Discover White Buffalo at La Mer de Sable: Our Complete Review of the New Wooden Coaster and the Park!

Hello to all amusement park enthusiasts and welcome to Park Trips! As you could see in our last video, we were back at La Mer de Sable for a very special occasion: to test White Buffalo, the brand new wooden roller coaster by GCI. It had been a while since we set foot in this iconic family park, probably since the opening of Silver Mountain a few years ago. The excitement was at its peak at the idea of discovering this new addition that promised to bring a breath of fresh air to the park. Hold on tight, because we are going to give you all the details about this highly anticipated coaster, as well as our general opinion on La Mer de Sable this season.

White Buffalo: A GCI Wooden Coaster, Designed for Family Fun

A Renowned Manufacturer and Impressive Technical Details

White Buffalo is the work of Great Coasters International (GCI), a name that resonates with quality and thrills in the world of wooden roller coasters. Known for their winding layouts, surprising "airtimes," and harmonious integration into the environment, GCI coasters are true gems.

Upon our arrival, we could admire the imposing structure of White Buffalo, with its elegant curves and carefully designed theming elements. Although it only opens at 11:30 AM for final tests, the attraction is quickly accessible, much to our delight. The ride even includes a tunnel, adding a touch of immersion and surprise. The majestic bison statue and the clever integration of the existing drop tower in the middle of the layout are elements that do not go unnoticed and demonstrate a real effort in theming.

The choice of a wooden coaster of this size and type, clearly aimed at a family audience, is an excellent decision for La Mer de Sable. It offers thrills without being too intense, making the experience accessible to both younger visitors and adults. The trains, designed for comfort, also add to the overall appreciation of the attraction.

Theme and Atmosphere: Immersion in the Heart of the Wild West

The White Buffalo area is beautifully themed, immersing visitors in the heart of the American Wild West. The integration of the drop tower in the center of the coaster circuit is a brilliant idea that creates visual synergy and an immersive atmosphere. The station is also well executed, with charming details like the bison's small names and themed tables.

While we have sometimes been disappointed by the lack of character enthusiasm in the past, the overall theming of White Buffalo is truly successful. Small touches like the smoke at the end of the ride on Silver Mountain and the small geyser add nice effects that enhance the immersion. The attention to detail, even in the queue, which is well done despite its short length (a point to watch out for during high park attendance), is commendable.

Our Opinion on White Buffalo: Fun, Family-Friendly, and Addictive!

Accessible Thrills and a Rhythmic Ride

So, what did we think of White Buffalo? In a word: excellent! It's a super fun, very enjoyable wooden coaster, perfectly suited for families. Despite its moderate size, it offers very appreciable sensations with small airtimes (those moments where you slightly lift off your seat) that surprise and entertain. It really goes in all directions, offering a dynamic and rhythmic ride.

We even rode it multiple times, proof of its addictive nature. At the end of the day, when the wood is well "warmed up," the sensations are even better, offering a smoother and faster glide. The trains are comfortable, allowing you to chain rides without discomfort. Speed is definitely present, even if we would have liked a few more meters of track before the brakes to extend the fun. But overall, it's a fantastic addition to the park!

Successful Integration, But a Challenge for the Rest of the Park

The integration of White Buffalo into its area is a real success. The coaster perfectly harmonizes with its environment and draws the eye. However, this success highlights an important point: the rest of the park is starting to look a bit dated next to these better-themed new additions. It is a challenge for La Mer de Sable to maintain thematic consistency and quality across all its attractions. We encourage the park to continue its efforts to maintain and modernize the rest of its facilities to offer an ever more immersive and coherent overall experience.

Our Opinion on La Mer de Sable in General: An Accessible Family Park with Areas for Improvement

A Varied Offering for Families

La Mer de Sable remains a park with a clearly family-oriented audience. It offers a good variety of attractions for all ages. Besides White Buffalo, we also enjoyed Silver Mountain, a very nice and well-themed Vekoma coaster, with its small smoke and geyser effects. We also took a ride on Bayou des Chikapas, the park's charming dark ride with its cute little monkeys, which even seems to go faster than before, which is not bad at all!

However, some attractions left us with a bitter taste. The wild river was a total disappointment. The constant rubbing of the boats and the policy of filling the rafts to the maximum, even if undesirable, made the experience frustrating and unpleasant, especially when trying to film. As for the Tiger Express Crazy Mouse, and this is no surprise, it's still as violent and unpleasant as ever, a real torture machine as we called it. These points are clearly areas for improvement for the park.

Affordable Price and Catering to Review

One of La Mer de Sable's major strengths remains its very affordable entrance price. This is a strong argument for families looking for an entertaining outing without breaking the bank. For the price, the park offers a good number of attractions and remains generally pleasant to visit.

However, one major drawback persists: the catering. Our experience was far from satisfactory. The quality is not up to par and the prices are high compared to what is offered. Given that La Mer de Sable is part of the same group as Bagatelle, significant improvements are needed on this point. This is a crucial aspect of the visitor experience, and the park absolutely needs to catch up.

A Promising Future for La Mer de Sable with Progress to Be Confirmed

White Buffalo is undoubtedly a very, very beautiful addition to La Mer de Sable. It's a successful, fun wooden coaster, perfectly adapted to the park's family-friendly positioning. It brings a new dynamic and pleasant sensations without being too intense. We strongly encourage all visitors to come and test it for themselves!

The park remains an excellent choice for a family day out, with an affordable entrance price. However, La Mer de Sable must continue its efforts to modernize the rest of its infrastructure and improve the quality of its catering to ensure an ever more positive overall experience. Avoiding weekends if possible can also improve the experience, as wait times can be surprising for a park of this size.

Don't hesitate to leave us a comment if you've already tested White Buffalo or if you plan to! Subscribe to our channel and activate the little bell so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos and discoveries. See you soon on Park Trips!