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Liseberg: General Discussion
- Thread starter Rob
- Start date
DiogoJ42
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- The Metropolitan Line
Don't get me wrong, the new music is vastly superior, and I wouldn't want them to change back. I just never had that much of an issue with the old one.
Getting back to Helix, It needs onboard sound. If you watch the first official POV Lisberg released (sorry, on iPad and it's a pain in the bum to get a link), the ride syncs up perfectly with the music. It was clearly intended to be!
Mind you, that POV seems a lot faster than the ride I experienced back in May. It could be that when they toned the launches down, however slightly, it was enought to make it no longer sync with the audio, and that's why they scrapped it.
... But then, there is no evidence that the trains were supposed to have speakers fitted, save for a couple of round grills at the front of the car by your feet. But what good would speakers be there? Blue Fire's are right by your head and it's hard to hear them.
I can only hope that it is possible to retrofit the audio system on to Helix in the future.
TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
I don't like either!!
The first is like some poor 90s techno (which I love usually, so I don't say that lightly) - and the second is ARRRRRGHHH SLOW THE HECK DOWN!
I am riding a roller coaster, not in some Western movie riding over prairies on horseback as it makes me think at about 2 minutes in!
Jeeez - sorry guys, both of those are at the ends of the scale of suitability, think they both TOTALLY miss the mark! And that there's no grace to that string movement at all it feels rushed.
air for me has the most suitable soundtrack for any ride I've heard, actually Oblivion is right there too - without that pounding sub I doubt I'd ever have had the bottle to ride it!
Now let me find Helix's...
AHHHHHHH!!! Euro Trance? CHECK. Beat? CHECK? Modern clean crisp? CHECK. Beautiful harmonics and movement? CHECK.
Just possibly missing some vocals from Scooter
It is long enough to cover how long it apparently takes to batch the ride - I am not sure it's clean enough though. Now this is NOT to doubt their skill as writers, or producers, of which they're exemplary - but this I hope to hear in context to judge properly, I still cannot visualise internally that ride with this music.
At around 8 minutes though, now I could imagine that in Nemesis' station as it's dark and imposing. Helix is modern, crisp, stylish, classy.
The first is like some poor 90s techno (which I love usually, so I don't say that lightly) - and the second is ARRRRRGHHH SLOW THE HECK DOWN!
I am riding a roller coaster, not in some Western movie riding over prairies on horseback as it makes me think at about 2 minutes in!
Jeeez - sorry guys, both of those are at the ends of the scale of suitability, think they both TOTALLY miss the mark! And that there's no grace to that string movement at all it feels rushed.
air for me has the most suitable soundtrack for any ride I've heard, actually Oblivion is right there too - without that pounding sub I doubt I'd ever have had the bottle to ride it!
Now let me find Helix's...
AHHHHHHH!!! Euro Trance? CHECK. Beat? CHECK? Modern clean crisp? CHECK. Beautiful harmonics and movement? CHECK.
Just possibly missing some vocals from Scooter
It is long enough to cover how long it apparently takes to batch the ride
- I am not sure it's clean enough though. Now this is NOT to doubt their skill as writers, or producers, of which they're exemplary - but this I hope to hear in context to judge properly, I still cannot visualise internally that ride with this music.At around 8 minutes though, now I could imagine that in Nemesis' station as it's dark and imposing. Helix is modern, crisp, stylish, classy.
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
Me and Diogo were talking about Helix and its (Lack of) on-board audio a few weeks back. It seems very strange to have a track composed which perfectly suits the ride layout all for just one video.
Combine that with the fact that the train seems to facilitate speakers and it becomes very strange.
I wonder if they did actually have audio fitted (Or partly anyway), but a problem was uncovered which prevented it being implemented.
One thought I had was if they had maybe had all the lighting fitted and then discovered that the on-board power supply was not up to scratch, and wouldn't be able to offer a full day of high quality audio as well as that incredible lighting setup the trains have. Perhaps it came to a choice of lighting or sound, so to ensure a consistent experience for guests they decided to drop the music in favour of visuals (After all, this ride runs in the dark practically every day doesn't it?).
As for the Blue Fire score I've never heard it whilst riding, so can't really cast judgment properly. However, having been on the ride and in the accompanying queueline I do think IMA's efforts fit better than the original (Islands?). It has far more grandeur than the former piece.
Disney SOBAT system tbh
Combine that with the fact that the train seems to facilitate speakers and it becomes very strange.
I wonder if they did actually have audio fitted (Or partly anyway), but a problem was uncovered which prevented it being implemented.
One thought I had was if they had maybe had all the lighting fitted and then discovered that the on-board power supply was not up to scratch, and wouldn't be able to offer a full day of high quality audio as well as that incredible lighting setup the trains have. Perhaps it came to a choice of lighting or sound, so to ensure a consistent experience for guests they decided to drop the music in favour of visuals (After all, this ride runs in the dark practically every day doesn't it?).
As for the Blue Fire score I've never heard it whilst riding, so can't really cast judgment properly. However, having been on the ride and in the accompanying queueline I do think IMA's efforts fit better than the original (Islands?). It has far more grandeur than the former piece.
