Hansa-Park — Attraction in Ostholstein-Mitte

Hansa-Park was the 36th park I’ve had the chance to visit, which gives me a fairly solid basis for comparison. Unfortunately, it was also the most disappointing experience I’ve had so far.

Right upon arrival, we headed straight for Schwur des Kärnan. After waiting for nearly an hour inside the building (often in complete darkness), we were finally informed that the ride couldn’t open due to an audio system issue. Although we were given the option to leave the line, we chose to stay, hoping for a quick resolution. Ten minutes later, we were forced to evacuate. The total wait time ended up being 1.5 hours… for nothing.

But the most baffling part came next: as soon as we exited, the ride immediately reopened. Strangely, only around thirty people had been evacuated, allowing those who remained in line to board before us. As a result, we had to wait another 1.5 hours. This kind of partial and opaque handling of a technical issue is difficult to justify. Once an evacuation is decided, it should apply to the entire queue—without exception—to ensure basic fairness for all guests.

In other parks, such inconveniences are usually compensated with priority access or a return ticket. Here, nothing. Three hours of waiting for a coaster, with no communication and no goodwill gesture. It left us feeling abandoned.

Sadly, this was not an isolated incident. The park’s overall management seemed to be struggling: very long wait times, rides operating under capacity, understaffed teams (for instance, only one operator for the drop tower, compared to two or three in other parks for similar attractions), and a general atmosphere of unmotivated staff.

For Schwur des Kärnan, we estimated a throughput of around 300 people per hour that day, even though the maximum capacity is closer to 450. The lack of additional trains was obvious, especially when the wait time exceeded an hour.

Let me be clear: my 2-star rating is not a punishment for technical breakdowns themselves — these things happen — but rather for how they were handled. It’s the human decisions in response to unexpected events that make the difference between a well-run park and a poorly managed one.

In summary, between the lack of information, inconsistent incident handling, understaffing, and poor attraction optimization, this visit was a major letdown. And it’s not just about bad luck — it’s about management choices. I won’t be going back anytime soon.

Answer: Hello,

Thank you for your response.

I notice that your reply mainly tries to play with words ("control stop," "assisted exit") without ever addressing the core issue experienced by visitors. This kind of justification does nothing to change the poor on-site experience.

Moreover, I note that there is neither an apology nor any sign of self-reflection in your message. The way you responded shows a lack of consideration for visitors, which is regrettable.

Lastly, the reality is that the park’s management is far from satisfactory: extremely low throughput (300 people per hour on Kärnan), a lack of trains on coasters, very long dispatch times (often over 5 minutes), and understaffed and unmotivated employees at several...

Hansa Park, situated on the Baltic Sea coast in Sierksdorf, Schleswig-Holstein, is one of Germany’s top amusement parks and a popular destination for families and thrill-seekers. Unlike larger, more commercial parks, Hansa Park stands out with its charm, well-maintained grounds, and a carefully curated mix of rides that cater to all ages, making it an enjoyable experience whether you are visiting with young children or teenagers.

Attractions and Rides The park offers a balanced lineup of attractions ranging from adrenaline-pumping roller coasters to gentle rides perfect for toddlers and younger kids. Notable thrill rides include Schwur des Kärnan, one of Europe’s tallest and most immersive roller coasters, renowned for its 73-meter (240-foot) height and a series of unique twists and surprises. Another favorite is Flucht von Novgorod, a thrilling Euro-Fighter coaster featuring indoor and outdoor sections, as well as a maze-like exit area that adds an element of adventure.

For adrenaline lovers, the Highlander drop tower stands out as the tallest in Europe at 120 meters (394 feet), providing breathtaking views over the nearby Baltic Sea and delivering a heart-stopping free fall. The park also features a Gerstlauer Sky Fly ride, where guests can control their own flips, and a dynamic set of flat rides including a wild bumper car experience known as Space Shooter.

Younger visitors enjoy a dedicated children’s area with mini roller coasters, boat rides, climbing parks, and playgrounds. The park’s design emphasizes family inclusivity by ensuring there’s something fun for kids as young as one year old, through a variety of water attractions, gentle rides, and engaging play spaces.

Park Atmosphere and Facilities Hansa Park is praised for its clean and beautifully landscaped environment, with plenty of greenery and water features adding a relaxing vibe between rides. Visitors appreciate the park’s manageable size, which allows them to explore without feeling overwhelmed, while still offering a wide variety of experiences. The park layout facilitates easy movement and helps minimize wait times outside of peak holiday periods.

Multiple eateries and snack bars offer a range of food and drink options throughout the park, though some reviews suggest bringing your own food can be cost-effective. The park offers a mix of casual dining and quick-service stalls, with portions generally favorably rated in terms of quality and value.

Visitor Feedback Overall, families and thrill enthusiasts alike express high satisfaction with Hansa Park. The creative theming, particularly in rides like Schwur des Kärnan, and the combination of indoor and outdoor elements, elevate the traditional amusement park experience. Staff are generally noted as friendly and helpful, contributing to a welcoming atmosphere.

A few visitors note that some rides can have longer waits during peak seasons, and occasional weather interruptions can temporarily close outdoor rides. However, these are often seen as minor inconveniences in an otherwise well-managed park...

I feel mixed about this place because while we took our nieces and nephew there so they could have a nice day (and they did have a lot of fun), I didn't always feel comfortable about how they created really ignorant, stereotypical and racist theme areas throughout the amusement park. I kept having to explain things like how the word "Indians" (Indianer) is not an acceptable or appropriate way to address Indigenous peoples of the Americas and that Africa is actually a continent with many different, diverse peoples, countries, cultures, landscapes and nature and not simply a uniform country as they were portraying it. They also had a section that was supposed to be either Mexico or Spain or some combination of both even though these are both really different countries on two totally different continents. So many "shaking my head" moments. I know most people in Germany don't think any of this is a big problem because they grew up with such stereotypes and thinking this is the correct way to think about "exotic" cultures outside Germany, but I find it so disturbing and sad that we had to explain basic concepts like why dehumanizing people is not ok to our nieces and nephew who are between the ages of 4 and 7. At their ages they should just be having fun without being immersed in a badly designed, ignorant amusement park. If you care about any of those things, then I don't think this is a very appropriate place for children, but if you're a normal, ignorant European or American who doesn't know how to think critically, then you'll have a lot of fun.

Plus having to pay such ridiculous prices just to be bombarded with all the racism built right into the park is like a slap...