- November 28th, 2015, 8:21 pm
#85672
After not taking any major trips over the summer I decided I wanted to go abroad somewhere in the fall. I wasn't sure where, but knew that I wanted to go somewhere I had never been and get in at least one "bucket list" caliber amusement park, while being able to use frequent flyer miles to get there at the cheapest rate. Liseberg was one of the first things that came to mind. Gothenburg is not the first city that comes to mind for Swedish travel (that would be Stockholm), but when I realized Copenhagen was so close it was immediately clear that this was the trip to do as it was one of my most wanted cities to visit and would bring the bonus of a second must-visit amusement park.
Unfortunately, the day before I left for Europe I discovered that I made a horrible error. Either because the website had not been updated yet when I booked the trip or because it is in Swedish, I did not realize until then that Balder does not operate during Halloween. So, one of the main reasons the entire trip originated was not going to be part of it. Fortunately it turned out to be an incredible trip anyway.
I spent one day in Berlin, two in Copenhagen, one in Malmo, and two in Gothenburg. I'm certainly willing to talk about those cities, but I know what you clicked on this for, so...
Tivoli Gardens
I believe I first became aware of Tivoli from watching one of those Discovery Channel shows in the mid-1990s and it has intrigued me ever since. Having opened in 1843 the only amusement park in the world that can claim to be older is nearby Bakken (unfortunately closed for the season already). Walt Disney visited in 1951 and allegedly it was one of the main inspirations for Disneyland. It does not take long to understand why. As with other famous European parks like Europapark and Alton Towers, Tivoli is defined by its gorgeous grounds and attention to detail. It is perhaps the most representative of the difference in ideals between European amusement parks and American ones. While in the US the rides themselves are typically the only thing worth visiting for, at Tivoli, as with many of my favorite parks, you could strip away all of the rides and it would still be a wonderful place to be in. Tivoli has a small entrance fee and a pay-per-ride structure, so indeed there are many visitors who do not partake in the rides. Another key element is the park's location: Unlike the modern amusement park constructed many miles from a city, Tivoli is right in the heart of Copenhagen, knitted into the street grid and bordered on the west by the main train station and the east by H.C. Anderson Blvd, the main thoroughfare through the city.
Tivoli is an integral and beloved element of the city, and unlike your local Six Flags where adults (other than those of us who post on websites like this) begrudgingly go to take their children, locals and tourists alike of every age and background seem enchanted by it. Many locals even go just to visit the restaurants, which is no surprise given the stunning quality of dining at Tivoli. There are at least 10 full-service fine dining restaurants inside the park. When you've become used to park food that consists of the lowest grade of Sodexo mystery meat cooked to an unrecognizable crisp and served for $12, this is a bit stunning. I had lunch at the famous Grøften, which has been serving up traditional Danish smørrebrød (open faced sandwich, most typically with pickled herring) since 1874. It wasn't just great for park food, it was in the top tier of meals I've had anywhere period.
The beauty of the park during the day takes on a new quality at night when the lights come on. Tivoli is the most "magical" park I've ever been to, particularly at night. The atmosphere transforms into something indescribable. I felt like I could have stayed forever. There are very few parks that can generate genuine feelings of nostalgia in me, but I suspect this will be one. Now, onto the major coasters:
Rutschebanen - This is the star of the show. Opened in 1914, it's one of the oldest coasters left operating in the world, and one of the few remaining to still utilize an on-board brakeman. I've been wanting to ride a brakeman coaster for years, so I was excited for this just for the novelty factor. What I did not expect was that it would be a legitimately great coaster. The ride can vary depending on who is manning the brake, but I had several back seat rides with great airtime. It's a long ride with a lot of drops, continuously winding in and out of tunnels through a man-made mountain. I was amused to see that the ride uses a signaling system for the brakeman that is very similar to that of the NYC subway (which opened 10 years before the coaster).
Dæmonen - A B&M floorless built in 2004. Very short at 1,851 feet long with a 92 foot height and three inversions, but it proves the old rule that the most compact B&Ms built in a confined space are often some of the best. The layout is not your cookie cutter B&M looper sequence and there are a few nice moments of intensity.
Odinexpressen - A Mack powered coaster from 1985, this one probably would not be noteworthy anywhere else, but winding around in the trees over pathways and diving into a tunnel makes it a ton of fun at Tivoli.
There is also a small Zierer junior coaster which I did not ride. Other notable attractions include The Flying Trunk, a H.C. Andersen-inspired dark ride that goes through various scenes from his fairy tales, The Mine, a nice shooter dark ride in a boat, and a 260 foot tall Star Flyer with great views of Copenhagen.
Liseberg
Though my Liseberg excitement had been dampened a bit by the revelation that Balder would be closed (as well as Kanonen, the Intamin launcher), I was still eager to check out the park that is apparently so confident in its own awesomeness that it literally appointed itself as the authority on judging other parks' awesomeness. I was also highly anticipating Helix after watching in jealousy from across the pond as Mack began building inventive steel loopers. As with Tivoli, Liseberg is an integral part of Gothenburg. It is located in the city proper near the hockey arena, football stadiums, and Gothenburg University. It is easily accessible by the city's sprawling tram network or even just by walking from the city center. Though it did not have the mind blowing beauty of Tivoli, by any other standard it ranks in the top tier.
