Djurs Sommerland photo report.

[_koppen]

So I finally visited Djurs Sommerland again. I had something preventing me from going last year, so It was a really long awaited trip.

 

Of course the park delivered what it always does. A class A+ experience.

A long with Sweden's both city parks, Gröna Lund and Liseberg, this is the best park we have here in northern Europe.

 

Since I have not ridden Piraten in two years, I was very curious to see if it still was my favorite, since I have ridden a lot of new coasters since my last visit. The answer is YES! It still is the best IMO. The sher amount of ejector and the from start to finnish intensity is just unmatched by any other ride. The only two rides in the world that could change my opinion would probably be El Toro and Skyrush.

 

New for this year was Juvelen, a brad new family thrill coaster, made by our one and only Intamin of Wollerau, Switzerland.

It is probably one of the best rides in the world, if you count in all aspects like theming, ride experience and accessibility for all ages. (if you don't count Disney rides). The only other family thrill coaster I can think of the deliveres this performance is Winjas.

 

It's just a really good ride, with a good amount of track, cool pre-show, good launches (the second one is pretty insane) and really cool trains. The direction changes after the second launch was seriously some of the most fun I have had on a coaster.

 

Since I am a huge fanboy of Djurs, I didn't want to come here and rave about how good Juvelen is sounding like a fanboy, but it really is amazing. If you ever have the chance to come and ride it, do it!

 

But, Piraten is still the star of the park, for me. Even though Juvelen is pretty darn close behind.

 

Another cool thing with Djurs is that there are no bad coasters here, (except the kiddie credit) they are all quality A material.

They do a really good job at adding good rides, and I think a lot of it has to do with the CEO being such a fan of theme parks himself.

 

Ayway, onto the pictures. I will split it in two parts.

 

Welcome to Djurs Sommerland!

Here's the entrance.

I spy something AWESOME! Is it Piraten? Yes! (for those of you who have seen Brother Bear).

The park is so nice and green.

It is filled with awesome play grounds all over the place.

Just really nice.

And a little more nice.

A SBNO topple tower?

No, this one actually works!

Hurry up and get on, before it breaks down!!! (which it did later)

Just a really good looking flat ride.

Some cleverly hidden slides.

Djurs is home to the best looking Flume in Scandinavia (which really doesn't say much)

With a big splash.

The theming is great!

Here is the first splash, and the lift up to the final drop.

Still working.

Can you see the rainbow?

A really good looking flag.

Of course, it's not a sommerland without a big ass playground.

Let's do the park's rafting ride!

The sunlight kinda ruins this one.

Floating down the calm part of the ride.

Just as the log flume, this ride has some great theming.

Here's the wild west section of the park.

The other way.

Awesome backwards american flag themed wave swinger.

Buffalo themed bumper cars, new for last year.

Moving along to Africa. Sorry, no photos of King Kong

Non political correct ride, which had a really annoying ride attendant with a water gun.

Here is the Cannibal Pots, a standard tea cup ride, that is just so much more fun thanks to the name and theme.

Let's keep walking. The park is spotless, thanks to all the cleaners.

What is this I see?

Ah, yes. One of the best family rides in northern Europe.

It has some great theming.

See for yourself.

The mouse part of the ride.

Let's walk to the entrance.

More theming.

Good looking table area.

The almost famous milking goat.

Some guys having a party.

The station is just as awesome.

Helix of death, above the water of death.

Biggest, and best, drop on the ride.

Going up, towards the helix.

And one last photo of Thors Hammer.

Okay, here's one more.

This is a new area of the park. Both these were relocated for this season.

And it looks great.

Lots of trampolines for everyone.

Just a good looking area.

And this is what required the relocation.

The new Mexico area looks amazing.

This weirdly awesome flat was new last year. To my disappointment is was broken.

This is the only picture I took of the actual track of Juvelen, the park's brad new Intamin ATV coaster. The sun was not on my side, and there really wasn't any other angles to get a good photo of it.

