Prater Amusement Park is another place where we want to create a perfect date night in Vienna. While a dinner date at the Kunsthistorisches Museum offers a more exclusive and sophisticated experience, Prater, located in the public square of 📍 Riesenradplatz, offers a more casual yet intimate and romantic vibe with its spirit as the oldest amusement park in the world. With its iconic giant Ferris wheel, the Wiener Riesenrad, it’s been featured in many films, like my favorite, Before Sunrise (1995).
With no admission fee, Prater Amusement Park is accessible 24/7, especially the Wurstelprater area. But we recommend starting your date here around 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. You only pay when you want to go on a ride, which usually operates until 11:30 p.m. Each ride ranges from €5 to €15 per person. It’s better to bring some cash with you, because the rides and most food places only accept cash!
From getting into the Wiener Riesenrad, where to eat, also other interesting rides and areas to visit, here’s a guide for a date night in Prater Amusement Park!
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The Ferris Wheel – Wiener Riesenrad
Image Source: Facto Edizioni
Wiener Riesenrad is one of the world’s oldest Ferris wheels, constructed back in 1897. There’s something charming about this Vienna icon that makes it different from the London Eye or the Star of Nanchang in China. For such a popular Ferris wheel, it doesn’t feel too commercial; it still feels like a magical ride, a gem in a public and free-access amusement park.
The line could be long (but only around 30 minutes during peak season). It may be less crowded on weekdays if it’s not summer. The ticket price for the Wiener Riesenrad is €15 per person. Unfortunately, unlike Jesse and Celine in the movie, you might have to share the gondola with a few other strangers. It’s not very spacious, but there is a seat in the middle. The ride lasts for around 12 to 15 minutes.
You could go on the Ferris wheel first thing when you arrive at Prater Amusement Park to catch the sunset from the gondola, or save it for the end of the date to enjoy a romantic, panoramic night view of Vienna.
🎡 Alternative: There is another Ferris wheel where each gondola can accommodate only two persons, perfect for a couple! 📍 Blumenrad Wiener is new, shorter, and the open gondola is also smaller. It closes at 11.00 p.m.
Haunted House, Arcade, and Rides in Prater Amusement Park
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As horror and game fans, we had to check out the haunted houses and the arcade. There are three haunted houses in Prater. Jack the Ripper lives up to its name, based on the notorious killer, it’s more for those who enjoy interpreting eerie dioramas than thrill-seekers. Skull Rock is pirate-themed and less popular, but worth a try if you’re into pirates. Hotel Psycho is the most recommended and not to be missed. We’re not fans of clowns, but if you are, there’s also The Clown ghost train to try.
Jolly Joker Arcade seems like the best arcade you can find in Prater Amusement Park. For sweaty gamers, this place has a leaderboard to keep track of players’ scores. The place is also known for its friendly and fun staff. Like most Austrian arcades, it has plenty of pinball machines, along with racing, shooting, and table hockey games, perfect for couples.
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🎡 Personal Recommendation for a Perfect Date Activities: There are many extreme rides in Prater like Black Mamba, Space-Shot, and various rollercoasters. We prefer something more relaxing and tame, because it’s a night date. So we think to ride the Luftikus, it’s a skydiver that’s not as high as the Prater Turm. Not far from Luftikus, there is Grand Autodrom, a bumper car arena that could be a romantic ride too.
Unfortunately, the carousel only fits children and teens at the very least, so it’s only good as a photo background at night. Rather than taking a ride, walking around the amusement park is already fun with a loved one. Maybe grab some drinks or snacks (like ice cream from 📍 Eisvogel) and enjoy them while sightseeing.
Dinner in Prater Amusement Park
Image Source: Paul Bauer Photo
There are many places where you can have dinner with your partner in the Prater Amusement Park area, from unique restaurants and stylish cafés to Austrian dining. Since we’re not planning to take any rollercoasters, maybe we can have dinner at the 📍 Rollercoaster Restaurant instead! It’s one of the popular eateries in Prater. With burgers and fries as our go-to amusement park meals, this spot offers a pulled pork burger that seems like everyone’s favorite, along with fries and soda. The main attraction at this restaurant is the rollercoaster-style food delivery. You can make a reservation for convenience.
If the vibe and lights are too vibrant at the Rollercoaster Restaurant, you may want to eat somewhere more cozy and classy, like 📍 Zum Englischen Reiter, which serves Austrian cuisine. The place is fancy, so you might want to make a reservation. Another popular place to eat here is 📍 Schweizerhaus, known as a beer garden, and it’s open until 11:00 p.m. It’s another Austrian eatery famous for its beer selection and large pork knuckle. The place is also charming, with its outdoor section that looks like a secret garden.
If all of these places seem a little too fancy and don’t match the fun and on-budget casual date night we’re planning, you can always grab takeout from 📍 Burger King in Prater and walk to 📍 Kaiserwiese to have a night picnic in the park. From the park, you’ll be accompanied by the illuminated Ferris wheel. This is actually our preferred romantic dinner after a playful day in Prater. It also feels more spontaneous, since the other places might need a reservation.
Image Source: Pelago
Whether you’re after a dreamy Ferris wheel ride, playful bumper cars, or a cozy picnic under the lights, Prater Amusement Park has everything for a fun and romantic night out. It’s the kind of date that feels spontaneous, lighthearted, and full of charm, just like Vienna itself.
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