Photo TR's: JordyC's Theme Park Adventures

[larrygator]

Another great PTR. I'll add to the Park Index when I return from traveling next week.

[JordyC]

^Thanks! I am glad that I can contribute to the Park Index.

[gardyloo!]

Looks like Intamin is trying to claim the throne back as 'best manufacturer' (Although the hot weather may have helped).

 

Energylandia's (& this trip report of course ) is making it really tempting to make a quick trip to Poland, but looking at their current top three, it might be best to wait a couple more years (I'd be really amazed if they managed to pull of a RMC & a huge vekoma in two years).

 

How were the operation btw? Was there a fast pass option?

 

Thanks for the great trip report!

[JordyC]

^Thanks! Operations at Legendia were a bit iffy, except on Lech Coaster. That crew was flying. Energylandia's operations were excellent, though. They also have a very efficient loading system, were at the end of the queue line there is a screen that tells you how many places are left for the next train. For example, if the screen says that there are only 2 places left in the next train, and the next group in line has 3 people, then they will let 2 people from further in the queue go first to fill the empty seats. It is surprisingly efficient.

 

There was a Fast Pass option at Legendia, but you probably won't need it. Energylandia doesn't have Fast Passes. If they did, I definitely would have bought it, since it was fairly busy and the park has lots of different rides. But I guess their loading system works so well, because they don't offer these skip-the-line passes..

[rcjp]

Great report and really glad to know Hyperion lives up to the hype!

I definitely have to visit this park but maybe I'll wait for the RMC and vekoma launched coaster or whatever it is. It's amazing how fast this park is growing.

[JordyC]

^Thanks! To be honest, a trip to Energylandia is worth it just for Hyperion alone. But I am sure the RMC will make it even better.

[JordyC]

Gröna Lund - August 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

From August 23th to August 25th 2018, I went on a trip to Sweden for my first ever visit to Gröna Lund and Kolmården, and my second visit to Liseberg. I spent the first day at Gröna Lund, the next day at Kolmården and the final day at Liseberg.

 

On August 23th, I visited Gröna Lund. This park, in the heart of the Swedish capital, Stockholm, is most likely home to the most rides per square meter in the world. Everywhere you look, there is a coaster, a drop tower or another ride going around. This park has so much packed into such a small space. It really is incredible. It is even more crazy to think they are adding a B&M in a couple of years, which seems almost impossible for an already packed park like Gröna Lund. Also, I don't know what it is exactly, but I have a soft spot for city parks. There is just something about it that you don't experience at a normal amusement park. The atmosphere at Gröna Lund was excellent, even more so at night. The day I was there, there was even a concert going on, which made it even better. Combine all of this with the stunning views of Stockholm, and you have one of my favourite city parks. Of course, the main reason for visiting this park are the numerous rides and coasters. Gröna Lund is home to a great wooden coaster, a classic ghost train, an excellent fun house and lots of drop towers, one of which is my new favourite.

 

The weather that day was absolutely perfect and queue times were practically non-existent. The longest I have waited was about 10 minutes for Vilda Musen. Most of the other rides were at most a station wait.

 

Welcome to Gröna Lund.

The park is divided into two sections; one for the kids and the other one with all the thrill rides.

Tuff-Tuff Tåget (1/10)

Tuff-Tuff Tåget is certainly a very weird little coaster. All it does, is turning left and right at a very low speed. There are no drops, no nothing. You do get two cycles, though. At least it looks nice with all the flowers underneath it.

 

Tuff-Tuff Tåget was the first ride of the day.

It is a rather unique coaster.

This is the first of many drop towers you will see at Gröna Lund.

There are plenty of rides for the whole family.

Flying with elephants, why not?

Nyckelpigan (2/10)

It is a standard Zierer Tivoli, nothing special. Although surprisingly, you get a tiny bit of airtime on the drop.

 

It is time to ride Nyckelpigan.

It is a fun kiddie coaster.

You can even take dance classes at Gröna Lund.

Let's take the bridge to the thrill side of the park.

This park was much more beautiful than I expected it to be.

There are also lots and lots of games that you can play.

Just when you thought this place couldn't get any better.

Insane (6/10)

Insane was my first ever ZacSpin, and I was pleasantly surprised by this ride. Every single drop whipped you out of your seat, and every next drop was better than the previous one. The little hump at the end even flips you upside down, guaranteed. Some of the movements were a bit uncomfortable due to the rocking on the drops, but nothing too bad. Insane is a short ride, but it is also very intense.

 

Next up, Insane.

It was my first ZacSpin, so I didn't really know what to expect from it.

It was actually quite fun and very intense.

Going up the lift hill, you get awesome views of Stockholm.

Every drop ejects you out of your seat.

Every next drop is better than the previous one.

This little hump at the end will flip you upside down. That is probably my favourite part of the ride.

If you can get the weight distribution right, you may flip even more than once.

If you are (un)lucky, you go upside down into the brakes.

Insane was quite fun.

Of course, they also have bumper cars.

You get a very long cycle on it.

There was also lots of entertainment going on in the park. I always love that, as it really adds to the park's atmosphere.

This break dance is indoors! It was quite fun, but nothing special.

This might be my new favourite classic Fun House. It is super long (about 10 minutes), has lots of unique, crazy elements and it ends with a slide that has an airtime hill. Awesome!

I am not a big fan of wave swingers, but I did ride this one, since it is located on a pier and swings over the water.

The wave swinger itself was very beautiful, ...

..., just like the views from it over the water!

Ikaros was my most anticipated ride of this park.

It starts as a normal drop tower when you ascend to the top of the tower.

Once at the top, you tilt 90 degrees forward, facing straight down. Staring directly at the ground was actually pretty frightening. The drop itself wasn't the most forceful one I have done, although it was still powerful. Because you are looking straight down, it feels like you are going to smash into the ground. It is simply awesome! The side facing the water is definitely where it is at. The views of Stockholm looking over the water are stunning and make this ride even better.

