Tivoli Gröna Lund — Restcoaster

Tivoli Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden

Our slow international amusement park trip continues today with a hope over from Denmark over to nearby Sweden, where we visit an amusement park in Stockholm that technically shares part name with our last park, but really is a whole different experience in and of itself!

Tivoli Gröna Lund, or mainly just Gröna Lund, or informally just Grönan, is a compact amusement park located in Stockholm, Sweden, on one of its many islands. In particular, Gröna Lund sits just east of the Old Town area of Gamla Stan, on Djurgården Island. Readily accessed from the center of town off one of the city’s tram lines or ferry, the park is a dense amalgamation of thrill rides and roller coasters seemingly stacked on top of each other. It’s also home to a popular summer concert series every year that attracts Sweden’s top rock and pop artists, and it carries its own seaside amusement park charm. No theme park or roller coaster enthusiast should skip Gröna Lund on any stop in Stockholm, so lets see what this great park has to offer!

Ambiance

Whereas Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen might be described as an amusement park with a couple of themed areas, Gröna Lund is an amusement park with themed rides and buildings. That is to say… it’s a bit of a hodge podge. But the park—which was founded way back in 1883—retains a classic elegance of a turn-of-the-(20th)-century amusement park. Located right on the waterfront on the west side of the island, Gröna Lund is easily visible from the heart of the city. The entire park and its nearly 30 rides are crammed tightly in just over 9 acres of land (as a comparison, Tivoli Gardens is double the amount at 20 acores, and Knott’s Berry Farm is a comparatively spacious 57 acres).

The Biergarten will be going away next year as part of the park’s new 2021 roller coaster addition, but it was a beautiful part of the park’s charm when I visited in 2014!

Little gardens and plenty of seating areas are a great amenity in the park.

The boardwalk along Twister feels classic, even if it’s actually pretty new.

But the lack of space doesn’t mean the park is devoid of atmosphere and character. Across the park grounds, there are small gardens, themed architecture, and evocative pedestrian avenues. Despite being an urban park, there are plenty of trees and shade around, as well as a nice selection of cafes and restaurants for those taking a break from the rides.

There are all sorts of various bits of theming on a building-by-building level in Gröna Lund.

A 1950s vibe happens to shape this street.

Neon lights and ride lighting create a very photogenic scene!

All the illumination makes for some nice sights and a great environment!

Like many European parks, nighttime is when Gröna Lund really comes alive, with its roller coasters and tower rides and arches and structure all illuminated. In the center of the park, across from the massive star flyer Eclipse, a concert stage plays home to countless music acts every summer, attracting local music fans who take in the tradition of the summertime shows typically from May into September. And similar to Disneyland park, on certain nights, there’s even a swing dancing pavilion that attracts guests looking to socialize and exercise their rhythm!

Eclipse towers over everything else in the park.

Nighttime dancing adds a great social aspect to park activities.

If you have time to spare, it’s definitely worth checking the park out and exploring its nooks and crannies. For such a small footprint, Gröna Lund really jams a lot of attractions on its real estate. But those looking to maximize efficiency can also focus on the thrill rides—of which the park has plenty!

Twister

This 2011 Gravity Group wooden roller coaster looks the part of a miniature seaside wooden classic, but its demure size belie a surprisingly rip-roaring course that features some great airtime and zippy turns and curves. Twister stands a mere 50 feet high at its tallest point, but it packs a nice punch nonetheless! The layout is relentless throughout its nearly 1600 feet of track. It only hits about 38 mph, but the tight turns and quick direction changes give it a Space Mountain illusion of being much faster and wilder than it appears on paper. All the while, the trains run smoothly through the relatively new wooden track!

Twister’s classic style aesthetic also adds to the charm, conjuring nostalgic parallels to woodies a hundred years its senior. And running along the waterfront boardwalk, it gives a wonderfully sentimental atmosphere that feels timeless.

