Movie Park Germany was originally opened under the name “Kirchhellener Märchenwald” in 1967.
The park featured attractions made up of woodland huts where guests could press buttons to listen to various fairy tales.
Over the years, the park has changed ownership several times, but the two most important dates are:
- 1994 when Warner Bros acquired the park and renamed it “Warner Bros. Movie World Germany,” giving it a direction that still influences it today
- 2010 when Parques Reunidos, the same company that owns Mirabilandia, took over the park and introduced all the IPs owned by the group
Where is Movie Park Germany located?
Movie Park Germany is located about an hour’s drive from Cologne, in the northwest of Germany.
When is it open?
Movie Park Germany typically opens in early March and continues its season through the end of the Christmas holidays.
I recommend visiting the official website to check the park’s hours and to download the park’s app, which will be very helpful before and during your visit.
If you want to make the most of your day, don’t forget to follow my 12 essential rules.
How much does Movie Park Germany cost?
The price of a one-day open-date ticket for Movie Park Germany is listed on the official website at €57 per person.
It’s a different story for fixed-date tickets, which start at €26.
What themed areas is it divided into?
Movie Park Germany consists of 7 themed areas:
- Federation Plaza
- The Hollywood Street Set
- Streets of New York
- The Old West
- The Hollywood Studio Set
- Santa Monica Pier
- Nickland
Federation Plaza
Federation Plaza is the newest area inaugurated at Movie Park Germany.
Everything here revolves around the launched coaster, manufactured by Mack, Star Trek: Operation Enterprise.
Not only is the layout well-designed, but the queue line also features details that will make fans of the saga say “wow.”
The Hollywood Street Set
This is the first area you’ll encounter once inside the park, where you’ll find 3 attractions:
- Area 51
- The Lost Temple
- Looney Tunes 4D
Area 51 is an indoor water ride — be prepared, you’ll hardly come out dry.
Between the two drops, there’s a heavily themed section with impressive effects and optical illusions.
The Lost Temple is an immersive tunnel experience, somewhat similar to Jurassic War at CineCittà World, but here the queue is truly immersive and well-themed.
It’s just a shame the 3D quality is a bit below today’s standards.
Looney Tunes 4D is your classic 4D cinema featuring films themed around Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote.
Streets of New York
At the end of The Hollywood Street Set, you’ll find yourself in this area where, aside from many food stands, you’ll encounter some attractions that have made Movie Park Germany’s history:
- Time Riders
- Van Helsing’s Factory
- NYC Transformer
Time Riders is a simulator similar to Star Tours, found in nearly every Disney park, but Movie Park Germany manages to stand out with its well-crafted queue and two pre-shows.
It’s a pity that everything is in German, so some of the story inevitably gets lost.
Van Helsing’s Factory is definitely the best indoor coaster at Movie Park Germany.
It’s not super intense, but the themed environments, queue, and ride layout perfectly match the dark vampire theme.
NYC Transformer is basically the “abandoned power plant” version of the old TOP SPIN ride from Gardaland — nothing special except for the theming.
The Old West
Like any good theme park, Movie Park Germany also has an area dedicated to the “Old West.”
I found the area charming but sparse — although the buildings are nicely themed, the asphalt pavement doesn’t really help the atmosphere.
Here you’ll find:
- The Bandit
- Iron Claw
- Side Kick
- The High Fall
The Bandit is by far the worst wooden coaster I’ve ever ridden!
The seats are rigid, all the vibrations go straight through your body, and the track layout isn’t even that fun — but only after surviving it can you truly say you never want to ride it again 😅
Iron Claw is your classic Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster found in many parks — basically, it’s like our Blu Tornado at Gardaland, but with a different track layout.
PS: it shakes like crazy, you’ve been warned.
Side Kick is a pendulum frisbee ride — it doesn’t do full loops like Wild Rodeo at Magicland, but it’s still for the brave!
Standing at 61 meters tall and reaching a drop speed of 90 km/h, The High Fall is Movie Park Germany’s free-fall tower.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t try it out because it was closed for maintenance 🥲
The Hollywood Studio Set is the new name for this part of the park, which I believe will become the next expansion area.
There are two truly unique attractions here.
Excalibur – Secrets of the Dark Forest might seem like your standard rafting ride, but once again, Movie Park Germany has gone the extra mile to stand out.
The queue is heavily themed, the loading/unloading station is fully enclosed, and the ride itself is beautifully decorated — truly one-of-a-kind in Europe.
Movie Park Studio Tour is an indoor multi-dimensional coaster that, through its sets and special effects, takes you behind the scenes of a real Hollywood studio.
Santa Monica Pier
This area of Movie Park Germany attempts to recreate the vibe of the world’s most famous pier — in my opinion, without much success.
There are several small attractions for both teens and kids, but it’s definitely the least impressive area in the whole park, which is a shame.
Nickland
Now this is a well-designed area with a clearly defined target audience.
Nickland features about 15 attractions for kids and families.
You’ll find water rides themed around Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob, as well as a family coaster themed after Jimmy Neutron.
Without a doubt, the most impressive part is the PAW Patrol-themed area, PAW Patrol Adventure Bay.
As the only area in the world with this theme, I expected more — but through the eyes of a 5- or 6-year-old, it’s absolutely magical.
Tips and Conclusion
As always, I recommend following my golden rules, which you can find in this article. Here are some additional tips that might come in handy.
Movie Park Germany doesn’t have many standout attractions, so traveling all the way from Italy just to visit it might be a bit much. However, if included as part of a broader Northern Europe tour, it definitely makes sense.
I recommend focusing on the more unique attractions such as:
- Star Trek: Operation Enterprise
- Area 51
- Van Helsing’s Factory
- Excalibur – Secrets of the Dark Forest
- Movie Park Studio Tour
I haven’t mentioned the shows, as I didn’t get a chance to see them myself — it’s up to you to decide how much time to dedicate to them and whether or not they’re worth seeing.
Despite its rocky history and small size, Movie Park Germany has some hidden gems that any true theme park enthusiast should see and experience in person. What do you think?