Disney SOBAT system tbh
CGM
TS Member
As this seems to be where everyone is posting trip reports, here is mine:
This would be my second visit to the park but as my first visit was when the park was on its afternoon opening, this would be my first chance to take everything in properly.
Liseberg is as I remembered, a gorgeous amusement park. Quaint, brightly coloured wooden buildings line the cobbled walkways housing sweet shops, gift shops and eateries. There's beautifully planted flower beds, foliage and traditional grass roofs everywhere. If you decide to make your way up the hill, amongst the trees an entanglement of rides and coaster track means that wherever you look, something is happening. Wander a little further and you can find lush gardens looking out over Gothenburg.
Although there are no old rides left , you can tell by its character that it's a park that's been around for almost a century. The park really comes into its own at night though when the lights come on. Then you get the kind of atmosphere that you can only find in Scandinavian city parks such as Liseberg and Tivoli. At this time, you understand why these parks are treated as national institutions.
The food on offer was excellent. The pork dish at the Railway Restaurant was delicious and the burger I had at the buffet wasn't bad either. The more snacky food around the park was pretty good too and I managed to achieve my goal of eating meatballs in Sweden.
Balder
This trip has proved to be somewhat confusing for me as prior to it, Balder was by far my favourite coaster. Unfortunately, this time it was somewhat of a disappointment. The airtime was closer to floater than the aggressive ejector I remember.
I am convinced that for whatever reason Balder was not itself. Last time I rode it, there was a real sense that death surely awaits anyone without a lap bar. This time, aside from perhaps the first drop, I reckon you could make it round without one, in fact some people practically did. There was only one night ride where a single hill produced anything like the airtime I had come to expect.
What's perhaps most confusing is that if you look at recent accounts of Balder from before our visit, it's received mostly rave reviews. I can only theorise that they changed the wheels or something because it seems unlikely that opinions would vary that greatly between groups over such a short amount of time.
It's still a very good coaster and nothing can take away from the first drop but in the state we rode it, I don't think I can still call it my number one. Hopefully it will redeem itself in 2016.
Helix
I believe that the hype machine can have a huge effect on perceptions of a ride. Unusually, this time, it worked in Helix's favour. Based on reviews, I was expecting a pleasant but unspectacular coaster with lots of family appeal and few if any forces. However, Helix turned out to be a truly world class ride and was more than worth the trip.
This would be my first Mack Mega Coaster so everything about the ride experience was new to me. I'm not convinced that that Mack seats are quite the best in the business as Sam claims, (I think B&M's newer clam shells as seen on Shambhala still have the edge there) but they're probably the best seats available on an inverting coaster. They proved to be very comfortable with lots of freedom for upper body movement despite the stapling the ride ops were dishing out.
The ride itself is excellent. It somehow manages to find the balance of being fairly intense yet makes it all seem effortless and fluid. The lap bars really come into their own in the inversions allowing you to enjoy the hangtime and take in the bizarre inverted views without being obstructed.
I was quite surprised by how forceful parts of the ride are, particularly the pretzel loop and the helix before the second launch. If you get caught leaning forwards out of your seat, you find yourself involuntarily slumped onto your lap bar. It's an effective reminder to sit upright.
The launches lack any kind of punch but it doesn't really matter. On Helix, they act more as a practical means of getting the train moving rather than an element to derive thrill from. The fact they're rolling launches means that they don't interrupt the flow of the ride at all. It all feels natural and continuous despite the mechanical assistance.
The final airtime hill is without a doubt the highlight of the ride. In the back seat it provides incredible, soaring, sustained ejector airtime that increases in strength as the hill steepens. Meanwhile, the city of Gothenburg is mapped out below you. It really is one of the most incredible and surreal moments on a coaster, particularly at night when the lights are on.
To sum up, there are coasters that are better than Helix in one specific area but I can't think of any coaster that does so many different things as well as Helix does. It's like the decathlete of rollercoasters. It's got moments of intensity, it's got serene hangtime-filled inversions, it's got quick direction changes, it's got good positive G forces and some powerful airtime to match. To top it off, it's constantly interacting with the terrain and surrounding rides and the views are spectacular throughout.
I only have a few criticisms of the ride. Firstly, it's definitely a back seat coaster. All the other seats get a bit of a raw deal in my view. It also has quite a rattle which is surprising given its age. Overall though, it's one of my favourite coasters, top five at least. Helix at night is one of the great coaster experiences.
Lisebergbanan
I loved Lisebergbanan. It zips along the ground on a high speed tour of the hillside weaving between, under and over other attractions. It's the kind of coaster that briefly makes you forget about being a coaster enthusiast and turns you into a kid for a few minutes. It's just a ton of fun. The highlight has to be the three Schwarzkopf trademark dives under Uppswinget. They're not particularly intense but it makes great use of the hillside and there's a great sense of speed at the bottom of each swoop.
Lisebergbanan is probably the ride that best exudes the character of Liseberg. There was one particularly memorable night ride: The sun was setting, the lights were turning on around the park and our train was timed perfectly to duel with Helix. The atmosphere was fairy tale-like. A brilliant family coaster.
