Gröna Lund | unknown | B&M Invert

Peter Osbeck just called me. He dialled my number and spoke to me. WHO WANTS TO TOUCH ME? After thanking him on behalf of goons everywhere for Wildfire (which might not open this year but they remain confident it won't be demolished), he gave a little more info about this B&M.

They have a "Roper" who kicks up a regular fuss hence they are doing everything by the book. Permits will be sorted first and foremost but there are no reasonable objections with the plan. Once everything is granted, construction will start in Autumn 2018. B&M took a bit of convincing that it would work but they're ready to go.

The image you see in the opening post is the only one and is a reliable as a piece of concept art. It's being used for the permit application after all! The entrance to the ride will be near Insane and will feature an underground station. There will be a restaurant under the lift hill that overlooks the river. Names are under discussion but he did not give me any clues.

That's probably everything there is to know for now but I've been promised regular updates.

 

I love Grona Lund <3 just plonk a B&M invert on top of everything, why not!?!

No B&Ms in Sweden, and then 2 are announced within months! So excited

 

TusenFryd has not announced any news for the coming seasons, though. But knowing them, the next years will bring us even higher prices and even crappier food. Maybe a second-hand travelling fair ride in 2019, as per their "one new big attraction every three years" strategy, which in recent years has been revised to "something new only every three years".

TusenFryd: You don't have to work hard to be best in class when you're the only one in it.

 

Fantastic news! I loved Grona Lund! More B&M inverts is always a good thing!

 

Didn't they just build a rapids and re-build most of their woodie? Both are pretty expensive projects. I'd imagine the Swedish parks making these big announcements will only push them to compete a bit more in the coming years?


@Ian I'm intrigued by the comparison of the image to concept art. Is it because B&M are still working on the design and this is a temp plan just for the council to look over?

 

The re-build of Thundercoaster has happened over many years, but it hasn't been that extensive in later years. The biggest amount of re-tracking happened in 2008. It got news trains in 2014, however, if I remember correctly. And you're right about the Rapids ride, it was the new thing for 2016. And, the way they're marketing it, also the new thing for 2017. It's possible that they will build something small for 2018, but I don't have faith in anything extensive until 2019, at the earliest. As I said, they've been falling into a rhythm of adding attractions every three years now. Nightmare in 2010, teeny-tiny kiddie ride in 2011, kiddie area (and second-hand family coaster) in 2012, Thor's Hammer in 2013, nothing in 2014, nothing in 2015, Ragnarok in 2016, nothing in 2017...

And overall, I don't think the competition from the Swedish parks hurts TusenFryd that much. It is very much a day-trip park for people living in the greater Oslo area (roughly 1.2 million people or so), and is easily accessible by public transport from Oslo central station, whereas the Swedish parks practically require an overnight stay, and a transport leg of several hours. TusenFryd isn't competing for the destination tourists, it thrives well on the locals with no competition in that market. Gröna Lund and Liseberg have their own local markets as well as the destination tourists.

If anything, TusenFryd competes against Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park, and while the former gets all the attention on these boards, the latter has roughly twice the size and annual attendance. But the competition with Gröna Lund is marginal at most. I guess Gröna Lund will compete more with Kolmården in the future, as they both serve the Stockholm market. The former has the years of tradition, solid line-up and central location. The latter has way more space and less restrictions - provided that everything goes through with the local council, of course.

 

Nah, Peter said to me that's how it is. By concept image, I meant that one image.

One thing I forgot to mention is the coaster has not yet been ordered. Nothing has been signed off. There is a memorandum of understanding between B&M and Grona Lund but the actual coaster will not be bought until the permit paper work is watertight and approved.

 

Wow! Even plonked on a flat tarmac car park this thing would be sexy...but add in the proximity of the other rides and buildings at Grona Lund and I think I might have just done a little wee wee.