After 15 rides on Ikaros (of which 10 without leaving my seat), I can confidently say that it is my favourite ride at Gröna Lund, and my new favourite drop tower overall.

Right next to Ikaros, is yet another drop tower.

It is your standard shot and drop, nothing special. Although you get great views of the city.

There can never be enough tower rides at Gröna Lund.

Vilda Musen (6/10)

Vilda Musen is the park's Boblsed coaster. The ride itself is quite fun and has a bit of theming in the station, but what really makes this ride is the fact that it goes over, under and through the structure of Jetline. Doing these sharp turns with Jetline going underneath you really is something else. You will start your ride with a turn out of the station, after which the lift hill will take you to the tallest point of the ride. The first drop is unlike most coasters, because it has some funky curves, on which you get some nice airtime. What follows is a variation of sharp turns and hills with some decent floater airtime. The helix over the pathways near the end of the ride is surprisingly forceful. Despite from a few transitions, the coaster is also very smooth.

 

Vidla Musen was my next ride.

The first drop has some funky curves, on which you actually get some airtime.

What really makes this ride is the fact that it goes over, under and through the structure of Jetline.

The ride has lots of sharp turns and airtime hills with some decent airtime.

Despite from a few transitions, Vilda Musen very smooth.

Eclipse is the park's star flyer.

The amazing views from up above and the long cycle make Eclipse my favourite star flyer.

Later that night, there would be a concert happening on that stage.

Jetline (6.5/10)

Like most coasters at Gröna Lund, Jetline is very compact and interwoven with itself and Vilda Musen. Jetline is a surprisingly intense, yet very smooth coaster. The first drop isn't steep at all and doesn't give any airtime, but at the bottom of the drop is a tunnel where you get some good G's. Unlike most coasters, the best drop on Jetline is the second one. This drop is very steep and whips you out of your seat, something I was not expecting at all. The forces on the bottom of this drop were just as crazy as the drop itself. What follows are a few more drops and helixes, but none of them even come close to that second one. A tunnel near the end of the ride guides the train into the brakes. Jetline ended up being my second favourite coaster at Gröna Lund.

 

Ready for a ride on Jetline?

It is surprisingly intense for a classic coaster.

Unlike most coasters, the first drop isn't the best one on this ride.

The second drop is very steep and whips you out of your seat. The forces on the bottom of this drop were also very intense.

Jetline is very compact and interwoven with itself and Vilda Musen.

Fritt Fall is another drop tower at Gröna Lund. On the stand-up side, the seats tilt. The views from up there were, once again, fantastic. The drop itself was also surprisingly forceful, more than Ikaros. Definitely one of my favourites.

More flat rides near the water.

Another awesome ride at Gröna Lund is this ghost train. I won't spoil it for anyone, but there are some unique hidden surpises on this ride. I still prefer the one at Blackpool, but this one isn't far behind.

Kvasten (6.5/10)

Kvasten was a lot of fun. I don't know what it is, but I always enjoy these rides. What makes Kvasten special is its placement over the pathways and the multiple footchoppers during the ride. The coaster itself is very, very smooth. After the lift hill takes you to the top of the ride, you drop into a sweeping left turn over the pathways. The drop has a decent whip to it near the back of the train. After a floater airtime hill, you make a left turn before going through a couple more turns and helixes over the main pathways. After flying over the station into a tunnel, you make your way to Kvasten's final helix, before flying into the brakes in the station. This helix was actually pretty forceful, mainly because it is very thight and taken at a high speed. The ride is also well themed, the best themed coaster in the park. Kvasten is a very fun and compact family coaster that I probably enjoyed more than I should have.

 

Next up was Kvasten.

After the first drop into a sweeping left turn over the pathways, you go into this floater airtime hill.

After the airtime hill, you fly through some turns and helixes over the main pathways.

What makes Kvasten special is its placement over the pathways and the multiple footchoppers during the ride.

After the interaction with the guests underneath you, you fly through a tunnel above the station.

Kvasten's final helix is rather intense and taken at high speed.

It is a very enjoyable family coaster. I wouldn't mind seeing more of these models at some parks.

They also have a flying carpet.

For real, the atmosphere at this park at night is fantastic.

Twister (7/10)

My favourite coaster at Gröna Lund ended up being the park's wooden coaster, Twister. First of all, Twister is even more interwoven with itself than Jetline and Vilda Musen. It is just crazy. The first drop provides some crazy ejector airtime in the back. The airtime hill over the ride's entrance that follows gives some sustained ejector airtime. Next, you wave through Twister's structure, doing some thight turns and a few more drops with ejector airtime. The ride ends with a final drop, which is the most violent one of the ride. Twister is a bit bumpy in some places, but that is probably due to its compactness. It didn't really take away from the experience, though. Twister is a very great little wooden coaster, especially in the back seat.

 

Twister is my favourite coaster at Gröna Lund.

The first drop provides crazy ejector airtime, especially in the back.

The next airtime hill going over the ride's entrance, gives a solid few seconds of airtime.

The rest of Twister's layout consists of some thight turns and a few more drops with ejector airtime.

It is a great little wooden coaster, much better than I expected it to be.

The sun is setting in Stockholm.

All the rides are beautifully lit up at night.

I would have loved to have a ride on Eclipse at night, but it was closed because of the concert going on.

It was a Swedish band, but the music was quite good.

One last photo of Gröna Lund at night to end this report.

So overall, I had an excellent time at this park. The main highlight was Ikaros, my new favourite drop tower. The other highlights were Twister, the ghost train and, just in general, the fantastic atmosphere at this park. The views of Stockholm and the great variety of rides that are all packed together, make Gröna Lund one of my favourite amusement parks. I still can't get my head around how they are going to fit that B&M in, though.

