Tivoli World - Innocent Fun
With fifty rides ranging from a sensation level of low, therefore suitable for adults, through middle to high, at which point adults must be accompanied by a child, Tivoli World has something for everybody.
Tivoli World opens in the evenings, 6pm to 2am during the summer months, and is a family evening out. The pricing structure has been designed to make it affordable. The entrance fee, currently (2008) 4 Euros per person, takes you into the amusement park. All the shows are included. These occur about every half hour from 7.30pm onwards at various locations and range from a rendering of ‘The Little Mermaid’ that hold the very young entranced to a slightly risqué ‘Wild West Show’. This ticket is ideal for parents who are happy to let their children off the leash for a couple of hours. For the basic entrance fee you can also wander around the gardens and take advantage of the reasonably priced cafés and restaurants.
These range from an English Pub with attached eating-house to an American steak house barbeque, Spanish venta style to a Chinese restaurant located in a huge pagoda that towers over the park.
The children and more adventurous adults can buy an orange wristband, the latest fashion accessory at Tivoli World. Priced at 12 Euros this really is good value because it allows the wearer to try out forty rides as often as he or she wants. Now, parents take note: twenty-six of the rides insist on an adult accompanying the child, including that huge great 60 metre high tower up which you are winched whilst strapped helplessly in a plastic chair along with about fifty other unfortunates. At the top they let it drop, the only thing between you and a very flat death appears to be a thick wire and a counter weight.
You have options. You can buy a bunch of Monopoly money notes and pay for individual rides with these, between 1 and 3 Euros worth per ride or you can purchase an orange wrist band if you are going to be coerced onto a few of these rides. Buy two and give one to your partner. Share the fun, share the thrills, that’s what parenting is all about, why should only you be the only one in mortal terror all night? Your last option is to pass your child off as an adult, a bit of make-up, high heels, long trousers or short skirt as appropriate, hair gel, they know the drill better than you do.
Seven of the attractions, including full size go-karts and the aptly named Pasaje del Terror only accept the Monopoly money but again they are realistically priced.
One attraction you must try is the enigmatically named Barco Misterioso, a Mississippi showboat moored on an artificial lake near the pagoda. It will make you smile and, a promise, is not in the least bit scary.
All the attractions and rides are well spaced out with attractive gardens and wide paths between various sections with the odd peacock wandering around. There are lots of benches scattered about to cater for exhausted parents. It is worth picking up one of the free maps for each person so that you can pre-arrange meeting points and times. Most people seem to use Plaza Andalucia for this purpose.
Tivoli World is probably unique. It cannot be compared to Disney World or Alton Towers or similar attractions. The atmosphere is one of innocent, simple fun. Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves; you will never see as many smiles in one square kilometre. Apart that is from the father who has obviously promised his offspring an accompanied ride on that monstrous tower. An excited child who is oblivious to his father’s notion that he is being dragged to his own execution is pulling him along. It doesn’t look that high from the entrance.
To get here take the A7 to Benalmadena and leave at junction 222. From there it is well signposted.
