LISEBERG

Sweden Park News - (9/12/20) Liseberg (Sweden) has been hit with a fine from the government after they determined that the park was guilty of “underage gambling violations”. Now before you start to envision a Poker or dice games taking place in one of the park’s kiddielands, this is not what happened. Actually the truth is a little stranger. This is about those claw crane machines common to theme park and amusement facility arcades.

Apparently claw crane machines are considered to be a gambling device by the Swedish gambling regulators, only allowed for those age 18+ and require appropriate signage to help enforce this. Swedish Gaming inspectors visited the park and saw no restrictions or signage and have fined the park.

Liseberg has made the needed corrections and says that when they received their current licence for the machines in 2019, they believed the previous age limit restriction was no longer in effect because it was no longer mentioned in the documentation they received. As such, they assumed the age limit had been removed, after all, these same machines are used without restriction throughout much of the rest of the world. No further action is expected to be placed upon Liseberg over the misunderstanding.



(6/23/20) Despite the protest to the current situation in Sweden from the nation’s theme parks, the Swedish Minister of Home Affairs announced this week that theme parks will NOT be given an exception to the 50 person maximum capacity rule. He also confirmed that this rule will be in effect throughout the entire summer, effectively shutting down the nation’s entire theme park industry in one fell swoop, as no park can operate successfully with that kind of limitation.

According to the CEO of Parks and Resorts, who owns Grona Lund, Komarden, Furuvik and Skara Sommerland the entire situation is “totally surreal”. “Why should some be given restrictions easing and others not? Why is it okay to sit in a crowded airplane or at the beach, or travel around the country, but not to go into a restricted and health adapted park activity”.

Regular readers will notice the mention of Kolmarden and recall that Kolmarden actually opened long ago. Curious about how this is allowed I made inquiries from a reader familiar with the local laws and the answer is actually a bit surprising. Kolmarden and Furevik (also open) are technically “zoos” and not amusement parks, though they may have rides. Zoos in Sweden are considered the same as public park spaces and beaches, so they are allowed to be open.

The other difference is that amusement parks in Sweden must apply for a “Tivoli permit”, which falls under the current Public Order Act, which is what is restricting attendance limits to no more than 50 people. Kolmarden, as a zoo, does not require a Tivoli Permit except in areas of the park where they have rides. So the answer for Kolmarden is simply to restrict access into the area around Wildfire, their big RMC wooden coaster, to no more than 50 people at a time. As riders leave, new riders are allowed to enter the zone.

I’m told that the CEOs of all the area attractions are quite furious over how this is being handled.



(9/16/19) This will be one of the most amazing things you will see all day… an awesome drone racer pilot takes on the HELIX coaster at Liseberg for an epic fly-by follow-along on the coasters incredible layout. Watch and be amazed.





2020 - Underland / New Dark Ride - (3/4/20) Liseberg has announced that guests who want to ride their new Underland dark ride this season will not have to stand in a traditional queue to ride. Instead the park has announced the development of a new virtual queuing system, separate from the park’s existing Express Pass program. Guests can register to enter the virtual queue on an app and kids can entertain themselves in a nearby playground while they wait.



(3/8/19) Liseberg has announced new details about the dark ride coming to Kaninlandet (Rabbit Land) in 2020. The new family dark ride will be called Underland and take guests underground to experience the secret world of the rabbits. The new attraction has an estimated budget of SEK 150 million and will be located on the site of the former Children’s Theater.

The new ride concept comes from Liseberg and Quarry Fold Studio, with the ride system coming from Gosetto SRL, themeing from P&P Projects and Animatroncis from Lifeformations. It will feature a total of 18 4-passenger vehicles, with an estimated ride length of 3 minutes and 20 seconds, with an overall capacity of 850 pph.



(11/12/18) Themeparks-EU has confirmed our rumor from September that Liseberg was planning an expansion to their green rabbit themed Kaninlandet (Rabbit Land) section of the park for 2020 that will feature a new dark ride adventure. In addition it will feature a new show and a themed restaurant experience.



(9/10/18) According to the latest rumor sent in to Screamscape, the new dark ride being planned for Liseberg will take the place of the Kvarnteatern theater attraction in Kaninlandet (Rabbit Land) and be themed around the park's popular green rabbit characters seen in the land and show theater.



(9/1/18) According to documents filed here, Liseberg is planning on building a new dark ride for 2020. Anyone else know more? 2020 - Mamma Mia! The Party - (10/31/19) Liseberg has announced beginning in January 2020 through to August, the park’s Rondo show venue will be closed to transform it into “Mamma Mia! The Party" Dinner Show, a fun new interactive musical experience through a collaboration with ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaneus. Look for this new attraction to be ready to open on August 28, 2020 at Liseberg. 2023 - Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel and Indoor Waterpark - (7/7/20) While Liseberg isn’t able to open for the 2020 season, the park is focused on future projects now, including the Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel, which is set to open in 2023. The 457-room hotel will include a unique restaurant and a fully functional merry-go-round from 1923. Once open they will begin work on a second phase that will add a year-round indoor waterpark to the resort.





(10/1/19) Good news for Liseberg as the park was given permission to proceed with plans to build the Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel. The first phase will see the hotel and 457 rooms built while an indoor waterpark will be added to the hotel later on. Look for construction to begin this fall. According to the report at BlooLoop the hotel will even feature a unique slide that runs between floors in the lobby.



(5/18/18) According to the latest update posted to BlooLoop, Liseberg will start construction later this month on their new expansion that will add a waterpark, a new hotel and even more parking. While the parking expansion should be done by 2019, the new hotel and waterpark aren't expected to open until sometime between 2021 and 2023. The waterpark, which will mostly be indoors, will be open to anyone who wants to buy a ticket, and not just guests staying and the connected resort hotel. The nice thing is that this will bring year-round business to Liseberg.

(9/30/17) According to the latest information, Liseberg plans on opening a new themed family destination hotel and indoor waterpark just to the south of the park, but still connected to the main property by 2021. The opening should coincide with the 400th anniversary of Gothenburg and various celebrations that will take place then.

The indoor waterpark will feature 10 slides, 8 pools and 3 play areas, while the new hotel will feature 453 guest rooms as well as a new restaurants, meeting spaces and a spa. Both the hotel and waterpark (which will also have a small outdoor section) will be themed to the 'Swedish East India Company".

(1/26/17) According to this report Liseberg is now planning an indoor waterpark and resort hotel. The proposals were submitted for permission last year and the park is just waiting to get a final approval of their plans before they move forward.