Flucht von Novgorod at Hansa Park is arguably the most unique Gerstlauer Eurofighter and it also
has a strong case as the best one. This coaster is the complete package. It includes exciting coaster
elements- both indoor and outdoor. And it’s also extremely well-themed. So in this video, I will
explain what makes Flucht von Novgorod so cool. Before delving into the review, I want to note
that there will be spoilers about the ride experience.
As with my Schwur des Karnan review, I will give time stamps where to advance to avoid spoilers.
I think the elements of this one are more widely known- particularly the initial coaster element-
but I still want to respect the wishes of anyone who does not want to be spoiled.
On that note, skip ahead to the time shown to avoid the history how this ride was developed
since it does spoil the ride’s indoor elements. When Hansa Park wanted a new coaster in the late
2000s, they wanted something unique. At one point, they considered a Maurer X-Car coaster and later a
spinning coaster, but they ultimately settled on a Gerstlauer Eurofighter. That model was
famous for vertical lifts and beyond-vertical drops. Hansa Park wanted that plus a launch.
In 2008, Gerstlauer built Lynet at Farup Sommerland. This was a powerful
little LSM launch coaster. While it looked like a Eurofighter, it technically was a different model.
The Eurofighter trains weren’t originally designed with launches in mind.
So when Hansa Park requested a Eurofighter with a launch, Gerstlauer had to tweak the
trains to feature the hardware to accommodate both a lift and launch. They were successful
and a few later Eurofighters such as TMNT Shellraiser would also combine both elements.
Fluch von Novgorod was set to open in 2009 as Hansa Park’s most ambitious coaster yet.
At the time, it would be the park’s most thrilling and best themed coaster. However,
construction was delayed due to a harsh winter. The coaster track was fully assembled for the
start of the 2009 season, but the ride’s theming was incomplete. The dark ride
section was missing many effects and the ride’s external tower was bare and devoid of detail.
The park made the decision to open the coaster anyway and complete it for the 2010 season.
The park was so pleased by Fluch von Novgorod that they returned to Gerstlauer for two additional
roller coasters in the following years. Both would incorporate extensive theming as well.
First was Schlange von Midgard in 2011. This would be a family coaster. Second was Schwur
des Karnan in 2015. This is not only the park’s most thrilling coaster, but it has a case as
the most intense coaster in all of Europe. This is widely considered to be Gerstlauer’s
Magnum Opus and it’s not hard to see why. This coaster is placed in the back corner of
Hansa Park. And it makes quite the impression. You have green track that blends in with the trees,
but multiple elements run adjacent to the midway to build anticipation.
Then you have the giant tower containing a portion of the ride. Novgorod is a Russian city and the
tower is a 14th century recreation of Russia’s Kremlin. It looks fantastic. It looks like it
was teleported straight from an old city center. The queue continues the stellar appearance. After
passing through a set of gates, you have a wooded path running alongside the building.
Then you enter an indoor section of the queue. It’s very atmospheric. It’s a dimly lit and long
stone hallway. You have some murals and screens providing some backstory. But the coolest feature
is this hand guillotine that “chops” your hand off with an air blast. While all this looked cool,
I was a bit lost what the story was the first time I experienced this attraction.
This ride has an elaborate story. It’s so elaborate that the park has made multiple
videos explaining it. If you aren’t a native German speaker, I highly recommend researching
the ride’s story in advance. That will help you understand the visuals more.
From 2009 to 2020, the coaster was named Fluch von Novgorod, which translates to Curse of Novgorod.
From 2021 onwards, a T was added to the end of Fluch. This subtle change
to Flucht von Novgorod changed the ride’s meaning to Escape from Novgorod. Both
describe the experience in my opinion. A German man’s father disappeared. His
last known location was the Russian city of Novgorod. An evil wizard named Wolkow was
publicly executed by Prince Ryurik, but Wolkow’s spirit still haunts woods around the city.
Ryurik protects those inside the city, but travelers en route were subject to Wolkow’s curse.
The ride’s story is the rescue of the German man’s father and escape from the city.
All the visuals are definitely appreciated. Not only from a storytelling perspective,
but also because this ride routinely has one of the worst waits in the park.
While the park has fast dispatches and runs multiple trains, the ride still doesn’t have
the best capacity since each train holds just 8 riders. In both my visits to this park,
it has sported a 45-60 minute wait. There’s a wait board at the ride’s entrance that has
been fairly accurate. For reference, the indoor section of the queue takes about 20-30 minutes.
Midway through that indoor portion, there is a separate line for single
riders. Not too many people use this since it occurs so late in the queue.
I think it would be more utilized if you could access it sooner. If you are visiting alone,
I would recommend that since I don’t think the row matters too much on this coaster.
In the regular line, you can pick your row if you have a preference. Each train has 2 rows of 4.
Riders are restrained by an over-the-shoulder harness. I wish this ride had lap bars like the
newer Eurofighters. This ride isn’t painful by any means, but there are some transitions
with headbanging in the first half. So it is prudent to lean forwards to mitigate this.
It’s also worth noting that Hansa Park has a very strict loose article policy. They instruct
riders to leave nothing in their pockets and glasses are not allowed even with a strap.
The latter did make it tricky for me to appreciate the dark ride elements, but rules are rules.
Bins are provided on the load platform. I’m about to start talking about the first
indoor section, so skip ahead to the time shown on-screen to avoid any potential spoilers.
