hyper coaster is universally praised and it’s not hard to see why. This is one of the best
rides in the world if you love drops and floater airtime. I fell in love with this coaster in my
first visit to PortAventura in 2017 and I was a bit nervous it would disappoint on my return trip.
Thankfully it did not. Find out why Shambhala is easily the best B&M hyper in this review.
Shambhala opened in 2012 as the tallest and fastest coaster in all of Europe. The coaster
would stand 249 feet or 76 meters tall and reach speeds of 83 mph or 134 kph. Shambhala lost both
these records and they’re now held by Red Force at PortAventura’s second gate in Ferrari Land.
Shambhala was designed to become the new headlining attraction for PortAventura and it’s
still the resort’s most popular ride to this day. The coaster absolutely dominates this Spanish
park’s skyline. Shambhala runs along the back edge of the park. It’s towering hills and camelbacks
can be seen from anywhere in the park. And the ride’s lift goes right over Dragon Khan,
making that 15 story tall coaster look small. That’s an impressive feat. Further,
this coaster can be seen from miles away. It’s the main ride you see as you approach the park.
There are a few taller rides at the resort, but Shambhala is the easiest to spot between
its height and sheer size. Heck, the ride is quite visible even from Tarragona over 10 miles away!
Along with its immense size, I love this coaster’s paint scheme. The snow white track and cyan rails
are a unique color choice and they really pop against the sky. Then the teal and gold trains
look good too soaring over the camelbacks. Another possibly unintended effect is their
lighting at night. Shambhala features cameras that record guests during the ride. At night,
they have the flash on. So when you watch this coaster off-ride, you see the train twinkling
over the camelbacks. It looks really cool. And the coaster is complimented by some nice
theming. The ride is placed in the China section of the park and it was smartly themed. Shambhala
is an ancient Buddhist City at the base of the Himalayan mountains. It was a utopia where people
experienced peace and harmony. The loose story for this attraction is that guests are on an
expedition to reach this mystical town. And the ride’s towering hills fit that narrative well.
You can reach Shambhala from either Sesamo Aventura or the main China plaza.
Both midways towards the coaster send guests under a giant archway bearing the ride’s name.
You then pass all sorts of expedition gear like tents and lanterns. And the walls around the
attraction are covered in snow. You don’t really notice the theming on-ride, but that’s fine
because you have a splendid view to compensate. The best visual off-ride is the splashdown
after the second camelback. Other B&Ms use fins on the train to create a splashdown.
Examples of this include Diamondback at Kings Island or Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
B&M didn’t want to bleed off any speed, so it’s a fake splashdown. Timed water jets shoot skywards
as trains rocket by. A lot of guests linger by this element at all times of the day.
You then climb a large flight of stairs to enter the queue, which looks like an ancient
temple from the outside. Unfortunately, the rest of the queue is frankly a miserable experience.
It is a seemingly never-ending series of cramped switchbacks. You do not want to
be stuck waiting through these on a busy day. Shambhala is the park’s most popular coaster.
It will have a wait most days. During the peak months, the ride routinely has a 45-60
minute wait. During these days, the coaster will often run 2 or 3 trains, making it a
people-eater. Especially since the crew can check the restraints and dispatch trains very quickly.
While you may think visiting during an off-peak day would be advantageous,
this can backfire. Shambhala ran just one train in my September weekday visits.
You also need to watch out for the weather. If you visit on a windy day, the ride may run one train.
This is to ensure the train is fully loaded, minimizing the odds it will valley.
While I’m on the topic of weather, it is worth noting I’ve seen this coaster close in heavy rain.
A lot of European parks will run their coasters through a monsoon if guests are willing,
but PortAventura shuts this one down until the rain lets up.
So what are the best ways to beat the crowds. There are a few options.
First, you can visit during the winter event. With the cooler temperatures,
less people visit PortAventura leading to some of the shortest waits for Shambhala.
Second, you can head here early. PortAventura uses staggered openings and Shambhala typically
opens a half hour after the park. I’ve been able to get a few quick rides in
a row if I’m there when the ride opens. Three, you can get in line right before close.
