We planned our trip to Madrid because we really wanted to visit Parque Warner Madrid, the Warner Bros. theme park with rides based around DC Superheroes, Looney Tunes and more. We didn’t know much about Parque de Atracciones de Madrid at all. In fact, we almost didn’t bother going because we assumed it wouldn’t stack up against the big movie rides at Warner.
It ended up being the biggest surprise of the holiday. While it doesn’t have the massive DC superhero sets, it has a completely different charm that we fell in love with. It feels less corporate, more relaxed and the coaster lineup is actually way more intense than we expected!
It’s located right in the heart of the city too so it’s really easy to get to. It opened way back in 1969 and is a lot more open than you’d expect from a European city park. We were expecting an amusement park but it was much more than that.
It’s definitely worth visiting both parks when you’re in Madrid. Parque Warner was obviously our big main event, but Parque de Atracciones was just pure fun. It was nice to just hop on the Metro and be riding coasters 20 minutes later without having to plan a massive journey!
Watch Our Vlog Here:
Where is Parque de Atracciones Madrid?
It is literally in Madrid. It’s located in the Casa de Campo which is a massive public park just west of the city centre. You’ll also find Zoo Aquarium here too.
Because of its location, you don’t need to plan a journey to get here. It’s as easy as hopping on the Metro. You can actually see the Royal Palace and the Madrid skyline from the top of the rides!
Getting There
This must be the easiest theme park to get to in Europe. No shuttle buses, no expensive taxis, no confused train connections.
The only way we recommend getting there is by Metro. You just need to hop on Line 10 (Dark Blue) and get off at Batán station. It couldn’t be easier because as soon as you walk out of the station doors, you’re staring directly at the entrance turnstiles and the TNT coaster. It takes about 15 minutes from the city centre (Plaza de España) and costs less than €2. Ideal!
We’d avoid driving in Madrid if you can! It’s stressful and parking here is limited anyway. The Metro is so fast and cheap that driving just doesn’t make sense unless you have no choice.
Parking & Arrival
If you really do need to drive, there’s a dedicated car park but it’s not that big. It’s paid parking and can fill up pretty fast on weekends so if you’re driving, make sure you get there well before opening time to grab a spot.
It’s worth knowing that the park actually has two entrances depending on how you arrive.
If you come from the car park, you’ll enter via the Main Entrance in the Zona de la Naturaleza. However, if you take our advice and use the Metro, you’ll come in via the Batán Entrance. This gate drops you straight into the action right beside Nickelodeon Land.
Once you are through security, the vibe is instantly more relaxed. There’s lockers at both entrances which we’d recommend using so you don’t have to lug your bags around all day.
Where to Stay
Because the park is right inside the city, you really don’t need to hunt for specific hotels near the park. It’s best to just stay in Madrid City Centre.
Our best advice is to pick a hotel near a Line 10 Metro station (the dark blue line). Areas like Plaza de España, Tribunal or Alonso MartÃnez are perfect but really, anywhere near a Metro station in Madrid is fine.
Getting Your Tickets
Save yourself the hassle (and the extra cost) of buying tickets at the ticket booths. It’s pretty much always cheaper to book online, plus you don’t have to waste twenty minutes standing in line before you even get inside.
We find GetYourGuide good for theme park tickets generally. We grabbed ours in advance so we could head straight for the turnstiles and scan the code on our phones.
Useful Info
- Speedy Pass: If you’re visiting on a really busy weekend, they have a fast track system called Speedy Pass. We got the pass for our visit but we could have done without it.
- Height Restrictions: Keep a close eye on the height signs here. They’re pretty strict about checking!
- Ride Access Pass: If you need disability access, head straight to Guest Services (Atención al Cliente) at the entrance with your documentation to get your pass sorted.
- Download the App: Definitely download the official park app before you go. It has live wait times and a map. There’s no paper maps.
Themed Areas & Attractions
The park is split into four zones. It’s smaller than some of the giant resort parks in Europe, so you can easily walk between them without your feet hurting too much. Here’s our highlights from each area.
Zona del Maquinismo (The Thrill Zone)
This is where we headed first. It has all the biggest rides in the park.
- Abismo: We loved this. It’s a Maurer Sky Loop coaster that lifts you up vertically to 49 metres high. It then leaves you hanging upside down before twisting you into a massive dive. It’s short but intense and one of the most unique coasters we’ve ever been on. It’s actually the only model of its type ever built!
- Tarántula: A massive spinning coaster that’s surprisingly long. We usually aren’t big fans of these but the longer, more open layout improves it a lot. It’s good fun.
- Tornado: This is a rare Intamin Inverted coaster. It loops through the treetops and picks up some serious speed. We found it enjoyable and smooth, especially considering it’s an older ride.