 

Thanks for reading!

[Canobie Coaster]

Great report! I love Grona Lund.

 

My favorite there is the fun house just because of how long and "never in America" it is. I also preferred the stand-up Fritt Fall for the more forceful drop (as mentioned) and the fact they allowed me to wear my glasses. I couldn't on Ikaros.

[JordyC]

^Thanks!

 

The fun house is definitely one of the highlights at Gröna Lund. It is just so unique, and the airtime slide at the end makes it even better.

 

While the drop itself on Fritt Fall was more intense, I prefered Ikaros as an overall drop tower. Facing straight down as you drop is simply breathtaking.

[Nrthwnd]

Awesome full length tour of Grona Lund! Love this park as much as everybody else here.

You took a photo of it, but did you go into the House of Nightmares? I went in it,

way back in 2014 when it was the old walk through. And that was awesome enough.

 

Great individual coverage of all the coasters and rides you went on. And one can never have

too many photos of INSANE, lol. I actually liked it better, riding it in the day time than at night.

 

Great TR! Thanks for sharing it all with us.

[JordyC]

^Thank you!

 

You took a photo of it, but did you go into the House of Nightmares? I went in it,

way back in 2014 when it was the old walk through. And that was awesome enough.

 

Ah yes, I did indeed do House of Nightmares. I must have forgotten to mention it in my report, sorry about that. It is an awesome walkthrough. Definitely not the longest one, but the amount of actors, theming and animatronics more than made up for that. I still prefer the one at Liseberg, though.

 

Great individual coverage of all the coasters and rides you went on. And one can never have

too many photos of INSANE, lol. I actually liked it better, riding it in the day time than at night.

 

Thanks again! I indeed made a lot of photos of Insane, even many more than are featured in my trip report. But that ride is just so photogenic from every angle, so I thought why not.

[JordyC]

Kolmården Djurpark - August 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

From August 23th to August 25th 2018, I went on a trip to Sweden for my first ever visit to Gröna Lund and Kolmården, and my second visit to Liseberg. I spent the first day at Gröna Lund, the next day at Kolmården and the final day at Liseberg.

 

On August 24th, I visited Kolmården Djurpark. Kolmården isn't a standard theme park. It is in fact a zoo with a few rides and attractions. Not just any zoo, but one of the largest zoo's in the world. Seriously, this place is massive. The walk from the entrance to the back of the park takes, without exaggerating, 30 minutes. While I am normally not a massive fan of zoo's, I was really blown away with Kolmården. First of all, there are lots of different animals. The animal enclosures were all gigantic, with barely any fences. Everyting looked so natural. Combine all of this with one of the most spectacular views you will ever see from inside a park, and you have my new favourite zoo! And that is even without taking the attractions into account.

 

However, Kolmården isn't only famous for being a fantastic zoo. Without a doubt, the park is best known for Wildfire, their outstanding RMC. This was, of course, the main reason for visiting this park. But next to the numerous animals and Wildfire, Kolmården has much more to offer; there are some great shows, a kids area with lots of rides, a few junior coasters and the world's first cable car Safari.

 

Unlike the day before, the weather was a bit changeable. The day started and ended with fairly blue skies, but in the middle of the day, it got very cloudy. Luckily, it only rained for about 20 minutes or so. Crowds were pretty much non-existent, with every ride being a walk-on, even Wildfire.

 

Welcome to Kolmården Djurpark!

You know a park is big when the walking times are displayed on the park map.

First stop; Bamses Värld.

It is the kids area of the park that looks a lot better than I thought.

They have a quite a few rides in this section of the park.

Godiståget (3/10)

Godiståget is one of two junior coasters at the park. For a junior coaster, this one was quite good. It has two helixes, and a very small pop of airtime in the back seat on the drop. It is also very smooth and has a bit of theming around the ride and area.

 

Time for the first coaster of the day - Godiståget.

It is one of two junior coasters at the park.

The ride has a few helixes and a small pop of airtime on the drop.

It was fun for a junior coaster.

The park is home to a car ride that takes you on a journey through the woods.

They also have a flying carpet ride. Lots of rides for the younger ones.

There is a huge area with loads of play equipment to enjoy.

Yes, we are still inside the park. The views are simply breathtaking.

Kolmården is mostly a zoo, so they obviously have lots of animals.

This was the tiger enclosure (I think), but no tigers were out, though.

A zoo wouldn't be a zoo without monkeys.

You can get real close to most of the smaller animals.

The animal enclosures were all gigantic, with barely any fences. Everyting looked so natural.

Black with white stripes or white with black stripes?

How many humps do you count?

There are quite a few area's where it doesn't feel like you are in one of the largest zoo's in the world, like this peaceful area here.

The area has a little walkway that leads out to some more stunning views.

For real, the scenery of this park is outstanding.

One of my favourite animals; the bears.

Tiger World, home to, well uhm.. Tigers, I guess?

Sadly, the tigers were playing a game of hide and seek..

Time to explore Marine World.

Delfinexpressen (3.5/10)

Delfinexpressen is a Vekoma junior coaster. While these are quite enjoyable, they don't really do much. The drop provides a bit of airtime if you're in the back seat. The rest of the ride consists of a couple more turns which are all quite smooth. The best part of the ride are the views you get from Wildfire, though.

 

Delfinexpressen is the second junior coaster at the park.

The drop gives you a bit of airtime, while the rest of the ride doesn't do that much.

I would ride it just for the views of Wildfire.

They also have a pirate ship.

Wildfire (10/10)

What can I say about Wildfire that hasn't already been said before? It is just phenomenal! It was my first RMC and my most anticipated coaster of this trip. And oh boy, did it not disappoint. This ride is incredible from start to finish. From the moment you rise above the trees on the lift hill and you get to see the stunning scenery, until the train weaves back to the brake run. Every moment is breathtaking. There is just one moment during the ride where you can catch your breath, and that is really saying something.

