Heide Park Resort is situated in Soltau, Lower Saxony, making it the largest amusement park in Northern Germany and one of the biggest in the country. Spanning over 850,000 square meters (210 acres), this expansive resort originally developed from the Heidenhof Wildlife Park. Today, it serves as a major regional destination operated by the UK-based Merlin Entertainments group, drawing visitors to the picturesque Lüneburg Heath region for both single-day outings and longer resort stays.
The site was converted from a wildlife park into an amusement park by showman Hans-Jürgen Tiemann, opening on 19 August 1978 with six initial rides. Ownership transitioned to The Tussauds Group in 2002 before merging into Merlin Entertainments in 2007. Over the decades, the destination grew significantly from under 200,000 guests in its first year to over two million annual visitors during peak seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s, establishing itself as a premier European theme park destination.
Heide Park is organized into five distinct park areas: Eingang & Ausgang (featuring traditional Lower-Saxony style architecture), Bucht der Piraten, Transilvanien (dominated by a medieval-style castle atop a forested hill), Land der Vergessenen, and Exploria. The resort offers around 40 rides overall, balancing family-friendly attractions with high-thrill coaster experiences. Key visual landmarks across the grounds include a 35-meter, 1/3 scale replica of the Statue of Liberty, which was relocated at the end of 2011 to stand within the Colossos roller coaster footprint.
The park caters to both family vacationers and hardcore thrill-seekers. It is particularly famous for signature coasters such as Colossos - Kampf der Giganten—formerly the steepest wooden coaster in the world—and Flug der Dämonen, Germany's first wing coaster. Guests can also enjoy five daily entertainment shows at the Pirate Arena, explore themed areas like the Mayan Village or the Dutch section, and extend their visit by staying overnight at the resort's dedicated pirate hotel or Caribbean-style holiday camp.
01 Signature rides & attractions
The park’s headline rides across its themed areas. Confirm heights and any single-rider lines on the day.
Compiled from Wikipedia · a full ride-by-ride list per themed area is on the way.
Park map
The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the park and its surroundings — entrances, themed areas, car parks and access roads. Zoom in for detail; the official ride-by-ride park plan is linked below.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free). Official park maps are copyrighted — we link to them.
02 Tickets & prices
Ticket prices for Heide Park change by date and season, and the park sells single-day, multi-day and annual passes — buying online in advance is almost always cheaper than at the gate, and popular dates can sell out. Check the official site for live pricing before you travel.
We deliberately don’t list prices that change daily — the ticket button leads to live, up-to-date pricing.
03 Where to stay
On-site and resort hotels put you right at the gates — often with early park access — turning the visit into an easy two- or three-day trip.
Opened in 2007 featuring 150 family rooms and 16 suites.
Opened in 2005 featuring 81 Caribbean-style wooden houses with a total of 536 beds.
04 Best time to visit & opening times
| Season | When | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Halloween | October | Special event held during the month of October. |
Opening times vary by day · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · check before you travel
05 Themed areas
Each area has its own theming — architecture, food and rides. Half the fun is simply walking through.
Good to know
- Heide Park features an on-site pirate-themed hotel (Hotel Port Royal) and a Caribbean-style Holiday Camp for multi-day stays.
- The Pirate Arena seats 1,200 guests and hosts up to four different daily shows, including interactive and magic performances.
- Halloween in October is celebrated as a dedicated special event.
