November 4, 2025, 2:01 pm | Read time: 8 minutes

TRAVELBOOK: Mr. Mack, Europa-Park is Germany’s largest amusement park, with countless attractions, themed areas, and shows. If you could spend a day here incognito, where would you most likely be found?  

Thomas Mack: “Being incognito has become really difficult. What I truly enjoy is walking through the park with my dog in the evening. When there are no guests, it’s an incredibly magical place. We all grew up in the park, so many childhood memories come flooding back, and that’s what I enjoy the most. In the evenings, I also like being in our hotels, actually in all of them. There are beautiful bars and restaurants. A particularly great bar is the Buena Vista Club Bar in Castillo Alcazar, from where you have a view over all the other hotels in the park.” 

Your family is often referred to as “the German Disneys”–can you relate to this comparison?

“Disney was a big role model for us in the 1970s. We come from the traditional roller coaster and wagon construction, having started in the 1780s, and are now the eighth generation in the family business. This means we’ve always had a close connection to showmen and circus people. My father and grandfather were with Walt Disney back then to sell a roller coaster–on the way home, the idea arose to build our own amusement park based on this model. In that sense, the comparison is a nice one.

But of course, we took a different path: We built the amusement park first and are now, for example, releasing our own movie. Disney came from the film industry and then built the theme park. Today, of course, many things are different. Disney is now a large corporation, a multiplayer with several parks at different locations. We, on the other hand, focus on our location here.”

»Our Focus Is Always on the Family

Many see Europa-Park not just as an amusement park but also as a short vacation. What makes Europa-Park a true destination for you?  

“I always try to make it clear that we are much more than just an amusement park. The park is undoubtedly an important draw, but by now, with our hotels, we have the largest hotel resort in Germany and are the highest-grossing gastronomy operation in the country at a single location. We offer far more than just roller coaster rides. That’s why I’m convinced that our offering is now so large and diverse that we’ve become a true short-trip destination. 

That’s also my vision, that guests stay with us even longer. With the water world ‘Rulantica,’ we’ve created a second park that’s open year-round. And with ‘Ammolite,’ we have the only two-star restaurant in a theme park worldwide. Additionally, with ‘Eatrenalin,’ we offer a novel, multisensory dining experience. With ‘Traumatica’ (a horror event, editor’s note), we have a completely different format, more for the young or young-at-heart audience, not for children. We try to cater to everyone in the family. Our focus is always on the family–the granddaughter should have as much fun as the grandpa or the teenager. That was always important to our grandfather: that the balance is right. When a big roller coaster was built, you could assume that the next year would see investment in children’s and family attractions.”

»It’s Best to Spend a Night Here

Are there corners or experiences in the park that you would call real insider tips–especially for those visiting for the first time? 

“It’s like asking: What’s your favorite food? I would actually recommend staying a night and also experiencing the themed hotels. You just immerse yourself in another world when you stay overnight in a themed hotel.

Of course, it’s also worth just strolling through the park. Maybe soak up the atmosphere a bit on the first day or ride a few rides and then enjoy. You can experience Europe with us not only architecturally but also culinarily–so just try things out. I’m also a huge fan of our shows. We have over 300 artists in Europa-Park, which means there’s something happening everywhere. There are ice shows, a knight show, and a big parade, among other things. It’s really best to spend a night here. The offering is just so large that you otherwise have too little time. If you want to avoid the crowds a bit, you should experience the park counter-cyclically–maybe start in the back area, have lunch a bit earlier, and then have more time for the attractions at midday.”

What should visitors not miss on their next visit to the park? 

“Next year, we will open the new themed area Monaco–though no new attraction is planned there, instead, a typical Monegasque flair is being created. Last year, we opened ‘Voltron Nevera,’ our latest roller coaster, which has started incredibly successfully. We are also currently building the Riverside Western Lodge, a guesthouse with 119 rooms, which we will open next year–in Silver Lake City. The Western street will be completed there. It’s become a great area, including its own brewery, gastronomy, several restaurants, log cabins, and this new accommodation, which we will open next year. We also have a lot planned in the area of attractions. With Sally, the cooking and baking influencer, we have a cooperation–we will launch a new culinary offering next year.”

Also interesting: Europa-Park announces numerous new features–what’s planned

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»The More Digital Our World Becomes, the More People Long for Real Experiences

Do you personally believe that amusement parks can increasingly replace traditional travel in the future?  

“I think it will always be a combination. We offer Europe in a day–not the real Europe, but a depiction, the atmosphere of different countries. We try to implement this as authentically as possible: with cuisine, culture, and folklore groups. We want it to feel as real as possible. But I wouldn’t say it replaces a real trip. It’s more of an additional offering. I think we actually compete more with short-trip destinations–so less with other amusement parks, but more with the short trip to Mallorca or wherever the next airline flies.  

But I am convinced that amusement parks have a great future. The more digital our world becomes, the more people long for real experiences as a family. There’s nothing more beautiful than seeing the father slightly scared on the roller coaster or the grandmother with tears of joy in her eyes because the grandchild enjoys the tractor ride so much. This emotional connection that amusement parks create, and this multi-generational experience, is something very special. Many adults who were here as children now return with their own children.” 

»At Some Point, the Physical Size of the Park Is Reached

Europa-Park has been growing for years–is there ever a limit? Or is the goal to eventually represent all of Europe in the park? 

“The good thing is that Europe has been getting bigger in recent years. We now have 17 European themed areas, and the 18th is already in planning or under construction. Next year, we will open Monaco–Prince Albert II will also be present at the opening. I find Eastern Europe very exciting. We are still relatively underrepresented there. We’ve already built Croatia, but countries like Poland or the Czech Republic could be interesting. The nice thing is that we continue to develop Europa-Park step by step. On the other hand, one has to say: At some point, the physical size of the park is, of course, reached. We probably won’t be able to represent all of Europe.”

Which travel destination inspires you personally–also with a view to new ideas for Europa-Park? 

“I love traveling–I find it extremely exciting. I’m also not someone who can just relax and lie down; I’m really bad at that. Every trip is an opportunity for me to learn something about the country, the people, and the culture. I love authentic food. Italy might be my favorite country; I’m often there. But I also find Asia incredibly exciting; I’d like to go there more often. In general, I’m always happy to discover new destinations. I’m not someone who always goes to the same hotel or the same country, but I consciously look for places I haven’t been to yet. That’s also how we choose our travel destinations. Of course, Europe is an important destination for us as Europa-Park. But especially when it comes to food trends, I learn a lot on trips worldwide and try to implement that in the park.”