Kongeparken
A family-oriented amusement park in Ålgård near Stavanger, Norway.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Kongeparken, meaning “The King's Park,” is an amusement park in Ålgård in Rogaland, southwestern Norway, near Stavanger. It is regarded as the largest amusement park in southwestern Norway and has developed into one of Rogaland’s principal visitor attractions. The park combines rides, themed environments, hands-on activities, seasonal events, restaurants and family entertainment, with its core audience generally consisting of children between approximately three and twelve years old and their families. Older children are also served through more adventurous rides and activities. The park opened in May 1986 under founder Gabriel Ålgård. Its original concept emphasized outdoor recreation rather than a strongly themed amusement-park identity, with activities including BMX, roller-skating and golf. Although the opening year attracted more than 200,000 visitors, the business encountered severe financial difficulties and entered bankruptcy by July 1986. This early failure became a decisive turning point in the park’s history. In 1997, the Lund family acquired Kongeparken. The family had a long background in amusement operations through Lunds Tivoli and brought a new operating and thematic direction to the site. Under Lund ownership, the park was reshaped around a bear theme, with characters, stories and attractions designed to create a more coherent family destination. The principal characters include Brumle and Brumleline, presented as the King and Queen of the Bears. Their castle is associated with one of the park’s major rides, a roller coaster featuring spinning gondolas. Other bear-themed figures and facilities help extend the concept across the park, including BearBotel, a children’s day-spa-style service where visitors can leave teddy bears. Kongeparken’s offering has expanded to more than 50 rides and attractions. These include conventional amusement rides, water-based experiences, a bobsleigh track, a children’s fire station, restaurants and a do-it-yourself chocolate factory. The park has also introduced new attractions over time, including the Fossen water ride in 2013. Its attractions emphasize participation and role-play as well as passive riding, allowing the park to function as both an amusement destination and a family activity center. Seasonal programming is an important part of the brand. Jul i Kongeparken, or Christmas in Kongeparken, runs during November and December and transforms the site with lights, Christmas trees, elves, singing and family workshops. This extends the park’s operating proposition beyond the conventional summer amusement-park season and reinforces its positioning as a family leisure destination. The park is owned and operated by Rogaland Fritidspark AS. Haakon Lund has been identified as the person in charge of the operation, representing the Lund family’s continuing involvement. Kongeparken has received recognition from Norwegian media, tourism organizations and international amusement-industry award programs. Its Children’s Fire Station won a 2012 THEA Award for best new attraction, while the park also received awards for advertising, leadership training and tourism. Visitor figures reported in reference material show a substantial recovery after the 1997 ownership change, reaching more than 250,000 annual visitors in several years during the 2010s. Today, Kongeparken’s identity rests on its bear-themed world, broad family attraction mix, seasonal events and regional role as a major leisure destination in southwestern Norway.
History
Kongeparken opened in May 1986 in Ålgård, near Stavanger, as a new outdoor leisure attraction founded by Gabriel Ålgård. The initial concept was broader than a conventional amusement park and included activities such as BMX, roller-skating and golf. Despite attracting more than 200,000 visitors during its opening year, the operation experienced serious financial problems and was bankrupt by July 1986. The difficult launch left the park with the challenge of rebuilding its commercial proposition and establishing a clearer reason for families to visit. A major change came in 1997, when the Lund family purchased Kongeparken. The Lunds had a long history in amusement operations through Lunds Tivoli, giving the new owners relevant experience in attractions, seasonal operations and family entertainment. They introduced new themes and expanded the activity program, seeking to reverse the decline in visitation associated with the park’s earlier period. The ownership transition ultimately provided the foundation for Kongeparken’s current identity and operating model. The Lund family rebuilt the park around bears. This theme was connected to the family’s historical association with teddy bears, as the family had reportedly been among the earliest European importers of teddy bears from the United States in the late nineteenth century. In 1997, the characters Brumle and Brumleline were brought into the park as the King and Queen of the Bears. Their castle became a central themed location and houses a major roller coaster with spinning gondolas. Additional bear characters, including Bie Queen, Pysjamas, Tranbamsen, Storm and the Icebear, helped create a recognizable story world across the park. BearBotel extended the theme into a child-focused service where visitors could leave teddy bears for care during their visit. Over time, Kongeparken developed into a broad family attraction containing more than 50 rides and activities. Rather than relying only on thrill rides, the park combines rides with interactive and educational-style experiences. Examples include a bobsleigh track, a chocolate factory where children can participate in making products, and a children's fire station built around role-play. The attraction mix is primarily aimed at younger children, especially those between three and twelve years old, while selected rides and adventure activities also appeal to older children. The park has continued to refresh its offering through new attractions. Fossen, a water ride, was introduced in 2013. This pattern of additions supports the park’s effort to encourage repeat visits and maintain relevance within Norway’s family tourism market. Kongeparken also operates restaurants and other visitor facilities, making it a full-day destination rather than a collection of isolated rides. Seasonal programming has become another component of the park’s identity. Jul i Kongeparken takes place in November and December and uses lights, Christmas trees, elves, singing and workshops to create a family Christmas experience. The event broadens the park’s calendar beyond the principal amusement season and gives the brand a distinct winter proposition. Kongeparken is owned and operated by Rogaland Fritidspark AS, with the Lund family retaining ownership and operational influence. Haakon Lund has been identified as being in charge of the park. The attraction has received recognition from Norwegian newspapers, tourism bodies and international industry award programs. The Children's Fire Station won a THEA Award in 2012, while the park also received awards for tourism, print advertising and leadership training. Reported visitor figures indicate a substantial recovery after the 1997 acquisition: attendance was approximately 199,451 in 2009, 215,203 in 2010, 203,673 in 2011, 213,365 in 2012, 230,434 in 2013, 254,629 in 2014, 259,113 in 2015, 251,340 in 2016 and 246,313 in 2017, with 248,467 reported for 2018. These figures position Kongeparken as a significant regional leisure and tourism asset in southwestern Norway.
