Heide Park Reviews and Guide

Located in Soltau in Northern Germany, Heide Park is owned by Merlin Entertainments Group (the same firm that runs Alton Towers and Thorpe Park in the UK). It features a variety of thrill rides and family attractions, spread across four themed areas. Among the biggest draws are Krake (the first Bolliger & Mabillard Dive Machine coaster in mainland Europe), Colossus (the world's tallest wooden coaster) and the Desert Race accelerator coaster (a clone of Alton Towers' Rita).

History: Heide Park was first opened in August 1978, hosting just six family-friendly rides. It grew steadily over the proceeding decades, regularly pulling in millions of visitors until a 2001 takeover by the Tussauds Group. Tussauds was itself bought out by Merlin Entertainments Group in 2007, with the Desert Race coaster opening in the same year. The park continues to invest in major rides, with the Krake roller coaster debuting in summer 2011.