Kanonen
I feel the need to stick up for Poor Little Kanonen which I think got quite a bit of unfair flack from our group which I'm still somewhat bemused by. It may not be the greatest rocket coaster in the world but you only need to look at it to see it's not going to have a spectacular launch.
It was still a pretty decent coaster leagues ahead of anything at the likes of Flamingoland or Drayton and unlike many rocket coasters, it actually has a proper layout. The kind of hate on display should only be reserved for something truly terrible like an SLC or a Pinfari. I suppose it's what you get for being a decent coaster in a park with world class coasters.
The mini tophat was fun, particularly in the front car where you go from dangling over the edge to a split second of freefall as the rest of the train follows it over. After that, the layout is tight and fast paced with some great, intense pops of twisty airtime and the inline twist makes for a good finale. For an Intamin, it's remarkably smooth too.
Hotel Gasten
I didn't know what to expect from this walk through but I didn't think it would be anything like as impressive as it turned out to be. As mentioned earlier, the sinking room alone was breath-taking but the level of detail everywhere else was perhaps equally impressive. The number of hours that must have gone into creating this attraction is incredible.
AtmosFear
Spectacular views from the top but it's definitely a ride which has a bark much louder than its bite. Even so, the gondola picks up huge amounts of speed before it hits the brakes.
Overall, I had a brilliant time in Liseberg and can't thank the park enough for how well they treated us. I think it speaks volumes that even though I spent three consecutive days at what is a fairly small park, had it not been closed the next day, I would have probably gone back for a fourth.
This would be my second visit to the park but as my first visit was when the park was on its afternoon opening, this would be my first chance to take everything in properly.
Liseberg is as I remembered, a gorgeous amusement park. Quaint, brightly coloured wooden buildings line the cobbled walkways housing sweet shops, gift shops and eateries. There's beautifully planted flower beds, foliage and traditional grass roofs everywhere. If you decide to make your way up the hill, amongst the trees an entanglement of rides and coaster track means that wherever you look, something is happening. Wander a little further and you can find lush gardens looking out over Gothenburg.
Although there are no old rides left , you can tell by its character that it's a park that's been around for almost a century. The park really comes into its own at night though when the lights come on. Then you get the kind of atmosphere that you can only find in Scandinavian city parks such as Liseberg and Tivoli. At this time, you understand why these parks are treated as national institutions.
The food on offer was excellent. The pork dish at the Railway Restaurant was delicious and the burger I had at the buffet wasn't bad either. The more snacky food around the park was pretty good too and I managed to achieve my goal of eating meatballs in Sweden.
Balder
This trip has proved to be somewhat confusing for me as prior to it, Balder was by far my favourite coaster. Unfortunately, this time it was somewhat of a disappointment. The airtime was closer to floater than the aggressive ejector I remember.
I am convinced that for whatever reason Balder was not itself. Last time I rode it, there was a real sense that death surely awaits anyone without a lap bar. This time, aside from perhaps the first drop, I reckon you could make it round without one, in fact some people practically did. There was only one night ride where a single hill produced anything like the airtime I had come to expect.
What's perhaps most confusing is that if you look at recent accounts of Balder from before our visit, it's received mostly rave reviews. I can only theorise that they changed the wheels or something because it seems unlikely that opinions would vary that greatly between groups over such a short amount of time.
It's still a very good coaster and nothing can take away from the first drop but in the state we rode it, I don't think I can still call it my number one. Hopefully it will redeem itself in 2016.
Helix
I believe that the hype machine can have a huge effect on perceptions of a ride. Unusually, this time, it worked in Helix's favour. Based on reviews, I was expecting a pleasant but unspectacular coaster with lots of family appeal and few if any forces. However, Helix turned out to be a truly world class ride and was more than worth the trip.
This would be my first Mack Mega Coaster so everything about the ride experience was new to me. I'm not convinced that that Mack seats are quite the best in the business as Sam claims, (I think B&M's newer clam shells as seen on Shambhala still have the edge there) but they're probably the best seats available on an inverting coaster. They proved to be very comfortable with lots of freedom for upper body movement despite the stapling the ride ops were dishing out.
The ride itself is excellent. It somehow manages to find the balance of being fairly intense yet makes it all seem effortless and fluid. The lap bars really come into their own in the inversions allowing you to enjoy the hangtime and take in the bizarre inverted views without being obstructed.
I was quite surprised by how forceful parts of the ride are, particularly the pretzel loop and the helix before the second launch. If you get caught leaning forwards out of your seat, you find yourself involuntarily slumped onto your lap bar. It's an effective reminder to sit upright.
The launches lack any kind of punch but it doesn't really matter. On Helix, they act more as a practical means of getting the train moving rather than an element to derive thrill from. The fact they're rolling launches means that they don't interrupt the flow of the ride at all. It all feels natural and continuous despite the mechanical assistance.
The final airtime hill is without a doubt the highlight of the ride. In the back seat it provides incredible, soaring, sustained ejector airtime that increases in strength as the hill steepens. Meanwhile, the city of Gothenburg is mapped out below you. It really is one of the most incredible and surreal moments on a coaster, particularly at night when the lights are on.
