with 50 per cent proposed to be affordable housing for local people, The Bolton News reported.
The homes would include a range of sizes for first-time buyers, families and older couples looking to downsize.
During the height of its popularity, Camelot was one of the north west’s most prominent tourist attractions, featuring a range of offerings like the amusement ride Excalibur 2, and hosting live jousting in an arena.
Inspired by the legend of King Arthur, the ill-fated park was boarded up after being open to the public for nearly 30 years.
Owners Knights Leisure said bad weather contributed to low visitor numbers – and so the decision was made to shut the park down, with over 150 staff losing their jobs.
The amusement park was home to the legendary Knightmare roller coaster – the structure of which remained standing tall even after it was shut down and was only dismantled in 2020.
Other famous rides at the medieval-themed park included the Dragon Flyer, Caterpillar Capers, The Galleon and Pendragon’s Plunge.
