Tusenfryd was a relatively unknown park prior to 2001. Located in the beautiful wooded mountains outside of Oslo in Norway, the park was always Norway's largest, but for international standards, it was nothing more but an obscure park in a country not known for coasters. The only three coasters in the park before the year 2001 were Loopen, a Vekoma Tornado, Dragon, a Zamperla Dragon coaster, and Teeny-Weeny, an SBF Visa Group kiddie coaster, claimed by the park to be the “smallest coaster in the world”. Despite that milestone, the park was never on the map for anything special.

However, that quickly changed. In 2001, the park hired the well known Dutch coaster manufacture Vekoma to take on the project of building one of their latest offerings, a wooden coaster. Designed by the relatively inexperienced Allot and Lomax, the triumvirate of companies were determined to get the Norwegian park on the map by designing and building a world class wooden roller coaster. They would do so by building it in the terrain within the beautiful Norwegian landscape. The name for this monster: Thundercoaster.

After loading up in one of the 24 seats available on the Vekoma made cars, the ride departs the station and heads up the left hill. In typical terrain coaster style, the rides should get a spectacular view of the Norwegian forests. However, after the lift hill ends, the riders only get a few seconds to think before plunging down its first, curved drop. After flying through a high speed curve, it goes up, over, and down its largest and second drop. The uniqueness of this coaster is seen with its use of terrain to make its second drop the largest. The drop leads into a tunnel and a long, fast, curve.

The train heads up a gradual climbing curve before being launched down and over two airtime hills. After the riders turn around, drive down a drop with many head choppers. With no time to think, the riders are launched into a high banked curve before plummeting down the next drop. After flying up and down a diving drop, the ride heads over a series of 2 airtime hills before going through the final turnaround. The final three airtime hills follow, with many head choppers, before slamming into the breaks. The riders cant take a breath, the ride is over.

If you're in Norway and need to get your wooden coaster fix, head to Tusenfryd and ride Thundercoaster.