To sum up, there are coasters that are better than Helix in one specific area but I can't think of any coaster that does so many different things as well as Helix does. It's like the decathlete of rollercoasters. It's got moments of intensity, it's got serene hangtime-filled inversions, it's got quick direction changes, it's got good positive G forces and some powerful airtime to match. To top it off, it's constantly interacting with the terrain and surrounding rides and the views are spectacular throughout.
I only have a few criticisms of the ride. Firstly, it's definitely a back seat coaster. All the other seats get a bit of a raw deal in my view. It also has quite a rattle which is surprising given its age. Overall though, it's one of my favourite coasters, top five at least. Helix at night is one of the great coaster experiences.
Lisebergbanan
I loved Lisebergbanan. It zips along the ground on a high speed tour of the hillside weaving between, under and over other attractions. It's the kind of coaster that briefly makes you forget about being a coaster enthusiast and turns you into a kid for a few minutes. It's just a ton of fun. The highlight has to be the three Schwarzkopf trademark dives under Uppswinget. They're not particularly intense but it makes great use of the hillside and there's a great sense of speed at the bottom of each swoop.
Lisebergbanan is probably the ride that best exudes the character of Liseberg. There was one particularly memorable night ride: The sun was setting, the lights were turning on around the park and our train was timed perfectly to duel with Helix. The atmosphere was fairy tale-like. A brilliant family coaster.
Kanonen
I feel the need to stick up for Poor Little Kanonen which I think got quite a bit of unfair flack from our group which I'm still somewhat bemused by. It may not be the greatest rocket coaster in the world but you only need to look at it to see it's not going to have a spectacular launch.
It was still a pretty decent coaster leagues ahead of anything at the likes of Flamingoland or Drayton and unlike many rocket coasters, it actually has a proper layout. The kind of hate on display should only be reserved for something truly terrible like an SLC or a Pinfari. I suppose it's what you get for being a decent coaster in a park with world class coasters.
The mini tophat was fun, particularly in the front car where you go from dangling over the edge to a split second of freefall as the rest of the train follows it over. After that, the layout is tight and fast paced with some great, intense pops of twisty airtime and the inline twist makes for a good finale. For an Intamin, it's remarkably smooth too.
Hotel Gasten
I didn't know what to expect from this walk through but I didn't think it would be anything like as impressive as it turned out to be. As mentioned earlier, the sinking room alone was breath-taking but the level of detail everywhere else was perhaps equally impressive. The number of hours that must have gone into creating this attraction is incredible.
AtmosFear
Spectacular views from the top but it's definitely a ride which has a bark much louder than its bite. Even so, the gondola picks up huge amounts of speed before it hits the brakes.
Overall, I had a brilliant time in Liseberg and can't thank the park enough for how well they treated us. I think it speaks volumes that even though I spent three consecutive days at what is a fairly small park, had it not been closed the next day, I would have probably gone back for a fourth.
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Dave
TS Founding Member
Helix in many ways is in the same class as rides like Nemesis that just keep entertaining. There is no real loss of momentum that a lot of modern coasters like Silverstar, shambala and Smiler suffer from. It just remains punchy.
Doesn't mean it will be your number 1 but it certainly shows a level of class.
I still don't think MACK are the rolls Royce of coaster manufacturing, at the end of the day this coaster style is a slightly modified version of something that has existed for years from other manufacturers and as GCM says there are other restraint styles that work really well (B&M clam shell, Gerst lap bars (ffs Smiler)) but it has certainly cut Mack's teeth in the thrill arena. Hope they follow it up with something else soon.
And I noticed the rattle too in the back of the trains especially, wasn't uncomfortable but hope it doesn't develop
Doesn't mean it will be your number 1 but it certainly shows a level of class.
I still don't think MACK are the rolls Royce of coaster manufacturing, at the end of the day this coaster style is a slightly modified version of something that has existed for years from other manufacturers and as GCM says there are other restraint styles that work really well (B&M clam shell, Gerst lap bars (ffs Smiler)) but it has certainly cut Mack's teeth in the thrill arena. Hope they follow it up with something else soon.
And I noticed the rattle too in the back of the trains especially, wasn't uncomfortable but hope it doesn't develop
TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
We seem to be on a slight disagreement tangent at the moment for a pair of grumpy sods but again Dave I have to disagree slightly with you here, almost apologetically now! I find The Smiler many things, but the one I don't find is it loses momentum, au contraire I always welcome the mid point break! I think if that thing was anymore relentless it would become almost un-rideable. Maybe not if it is was smoother perhaps, but I really think that ride nears the boundaries of what's tolerable on a ride before it becomes very unpleasant.
I cannot really think of anywhere it loses momentum apart from an occasional WELCOME slow down
AstroDan
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
We seem to be on a slight disagreement tangent at the moment for a pair of grumpy sods but again Dave I have to disagree slightly with you here, almost apologetically now! I find The Smiler many things, but the one I don't find is it loses momentum, au contraire I always welcome the mid point break! I think if that thing was anymore relentless it would become almost un-rideable. Maybe not if it is was smoother perhaps, but I really think that ride nears the boundaries of what's tolerable on a ride before it becomes very unpleasant.
