Liseberg Announces Major Additions for 2017 and 2018 Seasons

Liseberg, located in Sweden, has been on a major expansion run for several years now, and a recent announcement now shows that the next couple years will continue this trend.  Starting in 2017 the park will develop a new themed section based off of "Norse myths and legends," located around the area of their wooden coaster, Balder.

The expansion will be the biggest and most expensive (nearly $30 million) in the park's history, requiring a two-year construction schedule.  There will be two new rides, detailed below, but also new shopping, dining and other smaller amusements in the area.

© Liseberg

Opening next year will be Loke, billed by the park as the "tallest Gyro Swing attraction in Europe."  Loke will be a Intamin Gyro Swing, sending riders up to a maximum height of 138 feet at a 120 degree angle.  The swing will seat 40 riders per cycle and the journey will include maximum speeds of over 60 miles per hour.

Based on a Norse legend, Loke was the "most treacherous and devious of all the giants of Asgard who cunningly and cold-bloodedly forged plans to kill the kindest and best-loved of the gods, Balder."  Fitting, since the ride will be just next to Balder, so the coaster and new ride will "battle" in the new area.

© Liseberg

Follwing in 2018 an even greater new ride will be built, a brand new B&M dive coaster, named Valkyria.  Also themed to the area, in Norse legend a valkyrie "was a winged creature whose task was to carry fallen warriors from Middle Earth to the afterlife."

The ride will feature a 154 foot lift hill followed by a 90 degree turn, as seen on many B&M dive coasters.  The trains will pause at the top of the drop for a few seconds, before plunging down a near vertical 164 foot drop at 65 miles per hour.

© Liseberg

The first drop is longer than the initial lift hill because it will head directly into an under ground tunnel, adding to the excitement.  Liseberg says that Valkyria will be the longest dive coaster in Europe at around 700 meters, or 2,296 feet.  No further details on the coaster's layout were released, including whether or not it will feature any inversions.

To make room for the expansion, Kanonen, the park's Intamin launched ride, will be closed after the 2017 season.  The bite-sized coaster has since been eclipsed by Helix, a double-launch Mack ride added in 2014.

For more on the expansion and some additional concept art, check out Liseberg's webpage.