 

The ride begins when you make a right turn towards Wildfire's massive lift hill that takes you to the top of the rock cliff. The views from up there are simply spectacular. The high elevated turn after the lift hill gives you a panoramic view of the park and the scenery it is located in. Still being wow-ed by the views, you dive into an incredible first drop - certainly one of the best ones I have experienced. It was ejector airtime all the way down. After diving right next to the rocks and underneath the ride's supports, you enter a massive zero-G stall that has a few seconds of excellent hangtime before plunging back down. A high-G banked turn is followed by my favourite part of the ride; a 90-degree outward banked hill. You wouldn't think this element could possibly provide any airtime, but I can tell you that it definitely will. The sustained sideways airtime while facing towards the water high above the trees, make Wildfire's outward banked hill one of my favourite elements of any coaster anywhere. It is insane. Before you know, you make a rapid twist to the left flying through a shed that is full of smoke - an excellent head chopper. A quick upwards left turn is followed by another quick upwards right turn. You get a good pop of airtime during that transition. Next, you fly over one of many ejector airtime hills before going through a smaller outward banked hill, that also gives some surprising airtime. The first part of the zero-G roll that follows is quite possibly the only part of the ride where you can catch a breath while experiencing superb hangtime. The second part of this inversion is angled downwards, right over the rocks, so you get a proper whip as you leave this inversion. A twisted ejector airtime hill is followed by a high-G left turn and another ejector airtime hill that violently flips you to the right diving down right next to the rocks. The third and final inversion, a zero-G roll, is taken at a much higher speed, but still gave hangtime. Next, you experience an ejector airtime hill that blends into a right turn, which leads into the final ejector airtime moment of the ride; a drop over the cliff and underneath the first drop. The ride ends with some weaving turns, guiding you towards the brakes.

 

I had high expectations for Wildfire, and it exceeded all of them. It is a very aggressive and intense ride. I'd say the first part is more focused on big, crazy elements, while the second part of the ride highlights the low-to-the-ground turns, inversions and fast transitions. The airtime is everywhere though, even on some elements where it didn't look like it could possibly give air. The trains are also very comfortable and the ride is butter smooth. There is some pretty decent theming around the queue line and in the station, which was a nice surprise. Overall, Wildfire is a brilliant coaster and worth a trip to Kolmården just for that. The ride’s incredible setting on a cliff with its stunning views is almost impossible to beat. It also has some absolutely insane elements, like the first drop and the outward banked hill. All of this make Wildfire my new number 2 coaster, just behind Hyperion. It is simply phenomenal.

 

The time has come to experience my first RMC - Wildfire.

When you turn the corner, this is the view you are greeted with. Can it get any better?

The ride was decently themed, which was a nice surprise.

Wildfire's incredible setting on a cliff with its stunning views from the top is almost impossible to beat.

The ride starts as you make your way up Wildfire's massive lift hill that takes you to the top of the cliff.

The high elevated turn gives you an amazing panoramic view of the park and the scenery it is located in.

Before you know, you dive into one of the best first drops you will ever experience.

Ejector airtime all the way down!

Front seat for the views, back seat for the whip on the first drop.

The first inversion is a massive zero-G stall that provides at least 2 full seconds of hangtime before plunging back down.

You wouldn't think a 90-degree outward banked hill could possibly provide any airtime, but this one does.

The first part of the first zero-G roll is quite possibly the only part of the ride where you can catch a breath.

The second part of this inversion is angled downwards, right over the rocks.

Wildfire is full with ejector airtime!

After the zero-G roll, you experience one of many twisted ejector airtime hills.

You are whipped to the right before you dive down right next to the rocks.

The final inversion is taken at a much higher speed, whilst still giving hangtime.

The ride ends with some weaving turns, guiding you towards the brakes.

Wildfire is incredible from start to finish. Every single moment of this ride is breathtaking.

The first part is more focused on big, crazy elements, while the second part highlights the low-to-the-ground turns, inversions and fast transitions.

The ride is also very, very smooth.

I had high expectations for Wildfire, but it exceeded all of them.

The other highlight of the park is the Safari sky ride, which is quite possibly one of the best ones in the world.

The ride itself lasts for about 20 minutes, and takes you over lots of different animals while going over the trees.

They have lots of giraffes.

Have I told you already that the animal enclosures are all gigantic?

You can get surprisingly close to some animals during the Safari sky ride.

I really enjoyed the Safari sky ride. It is by far my favourite one.

Three lions in a row. You don't get to see that everyday.

These two were having a small discussion about who would get the piece of meat.

Yes, it is a Safari sky ride at a zoo. And it is fantastic!

Another reason why I loved the sky ride so much, is because of the outstanding views you get from Wildfire.

Words can't describe how awesome the view is, but photos can! So I have lots of them!

A better look at the zero-G stall.

This might be my favourite element on Wildfire. The sustained sideways airtime, while facing towards the water really is something else.

One last photo of the stunning Wildfire to end this report.

 

So overall, I had a fantastic time at this park. The main highlight was without a doubt Wildfire, one of the best coasters in Europe. The other highlights were the Safari sky ride and, just in general, the zoo with its stunning views. For the reasons stated earlier, Kolmården Djurpark is my new favourite zoo. The fact that it also happens to be home to a world-class wooden coaster, makes it even better.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited September 8, 2018 by JordyC

[viking86]

That was great! I love the pictures of Wildfire, some great shots there. It's easily a top 5 ride for me, I absolutely loved it. Funny you should write that about the zero-g/corkscrew thingy, because in my 2016 trip report I wrote "It tells you something about a ride when the second inversion is the first point where you’re able to catch your breath properly!"