Since the opening report, roof has been added above the launches, like the other similar rides that Intamin has built.

However, I don't like these roofs. They don't match the level of theming that the rest of the ride has. I know that they were rushed to get them up in the last minute, but I really hope that the park replaces these ones with some better looking roofs in the coming off-season.

The theming for the ride is just stunning. Every time this park builds a new coaster, it just gets better and better.

I see you as well, more on you later!

This was full, earlier in the day.

Simply stunning.

The attention to detail...

Looking towards the ride's exit.

The inside of the station had a really good atmosphere.

Some rock work, and a waterfall on top of it. Good looking? YES!

Here's the exit ramp, leading in to the gift shop. The guy in green is actually the park's CEO, a big coaster enthusiast.

This ride is just such a great package.

Some of the greenery is really starting to grow in.

Let's keep walking in this great park.

Here's a funky looking children's ride.

Walking through the western area again, now with another target.

Did I mention that the park is green?

And the other way is green as well.

The park has a big picnic are, with grills, that were really popular during lunch time.

Let's take a walk through the children's area.

Little car ride.

complete with rotating car wash.

Helicopter ride.

The other way.

Balloon ride. I didn't take pictures of all the rides, there are a few more, including the kiddie credit.

This is something I like to see at more parks. Fruit stands. I'm not talking about more healthy food options, just fresh fruit. Some water melon and pineapple was like a gift from the goods in the heat during the day.

Let's walk in to my favorite area of the park.

Here is the parks main attraction, and my favorite roller coaster in the world.

And heres the awesome helix, right after the drop.

But more on that later, here is the park's water coaster.

It also has some GREAT theming.

Just amazing looking.

Or what do you think?

The splash box.

Splash area.

In the sunlight.

Tilting family drop ride, with a cool theme.

A Zamperla spinning ship.

I'm just so impressed with how much theming they have done in the recent years. Sure it has always been great, but now they are just going balls to the walls.

Djurs is really shaping up to become the Europa Park of Scandinavia, and I can't wait to see how it looks in 10 years from now.

Children's flume ride.

The lift.

And the drop.

Let's end part one with a little splash. The rest of the pics will be up very soon.

 

If you wish to watch more pictures of Juvelen, from backstage, check out Hanno's opening report here

 

A funny thing to note is that I have never encountered this Intamin down time that everybody is talking about. And I have ridden a lot of them, plus that our parks here in Scandinavia has quite a few of them.

 

This day however both the Intamin rides in the park had problems. Piraten was up and running all day, but there was a mechanic in the station almost all day that watched the cable lift, and at a few times it gave away a really loud bang when the train entered the ascent. Eventually they removed one of the trains during the day, despite big crowds, so something must have gone wrong.

 

As for Juvelen, it only had one train operating the whole day. They had a sign in front of the entrance apologizing for it, and also a ride attendant standing there, telling people that the line was over an hour.

 

I don't know what was wrong with the second train, but there have been a lot of complaints about the lapbars tightening on smaller kids, so maybe that was being addressed. Anyway, it didn't look that good to have the parks new main attraction with a one train operation in the middle of the summer vacation. I only got three rides thanks to this, but I really don't mind, since the ride was so amazing.

Edited June 2, 2014 by _koppen

[Olov]

Nice photo report you have there!

My, oh my how the park has grown since my first visit some 15 years ago when the only main ride was the log flume. It was a great park then, it's an awesome park today (well when I visited last time in 2009 it was awesome)

[_koppen]

Part 2

 

Water coaster from another angle.

Would you like some more Megalite pictures?

Well, you gonna get it, either way.

A lagoon in front of it.

Lift hill.

The queue, inside the fortress.

Station building

One from the inside.

People getting some ejector.

And then some even stronger ejector.

Lift hill again.

For the cable dorks.

Test seat.

More nerd shots.

Heres the helix again.

The evil twisted hill. (but not as evil as the ones later in the layout!)

The helix again.

More megalit lift hill goodness.

Another lagoon.