I cannot really think of anywhere it loses momentum apart from an occasional WELCOME slow down
I don't really agree that Silver Star dies either, the final ski slalom is for many, a highlight of the coaster. Shambhala does indeed end quite weakly, given the high quality of the first 2/3 of the coaster. The Smiler doesn't die either. The last couple of elements are wild.
Rides that die would include Megafobia, whose last hundred metres or so just seems like an effort to get back to the brake run. Helix doesn't 'die' but everything after the final (amazing) airtime hill is weaker than what went before (the slalom elements for example don't do much for me personally). Polar X-Plorer is the perfect example of a coaster that dies... the first bit is great fun, then the drop and then the way you sort of... roll out.... it's almost an embarrassment
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
I would 100% agree with you on that Dan. The ski slalom is definitely the best part of the ride.
For 98% of the ride you are just traveling in straight lines up and down, up and down, in an old school out and back sort of layout. However, just as you think the ride is about to end it dives down to just a dozen feet above the ground, building up some great speed along the way, before flailing from side to side wildly. It really whips around it and ends the coaster on a high, offering an unexpected twist, before promptly spitting you out into the brakes.
For me, first drop aside the rest of the ride is comparatively average. The finale is what makes the whole ride for me
Dave
TS Founding Member
I'm talking about having a mid course or in the smilers case the second lift-hill not that any part of running track loses pace. Silverstar loses it just before and through the mid course, smiler has the stop and 2nd lift and shambala dies at the end. Coasters have become so complex (or long) that they have to pass through any number of mechanical fail safes during their run which can make things seem a bit clunky at times. Helix harks back to one of the things John Wardley said in designing nemesis that he didn't want to have a block brake mid course so that the thing just glided effortlessly to it's conclusion. Helix rather cleverly uses the LIMS to achieve that effect whilst adding multiple blocks to a long ride.
smudge
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis
I didn't even know helix was launched by induction motors, are they mounted on the train or the track? From pictures I couldn't see any on the track? Sorry if this is a daft question, just never been on blue fire or helix and assumed that they were magnetic launches...
Edit, a quick google told me that a LIM is basically a magnetic launch, I just had tunnel vision and seen 'linear induction motor' - as you were, apologies.
Edit, a quick google told me that a LIM is basically a magnetic launch, I just had tunnel vision and seen 'linear induction motor' - as you were, apologies.
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Sam
TS Member
Interesting blog (use Google Translate) from the geeky CEO Andreas Andersen, talking about how the park use feedback data to plan. He's quite lyrically sensuous at the start and the end as well!
Also, I'm not saying that everyone should feel obliged to, but I've sent a letter to the CEO of Liseberg to thank him personally for the extraordinary hospitality shown to us a few weeks ago.
Also, I'm not saying that everyone should feel obliged to, but I've sent a letter to the CEO of Liseberg to thank him personally for the extraordinary hospitality shown to us a few weeks ago.
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Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
So I finally got to visit Liseberg this weekend just gone. I will be doing a more of a trip report/review of the park separately; here I am going to focus on the main event: Helix.
I have been fixated with Helix (or Projekt Helix as it initially was) ever since the day I started this topic way back in October 2012. We could all initially tell that the layout looked amazing and that if built well it would be a special coaster. Then Liseberg revised the layout slightly, adding an inversion following the drop out of the station following on from enthusiast feedback. We really had a top class coaster to look forward to.
I followed the construction of Helix almost as intently as that of The Smiler, although I obviously couldn't visit the park for updates as I did with Towers. Constantly looking for new construction photos, checking the webcams multiple times each day, watching the various videos that the park released; this was an exciting project to follow and it all cumulated in an outstanding POV that Liseberg released in April of this year.
The main problem with all of this? Hype. It was impossible for me not to have incredibly high expectations of Helix. So then came opening day and needless to say I was intently keeping my eyes on TPR for the first reviews (there had been a couple of their Swedish based members who had been providing updates throughout the construction). They like me had high expectations. This meant that I was naturally a little disappointed when the initial reviews were not what was expected. It was acknowledged that Helix was a great ride but it just didn't seem to live up to that hype. The same happened when a small group of TSTers visited later in the year, good reviews but not spectacular. It appeared that Helix was lacking that killer punch as if it was not running on full power. I was then told by people that went in August not to be blown away by Helix, particularly front row in the morning.
All of this forced me to lower my expectations, I was desperate not to be let down by this potential masterpiece.
Saturday morning arrived and as we stayed at Hotell Liseberg Heden we had an hours' worth of ERT before the park opened. I was excited; I'd been waiting what had felt a long time to ride Helix. But at the same time I was nervous of being let down. We decided to ignore recommendations to do the back first and headed straight to the front row. Soundtrack blasting out in the station, ride hosts dancing along, the airgates opened; we sat down in the perfect Mack seats and pulled down our lap bars. I challenge anyone to find a better view looking out of the station from the front row of a coaster, it's something else!
