Extra fun fact (also for the Dutchies): The baron animatronic in the queue-line is also voiced by the same person who voiced the Baron in a kids televisionshow called Bassie & Adriaan, which aired 1978 till 1997. His name is Paul van Gorcum, and he kinda looks like him.
The Efteling is my home park, i’ve ridden this Coaster over 50 times, I LOVE IT. I’ve ridden coasters like Valeravn and when I came our I said: This isn’t as Good as Baron 1898, pure of the theming.
I also went on it yesterday as my first dive coaster. For those curious about the tunnel, it’s filled with a sort of impenetrable mist that you can sort of see in some of the shots. It really adds the story of the ride. I would definitely recommend it
Efteling specially made a short movie about Baron 1898, explaining the story. It starts several years before the mine is built. A stranger visits an inn and has to catch a boat to South America, but has only little time left. One of the Innkeepers, Jochem, volunteers to guide him over "De Zompige Heide" (The Soggy Moorland). Everyone falls silent because they all know that that place is haunted by several mystical folklore creatures and the "Whailing women" who guard their gold. Despite the warning, Jochem guides the man over the moorland, only for the man to stop and investigate an underground cave to find gold. But as soon as he tries to take the gold, a mysterious fog rolls in and the screen fades as you hear the whailing women scream. Several years later, a new stranger enters the inn with plans to build a mine in the Moorland, knowing there is gold there. As the mine is built, all kinds of troubles arise, like blood dripping out of the walls, a spider infestation in the hallways and some even found a skeleton. Despite all, the Baron continues to build the mine. When it's finished, he invites Jochem to go down the mine with him for the first time. In the mine elevator, he realizes the Baron is the stranger he guided years earlier. Upon entering the mine, the Whailing Women are back to defend the gold and cave the Baron and Jochem in. Jochem's girlfriend witnesses the cave in from the upper mine building and attempts to liberate them, in which she succeeds. Realizing he is too young to die and wants to see the world, Jochem and his girlfriend plan to travel the world, with the maps and some gold donated to them by the Baron as his thanks. The Baron, however, refuses to close the mine and proclaims to all willing to listen: "If you go down the mine and return with gold, you will get a profitable share! 50/50! Who dares to enter... Baron 1898!" The general theming Efteling does for their attractions (like the Flying Dutchman, explaining the story of Willem van der Decken and his lust for power, which cursed him to sail the seas forever) is amazing, even if that shortens the track ride. I think there is no after-show for this ride because it's somewhat implied that you plummeted to your death in the mine or that, like many mineworkers before you, you flee the mine because of the curse. There is even a specal mini show that happens in Show Building B (When you're waiting in line to board the attraction) that happens if there are some trouble with people getting in/out the ride. The Baron animatronic turns into his office, as if the foreman just entered to tell him the first group "cowardly fled" the mine. The Baron gets angry and calls this group "Cowards!'"
I love this ride. A small detail that I really like is the (real) bell sound that rings when you drop. I'm also really happy with how the bag system works.
Me too! I was there yesterday and was pleasantly surprised with the bag service. And actually surprised you take your bag with you in the Python rollercoaster.
The reason that the baron 1898 isn’t that long is because of space and the fact they need special permissions for rides like this. They would make the baron higher if they were allowed to, but they have a legal max height. For every attraction they build they need to build more forest or things like that to even out the percentages and they don’t have that much space for park extensions. Maybe that will answer some of the questions you guys have. Good job if you read all of that!
Fun fact. On the shots you have of the station, on the right of the train you can see these levers with one red one in the middle. On this Red one there is a clearance button for the Attendent to clear the train for the operator to send of, And they can actually move the handle back and forwards! Sadly not all employees do it, but when they do it truly feels like they are pulling the lever to send you down the ride!
J Terry TV there where some try’s but the Pre show infront of the lifthill is not Possible if you try to do this you would need to try it like me with another ride type like put on the Random Car using and make it with an Eurofighter ore Infinity Coaster and use the Launch stop for the preshow
I totaly agree on your thoughts. A lot of people who havent ridden it always judge it only on its stats so it always gets little to no attention. It is one of my favourites in the netherlands!
I have ridden this coaster over 10 times, and I loved it. I completly agree with you, if you know the whole story it gives you an even better experience. Thanks for the review , I really enjoyed it !
Oblivion isn’t a mini dive coaster Taylor, it’s drop is 180’ and uses the full size trains. But I know what you meant, it is litterally just the drop and done.
Efteling is my home park, and i've ridden it 100's of times. Awesome coaster, i prefer back seat for crazy airtime! The lifthill structure is so impressive, i love it. Still prefer Shiekra/Griffon though for me but maybe thats because i've only visited those parks once.