PortAventura keeps the queue lines open until closing time, unlike some European parks. The
line will be shorter and move faster with Express passes no longer being admitted.
Four, you can use the single rider line. Very few people have used this in my visits.
If Shambhala is running multiple trains, you shouldn’t have to wait more than 10-15 minutes.
If Shambhala is on one train, this line can move painstakingly slow.
Five, you can purchase the Express skip-the-line pass. This not only allows you to bypass the
wait for this coaster, but it gives you an advantage when it comes to seat selection.
Like many of PortAventura’s coasters, Shambhala has first-come seating. Express Pass users are
typically admitted into the station first. The Gold level Express passes are allowed one front
row ride on Shambhala. If they already used their front row ride, they are directed to
fill any other row. Most people fill the train from the front, but the best seats by far on
Shambhala are the back car. That is where you get the strongest and most plentiful airtime.
If the seat you want is taken, you may be able to wait off to the side for the next train, but you
can’t always do this. It depends on the employee. Each train is comprised of 8 cars. Each car can
accommodate 4 riders, so the trains seat a max of 32 people per cycle.
Shambhala was the last B&M hyper to use the staggered V-shaped seating. The front 2 riders
per car sit shoulder-to-shoulder. The back two riders are set behind those seats off to the side.
This puts more space between the seats in front of you. It also significantly lengthens the train,
which is why I think Shambhala’s drops are extra potent in the back rows.
The restraints look similar to your usual B&M hyper. You have a clamshell
harness that comfortably rests above your thighs.
The one thing to note with Shambhala is that it requires an extra click than most other B&M
hypers. Candymonium at Hersheypark is the only other one I know of that is extra restrictive.
This can make the ride challenging for riders with larger thighs.
Further complicating matters is that there sometimes is an employee by the main entrance.
They will direct larger guests towards the test seat. If they fail to get the green light,
you may not be allowed into the queue. There was someone on my train who had just
ridden Shambhala. They needed a firm push from the platform attendants, but they were able to ride.
When they tried to reride, the employee at the entrance directed them into the test seat. They
couldn’t get the green light. They tried arguing they had just ridden the coaster,
but the employee wouldn’t let them into the queue. I’m not sure if the platform attendants push
harder or if the test seat is more restrictive, but just be careful if you have thicker thighs.
Once dispatched, you turn to the right and ascend the massive lift hill. And let’s talk about one
of the best aspects of Shambhala- the view. The sightlines on this coaster are stunning.
To the right, you have the entire amusement park. To the left, you have a breathtaking
view of the Mediterranean Sea. That’s especially true since PortAventura is located atop a hill
and you’re looking down at the water. Then in the distance, you see these gorgeous mountains.
And these visuals aren’t just on the lift hill. You enjoy them for the entire ride. It is surreal
getting powerful airtime and getting to experience a view fit for a postcard simultaneously.
Once atop the lift, you are thrown over the 256 foot or 78 meter tall drop. And this is one of the
best drops in the world. You have all that height, so the drop lasts forever. The drop is very steep;
it’s angled at 77 degrees. So if you’re in the back, you get some incredible floater airtime.
It’s very strong and sustained floater. And more impressively, the drop gives that stomach-drop
sensation. I don’t usually get that feeling on coasters, just drop towers. But Shambhala’s drop
manages to give that sensation. I think it's a combination of the long trains and drop length.
Then the drop culminates by plunging into an underground tunnel. You’re pummeled with
positive Gs. I start to greyout here and don’t regain my vision until halfway up the next hill.
And that next hill is a giant camelback. This is the most sustained airtime moment on the ride if
you’re up front. You get good floater going over the top. Then you stay weakly levitated
out of your seat for the descent. You’re out of your seat for a good 4-5 consecutive seconds.
In the back, the airtime kicks in later, but it’s stronger floater airtime. And you
get a pinch of that stomach drop sensation too. Next is Shambhala’s famous ampersand turnaround.
