Watch Gröna Lund transform into a sparkling winter festival
Publish date: 25 November 2022
As fall transitions into winter, Gröna Lund Amusement Park prepares to welcome winter visitors for its inaugural Winter Wonderland. Visitors will be greeted by candy trolls and ice queens in a colorful amusement park with unique winter rides and a revamped seasonal menu.
For many years Gröna Lund's amusement park in Stockholm was, for all intents and purposes, a summer attraction. That changed in October of 2017 when the park hosted its first Halloween festival to much fanfare (or in this case "many screams and gasps").
So when the time has come for the park to make its next transformation – from a haunted carnival to the cozy and colorful Winter Wonderland – much effort has been put into making the park winter-proof. Holding the park open during a few, mild, autumn weeks is one thing. But welcoming back visitors as the Stockholm temperature drops below zero presents new challenges.
"The operator booths by our rides have to be insulated to keep staffers warm but also to not waste any excess energy", explains Winter Wonderland's project lead Anna Hansson. "This transition has to be sustainable, to make it last for future winters as well."
No wonder then that the amusement park is teeming with activity on a cloudy, snow-covered, day in late November. Five themed areas, new seasonal lighting, and unique winter attractions all have to be completed before Gröna Lund can reopen on December 2.
Watch Gröna Lund's amusement park transform into Winter Wonderland
All traces of Halloween – carved-out pumpkin heads, cobwebs, et al – have been removed, and trees and bushes have been decorated with LED lighting. A 130-foot-long sledding slope has been constructed in front of Gröna Lund's main stage, and the haunted ship that was moored by the "Bläckfisken"-carousel has left port. In its place is a glass-covered pontoon where custom-made bumper cars – "disco bumpers" – are being unwrapped under a huge disco ball. And all over the park, neon-clad construction workers navigate dug-out trenches in the thick blanket of snow that covers much of Stockholm. The junior area, with rides for younger children, is to be transformed into "Sagolunden", while "Rainbow Land", "Grüna Lund", "Bubble Street" and "Klappfabriken" will all be located in the park's main area.
With a few notable exceptions, like the wooden roller coaster "Twister" and the "Flygande Mattan"-ride, most of Gröna Lund's attractions will be operational. Furthermore, a seasonal menu has been developed for the park's restaurants and food vendors; candied apples, spicy "glühwein", pink hot chocolate, cheese fondue, a maxed-out pancake buffet, and much more.
"Unless we have to shovel away 2 ft of snow, we plan on keeping the park open, more or less, as usual", explains Anna Hansson. "But our focus is on the themed areas we've built. Even if the weather stops you from riding our roller coasters, you'll be treated to a unique winter park. It's all about new experiences and new snacks from our restaurants and vendors."
One of these themed areas, a Bavarian ski resort past its prime called "Grüna Lund", is nearing completion. Located near the park's Tyrol-restaurant it will open a week earlier for Christmas dinner bookings. And "Lustiga Huset", Gröna Lund's funhouse, is being reshaped into "Klappverkstaden"; a workshop where mischievous elves couldn't care less about making presents. But even though a smidge of Christmas here and there is unavoidable during a December event, Anna Hansson emphasizes that Winter Wonderland is not a Christmas festival.
"Early in development we were actually conceptualizing a more seasonal event", continues Anna Hansson. "Until we realized that, we had to take a step back and rethink the concept. Christmas markets have been tried at Gröna Lund in the past, but it never caught on, and Stockholm is already full of lovely markets like the ones on Skansen or in Gamla Stan. Besides, our peak is in the week after Christmas. My guess is most people will be ready to move on from Christmas celebrations by then."