I live in the Netherlands and the baron 1898 and Joris en de draak are my favorites! The vliegende hollander(Flying Dutchman) is also very nice themed and beautiful!
I agree. Do you know if the inside / boat part of De Vliegende Hollander changed lately? I was there yesterday and I remember it had more of a show the last time I went in it. Now it was just dark...
I've ridden Baron 1898 , SheiKra , Krake. For me personally I've gotta say the drop in SheiKra is the coolest. So for the drop and ultimate thrill experience I would rank it: 1.SheiKra 2.Krake 3.Baron 1898 But for the theming I would definitely go for Baron 1898 , because that's also what a rollercoaster makes amazing. So my ranking from best ride is: 1.SheiKra (just bc it's so insane) 2.Baron 1899 3.Krake
I very much love the theming: the story of this greedy baron looking for gold and the wailing women protecting it: I admit I had to overcome a bit of fear to ride (I'm not exactly a coaster connaisseur I should mention) but when I did it was the greatest feeling in the world, I was still smiling half an hour later :D
@Gop not agree. What you say is true, but Efteling already wants to make a Dive coaster. But Efteling can't build above the tree's ( like alton towers ) so they look at krake and want to make a better one than that layout SO they build it underground, because if that tree rule.
At this moment, Efteling had six roller coasters. Four of them are in the Baron 1898 area. Baron 1898, Python, De Vliegende Hollander & Joris en de Draak. There are also Vogelrok and the Bob (untill september 2019)
This coaster‘s theme is from a gold mine in a small town. The man on the balcony is the count (Baron in Dutch) (it’s the count/baron from the year 1898. so there’s the origin of this name.)the ghosts are the protectors of the gold. The drop represents your decent to the mine.
I felt the same way about Oblivion The Black Hole. The theming really made that coaster stand out, but Baron looks like it just slaughters Oblivion The Black Hole.
This sounds pretty cool. I haven’t ridden a dive coaster yet. If I go to CP this summer my first will be Valraven. I know everyone says it’s not great but it’ll be a col new experience.
One thing that you missed, and it takes a while to notice (it took me like 11 or 12 rides): the story is indeed about a baron who is obsessed with mining gold, but the gold is protected by the ghosts. The fun thing is that the tunnel after the first drop is actually filled with gold. But due to the mist and darkness in the tunnel, it is not that easy to spot. Little things like these is what makes this coaster really stand out to me. As you said, the story really hypes you up for this coaster.
Being from Tampa and Cincinnati I've ridden my fare share... but the one coaster i just cant cosign is the B&M droppers... TO ME, They are just lame one trick ponies like you said. The Yukon one in Canada is probably the best iteration I've seen. But here in Tampa, Sheikra, I'll pass! 2020 looks to be exciting for both of my parks. Kings Island and Busch Gardens.
so awesome to hear you talking about our first B&M! i'm sure you would have loved Fenix as well! also: what are your thoughts about Untamed in Walibi Holland?
The height of the ride being only 98ft is due to height restrictions of the park. (There is one exception... the panorama tower. That was created so it would only go above the tree line when it's in operation) But I have the impression that just like with drop towers, the height doesn't make that much of a difference. Because it's the moment you start to fall that gives you the sensation of falling. And maybe the quick change form negative g's to positive ones make it feel like it has more airtime than you'd think it has. I also think i like the 6 seater trains more than the 8/10 seater ones. OK, they look less impressive. But they do allow for more intense/ less outstretched ride lay-outs.
The thing about the coaster is that it a sort of hypnotised you that you think you are actually a mineworker when you see that train in the station you heart has like 100 beats per minute. The fun thing is that I didn’t noticed the first time that I ride it that it had inversions
Agree with you. The ride is good because of the theming wehre Efteling is World class. Baron is great but it cannot beat the best themed Coaster ever flying dutchman just a few metres away from Baron.
so the story (like most of the stories in efteling) is based on local myths. Back in the 19th century the baron found some gold and tried to hire miners (you the guest) to mine it for him, the white ladies ("witte wieven") are the guardians of the gold and they won't allow you to take the gold. The first show ends with them saying "You have been warned". Before you go up the lifthill they say "You were warned, pride comes for the fall!". Efteling does have signs etc to explain it to international audiences but not everything is translated, like what the white ladies say for example. The park also has a 13 minute video of the story on the yt page (with english subs)
I always considered myself someone who places equal value on theming and the physical ride itself. Until I rode Baron 1898. It is true that the pre-shows, building and station are beautiful - as is the structure. But there's no getting away from the fact that, to me personally, the coaster itself is a load of old cobblers.
are you going back to toverland bequse fenix is open and you coudnt ride it the last time and i think it is one of the best coasters in the netherlands