The defining aspect of Liseberg is that the west side of the park is on a steep mountain ("Lisas berg" translates to Lisa's mountain). This means that rides are built on different levels, accessible by escalators or walking trails. At the top of the mountain is the park's 380 foot tall Intamin tower, which was converted from an observation ride into a freefall ride in 2011. The views are breathtaking and so is the drop. A huge 200 foot tall ferris wheel sits on the mountain as well. Most importantly, Liseberg's newest roller coaster is on the mountain...
Helix - This saved the visit from the tragic Balder failure. I've been on El Toro; I know what an Intamin plug-and-play woodie feels like. I think I an probably imagine how Balder rides. Helix, on the other hand, was something completely new for me. When this ride was announced a few years ago I recall being blown away by the layout. It's insanely long and remarkably creative for a steel looper. Helix utilizes the mountainside setting superbly. The modern metallic station at the top of the mountain has a winding queue that goes up and down like a vertical maze, with an ominous theme song pounding the entire time, really helping to set the mood. The coaster uses Mack's excellent lap bar-only trains, which are almost flawless except that the harness tends to tighten down a little too hard. It's a ride that gets started literally right out of the station, dropping down the hillside before sweeping into the first LIM launch. With seven inversions and several moments of ejector airtime, this ride has just about every element imaginable, and the largest hill comes near the very end of the ride after the second LIM launch. It's a minute and 20 seconds from drop to brakes, which is remarkably long (Fury 325, another long non-stop action ride, is a minute and 5). I do not have much passion for looping coasters. My enthusiasm for this hobby is driven almost purely by wooden coasters and hyper coasters (two exceptions: Nemesis and Mind Bender). Helix, though, is a game changer. It shows that steel coasters can be creative, can have interesting pacing, and can blend intense inversions and strong airtime seamlessly with comfortable and free-feeling seats and restraints. BUILD THESE IN AMERICA. It probably helps to have a mountain to use.
Lisebergbanan - The other great use of the mountain, an Anton Schwarzkopf classic and allegedly his personal favorite of all his creations. No inversions, just speed and sweet, sweet terrain. Most of the ride takes place low to the ground, following the terrain with a triple helix down the mountain. Schwarzkopf was a genius.
Some day I would love to get back to ride Balder, which did look quite lovely, but let's face it, this is not exactly a convenient park to get to for me.
Photos
Tivoli: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 0288066689
Liseberg: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1321074442
And if for some reason you are also interested in things beyond roller coasters...
Berlin: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 0804539481
Copenhagen: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1045033076 <3 <3 <3 <3
Malmo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1268645421
Gothenburg: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1169185390
Unfortunately, the day before I left for Europe I discovered that I made a horrible error. Either because the website had not been updated yet when I booked the trip or because it is in Swedish, I did not realize until then that Balder does not operate during Halloween. So, one of the main reasons the entire trip originated was not going to be part of it. Fortunately it turned out to be an incredible trip anyway.
I spent one day in Berlin, two in Copenhagen, one in Malmo, and two in Gothenburg. I'm certainly willing to talk about those cities, but I know what you clicked on this for, so...
Tivoli Gardens
I believe I first became aware of Tivoli from watching one of those Discovery Channel shows in the mid-1990s and it has intrigued me ever since. Having opened in 1843 the only amusement park in the world that can claim to be older is nearby Bakken (unfortunately closed for the season already). Walt Disney visited in 1951 and allegedly it was one of the main inspirations for Disneyland. It does not take long to understand why. As with other famous European parks like Europapark and Alton Towers, Tivoli is defined by its gorgeous grounds and attention to detail. It is perhaps the most representative of the difference in ideals between European amusement parks and American ones. While in the US the rides themselves are typically the only thing worth visiting for, at Tivoli, as with many of my favorite parks, you could strip away all of the rides and it would still be a wonderful place to be in. Tivoli has a small entrance fee and a pay-per-ride structure, so indeed there are many visitors who do not partake in the rides. Another key element is the park's location: Unlike the modern amusement park constructed many miles from a city, Tivoli is right in the heart of Copenhagen, knitted into the street grid and bordered on the west by the main train station and the east by H.C. Anderson Blvd, the main thoroughfare through the city.
Tivoli is an integral and beloved element of the city, and unlike your local Six Flags where adults (other than those of us who post on websites like this) begrudgingly go to take their children, locals and tourists alike of every age and background seem enchanted by it. Many locals even go just to visit the restaurants, which is no surprise given the stunning quality of dining at Tivoli. There are at least 10 full-service fine dining restaurants inside the park. When you've become used to park food that consists of the lowest grade of Sodexo mystery meat cooked to an unrecognizable crisp and served for $12, this is a bit stunning. I had lunch at the famous Grøften, which has been serving up traditional Danish smørrebrød (open faced sandwich, most typically with pickled herring) since 1874. It wasn't just great for park food, it was in the top tier of meals I've had anywhere period.