The train dispatches and you head straight into the first drop and into the first corkscrew which provides a nice bit of hang time. Adding this element to the ride after released the initial layout was a brilliant decision! You then speed along and around a corner into the first launch. No the launch is not overly powerful or intense but in my opinion it really does not matter. It's a lovely feeling and gets you up to the right speed to take the next corkscrew. By this time you already have the trademark Mack Megacoaster smile on your face. Then it's over a small swooping hill which has a hint of airtime before diving into the Norwegian loop (although I still prefer to call it a pretzel loop)! There's a good sensation of speed here on the front row with the wind in your face and although it is not an intense element it's great fun.
As others have said it is after this point that things really start to heat up. Next you dive under down through some rocks and under Lisebergbanan's lift hill before entering an airtime hill which contains a brilliant pop of ejector airtime. It's then into a tight zero-g roll which feels almost perfect and then one of my favourite parts of the ride. A beautifully violent transition come airtime bump into a long helix around trees, rocks and other coaster track. This part really packs a punch and exerts forces that Mack have never come close to before, at times my arms were being forced down! The interactions with the surrounding environment here just make it even more spectacular. You then have a couple more sedate turns to catch your breath back, which is needed, before it's time to go again.
The second launch is on a relatively steep upwards incline. Like the first it is not overly powerful although it does feel better than the first launch. The is partly due to looking up towards what you are launching to, a somewhat intimidating inverted top hat. This element is very different to anything I've experienced before, once again it's not really intense but you get some nice hang time, you feel so free and you get an almost surreal view of the path below where you can see other park guests staring up at you. Then it's back down and into what is the undoubted highlight of Helix: the second airtime hill which is bigger than the first and goes right over Lisebergbanan's three swooping drops and its lift hill. As you go up into the hill it feels like you may not get any airtime but then suddenly as you crest the hill, wow! You are ejected out of your seat in a manner than I'm not sure I've ever experienced before. This huge ejector airtime then continues on the downwards part of the hill meaning that it is not only huge ejector airtime but sustained ejector airtime. If you didn't have a lap bar I'm pretty sure that you would be thrown out of your seat and end up in the centre of Gothenburg. That's the other thing about this airtime hill, the breath-taking view you get of Gothenburg which just appears right in front of you.
Following this undoubted highlight of the ride you enter some calmer s-turns and then turn right into the final heartline roll. No it's not quite the same as Blue Fire's, they've somehow made that one very unique, but it still gives you a sensation of falling out of the train. Mack, with their near perfect restraints, have really mastered this element. No other manufacturer comes close on them in terms of comfort, enjoyment and riding sensation.
As we entered the breaks after our first ride I was just laughing with complete and utter joy, wowed but the whole experience. Why did I ever bother lowering my expectations? Why did I bother getting nervous about Helix letting me down? None of that was needed. Helix met my expectations and blew them completely out of the water. It's stunning; a simply sublime piece of engineering by Mack Rides. You re-enter the station to the soundtrack blasting out and you get the feeling that your life is complete!
If I was writing a reviews of most other rides that would probably be the end, but not with Helix (sorry for those of you that are having to read all of this). After our first ride at the front we tried the back. As you would expect the drop out of the station is better here with a great pop of airtime. And naturally the airtime throughout the ride is more pronounced at the back. However it does have a rattle to it, more than you would expect for a new coaster. Thankfully it is not bad enough to take away from the ride itself. Despite everyone saying that Helix is a back row coaster I personally preferred the front row. The airtime is still incredible at the front yet you get the bonus of that sensation of speed, interacting with the surrounding environment and just feeling like you are own your own awesome adventure along this stunning hillside at Liseberg.
Then there is Helix at night. One word: WOW! We did the front row and night and it was the first time during the day that we had ridden it since the morning. Boy had it warmed up! The transition into the helix after the zero-g was ridiculously crazy. The final airtime hill with Gothenburg all lit up in front of you was insane. You just get lost in it all.
Continued below...
I have been fixated with Helix (or Projekt Helix as it initially was) ever since the day I started this topic way back in October 2012. We could all initially tell that the layout looked amazing and that if built well it would be a special coaster. Then Liseberg revised the layout slightly, adding an inversion following the drop out of the station following on from enthusiast feedback. We really had a top class coaster to look forward to.
I followed the construction of Helix almost as intently as that of The Smiler, although I obviously couldn't visit the park for updates as I did with Towers. Constantly looking for new construction photos, checking the webcams multiple times each day, watching the various videos that the park released; this was an exciting project to follow and it all cumulated in an outstanding POV that Liseberg released in April of this year.
The main problem with all of this? Hype. It was impossible for me not to have incredibly high expectations of Helix. So then came opening day and needless to say I was intently keeping my eyes on TPR for the first reviews (there had been a couple of their Swedish based members who had been providing updates throughout the construction). They like me had high expectations. This meant that I was naturally a little disappointed when the initial reviews were not what was expected. It was acknowledged that Helix was a great ride but it just didn't seem to live up to that hype. The same happened when a small group of TSTers visited later in the year, good reviews but not spectacular. It appeared that Helix was lacking that killer punch as if it was not running on full power. I was then told by people that went in August not to be blown away by Helix, particularly front row in the morning.