 

Oh, and the safari ride is absolutely amazing! If I'm not mistaken it used to be one of those zoo's where you could drive through the animal exhibitions in your own car, but the cable ride is so much better and it doesn't disturb the animals as it glides above in complete silence.

 

Reading your trip report makes me want to go back to Kolmården. Mainly for Wildfire of course, but I loved the whole place. Thanks for sharing!

[Canobie Coaster]

Awesome report!

 

It really is a shame I visited on such a murky day since those views look outstanding. I couldn't tell Wildfire was next to a body of water it was so foggy. I also think everyone's first RMC places high since it's so different than all the other coaster experiences out there and you started with one of the best in Wildfire.

[JordyC]

That was great! I love the pictures of Wildfire, some great shots there. It's easily a top 5 ride for me, I absolutely loved it. Funny you should write that about the zero-g/corkscrew thingy, because in my 2016 trip report I wrote "It tells you something about a ride when the second inversion is the first point where you’re able to catch your breath properly!"

 

Oh, and the safari ride is absolutely amazing! If I'm not mistaken it used to be one of those zoo's where you could drive through the animal exhibitions in your own car, but the cable ride is so much better and it doesn't disturb the animals as it glides above in complete silence.

 

Reading your trip report makes me want to go back to Kolmården. Mainly for Wildfire of course, but I loved the whole place. Thanks for sharing!

 

Thank you so much! And yes, Wildfire is indeed a fantastic ride, easily top 5 for me as well.

 

Haha, is that true? That's quite funny! It really is though, it is the only part during the ride where you can think for a second what is going on.

 

The Safari sky ride is, after Wildfire, the second highlight of the park. I absolutely loved it. And yes, I heard that as well that it used to be some sort of Jeep safari. I agree that the sky ride is a much better option. And you get stunning views of Wildfire, too!

 

Awesome report!

 

It really is a shame I visited on such a murky day since those views look outstanding. I couldn't tell Wildfire was next to a body of water it was so foggy. I also think everyone's first RMC places high since it's so different than all the other coaster experiences out there and you started with one of the best in Wildfire.

 

Thanks!

 

The views you get while riding Wildfire, and just from Kolmården in general, are simply stunning. Wildfire itself is already an outstanding coaster, but what makes this ride truly unique is its setting. Like you said, I rate it so highly because it is so different than most other coasters, but the views really add to it as well.

[bert425]

this is a fantastic trip report. . love the views you got from the Safari ride. . .and Wildfire? Oh my. . would love to ride that some day!

[JordyC]

^Thanks! This park is located in one of the most beautiful locations I have ever seen. Combining its setting with a world-class coaster, makes this park a must visit for every enthusiast.

[cfc]

I really enjoyed Kolmarden a few years ago. Wildfire is easily a top-ten coaster, and the park's location is beautiful.

[JordyC]

^Wildfire is definitely one of the best coasters out there. Not only because the ride itself is crazy bonkers, but also because the views are simply spectacular.

[JordyC]

Liseberg (Valkyria) - August 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

From August 23th to August 25th 2018, I went on a trip to Sweden for my first ever visit to Gröna Lund and Kolmården, and my second visit to Liseberg. I spent the first day at Gröna Lund, the next day at Kolmården and the final day at Liseberg.

 

On August 25th, I visited Liseberg. Liseberg is located in the heart of Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden. I absolutely love city parks, and Liseberg is no different. Ever since my first visit to this park a few years ago, I fell in love with this place. It has a beautiful setting on a hill in the middle of the city and the landscaping inside the park is very nice. Liseberg really comes to life at night, though -- The atmosphere rockets to the sky and all the lights around the park really adds to this. The variety and quality of rides at Liseberg are outstanding too, easily at the top in Europe. Combine all of this together, and you have one of my favourite parks ever. Of course, the main reason for visiting Liseberg was Valkyria, their brand new B&M Dive coaster. Liseberg is also home to a solid wooden coaster, a few good water rides, one of my favourite coasters, my favourite haunted house and my new number one flat ride. That is a lot of favourites for me, all in one park!

 

Despite a bit of rain in the morning, the weather that day was absolutely perfect. The park was very, very busy, though. Queue times exceeding 60 minutes were not an exception. The biggest queues were for Valkyria and Helix, topping out at 80 minutes. Most of the other rides had a 30-50 minute wait. Because the park has excellent opening hours (11-23) and fantastic operations, I still managed to do all the major rides once and a few re-rides on my favourites.

 

Welcome to Liseberg!

The landscaping at this park is very beautiful.

Liseberg is home to lots of very good restaurants.

Let's start in the kids area.

Rabalder (2.5/10)

Rabalder is one of two junior coasters at Liseberg. For a junior coaster, this one was quite good. It has a few turns and a very small pop of airtime in the back seat on the drop. It is also quite smooth and has a bit of theming.

 

Rabalder is the largest of the two junior coasters at Liseberg.

It has a small pop of airtime in the back seat on the drop. Apart from that, nothing too special.

They have a quite a few rides in this section of the park.

Stampbanan (1/10)

Stampbanan is the other, smaller junior coaster. It is very compact, and does the job for a small kids coaster. Not much more to say about it.

 

Stampbanan is the other junior coaster at the park. It is a very compact ride.

No texting while driving, please!

Atmosfear is the park's massive drop tower. It is located on the top of the hillside, which makes it even taller.

It is tall, it is fast, and you are dropping for a long time. The drop isn't really forceful, though. Best thing about Atmosfear are the views from the top.

Helix (10/10)

I have heard a lot of different opinions about Helix; some think it is okay, while others think it is one of the best coasters in Europe. I definitely tend towards with the latter group. This ride is stunning! I agree, it is not the most intense coaster out there nor are the launches the most powerful, but that is not what this ride is about. Unlike Intamin launchers, where the launch is a big part of the ride, these Mack launchers aren't about the launches at all. It is just there for giving the train the speed it needs, as a replacement for a lift hill. Also, Helix does so many other things that it doesn't need all of that. The ride is already fantastic during the day, but it really shines at night. The views of Gothenburg lit up as you coast the hillside is something else. I also love the music in the queue and station, as it really gets you hyped up for your ride.