That looks like a face. Do you see a face? I definitely see a face.

Twister racing down its modest but surprisingly snippy first drop.

Vilda Musen

Swedish for “Wild Mouse,” this is one of a few roller coasters that wraps around other rides and interlaces with other supports and track. The Gerstlauer creation is actually taller than Twister, standing at 69 feet, and hits 34 mph. With some nice curing drops, pops of air, and a spiraling layout that weaves every which way, it’s a great family roller coaster that also preps the younger ones for the more intense rides.

This wild mouse ducks and dives and twists and turns.

Some of those turns are this close to being overbanked!

Jetline

Wrapped up with the layout of Vilda Musen is Jetline, a 1988 Schwarzkopf sitdown coaster that is just fun exemplified. Anton Schwarzkopf was beloved for his variety of designs, from innovative shuttle loops like Knott’s Berry Farm’s Montezooma’s Revenge to the portable-friendly Wildcat models found at a lot of carnivals to his more intense looping contraptions found all around the world.

Jetline falls more in the middle of the coaster intensity scale, featuring a novel curving lift hill, a variety of swooping drops and quick helixes and even a tunnel near the end to jazz things up. Hurtling in, under, around, and through its adjacent neighbors, Vilda Musen and Twister, this venerable veteran of Gröna Lund still thrills a new generation of audiences, and it’s the longest roller coaster in the park!

The Schwarzkopf classic threads through a couple of other rides.

Jetline looks pretety cool at night too.

That’s the beauty of Gröna Lund: there’s a uniqe vantagepoint in practically ever direction, including up!

Kvasten

It won’t be the only roller coaster its track above riders come next year, but Kvasten offers guests a really fun, family-appropriate suspended roller coaster that matches height and speed with Vilda Musen but sprawls through a lot more of the park. This Vekoma is thankfully smooth, cruising through a variety of hills and helixes and while maintaining a sort of enchanted forest fairytale theme. Guests are invited to be witches on broomsticks in a way—storywise at least. And the attraction also integrates nicely with Spökhuset (Haunted House) and a menacing gnarled tree too!

It’s got some great approaches over the park walkways.

Insane!

If you’ve ever ridden the Green Lantern at Six Flags Magic Mountain, know that the pain and discomfort weren’t just because it was Six Flags in charge. As it turns out, all 1st generation Intamin ZacSpins are just really rough to ride! Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s a freaky ride at that, somersaulting and flipping back and worth and changing directions on a dime. But it’s also a jostly ride that hurls riders to and fro, and for guys, one unfortunate direction change could also mean a bit of a hobbled walk for a little while.

If you’re looking for a credit, then include this freak machine on your rides list. Otherwise, if you’ve been on a ZacSpin before, save yourself the discomfort.

It may be a different color, but it’s just as painful as Green Lantern was at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Eclipse, Fritt Fall, and Katapulten

Gröna also has a trio (now quartet) of tower rides that define its iconic and dramatic skyline. A towering star flyer that is among the world’s absolute tallest, an S&S space shot, and an Intamin tilting drop ride form the line-up in the ensuring pictures.

Gröna Lund’s three towers (which have since been joined by a fourth).

The crown jewel and height record holder of the park is Eclipse, a massive star flyer even taller than Tivoli Gardens’ swing ride. Taking guests 400 feet into the air, this attraction is actually pretty tranquil and offers an incredible view of the city. Of course, I rode it during calm weather, as opposed to the gusty winds that buffeted Tivoli Garden’s Star Flyer, so maybe that’s why it seemed more gentle in comparison. In any case, any acrophobiacs might want to reconsider riding this soaring attraction!

Fritt Fall is an earlier Intamin freefall tower model, opened in 1998, with a slight tilting feature added in 2004 that angles guests diagonally downward before dropping them. A “mere” 262 feet tall, it stands right across from Eclipse like a younger brother who isn’t quite as flashy. But it’s a fun ride nonetheless!