The awesome skull fountain, recently closed of for the night.

Outside of the station, and the mechanics golf car.

Walkway.

Attention to detail.

Playground for the smaller pirates.

Some more theming, along with some built in benches.

A majestic sight.

And one last shot of Piraten.

A happy girl, after a REALLY good day.

 

The park also has a water park section of it, and the water park nerd in me wants to show you photos of it, but the truth is that it's a pretty bad one. The only decent slide is the half-pipe from Polin, but it has so much water flowing in the bottom, so you stop half way, and you have to walk out of it. There is a decent play structure from Whitewater, but the water is so could (because it has it's own water loop) that I was not able to enjoy it. Seriously, when have you ever heard small kids complaining about to cold water? Never!

 

They have invested a lot on the dry side in recent years, but now I think it is time for an overhaul of the water park. If they did a big investment of around €5 millions they would get so many nice slides and maybe a lazy river in, and then they could leave it for another 10 years. But something has to come to the water park soon, that's for sure.

 

Another thing to note is that Djurs has the best operations on their coaster in all of Scandinavia. They are so ridiculously effective, and not to mention nice and polite.

 

I remember one instant, on Piraten, where somebody held up the ride attendant (around the middle of the train) asking for something. Then the other one who were finished checking his side jumped over the rails and checked the rest of the other side, so that they could start the ride asap. Many MANY thumbs up for the staff.

 

Hope you enjoyed reading, and please leave a comment.

Fårup Sommerland is coming up on my next day of world. That is over 200 photos, including a 70 shot in action pov of the action course.

Edited July 25, 2013 by _koppen

[_koppen]

Nice photo report you have there!

My, oh my how the park has grown since my first visit some 15 years ago when the only main ride was the log flume. It was a great park then, it's an awesome park today (well when I visited last time in 2009 it was awesome)

 

Thank you!

 

I really wish that I have had the chance to visit back then, to see how the park has evolved during the years.

[chickenbowl]

The park looks truly amazing! If I ever get out to Europe, I'll be sure to stop by this park!

[StealthFan]

Some really great pictures there. The park looks really different from my visit in 2009. I do have one question. Does the park still have the open fire where you can make your own bread?

 

-Craig

[Sneaky]

Very nice report, with lots of amazing pictures.

I've always heard good things about Djurs, but apart from the coasters I didn't know a thing about the park.

Your pictures provided me great insight in the look of the park.

It really looks like a great park and I hope to visit it, preferably sooner rather than later.

[Geauga Dog]

Very nice photos of a very nice looking park. Piraten is quite a photogenic coaster - loved the various angles you took of the ride. I also like the look of the pirate themed area.

[GigaG]

Warning - RANT AHEAD-

 

Ah, yes, the elusive Mega-Lite in his natural habitat. Never been on one because for some reason, despite the rides intensity and compactness, no American park wants to buy one! Seriously, you have SLCs all over, and nobody wants to buy a more intense ride on a similarly small footprint? I find it hard to believe no park can advertise a Mega-Lite in America. Can't you advertise the intensity, airtime, and twistiness rather than "Loops and hangs below the track" or "Loops and goes backwards"...

 

And even if it costs more, what makes it any more worthwhile in somewhere like the Happy Valley where a Mega-Lite co-exists with a giant SLC? If the GP are that loop-crazy, wouldn't the people at Happy Valley want to ride the SLC instead? Or is it something with America? Lawsuit risk for an intense coaster?

[crazywolf88]

^It's America. Our GP prefer loopy loops over actual intensity.

[Hilltopper39]

Wow, this place seriously looks amazing, I wish more parks in America would strive to achieve this level of themeing. I also love the playgrounds everywhere, such a simple concept but what a great idea for families visiting the park.

 

A couple of notes....

Topple Towers are still the weirdest flat ride ever invented.

 

I can't believe no one in America has built a Gerstlauer bobsled coaster like Thor's hammer yet, those things look like the perfect family caster.