 

Because Helix's station in located on the hillside, the ride starts with a drop out of the station straight into its first inversion - a corkscrew. In the back seat, you get a proper pop of airtime on that drop. The corkscrew gives you the first of many excellent hangtime moments. You then make a gradual turn into the first launch, or as I like to call them, speed boosts. After the train has built up speed, you travel through the next inversion with lots of hangtime. Next, you experience an awesome ejector twisted airtime hill before plunging down right next to the hillside. The most intense part of the ride, a Norwegian loop, has even more hangtime at the top and very high G's at the bottom. After flying right next to the rocks, an ejector airtime hill is followed by the craziest part of Helix. A very snappy zero-G roll that is followed by a sudden twisted airtime moment that combines an abrupt pop of air with some laterals. A forceful helix along the hillside and a highly banked turn guides you through a small tunnel into the ride's second speed boost. Helix travels up on its next inversion, an inverted top hat, where it reaches its tallest point. The hangtime here is fantastic, it seems to last forever. I have to admit, hanging there upside-down while looking over the city is quite freaky. A sharp and forceful right turn over the pathway is followed by another excellent ejector airtime hill that lasts for a good 2-3 seconds. This one provides breathtaking views of Gothenburg, even more so at night. Helix then travels up the hillside with some weaving turns, before going through its final inversion - a very slow, hangtime filled in-line twist.

 

To put it short, I loooove Helix. Some might say that the inversions on Helix all feel the same, with lots of hangtime. While that is indeed some sort of true, those happen to be my favourite kind of inversions. I absolutely love hangtime. Helix is by far my favourite ride at Liseberg. It is unique and, most of all, it has a bit of everything and it does it all really well. The setting of the coaster is also one of the best out there, that is what really distinguishes Helix from the rest.

 

Just like Atmosfear, helix is located on the top of the hillside. So you have to go up two escalators to enter the rides.

The ride starts with a drop out of the station straight into a corkscrew, which gives you the first of many hangtime moments.

Next, you make a gradual turn into the first "speed boost".

After the train has built up speed, you travel through Helix's next inversion over the escalators.

Lots of hangtime, once again.

A twisted airtime hill provides the first of many ejector airtime moments.

You speed down the hillside, going towards the most intense part of the ride.

The Norwegian loop gives very high G's at the bottom, ...

..., and some more great hangtime at the top.

Experiencing hangtime while looking over towards Gothenburg is simply stunning.

Before you know, you fly through a very snappy zero-G roll that is followed by a sudden twisted airtime moment.

These elements are by far the craziest part of Helix. It is insane.

A forceful helix along the hillside and a highly banked turn guides you through a small tunnel into the ride's second launch.

It is only now that Helix reaches its tallest point.

The hangtime on this inverted top hat seems to last forever.

A forceful turn is followed by the strongest ejector airtime hill on Helix.

The ejector air lasts for a good 2-3 seconds.

Experiencing airtime with Gothenburg in front of you is breathtaking.

The views will get even better at night.

The ride then travels up the hillside doing some weaving turns.

A very slow, hangtime filled in-line twist guides the train into the brakes.

Helix does a bit of everything, and that is one of the reasons why I love this ride so much.

Hairtime!

Twisting next to Gothia Towers.

All the inversions on Helix have loads of hangtime. Those are my favourite kind of inversions!

It is still one of my favourites coaster.

Liseberg also has bumper cars.

Lisebergbanan (6/10)

Lisebergbanan is a bit like Jetline at Gröna Lund, but less compact and less intense. First of all, it is a very long ride. It is located on the same hill as Helix, where it does a triple helix around the screamin' swing diving down the hillside. The ride isn't forceful at all, but it does have a few good pops of airtime here and there. The best part is probably that you stay so close to the ground, so it seems like you go a lot faster than you really are. It is also quite smooth for its age. Lisebergbanan is just a great, fun family coaster.

 

The classic Lisebergbanan was next.

It is located on the same hill as Helix, so it makes for good interaction.

Lisebergbanan is a very long ride. It also does a triple helix around the park's screamin' swing.

The ride isn't that forceful, but it does have a few unexpected pops of airtime.

It is a very fun family coaster.

Uppswinget is also located on a hillside. When you swing up, you're looking straight down towards the ground. It is awesome. It is my second favourite flat ride at Liseberg.

There also lots of classic rides.

This park is so beautiful.

Aerospin was next.

These rides are always fun. I couldn't get this one spinning that much, though. I think I only got 10 spins.

The park's wave swinger doing its thing.

Flume Ride is a classic log flume that runs along the hillside.

I got pretty wet, mainly because of the wall that's next to the splash. That is some evil business, Liseberg!

Liseberg has an excellent variety of rides for everyone.

Some more flat rides.

Next up was Mechanica.

It is a very fun, well themed ride. It is also not too intense. I enjoyed Mechanica.

A few Scandinavian houses next to the water.

You wouldn't say this park is located in the middle of a city, would you?

You can even take dance classes at Liseberg.

Hotel Gasten is still one of my favourites at this park. I really love it. Also, it is now included in your wristband, which makes it even better.

The park's rapids ride is just okay. Not the best one I have done, but not the worst one either.