All of this forced me to lower my expectations, I was desperate not to be let down by this potential masterpiece.
Saturday morning arrived and as we stayed at Hotell Liseberg Heden we had an hours' worth of ERT before the park opened. I was excited; I'd been waiting what had felt a long time to ride Helix. But at the same time I was nervous of being let down. We decided to ignore recommendations to do the back first and headed straight to the front row. Soundtrack blasting out in the station, ride hosts dancing along, the airgates opened; we sat down in the perfect Mack seats and pulled down our lap bars. I challenge anyone to find a better view looking out of the station from the front row of a coaster, it's something else!
The train dispatches and you head straight into the first drop and into the first corkscrew which provides a nice bit of hang time. Adding this element to the ride after released the initial layout was a brilliant decision! You then speed along and around a corner into the first launch. No the launch is not overly powerful or intense but in my opinion it really does not matter. It's a lovely feeling and gets you up to the right speed to take the next corkscrew. By this time you already have the trademark Mack Megacoaster smile on your face. Then it's over a small swooping hill which has a hint of airtime before diving into the Norwegian loop (although I still prefer to call it a pretzel loop)! There's a good sensation of speed here on the front row with the wind in your face and although it is not an intense element it's great fun.
As others have said it is after this point that things really start to heat up. Next you dive under down through some rocks and under Lisebergbanan's lift hill before entering an airtime hill which contains a brilliant pop of ejector airtime. It's then into a tight zero-g roll which feels almost perfect and then one of my favourite parts of the ride. A beautifully violent transition come airtime bump into a long helix around trees, rocks and other coaster track. This part really packs a punch and exerts forces that Mack have never come close to before, at times my arms were being forced down! The interactions with the surrounding environment here just make it even more spectacular. You then have a couple more sedate turns to catch your breath back, which is needed, before it's time to go again.
The second launch is on a relatively steep upwards incline. Like the first it is not overly powerful although it does feel better than the first launch. The is partly due to looking up towards what you are launching to, a somewhat intimidating inverted top hat. This element is very different to anything I've experienced before, once again it's not really intense but you get some nice hang time, you feel so free and you get an almost surreal view of the path below where you can see other park guests staring up at you. Then it's back down and into what is the undoubted highlight of Helix: the second airtime hill which is bigger than the first and goes right over Lisebergbanan's three swooping drops and its lift hill. As you go up into the hill it feels like you may not get any airtime but then suddenly as you crest the hill, wow! You are ejected out of your seat in a manner than I'm not sure I've ever experienced before. This huge ejector airtime then continues on the downwards part of the hill meaning that it is not only huge ejector airtime but sustained ejector airtime. If you didn't have a lap bar I'm pretty sure that you would be thrown out of your seat and end up in the centre of Gothenburg. That's the other thing about this airtime hill, the breath-taking view you get of Gothenburg which just appears right in front of you.
Following this undoubted highlight of the ride you enter some calmer s-turns and then turn right into the final heartline roll. No it's not quite the same as Blue Fire's, they've somehow made that one very unique, but it still gives you a sensation of falling out of the train. Mack, with their near perfect restraints, have really mastered this element. No other manufacturer comes close on them in terms of comfort, enjoyment and riding sensation.
As we entered the breaks after our first ride I was just laughing with complete and utter joy, wowed but the whole experience. Why did I ever bother lowering my expectations? Why did I bother getting nervous about Helix letting me down? None of that was needed. Helix met my expectations and blew them completely out of the water. It's stunning; a simply sublime piece of engineering by Mack Rides. You re-enter the station to the soundtrack blasting out and you get the feeling that your life is complete!
If I was writing a reviews of most other rides that would probably be the end, but not with Helix (sorry for those of you that are having to read all of this
). After our first ride at the front we tried the back. As you would expect the drop out of the station is better here with a great pop of airtime. And naturally the airtime throughout the ride is more pronounced at the back. However it does have a rattle to it, more than you would expect for a new coaster. Thankfully it is not bad enough to take away from the ride itself. Despite everyone saying that Helix is a back row coaster I personally preferred the front row. The airtime is still incredible at the front yet you get the bonus of that sensation of speed, interacting with the surrounding environment and just feeling like you are own your own awesome adventure along this stunning hillside at Liseberg.Then there is Helix at night. One word: WOW! We did the front row and night and it was the first time during the day that we had ridden it since the morning. Boy had it warmed up! The transition into the helix after the zero-g was ridiculously crazy. The final airtime hill with Gothenburg all lit up in front of you was insane. You just get lost in it all.
Continued below...
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Rob
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Steel Vengeance
... Contunued:
There are other things to consider with Helix away from the ride itself. Firstly the style that Liseberg have chosen for it. As has already been said on here Helix is more stylised than themed, and it works so well. The entrance is very understated but once you enter the queue it is like entering this new futuristic world. The queue line is simple yet effective. Lots of angled metallic walkways all on different levels lit up beautifully with the many different lighting features that the queue holds. These walkways are broken up but three cattle pens, two smaller ones with a larger one in the middle. Thankfully the queue moves very quickly through these cattlepens (I'll come onto this more when I speak about the operations and throughputs). There are lots of bare concrete walls but this seems to work here. The queue is also great for those that like to geek out at how the ride works. There are various square holes in the concrete where you can see bits underneath the station. Also half way up the steps to the station you can geek out at how the airgates work as all of the mechanisms are on show, lovely!