The twist upwards has great positives, which can cause another greyout.
You get a reprieve of forces at the apex as you momentarily slow down.
But you then twist downwards, rebuilding all that speed. And the positive Gs pick up again.
This is easily one of B&M’s best turnarounds and it’s a shame they haven’t used it more.
You then fly over a speed hill. This diminutive hill offers the most forceful airtime on the ride.
If you’ve experienced the speed hills on Mako, Candymonium, or Orion,
this rides similarly. You don’t slow down one bit while getting lots of fl-jector airtime.
It is worth noting there is a trim on this hill, but I have never seen it personally kick in.
That’s not too surprising since I’ve only visited this park in the cooler
months. Let me know in the comments if the trim is on in the summer months.
You then zoom over another giant camelback. This hill is still massive. It seems like you’re
eye-level with Dragon Khan’s first drop. Those up front get several seconds of nice floater airtime.
Those in back experience somewhat stronger floater airtime on the descent.
And like the first two drops, I also got that butterfly sensation in my stomach.
Next is that faux splashdown. The proximity of the water jets enhance the already substantial speed.
And if you’re in the back wing seats, be prepared for some of the water to splash you.
You then have back-to-back bunny hills. The first gives good floater airtime for all. The second
gives great floater airtime for all. And the drop off the second is another that gives that stomach
drop sensation in the back. I still can’t believe how regularly Shambhala produces this sensation.
You then rise upwards into a mid-course brake run. You subtly bank left at the top,
so those up front get some nice floater airtime plus decent laterals. Those in
back slow down too much to get the laterals, but they’ll still get some weak floater.
You then cruise through the brake run without slowing down. Now I called this a mid-course,
but it’s not really in the middle of the ride. It’s more like 4/5 of the way through the ride.
You then twist 180 degrees down to the ground. This drop isn’t too steep,
but it applies some good positive Gs at the bottom. It’s an unexpected moment. Next is the
final bunny hill. The airtime isn’t as substantial as what you get in the first half, but you still
get decent floater throughout the train. You then hop into the final brake run. You
get a quick pop of airtime up front and a little bit of lift in the back.
You then smoothly come to a stop. 99% of the time, you’ll return to the station.
But if you get the last ride of the night on Shambhala on a cooler day
and the coaster is running multiple trains, you may be evacuated from the brake run. The
park doesn’t like to send empty trains and risk a valley in these conditions,
so they’ll just unlock your restraint and have you walk back to the station.
This happened to me on my most recent visit. Even after a decade of operation, the ride
is extremely smooth. There’s no roughness nor rattle here. I could ride this coaster all-day.
In terms of pacing, Shambhala reigns supreme among the B&M hypers. This model can have
3 pitfalls- slowdowns atop the camelbacks, lackluster turnarounds, and too much braking.
Shambhala carries plenty of speed through the layout. Every single hill delivers airtime and
those in the first half deliver some of the best floater airtime on the planet.
You aren’t slowed down by the trim brake nor mid-course. And the turnaround is a
genuinely fun and forceful element. This coaster doesn’t have any major dead spots,
which is impressive for a ride as long as this. Shambhala has 5131 feet or 1564 meters of track.
So what would I rate Shambhala? I would easily give this coaster a 10 out of 10.
This is one of the most addictive coasters in the world. It’s inherently reridable.
You have that super smooth ride, great pacing, and oodles of sustained floater
airtime. B&M hypers always excel in the latter, but Shambhala goes above and beyond.
And then a few of the drops give that stomach drop sensation in the back car,
which isn’t something I get to experience too often on a coaster nowadays. Last but not least,
you have those world-class visuals of the water and mountains as you’re navigating the layout.
All these factors make Shambhala my second favorite B&M, just behind
Fury 325. But it is darn close for me. So those are my thoughts on Shambhala at
PortAventura. What are your thoughts on this coaster? Do you think it’s the best B&M hyper
out there? Let me know down in the comments. If you enjoyed this review, I’d appreciate it
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coaster and amusement park videos here at Canobie Coaster. Thanks for watching!