Balder (7.5/10)

I remembered Balder to be a crazy intense airtime machine, and one of my favourite coasters. After my first ride, I was a bit underwhelmed. Maybe I just had a bad ride on it? Sad to say, that wasn't the case, because I felt the same on all 3 rides I had on it. I don't know what it was, but Balder was running significantly slower than it used to do. It was crawling through the turns. The airtime was still very good, all ejector, but it felt a lot less violent than two years ago. Balder's first drop is still one of my favourite's, and experiencing ejector airtime while flying through those tunnels is fantastic. It has a pretty basic layout, though. It's always just two airtime hills and a turn, two airtime hills and a turn. Since Balder was running slower, it felt a bit repetitive. Like I said, the airtime is still very strong ejector, but not as strong as it used to be. To be fair, there is more airtime on Balder, but the air on Helix's last airtime hill is clearly stronger. It is a shame really, because Balder was hauling through those turns and airtime hills on my previous trip. I still had a ton of fun on it, though, and it's still a very good coaster.

 

Next up, Balder. I was really looking forward to riding this again, because I remembered it to be a crazy intense airtime machine.

I don't know what it was, but Balder was running significantly slower than it used to do. It was literally crawling through the turns. It is a shame, because it used to be a top-10 coaster for me.

The airtime was still very good ejector, but it also felt a lot less violent than two years ago.

It is still a good wooden coaster, though. Just not as good as I remembered.

Some of the views are just spectacular.

Loke was my next ride. I love these kind of flat rides, but Loke takes it to a whole other level.

Unlike your standard frisbee rides, Loke only has a lap bar! Yes, you read that right. Just a lap bar. Swinging high up in the air while it feels like you're going to fly out when you're looking straight down is simply fantastic. It is also a very intense and long ride. There were probably about 10 max swings. All of those were outstanding -- A few seconds of sustained floater air combined with a breathtaking view. I absolutely loved Loke. It is my second favourite ride at Liseberg, and my new favourite flat ride overall!

Loke also swings very close to Balder. Awesome!

Valkyria (8.5/10)

The newest ride at Liseberg is Valkyria, the new-for-2018 B&M Dive Coaster. Valkyria is clearly the best themed coaster at Liseberg, and a fantastic overall experience. The coaster itself is different from your typical dive coaster. Valkyria offers a full layout that doesn't only focus on the first drop, but actually feels like a complete coaster. It is a very good ride, but what really makes this coaster, is the excellent theming throughout the queue and the station.

 

The ride begins when you start your climb on the rather steep lift hill. Once at the top, you make a right turn into the signature holding brake before the first drop. The views you get from the park and Gothenburg from up there are outstanding. They really thought about this ride's placement. After a few seconds, you drop straight down into a tight underground tunnel that is filled with smoke. Despite the vest restraints, you are still out of your seat the whole way down. Not as much as you would with the "normal" restraints, like on Baron 1898. After some high G's at the bottom of the drop, you travel up a massive Immelmann that gives a bit of hangtime at the top. Then you dive back down over the pathways and the river, whereafter you go through an overbanked turn underneath the lift hill that provides some good forces. A zero-G roll that gives perfect weightlessness is followed by an upwards right turn that is actually pretty forceful. After a small pop of airtime, you make a gradual left turn into Valkyria's final and best inversion, a slow turning heartline roll. This inversion gives excellent hangtime and a head chopper with the supports underneath you. A right turn over the river guides the train into the brake run.

 

Valkyria is full of near-miss elements, like the tunnel, the overbanked turn under the lift hill and the final inversion. This really adds to the ride. Like all dive coasters, the drop is better in the back, but the views are better in the front. Apart from the first drop, the vest restraints didn't affect the ride at all. No surprise, but Valkyria was also very smooth. In terms of other dive coasters I have done, Valkyria is my favourite one. The drop is amazing, it has a few unique elements, excellent hangtime on the final inversion and it is very well themed.

 

Valkyria, the newest ride at Liseberg.

Valkyria is clearly the best themed coaster at Liseberg. The station looks fantastic.

Your ride begins when you climb to the top of the lift hill.

Once at the top, you make a right turn into the signature holding brake before the first drop.

Hanging there, between the track.

The views you get from from up there are outstanding.

After a taking in the views, you drop down into a tight tunnel.

You are out of your seat the whole way down. Not as much as you would with the normal restraints, but still floaty.

After flying through the tunnel, you travel up a massive Immelmann that gives a bit of hangtime at the top.

Next, you dive back down over the pathways and the river.

Come into my arms, Valkyria!

An overbanked turn underneath the lift hill provides some good forces.

On the left side of the train, the lift hill acts as en excellent near-miss element.

After the overbank, you go through a zero-G roll that is rather snappy.

Perfect zero-G!

The upwards right turn is actually quite forceful.

You get a small pop of airtime before turning left towards Valkyria's final element.

This slow turning heartline roll is my favourite inversion on Valkyria.

The supports act like an excellent head chopper.

There is also a lot of hangtime here.

The drop is amazing, it has excellent hangtime on the final inversion and it is very well themed. Valkyria is my new favourite dive coaster.

One last photo of Liseberg to end this report.

 

So overall, I had a fantastic time at this park. The main highlights were Helix and Loke, two outstanding rides. The other highlights were Valkyria, Hotel Gasten and, just in general, being back at one of my favourite parks. Man, I love Liseberg.

 

Thanks for reading!

[Canobie Coaster]

Fantastic report! I love all the photos of Helix. It's nice seeing that ride in the daylight since my lone visit was on such a dark and dreary day. Your thoughts match mine on that coaster. The whole package of the hangtime inversions, scattered airtime hills, and setting make it a truly memorable coaster. It's not the most intense coaster, but I can't think of many other coasters I have more fun on.

 

Balder was crawling through the turns on my visit last fall, but the airtime was so strong that I figured it was running its normal speed. That's crazy to think it has the potential to run even faster.

[JordyC]

^Thanks so much! Helix is a fantastic ride. While it's not the most intense coaster out there, it just has so much packed into that ride. I could ride that coaster all day long!