- La Lanzadera: A classic drop tower. It gives you an incredible view of Madrid for about 5 seconds before dropping you 63 metres.
@curioustourists He loves a drop tower! La Lanzadera in Madrid is 63 metres high! #themepark #madrid #spain @parquedeatraccionesmadrid @Denis Ryan-Byrne
Zona de la Tranquilidad (Tranquility Zone)
As the name suggests, this is a more chilled-out area where you can take a break from the screams…or can you?
- La Jungla: This is a classic slow boat ride that takes you through a jungle filled with animals (that don’t move). It’s very old-school and peaceful making it a nice break from the heat.
- The Walking Dead Experience: This is a paid extra (usually around €5) but it’s worth the upcharge, especially if you’re a fan of the show. It’s a good, well-themed scare maze with great live actors and plenty of frights.
- Zeppelin: A relaxed monorail ride that gives you a tour of the park from above. It’s a great way to rest your legs for ten minutes while seeing the sights.
Zona de la Naturaleza (Nature Zone)
To us, this area felt like the real hub of the park. It connects all the other zones together and always feels busy and vibrant.
- TNT Tren de la Mina: Don’t skip this thinking it’s just for kids. It’s a really solid mine train family coaster that’s fast and intense. It’s got a few surprising drops and is good fun.
- Vértigo: This is a Wild Mouse style coaster with tight hairpin turns. To be honest, we found this one very rough. It really throws you around the corners so brace yourself if you decide to ride it!
Nickelodeon Land
If you have young kids, this area is brilliant. It’s brightly coloured and features all the characters they know from TV, and yes, we may have been excited about seeing some of the characters we grew up watching.
- La Aventura de Dora (Dora’s Jeeps): A gentle ride where little ones can hop in a jeep and go on an adventure through the forest with Dora the Explorer. We’re not little ones and gave it a go!
- Nickelodeon Express: A mini train ride that takes you on a tour around the area. It’s perfect for families to ride together. It’s very cute.
Food & Drink
The food here is good compared to what you’d normally get in a theme park.
- El Mercado de San Isidro: This is the best place to eat. It’s an authentic-style Spanish market square with a lovely outdoor terrace. We got really lovely sandwiches that were huge. It feels like a real restaurant, not a cafeteria.
- Nickelodeon Café: If you’re stuck in Nickelodeon Land, this is the main spot. It serves standard fast food (burgers, hot dogs) but the location is convenient if the kids are having too much fun to leave the area.
- The Chains: If you have picky eaters or just want something familiar, the park has a proper Burger King and a Domino’s Pizza inside. It’s nothing fancy but it’s reliable.
Shopping
To be honest, shopping isn’t a huge part of the day here compared to the massive stores at bigger parks but there’s a few spots worth checking out.
The highlight for us was definitely the Nickelodeon Shop. If you’ve got kids (or just love cartoons), it’s packed with SpongeBob, Paw Patrol and Dora stuff.
Other than that, you’ve got the Main Entrance Shop over by the car park entrance. It has your standard magnets and mugs but it’s a bit of a walk if you’re leaving via the Metro.
Essential Tips for Your Visit
To help you make the most of your day and avoid a few surprises, here’s some practical things we learned during our trip.
- Watch Out for Spanish Holidays: Since this is a city park, it gets absolutely jammed when the locals are off work or school. We were warned that it gets very busy on Spanish public holidays. If you can, try to visit mid-week or check the local holiday calendar first.
- Water Rides Might Be Closed: One big disappointment for us was that all the water rides were closed during our visit. They usually only open them in the busy Summer season or during warmer weather.
- Watch the Weather: We got caught in some serious rain right at the end of the day! Madrid weather is usually great but when it turns, it really turns. It’s worth checking the forecast or throwing a cheap poncho in your bag just in case.
- Bring a Water Bottle: There’s fountains dotted around the park where you can refill your bottle for free. It saves a fortune on drinks.
@curioustourists Abismo in Parque De Atracciones de Madrid is the only roller coaster of it’s kind in the world! #madrid #spain #rollercoaster @parquedeatraccionesmadrid
Final Thoughts
We’ll be honest, we only went to Parque de Atracciones because we had a spare day in Madrid. We didn’t really expect it to compete with the massive movie sets and superhero rides at Parque Warner.
But we’re so glad we went. It ended up being a really great day. It has a completely different vibe. It’s relaxed in a way that the big corporate parks just aren’t. It was probably worth it for Abismo alone!
If you’re heading to Madrid and wondering if you should squeeze this in, do it. You’ll have great fun.
Pingback: Visiting Museo de Cera Madrid - Our Top Tips & Honest Review 🇪🇸