The beauty of the park during the day takes on a new quality at night when the lights come on. Tivoli is the most "magical" park I've ever been to, particularly at night. The atmosphere transforms into something indescribable. I felt like I could have stayed forever. There are very few parks that can generate genuine feelings of nostalgia in me, but I suspect this will be one. Now, onto the major coasters:
Rutschebanen - This is the star of the show. Opened in 1914, it's one of the oldest coasters left operating in the world, and one of the few remaining to still utilize an on-board brakeman. I've been wanting to ride a brakeman coaster for years, so I was excited for this just for the novelty factor. What I did not expect was that it would be a legitimately great coaster. The ride can vary depending on who is manning the brake, but I had several back seat rides with great airtime. It's a long ride with a lot of drops, continuously winding in and out of tunnels through a man-made mountain. I was amused to see that the ride uses a signaling system for the brakeman that is very similar to that of the NYC subway (which opened 10 years before the coaster).
Dæmonen - A B&M floorless built in 2004. Very short at 1,851 feet long with a 92 foot height and three inversions, but it proves the old rule that the most compact B&Ms built in a confined space are often some of the best. The layout is not your cookie cutter B&M looper sequence and there are a few nice moments of intensity.
Odinexpressen - A Mack powered coaster from 1985, this one probably would not be noteworthy anywhere else, but winding around in the trees over pathways and diving into a tunnel makes it a ton of fun at Tivoli.
There is also a small Zierer junior coaster which I did not ride. Other notable attractions include The Flying Trunk, a H.C. Andersen-inspired dark ride that goes through various scenes from his fairy tales, The Mine, a nice shooter dark ride in a boat, and a 260 foot tall Star Flyer with great views of Copenhagen.
Liseberg
Though my Liseberg excitement had been dampened a bit by the revelation that Balder would be closed (as well as Kanonen, the Intamin launcher), I was still eager to check out the park that is apparently so confident in its own awesomeness that it literally appointed itself as the authority on judging other parks' awesomeness. I was also highly anticipating Helix after watching in jealousy from across the pond as Mack began building inventive steel loopers. As with Tivoli, Liseberg is an integral part of Gothenburg. It is located in the city proper near the hockey arena, football stadiums, and Gothenburg University. It is easily accessible by the city's sprawling tram network or even just by walking from the city center. Though it did not have the mind blowing beauty of Tivoli, by any other standard it ranks in the top tier.
The defining aspect of Liseberg is that the west side of the park is on a steep mountain ("Lisas berg" translates to Lisa's mountain). This means that rides are built on different levels, accessible by escalators or walking trails. At the top of the mountain is the park's 380 foot tall Intamin tower, which was converted from an observation ride into a freefall ride in 2011. The views are breathtaking and so is the drop. A huge 200 foot tall ferris wheel sits on the mountain as well. Most importantly, Liseberg's newest roller coaster is on the mountain...
Helix - This saved the visit from the tragic Balder failure. I've been on El Toro; I know what an Intamin plug-and-play woodie feels like. I think I an probably imagine how Balder rides. Helix, on the other hand, was something completely new for me. When this ride was announced a few years ago I recall being blown away by the layout. It's insanely long and remarkably creative for a steel looper. Helix utilizes the mountainside setting superbly. The modern metallic station at the top of the mountain has a winding queue that goes up and down like a vertical maze, with an ominous theme song pounding the entire time, really helping to set the mood. The coaster uses Mack's excellent lap bar-only trains, which are almost flawless except that the harness tends to tighten down a little too hard. It's a ride that gets started literally right out of the station, dropping down the hillside before sweeping into the first LIM launch. With seven inversions and several moments of ejector airtime, this ride has just about every element imaginable, and the largest hill comes near the very end of the ride after the second LIM launch. It's a minute and 20 seconds from drop to brakes, which is remarkably long (Fury 325, another long non-stop action ride, is a minute and 5). I do not have much passion for looping coasters. My enthusiasm for this hobby is driven almost purely by wooden coasters and hyper coasters (two exceptions: Nemesis and Mind Bender). Helix, though, is a game changer. It shows that steel coasters can be creative, can have interesting pacing, and can blend intense inversions and strong airtime seamlessly with comfortable and free-feeling seats and restraints. BUILD THESE IN AMERICA. It probably helps to have a mountain to use.
Lisebergbanan - The other great use of the mountain, an Anton Schwarzkopf classic and allegedly his personal favorite of all his creations. No inversions, just speed and sweet, sweet terrain. Most of the ride takes place low to the ground, following the terrain with a triple helix down the mountain. Schwarzkopf was a genius.
Some day I would love to get back to ride Balder, which did look quite lovely, but let's face it, this is not exactly a convenient park to get to for me.
Photos
Tivoli: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 0288066689
Liseberg: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1321074442
And if for some reason you are also interested in things beyond roller coasters...
Berlin: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 0804539481
Copenhagen: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1045033076 <3 <3 <3 <3
Malmo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1268645421
Gothenburg: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jhawkins/ ... 1169185390
