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Isla Mágica

Sevilla, Spain

“Stunning theme park, mediocre rides”

Welcome to Isla Mágica, a.k.a. the Magical Island. Isla Mágica is located just one kilometre northwest of the city centre of Seville, on the site of the 1992 World’s Fair. The grounds of that former expo look mostly abandoned nowadays, but the theme park itself is in good condition. The general theme of Isla Mágica is the era of the great explorers. That’s why the entrance and the Main Street are designed to look like 16th century Seville and the other themed lands refer to regions in South America. Get ready for a great voyage across the Atlantic.

ROLLER COASTERS

Jaguar is Isla Mágica’s most spectacular roller coaster and the statistics seem excellent. This inverted coaster features five inversions and the train reaches a top speed of 85 kilometres per hour. That sounds excellent… until you realize that we’re actually just talking about a Vekoma SLC. You probably recognize this standard layout and you certainly know that these machines tend to be rough. Jaguar is no exception to that rule. So despite its extra helix and gorgeous colour scheme, Jaguar fails to impress me. By the way… If you really need this credit for your counter, I recommend getting here as early or late as possible. Trains are only dispatched every five to six minutes, so capacity is at a dramatically low level.

Isla Mágica’s second credit can be found in the Puerto de América area. It’s known as El Tren de Potosí. I’d describe this family roller coaster as some kind of Wacky Worm with an extra helix. Don’t expect large thrills or great theming. Still, El Tren de Potosí is somewhat special: according to the Roller Coaster Database, this is the only roller coaster that Italian manufacturer C&S ever built at a theme park. Consider that as good news, because the ride isn’t very comfortable.

WATER RIDES

It’s safe to say that roller coasters aren’t Isla Mágica’s strength. Water ride lovers, however, will adore this park. One of the park’s eye-catchers is Anaconda. This log flume has been there since the park opened in 1997 and it’s built by Mack Rides. This German manufacturer often integrates turntables and backward descents into its flumes, but Isla Mágica opted for a very classic version. Anaconda consists of three good drops, but theming is limited. I can’t complain about the layout, though. A ride on Anaconda lasts relatively long and the final descent is surprisingly steep.

In Belgium, we know Amazonia as Bellewaerde Park’s spectacular raft ride. In Isla Mágica, however, Amazonia is a themed zone that mimics the vast jungles of South America. One of the area’s highlights is Iguazú, an Intamin shoot-the-chutes with one 17-metre drop. It’s surrounded by rock formations and tropical vegetation, so it’s a stunning ride. Still, Iguazú doesn’t quite do what it’s supposed to, as I didn’t get wet at all. If you’re really looking for a way to cool down, I’d recommend a visit to the splash zone next to the ride’s main drop.

Apart from its water park and splash battle, Isla Mágica is home to the holy trinity of water rides. This includes a log flume, a shoot-the-chutes and… a rapid river. This rapid river is called Rápidos del Orinoco and it’s beautifully integrated in the El Dorado themed land. Guests enter the queue through a Mayan ruin and the river winds through a lush jungle. The most stunning part of the ride is a wide bend around the park’s wave swinger. Still, I was a bit underwhelmed by the ride’s tame nature. Just like the aforementioned shoot-the-chutes, Rápidos del Orinoco doesn’t get its riders all that wet. I actually expected a more soaking experience in Seville’s hot climate.

OTHER EXPERIENCES

Water ride lovers are spoilt at Isla Mágica, but dark ride enthusiasts will probably leave disappointed. After all, the park’s only dark ride is Capitán Balas, an interactive ride through a pirate world. The entrance to this attraction is somewhat hidden, so I imagine a lot of visitors just walk past it. But are they missing much? No, not really. The attraction mainly consists of extremely simple scenes with mostly static animatronics. The laser guns may trigger some small (sound) effects here and there, but that’s it. Besides, the story line remains vague. Still interested in a ride? Then keep in mind that the ride’s capacity is extremely low, so you may want to buy a skip-the-line pass.

The Seville-themed land offers the park’s two tallest rides. I’m talking about El Desafío (a free fall tower that switches its ride cycle several times throughout the day, which allows for changing intensity ratings) and Nao Vigía – El Globo de Sevilla. This hot air balloon is identical to Panoramagique at Disneyland Paris, but the views are considerably more impressive here. This balloon ride takes place right above the theme park and it even provides a great view of the nearby city centre. By the way: the ride isn’t included in regular park admission. In 2024, external visitors pay €12.50 (solely for the balloon ride, without park admission), while park guests may embark for €5.00. Taking into account the rather long flight time, I consider this as an acceptable price.

WORTH A VISIT?

In terms of theming and atmosphere, Isla Mágica performed better than I initially expected. This place is very photogenic thanks to its large themed lands and beautiful vegetation. The layout of Isla Mágica even reminded me of PortAventura, which is meant as a great compliment. The attraction lineup, however, is far from perfect. Both roller coasters deliver mediocre experiences and Isla Mágica’s only dark ride left a lot to be desired. In fact, this park has to rely mainly on its water rides, which is a bit of a shame. The addition of a large family roller coaster (similar to Pégase Express) or a nice dark ride (like Piraten in Batavia) would certainly bring this park to a higher level.

I would happily book a flight to Barcelona or Madrid purely to go to PortAventura or Parque Warner. However, I would never hop on a plane to Seville just to revisit Isla Mágica. Feel free to pop in here for a few hours when you’re in the area, but please enter the park with realistic expectations. Do you agree or am I being too negative? Share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

This article reflects my personal experience at Isla Mágica during a visit in June 2024.