Finland 08/19 – Linnanmäki

We started with a nice relaxed morning, as in true Scandinavian style the next park didn’t open until 1pm. They’ve got a park and walk scheme recommended by their website which lets you park in this huge and amazing underground cave thing (Tornado station x100) and ‘avoid the traffic’. You validate the ticket at shops in the park and that makes it dirt cheap for the day (3 quid).

Day 2 – Linnanmäki

Headed in and grabbed some wristbands. All the Finnish parks are free entry with wristband options for the rides, which is cool. I like somewhere that acts like a place for people to chill as well as a theme park.

We then joined the queue for the main event. Weekend crowds were ok, it took about 15 minutes to get to the station. Peaked at 30.
I didn’t take any pictures, but I like the queue. It has big bird footprints in the floor leading you round certain sections (and out of the shop, back towards the ride entrance).
It starts off down some stairs where there’s some berries on branches just sticking out into the path. Fresh fruit in a queue.
There’s some foresty stuff going on and some switchbacks, vending machines, a big screen with the bird’s face just ominously staring at you before you head back upstairs between modern looking metal fences with holes punched to form the outline of branches.

As you approach the station, there’s a bit of music and announcements which helped us learn how to pronounce the name. ‘Ride the wings of Ty-ee-ga’. Hang on, is it the bird or the forest? Don’t trust you now RCDB.
Still in the habit of calling it Tay-ga though.
There’s a nice big mountainy painting on the wall that encompasses the baggage holders. Into the back seat we go.

Anyway, the ride. Wow.
I knew very little about the layout other than Intamin doing a bit of a Helix. And it blew me away.

First launch is into this counter-intuitively shaped inversion which throws you outwards then hangs you upside down in the weirdest fashion.

It then enters some low corners which produced some crushing positive forces as the day went on, softening you up for the second launch.

The transition into the launch is slightly clunky and for some reason was the only part of the ride which made the back seats rattle a little bit, but only to the point of comedy. I’m sure some people will treat it like a football injury though.
I do love me a rolling launch.

Which kicks you up into this thing, the newest of the oddly shaped tophats. Proper sideways ejector coming out of that one, it’s now stoking memories of my beloved Intamin wings and I’m excited.

Then this happens.
Oh they’re doing stalls now? WTF amazing.
We also affectionately named this Karnan’s tower in the background. Don’t know what it is, but it’s just chilling there.

Wicked contrast of forces into a speed hill from there, then up into the biggest inversion.
And we’re only half done.
It gets all vicious on you now, lots of fast and wild twisty and airtimey transitions that proper chuck you out of your seat in any direction it feels like. Scream-inducing airtime. You know, moments of proper significance, the stuff Taron supposedly does but actually doesn’t (time for everyone to get offended and leave).

The end of this slither thing just hurls you downwards and sideways by the side of the building. Another highlight.

And finally we get beautifully inverted into the brakes, Flying Aces style. Wow again.
That was really long. And so much going on. Absolutely loved it.

So there are other rides here, but they won’t get such affectionately detailed description. Taiga seems to keep photobombing as well.

This world exclusive Mack E-Motion coaster was grim. Don’t know how they managed to make a wild mouse rough in a straight drop, but they did. And it didn’t do anything. Good interaction though.

The powered coaster next door broke down on us, casually reversing itself through the station and valleying at the end of the ride. Later then.

Salama the spinner was alright. Lots of block sections and not much spinning. I like how it sits atop the rapids. Good interaction.

Ended up on Taikasirkus next. Cute little suspended dark ride about a circus with a catchy song.

Indoor coaster with Virtual Reality. Declined the VR (to the locals surprise) and of course it was better for it.
There’s still some spacey theming inside and it packs a bit of a punch for a little custom Zierer.

The Intamin Zacspin then broke down on us. We were dreading it so wouldn’t have been too unhappy if it didn’t reopen.

Woodie then. Didn’t expect much as it’s a clone of Bakken’s, but it still has a brakeman and is run much better for it.
Instead of sensors popping and stopping you before each drop, he gives it the beans so there is a little airtime to be found and in the case of the double down, a single moment of wild standing airtime. Respect.

No respect for this thing. Don’t like them anyway and this one was really rough when it tore through the station in both directions.

This little witchy dark ride, Kyöpelinvuoren hotelli (hi Taiga) was really good for what it was. It had vibrating seats, a back poke and a duel with Dumbledore. Significant improvement over the previous day.

Jumped on the ferris wheel for some views. What a pleasant afternoon.

Sadly Kirnu was fixed by this stage, jeering at us while we were enjoying the views. Really, really not looking forward to this after Insane gave us nasty headaches a few years back. Loudly swearing in fear as it ascends the lift.
Not in an abusive relationship kinda way with Arashi where you get something out of it. Just this is gonna suck, hard. Stupid hobby.
Thankfully it did what weaker S&S Freespins do in the first half and didn’t manage to flip itself, just lurch around in an unusal fashion. Only that final bit tipped us onto our head and tombstoned everyone, but it was surprisingly manageable. Fear reduced, but damn you La Ronde.

Also fixed was.. .. .. .. Mr…. …. …. …. Powered……

Sorry, Mr. Powered Coaster.
It was alright. Good interaction again. Coasters complete.

Did this drop tower as I don’t recall doing its type before. Good views and a decent freefall sensation. Not bad.

Jumped on the Monorail for some more views. What a pleasant evening.

I like this place. It lacks the ride lineup of Liseberg, but it’s got the charm.

The night was rounded off by more Taiga laps, before visiting the ticket office and getting cheap ‘bounceback’ wristbands as we were sufficiently hooked had nothing else lined up before a 4pm flight the next day.

Day 3 – Linnanmäki

We drove straight to the door of the park this time for maximum efficiency, parking as close as physically possible to the entrance. There wasn’t really any ‘traffic’ to avoid as hinted towards by the car park deal the previous day. Seemed to be a very quiet city that was pleasant to drive in.

We only had an hour to spend in the park before rushing back to the airport, but 10 laps of the bird. What more can I say.
Beast.

From here flew directly to Italy. The natural progression from Finland for a Europe trip of course.