- 2013
Fossen water ride introduced
[1]Kongeparken added the Fossen water ride to its attraction portfolio.
- 2012
Children's Fire Station receives industry recognition
[1]The Children's Fire Station won a THEA Award for best new attraction.
- 1997
Lund family acquires the park
[1]The Lund family bought Kongeparken and began rebuilding it through new themes and expanded activities.
- 1997
Bear theme introduced
[1]Brumle and Brumleline were introduced as the park's King and Queen of the Bears, establishing the central thematic direction.
- 1986
Park opens in Ålgård
[1]Kongeparken opened in May with an outdoor-activity concept that included BMX, roller-skating and golf.
- 1986
Opening-year financial collapse
[1]Although attendance exceeded 200,000 in the opening year, the park entered bankruptcy by July.
Products and positioning
A regional, family-oriented amusement park centered on imaginative bear theming, interactive activities and seasonal experiences, with a primary focus on children and families visiting southwestern Norway.
Themed entertainment · 1997
Bear-themed attractions
The bear-themed world is the defining creative system of Kongeparken. It includes the characters Brumle and Brumleline, their castle, additional named bears and related visitor experiences. The theme gives the park a distinctive family identity and links rides, storytelling and ancillary services across the site.
Interactive role-play attraction
Children's Fire Station
The Children's Fire Station is an interactive attraction built around fire-service role-play. It forms part of Kongeparken's emphasis on participatory experiences for younger visitors rather than rides alone. The attraction received a THEA Award for best new attraction in 2012.
Water ride · 2013
Fossen
Fossen is a water-based ride introduced as part of the park's continuing program of attraction development. It complements the wider mix of rides and adventure activities offered to children and families.
Hands-on family attraction
DIY Chocolate Factory
The do-it-yourself chocolate factory is a participatory food-themed experience in which children can engage with chocolate making. It supports Kongeparken's positioning as a place for creative, hands-on family activities as well as amusement rides.
Seasonal event
Jul i Kongeparken
Jul i Kongeparken is the park's Christmas program, held during November and December. It features decorative lights, Christmas trees, elves, singing and family workshops, extending the brand's visitor season into the winter period.
Marketing campaigns
- Jul i Kongeparken
Norway
A recurring Christmas program that presents Kongeparken as a winter family destination through lights, decorations, themed characters, singing and workshops.
Outcome. The event broadens the park's seasonal proposition beyond the main amusement-park period.
Brand decisions
2013
Launch of the Fossen water rideProduct launchBackground
The park has periodically introduced new rides and activities to refresh its family offering.
Action taken
Kongeparken added Fossen, a water ride, to its attraction portfolio.
Aftermath
The addition expanded the park's water-based experiences.
1997
Rebuild the park around a bear themeStrategyBackground
Following the Lund family's acquisition, Kongeparken needed to reverse declining attendance and establish a more distinctive family proposition.
Action taken
The new owners introduced bear characters, themed spaces and related attractions while expanding the activity mix.
Aftermath
The repositioning became the foundation of Kongeparken's current brand identity and accompanied a long-term recovery in reported visitor numbers.
Recent events
- 2014
Kongeparken records more than 250,000 visitors[1]
Other
Reference material reports 254,629 visitors in 2014, one of the park's strongest recorded annual totals.
- 2013
Fossen water ride added to the attraction portfolio[1]
Product launch
The park introduced the Fossen water ride as part of its continuing program of new attractions.
- 2012
Children's Fire Station receives THEA Award[1]
Other
Kongeparken's Children's Fire Station was recognized with a THEA Award for best new attraction.
Sources2 sources
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