[Mrlittle]

Great photos. Looks like a park I will have to try to go to one day. Just overall the park looks great. Is that the only working Topple Tower?

[simon8899]

Great PTR!

 

Wanted to visit Djurs - and Faarup - this June but then opted for Rheinkirmes. Your report makes me wanna go next summer. Sadly Denmark parks are mostly closed in Sept and Oct.

[GigaG]

^It's America. Our GP prefer loopy loops over actual intensity.

 

It angers me that somebody can look at a Mega-Lite - a coaster with a steep drop and high speeds relative to the size of the turns - and call it a kiddie/family coaster, and that's why we can't get one in America. What we need to do is survey random people with a picture of a Mega-Lite and SLC and see how many people think the Mega-Lite is better (or the SLC.)

 

This belongs in the GP thread, but here are some cherry-picked comments from a Piraten POV-

 

It's like someone forgot to put inversions in

 

Nice, fast coaster. Looks like with all of that speed, they'd put a loop or two in there, but didn't.

 

this looks like the perfect ride for thrill seekers in training.

I partially agree because it doesn't look too intimidating, but it is not a good first-time ride because it might scare a first-time rider from riding again.

 

Now a comment that gets it-

That actually looks like the coolest coaster in the world! All you young-uns who are all just obsessed with inversions and top speed, take a page out of this coaster's book.

My bucket list just got one item longer!

[larrygator]

^^Americans are fat and parks don't want to put in a ride where over half their customers not fit.

[GigaG]

^^Americans are fat and parks don't want to put in a ride where over half their customers not fit.

 

Wow. I don't see that many walks of shame on MF, don't Mega-Lites have the same trains? I saw way more walks of shame on El Toro.

[simon8899]

Maybe thats why parks have so little Technical Park or KMG rides in the US. Seeing at the carnival which poeple are turned away on those I guess many visitors in US parks would be turned down. On a Technical Park Loop Fighter they always have to jam me on for the restraint to go green - and I'm 1,95 meters at 100 kilos.

 

But never had any issues on Intamin coasters. But generally I guess the rules on overwieght riders will get stricter after the recent events at SFOT.

[_koppen]

I do have one question. Does the park still have the open fire where you can make your own bread?

 

-Craig

 

Hmm, I'm not really sure. Sorry

 

Great photos. Looks like a park I will have to try to go to one day. Just overall the park looks great. Is that the only working Topple Tower?

 

I actually think it is.

 

Great Photo TR!

 

Wanted to visit Djurs - and Faarup - this June but then opted for Rheinkirmes. Your report makes me wanna go next summer. Sadly Denmark parks are mostly closed in Sept and Oct.

 

I know that both Faarup and Djurs is open for Halloween 12-20 October, on a daily basis, if that fits your schedule.

They also put in some cool thumbing for that week as well.

[TyRush]

Wow that park looks amazing!

[Hhappy]

The make your own bread fireplace is still there (at least i noticed people using it during my last visit)

[StealthFan]

The make your own bread fireplace is still there (at least i noticed people using it during my last visit)

 

This is awesome news! That was one of the most awesome things about the park! Granted Elissa was the only one who managed to achieve actual bread and not drop it in the fire but still it was awesome.

 

-Craig

[Meteornotes]

^The "make your own bread" fire was among the greatest things ever at a park.

 

dt

[Alex1337]

Nice TR! I really can't wait to get back to Djurs, I'm going there in two weeks, I'll try to get some more shots of Juvelen. Looks like, as you mentioned, some of the greenery really starts to kick in. And I agree with the launch-roof addition: they have to make that look better, it really doesn't fit in! But I'm sure they'll find a way to make it look more Juvelen-alike

 

I really think Djurs (And Fårup aswell) is heading the right direction, and I can't wait to see how the future looks for these great parks

[The Westate]

Amazing looking park! Great trip report.

[RoCo]

Fantastic report, and what an amazing park indeed. Love all the theming and the many green spaces, and playgrounds, and FRESH FRUIT. We need more of all of that here in the U.S., badly.