Eclipse on the left, Fritt Fall on the right.

Katapulten does pretty much what you’d expect, even if you don’t speak Swedish. The S&S space shot rockets riders 180 feet in the air, making it the relative runt of the litter. But it’s a different execution of thrills, with a nice bounce of floater air at the top and similarly nice (if not briefer) views of the Stockholm archipelago.

Since my 2014 trip to Gröna Lund, Ikaros, a nearly 312 foot Intamin tilting drop ride has also joined the tower gang. Opened in 2017, this thrill machine starts with riders seated normally as the carriage ascends. But near the top, the seats rotate into a position that faces riders straight down, before dropping them 300 feet toward the ground, slowing down just in the nick of time. It’s a truly nerve-wracking experience among Gröna Lund’s many adrenaline rushes!

Family Rides

Gröna Lund has a great assortment of classic children’s and family rides outside of its roller coasters and tower attractions. From a traditional wave swinger to several interesting dark rides to a kiddie coaster and a variety of spinning rides, those with less intrepid guests will still be able to find rides that appeal to them. There’s also a traditional fun house plus a separate upcharge “House of Nightmares” haunt maze attraction with theming and effects developed by Sally Corporation.

Lets take a look through some other members of Gröna Lund’s attraction line-up!

Kättingflygarren, or Wave Swinger, sits right on the water.

It’s a beautiful sight in the evening, especially under blue hour!

The park’s Ghost Train ride is a charming ode to the classic haunted dark rides of yesteryear. Originally dating back to 1935, it was modernized and deeply refurbished in 2011. With a nice clean coat of paint and updated effects, it’s still a beloved attraction spooking a new generation of kids.

On the weirdness scale, the Tunnel of Love ride is right there at the top with rivals from places like Japan. The flume ride originally opened in 1936 (and updated half a century later) is one of many similar attractions throughout Europe, tailor made for romantic couples to snuggle and make out and… more. But this one also features some slightly unnerving imagery, including naked troll or elf like creatures, it’s a fairy tale into the wonder of love.

Kärlekstunneln (Tunnel of Love): where looooove happens.

And also naked whatevertheheckthesethingsare.

Teacups, kiddie coasters, an old carousel, a flying carpet ride, and even miniature versions of some of the park’s thrill rides round out the family-friendly quotient at Gröna. Each has its own little theme, and honestly, most of them are pretty adorable. It’s nice to see a park maintain so much diversity throughout its long history.

Nyckelpigan, an old Zierer kiddie coaster that has since been retired.

Like most traditional amusement parks, Gröna Lund requires an entrance fee and then tickets on top of that to go on the rides. Unlimited all-day attraction passes are available too, but depending on which rides are of interest, it may be better to go with the ala carte version.

Tivoli Gröna Lund shines brightly at night!

All in all, Tivoli Gröna Lund is a fantastic amusement park in a beautiful setting, with a great selection of thrill rides and milder family attractions and some fun entertainment that provides a great time and lasting memories for guests of all ages. This compact park has impressively managed to grow and expand for over a century and a third, and it’s certainly one of the top attractions in Stockholm if you were to ask me. Although it—like practically all parks around the world—are currently closed due to the novel Coronavirus, I’m sure it will open in time, after Swedish officials feel confident that they’ve held control over the outbreak.

In any case, if you ever head up to Scandinavia and visit this jewel city of Sweden, be sure to also explore its own entry into amusement park history and fun!

TIVOLI GRÖNA LUND AT A GLANCE

Name: Tivoli Gröna Lund
Address: Lilla Allmänna Gränd 9, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden
Web Site: https://www.gronalund.com/en
Admission: 130 Swedish Krona (adults 7-64 yrs), FREE (children 0-6 yrs), FREE (seniors 65+)
Hours: varies (check calendar)
Metro Stop(s): Nordiska Museet (serves Tram 7 line & Bus 67 line)