Then to bring all of this together this is the soundtrack, composed by the incredibly talented people at IMAScore. The queue music builds up to the ride perfectly; it is quite relaxing, varied yet managed to create that tension you want in a queue line. Then as you climb up to the station the queue line music blends in perfectly with the more upbeat station music. Both tracks are long enough not to notice the loop which is nice. This soundtrack really does fit the ride like a duck takes to water!
Throughputs and operations. Naturally you compare to Blue Fire and it is needless to say that they are not up to those standards. Running three trains Helix you get better throughputs than it does. However they are not terrible. Quite often a train was being dispatched as another was exiting the final airtime hill on the ride. Double stacking did happen at time but slow dispatches seemed to be less frequent that I was expecting. I reckon it was getting in the region of 1000pph during our visit. Despite this the queue does move very quickly. On Saturday night the queue was an advertised 1 hour 35 minutes; the whole queue was full with all extensions open (including the cattlepen outside of the main queue area) and the queue also stretch around outside of the ride entrance towards the entrance on AtmosFear. Yet it only took 1 hour 15 minutes, this was very impressive!
So some final thoughts. Helix is an icon for Liseberg. Wherever you are in the park your eyes are drawn towards this hillside and this immense green steel structure that sits on it. It is also one of the most photogenic coasters in existance during both day and night; you keep wanting to try and get the perfect photo. Helix is also a world class coaster. People will rightly flock to Liseberg to ride it. It has almost everything: a long ride time, launches, inversions, airtime, intense turns, hang time, comfort, near misses, near perfect landscaping and beauty. In fact it looks like it has been on that hillside for years, it has all bedded in so well and so quickly. Seeing where it is built makes you really appreciate the monumental task the park must have had building Helix, especially when they did so in the snow!
B&M and Intamin look out, Mack have arrived as a top class thrill ride provider. To Liseberg, Mack Rides and all other companies and people involved in Helix, I take my hat off to you, you have created a modern masterpiece!
There are other things to consider with Helix away from the ride itself. Firstly the style that Liseberg have chosen for it. As has already been said on here Helix is more stylised than themed, and it works so well. The entrance is very understated but once you enter the queue it is like entering this new futuristic world. The queue line is simple yet effective. Lots of angled metallic walkways all on different levels lit up beautifully with the many different lighting features that the queue holds. These walkways are broken up but three cattle pens, two smaller ones with a larger one in the middle. Thankfully the queue moves very quickly through these cattlepens (I'll come onto this more when I speak about the operations and throughputs). There are lots of bare concrete walls but this seems to work here. The queue is also great for those that like to geek out at how the ride works. There are various square holes in the concrete where you can see bits underneath the station. Also half way up the steps to the station you can geek out at how the airgates work as all of the mechanisms are on show, lovely!
Then to bring all of this together this is the soundtrack, composed by the incredibly talented people at IMAScore. The queue music builds up to the ride perfectly; it is quite relaxing, varied yet managed to create that tension you want in a queue line. Then as you climb up to the station the queue line music blends in perfectly with the more upbeat station music. Both tracks are long enough not to notice the loop which is nice. This soundtrack really does fit the ride like a duck takes to water!
Throughputs and operations. Naturally you compare to Blue Fire and it is needless to say that they are not up to those standards. Running three trains Helix you get better throughputs than it does. However they are not terrible. Quite often a train was being dispatched as another was exiting the final airtime hill on the ride. Double stacking did happen at time but slow dispatches seemed to be less frequent that I was expecting. I reckon it was getting in the region of 1000pph during our visit. Despite this the queue does move very quickly. On Saturday night the queue was an advertised 1 hour 35 minutes; the whole queue was full with all extensions open (including the cattlepen outside of the main queue area) and the queue also stretch around outside of the ride entrance towards the entrance on AtmosFear. Yet it only took 1 hour 15 minutes, this was very impressive!
So some final thoughts. Helix is an icon for Liseberg. Wherever you are in the park your eyes are drawn towards this hillside and this immense green steel structure that sits on it. It is also one of the most photogenic coasters in existance during both day and night; you keep wanting to try and get the perfect photo. Helix is also a world class coaster. People will rightly flock to Liseberg to ride it. It has almost everything: a long ride time, launches, inversions, airtime, intense turns, hang time, comfort, near misses, near perfect landscaping and beauty. In fact it looks like it has been on that hillside for years, it has all bedded in so well and so quickly. Seeing where it is built makes you really appreciate the monumental task the park must have had building Helix, especially when they did so in the snow!
B&M and Intamin look out, Mack have arrived as a top class thrill ride provider. To Liseberg, Mack Rides and all other companies and people involved in Helix, I take my hat off to you, you have created a modern masterpiece!
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