Photo TR: Chuck Does It Scandi Style

[maineelineI Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

I know it's been a while since the pictures from the Tusenfryd trip was posted, but i haven't seen them before now.
I actually work there myself, and have done it since last year's season. I saw you were complaining about the employees of the park, and even though i do work there i know exactly what you mean. and i have to say that most of those who aren't the best workers there are new employees this season who still haven't managed to understand how much service the guests visiting the park expects of us, so you must have been visiting on a bad day after what i read in some comments.,..[/quote]

[cfcI've gone pantless!]

^I don't think the problem was so much the staff itself, as much as the park seemed a bit understaffed, and it was a very busy day. For example, the girl working Spin Spider was doing the best she could, be she needed some more help. But everyone seemed to enjoy themselves at Tusenfryd. What's your job there?

Chapter 11: Giving Liseberg a Run for Their Money--Grona Lund

When I mull over the whole Scandi Trip, I keep going back and forth about which was my favorite park--Liseberg or Grona Lund? Really, my mind seems to change every day on it, and will probably change again as I post this. Both parks were great, had a lot to offer, and treated us really well. My thanks to them both, as well as to Robb and Elissa for working with the parks to make our time there as good as it could be.

Grona Lund is sort of an "urban seaside" park; that is, it's hemmed in by the city of Stockholm on one side and the water on the other. So, the park's owners, past and present, had to be creative. They used their limited space beautifully, especially in how they accomodated their coasters. For example, the park's mouse ride and Schwartzkopf ride wrap around each other, yet the place doesn't seem cluttered. The grounds and buildings, like Liseberg's, are very attractive.

And the coaster selection is very good--not a bummer in the bunch:

Insane--This is the Intamin "Ball Coaster," and never has a ride been more aptly named. This thing is, indeed, completely insane! I'm not a big fan of flat rides or spinning coasters, but I really liked Insane. Sometimes, depending on the load, the seats will spin pretty freely; other times, you're staring up at the sky or straight down at the ground (pretty damn freaky). This one might make my top ten when the Hawker poll comes around.

Jetline--This is an excellent old Schwartzkopf, which packs a lot of punch in a pretty small area. The way this ride wraps around the park's wild mouse, you can hardly tell where one ride ends and the other begins. Lots of fun, and quite forceful.

Vilda Musen--This is actually a Gerstlauer Bobsled masquerading as a mouse, and it's a damn good one. The layout lacks the huge series of hairpin turns you see in your average mouse, and throws in a lot of drops and sweeping, banked curves. Why aren't we seeing more Gerstlauer Bobsleds in the States?

Kvasten--This is a Vekoma suspended coaster themed to witches and broomsticks, and it's a winner--an excellent family ride that swoops past the park's haunted house. It even has the thing that makes any ride better--fire!

There's a ladybug kiddie coaster that I didn't get around to riding, but that's OK (I was probably having too much fun on Jetline or the park's ghost train to worry about it).

Grona Lund has two great walkthrough attractions, as well. The haunted house, although it's more cartoony than Liseberg's Hotell Gasten, is great, with plenty of surprises and a good cast of scareactors. The park also had the best funhouse of the trip (it's quite a workout to get through it).

One more thing--the city of Stockholm is absolutely beautiful. I'd love to visit it again someday and explore it in a bit more depth.

Shall we walk through the tunrstile now?

[ginzoWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

When I mull over the whole Scandi Trip, I keep going back and forth about which was my favorite park--Liseberg or Grona Lund? Really, my mind seems to change every day on it, and will probably change again as I post this. Both parks were great, had a lot to offer, and treated us really well.

I still struggle with this as well. Liseberg has Balder and excellence in every imaginable area. But Gröna Lund has character, the best park setting I've ever seen, excellent rides, and big ambition. I really loved how Gröna Lund seemed to be a bar/hang out joint for adults at night, instead of being just full of teenagers as most parks are.

For now I'm giving a slight edge to Liseberg, but I think Gröna Lund might win in the future if their expansion goes well.

Both parks are excellent and I want to go back RIGHT NOW.

[cfcI've gone pantless!]

Dirt would like you consider, well, dirt. You came from it and you will eventually return to it.

Not getting you down, are we?

Back to Grona Lund.

[cfcI've gone pantless!]

Remember this folks: Dirt--it's not just for a toddler's afternoon snack anymore!

Ready for some more Grona Lund?

[cfcI've gone pantless!]

The next time you see your child eating Dirt in the backyard, just think this: "At least it isn't lead-based paint."

One final look at Grona Lund.

[thrillerman1Can you see the donkey in my toast?]

The hospitality at Grona Lund is unrivaled...totally amazing! The park owners were very cool...they even gave us free Insane t shirts. How cool is that?! Grona Lund is seriously one of THE greatest parks I've ever experienced...probably my most fav on the trip along with Liseberg. I definitely would love to go back here again. When's the next TPR Scandi trip?!

By the way AWESOME photos Chuck. I'm amazed at how much you captured that I totally did not even take in..so many cool, quirky things to see, do, touch, etc. all packed into one place. Oh and yes Ghost Train is seriously the fastest haunted house ride-through EVER. VROOOOOOM! How did I miss that little boat ride? Where was that?

Thanks for this TR Chuck...it really rocks!

[maineelineI Guess Donkeys Are Okay]

I work in the restaurant where you, after what i saw in the pictures ate.
I work in the kitchen there, but had my last shift of this year's season yesterday. kinda glad as well, because working there this year is nothing like it was last year...

Nice trip report Chuck. I love the captions!

[cfcI've gone pantless!]

By the way AWESOME photos Chuck. I'm amazed at how much you captured that I totally did not even take in..so many cool, quirky things to see, do, touch, etc. all packed into one place. Oh and yes Ghost Train is seriously the fastest haunted house ride-through EVER. VROOOOOOM! How did I miss that little boat ride? Where was that?

Thanks for this TR Chuck...it really rocks!

Thank you, Mark. It was tough getting any pictures at all of that ghost train at the speed it was moving. The camera just couldn't focus in time.

As for the location of the little boat ride, I want to say near the fun house, but I'm not entirely sure.