Once dispatched, the door in front of you opens. You then have thematic music
and lighting as you move forwards into the dark ride section. There are two scenes back-to-back.
They combine animatronics with some projection effects. It’s very well done. Unless you look
up the story in advance, you may be a little confused what’s going on, but the quality of
the sets for both a coaster and a regional park can certainly be appreciated by all.
At the end of this section, you have a short but sharp dip downwards. It
rides like the first drop out of Mystery Mine’s station. You get a quick pop of airtime here.
And the instant you return to your seat, you hit the ride’s most notable coaster element-
the ride’s famous launch. It rapidly accelerates you to 62 mph or 100 kph in just 1.4 seconds.
It is one of the fastest and most abrupt accelerations on any coaster. It packs a wallop.
The launch itself is probably about as powerful as the other Gerstlauer LSM launches like
those on Lynet or TMNT Shellraiser, but it’s enhanced by two factors here. One,
the drop into the launch has way more power here. Usually it’s a milder dip.
Two, you’re enclosed in a dark tunnel to heighten the speed.
One interesting tidbit about this launch is that I’ve seen a few sites report the top
speed was increased from 53 mph or 85.5 kph in its opening year to its current speed. Hansa Park and
Gerstlauer would later enhance a thrill element on one of their other coasters a few years later.
After the launch, you have a snappy turn in the dark. It reminds me of the turn following the
launch on Cedar Point’s Maverick. It’s a wild transition that also piles on the positive Gs.
Just watch your head because the suddenness can cause a headbang.
You then twist upwards into a giant camelback. The crest is very tight so you get some powerful
and sustained ejector airtime. The quality of this airtime would belong on an Intamin hyper.
It’s just a shame you have the over-the-shoulder restraint instead of lap bars while experiencing
negative Gs this strong. Next is this large banked
hill. It sort of looks like a wave turn. Unfortunately, it looks better than it rides.
You won’t get any airtime or notable forces here. Just a horizontal view of the park at the apex.
You then rumble through a pretzel knot turnaround. And to be frank,
I’m not a big fan of this element. While you get solid positive Gs on the valley in between turns,
the changes of direction will box your head around. You need to ride defensively here.
Fortunately, the next element is great one. It’s a sweet heartline roll above a shop. You
will get some great hangtime here like you get on so many Gerstlauer inversions.
You then hit the brakes and head into Novgorod tower.
If you want to skip what happens next, please click the time on-screen.
In front of you, will be a vertical lift hill dimly illuminated. When rides have
both a launch and lift, I prefer if the launch comes second like the aforementioned Maverick.
I think this is better for pacing. This allows the coaster section to flow better
since you don’t have that intermission mid-ride. Then the lights cutout and you start climbing.
You stop halfway up the lift. I was expecting a screen on the ceiling, but instead there’s
a full-fledged animatronic to your left. After the short show-scene continues, you head up the
lift. I’ve seen this ride with a posted height of 130 feet or 40 meters. I think that may be the
height of the tower rather than the ride. The lift and drop doesn’t feel nearly that tall.
But atop the lift, you are thrown over a 97 degree beyond-vertical plunge. This drop- like
most of the second half- is in complete darkness and you get a strong burst of ejector airtime,
which is similar to the other Eurofighters out there. These drops never fail.
I was a bit apprehensive what would follow since the ride had some questionable transitions in
the first half, but fortunately the second half is very smooth.
You then have another giant banked hill. It feels similar to the one in the first half, but this
one is considerably more exciting since you’re enclosed on all sides, enhancing the speed.
You then hop upwards, getting a little spurt of airtime,
and hit the brakes. The indoor section is over in a flash, but it’s fast and fun.
You then have one more quick showscene on the brake run with another animatronic.
Then you return to the station, ending the 2297 foot or 700 meter long coaster.
But the experience isn’t over yet. Novgorod’s exit is quite interesting.
Skip ahead to the time shown on-screen if you want to avoid spoilers yet again.
Since the load platform is elevated, you need to return to ground level.
Option 1 is a boring old staircase. Option 2 is a slide. It’s your average playground slide,
but it’s such an unexpected surprise that it always brings a smile to my face.
Then you have a maze. I can’t think of any other coaster putting something like this on
the exit path. When you successfully solve it, you’re rewarded with a trip to the gift shop!
So what would I rate Flucht von Novgorod? I would give this coaster an 8 out of 10. This is a very
good experience. You have some fantastic theming around the attraction, in the queue line, and
during the coaster itself. Then that coaster has some strong moments- both indoors and outdoors.
Some of the elements are among the best offered on any Eurofighter. The ride does have two minor
flaws though. One, the headbanging. It’s nothing too bad, but it does hamper a few elements. I
really wish this ride had better restraints. Two, the pacing. A few of the elements don’t
quite do it for me plus that other thing I noted in the spoiler section on sequencing.
But this ultimately is a really nice coaster. It’s my second favorite ride in
the park after Karnan and it’s my favorite Eurofighter and I wouldn’t be surprised if
that’s the same for most enthusiasts. So those are my thoughts on Flucht von
Novgorod at Hansa Park. What are your thoughts on this unique Gerstlauer Eurofighter? Is it your
favorite Eurofighter as well? Let me know down in the comments. If you enjoyed this review, I’d
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lot more roller coaster and amusement park videos here at Canobie Coaster. Thanks for watching!