Heide Park Resort Celebrates 25 Years of “Colossos”

(eap) Last weekend, Heide Park Resort in Soltau, Germany, celebrated a quarter of a century of adrenaline, boldness and shared experiences. With an exclusive anniversary event, the park marked the 25^{th “}birthday” of its iconic wooden coaster “Colossos”. On Saturday, around 1,000 fans came together for the occasion after winning one of the coveted party tickets.

© Christian Wyrwa

The Intamin coaster, which opened in 2001, remains a landmark attraction of the theme park operated by Merlin Entertainments. With a maximum track height of more than 50 meters and speeds of up to 110 km/h, Colossos still ranks among the tallest and fastest wooden roller coasters in the world. After around 15 years of operation, the ride had been temporarily closed to visitors at the end of July 2016 due to maintenance works on the coaster’s track system. In mid-April 2019, it finally reopened following an extensive refurbishment, complete with fresh theming and new trains. Since its reopening, the coaster has also carried the additional name “Kampf der Giganten” (Eng.: Battle of the Giants; cf. EAP 4/2019).

© Christian Wyrwa

The anniversary celebration, featuring a DJ, a fire show and exclusive rides, marked the highlight of an extensive Colossos anniversary season that included special activities such as limited-edition merchandise, backstage tours and further exclusive experiences centred around the legendary wooden coaster.

“25 years of ‘Colossos’ stand for countless shared memories, for boldness and enthusiasm, and for generations of guests who have made this roller coaster what it is today: a legend,” said Jenny Blask, Managing Director of Heide Park Resort. “The fantastic atmosphere, the many smiling faces and the enthusiasm of the party guests made this evening an unforgettable event. It was the perfect celebration for a true icon.” ■