 

On my first visit to Liseberg two years ago, Balder was flying through the turns and airtime hills. Like I said in my report, it used to be a top-10 coaster for me just for how crazy it was. Don't get me wrong, it is still a good wooden coaster with excellent airtime, just not as good as two years ago.

[viking86]

Looks like we have the same opinion regarding Balder, I also thought it felt slow when I was at Liseberg two weeks before you.

[JordyC]

^I remember you mentioning it in your trip report, and I also heard it from quite a few other people. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical about it. But now that I have experienced it myself, I definitely have to agree. It is running significantly slower.

[JordyC]

De Waarbeek - September 2018

 

Hello everyone!

 

On September 8th, I did something rather unusual. I visited three parks in one day; De Waarbeek, Plopsa Indoor Coevorden and Slagharen. They are relatively close together, at most a one hour drive.

 

The first park of the day was De Waarbeek. De Waarbeek is located in the middle of nowhere, in Hengelo, The Netherlands. It is a small family amusement park, with loads of classic rides. About half of them are self-operated, which is quite unique. The park itself is very small, with the classic flat rides located on one side of the park, and the majority of the self-operated rides located on the other side, next to and over the park's lake. Yes, you read that right. There are weird self-operated rides over the lake. I had never seen that before, but I loved it! Despite its size, there was quite a nice atmosphere at the park. Of course, the main reason for visiting De Waarbeek was Rodelbaan, the second oldest steel coaster in the world. I have always wanted to ride this piece of history, so I was really looking forward to it.

 

Welcome to De Waarbeek!

There is a dance party going on as soon as you enter the park.

A classic park wouldn't be a classic park without bumper cars.

The old-timer ride is one of many self-operated rides at this park. You wait for the green light, press the button, and you're off!

It takes you on a winding path through the trees, and it even has a little dark ride section.

This post office is used as a show for kids, and has a fake fire at the end.

How did that get here?

You can ride the ducks on this, you guessed it, self-operated attraction.

Who doesn't like to swing on an angry tree?

The park is also home to lots of classic flat rides, like this Paratrooper. It doesn't spin that high, though.

Station De Waarbeek is the station for the train ride that takes you around the park.

Choo choo!

It also goes through a little tunnel.

The park's Ferris Wheel isn't that tall, but it gives you some nice views from the park.

A vintage car carousel.

The park is really compact, but still looks quite nice.

The thrill rides are located on backside of the park. This ride was quite fun, although it wasn't as intense as a "normal" Twister.

The Caterpillar ride, where a canopy slowly envelops each car, was more like a fast carousel. It didn't go fast at all.

Swingmill is the park's version of the classic The Whip-ride. This was probably my favourite flat ride at the park.

Of course, there is also a classic wave swinger.

I didn't ride this one, but it seemed to have a cycle of at least 3-4 minutes.

Yet another self-operated ride at De Waarbeek.

Seriously, if you love classic rides, this park is the place to be. It is full of them!

Despite its size, there is quite a nice atmosphere at the park.

Lots of play equipment for the kids.

I have seen a lot of weird rides, but this one was even new for me. It is a flying chair over the park's lake. And yes, you have to operate it yourself.

You sit down in the chair, press the yellow button, whereafter the mechanism takes you about halfway up the tower. You soar backwards over the lake, whereafter the mechanism drops down again. This causes you to fly back forwards over the lake. When you come to an abrupt stop, it takes you to the tallest point, whereafter you do it all over again, but faster. This ride is so weird that I loved it.

Hurray to self-operated, weird and funky rides!

They have also got a nautic jet. These are always a lot of fun!

Splash!

Rodelbaan (4/10)

The main attraction of the park is Rodelbaan, the second oldest steel coaster in the world that opened in 1930. The ride was surprisingly smooth and the trains (or more like cars) were also quite comfortable. The ride begins when you start your climb on the rather steep lift hill. Once at the top, a kicker wheel guides you through a right turn. Next to the lake, you go down Rodelbaan's first drop which gives a small pop of airtime in the back. You then travel up an airtime hill that looked like it could give some airtime, but it didn't. The car literally crawled over it. When you drop down again, a small roof to cover the onride photo acts like a decent head chopper. A straight section leads you up another hill, wherafter you make a gentle right turn next to the pathways. After a straight section and another right turn, you drop down underneath the bridge -- excellent head chopper -- while experiencing a small pop of airtime. An upwards hill is followed by a right turn, and the ride's finale; Two more drops. They didn't give any airtime, though. A sharp right turn, that actually has some laterals to it, guides you into Rodelbaan's sharp brakes.

 

While Rodelbaan is more like a good junior coaster, I still really enjoyed it. It takes you around the park (although that doesn't say much, since it's very small), and goes under and over the pathways. You can clearly see that the park is very proud of it, and they have got every reason to be so. I love these classic rides, Rodelbaan is no different. It is just a very fun, enjoyable classic coaster that we have to appreciate these days.

 

It is time to ride Rodelbaan, one of the oldest coasters in the world.

Are you ready to go FAST on Rodelbaan?

Your ride starts when you go up the rather steep lift hill.

A slow right turn guides you into Rodelbaan's first drop, which gives a bit of airtime.

You then crawl over an airtime hill without any airtime.

A random straight section leads you up another hill.

A gentle turn let you enjoy the views of the park.

It travels right next to the pathways, where you can get real close to the ride.

After another right turn, you drop down underneath the bridge while experiencing a small pop of airtime.

The ride ends with two more drops, that didn't give any airtime.

Rodelbaan was also very smooth, especially for its age.

Rodelbaan is such a nice and fun classic coaster.

 

So overall, I had a fun time at this heritage amusement park. The main highlight was clearly Rodelbaan, a great piece of roller coaster history. The other highlight were the flying chairs over the lake, which was something very unique, and I loved it. De Waarbeek is just a nice, fun family park. Definitely worth a few hours of your time if you're in the area.

 

Thanks for reading!