Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

Hey everybody!

 

This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW), this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Page.

 

Official Park Website

 

 

Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy!

 

--Robb

 

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2006

January 30th, 2006 - Changes for 2006 announced

March 4th, 2006 - Balloon test at 210 feet structure with James City County Planning

April 1st, 2006 - Pre-show set-up for Curse of DarKastle tweaked

June 27th, 2006 - LeMans Raceway to close

August 23rd, 2006 - Specs for new coaster announced

September 17th, 2006 - Ground clearing photos for new coaster

 

2007

May 13th, 2007 - Griffon opens

 

2008

March 6th, 2008 - new "land" rumored for 2009

August 8th, 2008 - Sesame Street area announced for 2009

 

2009

July 24th, 2009 - Closure of Big Bad Wolf announced

July 29th, 2009 - "FAQs" about the Wolf's upcoming demolition

Sept. 2nd,-2009 - Howl-O-Scream details announced

Sept. 6th, 2009 - Brochure from BBW's debut year

Sept. 8th, 2009 - PTR of BBW's last day

Nov. 4th, 2009 - Christmas Town announced

Nov. 14th, 2009 - More Christmas Town details

Nov. 20th, 2009 - Busch Donates BBW train to The National Rollercoaster Museum

Dec. 2nd, 2009 - Christmas Town Pictures

 

2010

Jan. 28th, 2010 - New attraction "Europe in the Air" announced

Feb. 18th, 2010 - Follow Busch Gardens on Twitter and you could win prizes!

Feb. 26th, 2010 - Christmas Town 2010 operating schedule extended

March 4th, 2010 - Park adds sheepherding demonstration to Highland Stables

March 16th, 2010 - Media Day for Highland Stables, Europe in the Air, and Celtic Fyre

March 17th, 2010 - Official Highland Stables photos and video

March 18th, 2010 - What's new at Wolf Haven?

April 8th, 2010 - Big Bad Wolf trains delivered to coaster museum

April 11th, 2010 - Robb visits the park!

April 19th, 2010 - Pretzel Coaster Contest returns for a another year!

April 22nd, 2010 - Europe in the Air Update

April 23rd, 2010 - Electronic Hazardous Waste Recycling Day

April 28th, 2010 - Drop Tower on the horizon

April 30th, 2010 - Celtic Fyre & Europe in the Air grand opening photos!

May 17th, 2010 - Park makes its B&M coasters more accessible

June 10th, 2010 - County awards height waiver for new drop tower ride

June 27th, 2010 - Blackstone may buy Kings Mill, BGW open year round?

September 8th, 2010 - 2 year expansion plan teased in new video

September 18th, 2010 - BGW makes their official announcement--and updates their video

December 1st, 2010 - Christmas Town preview photos & video now online!

 

2011

January 5th, 2011 - BGW clears two more hurdles for 2012 coaster in Oktoberfest

February 4th, 2011 - Busch Gardens Williamsburg expansion research

February 21st, 2011 - Major Expansion Construction Update! Photos & Video!

April 11th, 2011 - Busch Gardens Ramp Jam 2011!

June 12th, 2011 - Verbolten Construction Begins!

June 19th, 2011 - TPR Day at BGW!

July 15th, 2011 - Howl-O-Scream 2011 website launched!

July 19th, 2011 - Summer concert series lineup announced!

August 13th, 2011 - Verbolten Construction Update!

October 11th, 2011 - Water Country seeks permission to double in size

October 30th, 2011 - More Pictures of Verbolten track!

November 22nd, 2011 - Water Country USA gets approval for major expansion!

December 2nd, 2011 - Verbolten: Construction Phase 2 video from BGW!

December 11th, 2011 - Mini Update of Verbolten Construction!

December 31st, 2011 - Last Verbolten Update for 2011!

 

2012

January 26th, 2012 - Verbolten update from the park!

February 11th, 2012 - Brian Morrow shares new details about Verbolten

March 1st, 2012 - Verbolten Hard Hat Tour!

March 17th, 2012 - Big Verbolten update from Passholder Preview Day!

April 5th, 2012 - Verbolten officially opening on May 18th, 2012

April 8th, 2012 - An Easter Sunday Verbolten update!

April 15th, 2012 - New Verbolten Update!

April 21st, 2012 - Verbolten is testing - Video proof

April 27th, 2012 - BGW press release: Verbolten enters final testing phase!

April 29th, 2012 - Another Verbolten Update!

May 3rd, 2012 - Official Verbolten testing video from the park!

May 9th, 2012 - Verbolten to feature multiple ride story lines!

May 17th, 2012 - Verbolten Blogger Media Day!

June 29th, 2012 - Busch Gardens orphaned wolf pup!

July 23rd, 2012 - New ways to save at Busch Gardens and Water Country!

August 11th, 2012 - BGW's Wolf Pups Media Day! Darling pictures of baby wolves!

August 16th, 2012 - NASCAR Driver Ryan Newman to visit BGW on August 23; special discount admission offer!

September 2nd, 2012 - Prep for Howl-o-Scream 2012!

November 1st, 2012 - BGW expands Christmas Town with "Holiday Hills"!

 

2013

March 1st, 2013 - Want Busch Gardens to landscape your yard?

March 13th, 2013 - Vote for the winner of the BGW Landscaping Giveaway!

March 26th, 2013 - Landscaping Giveaway winner announced!

August 15th, 2013 - Park releases information on Howl-o-Scream 2013!

September 3rd, 2013 - New pirate-themed store for Howl-o-Scream!

September 7th, 2013 - BGW announces new London Rocks show during Passholder Appreciation Weekend!

September 14, 2013 - Howl-o-Scream opening media night event!

October 29th, 2013 - Video teaser for new Water Country slide in 2014!

November 12th, 2013 - Water Country announces Colossal Curl for 2014!

November 23rd, 2013 - Opening night of Christmas Town!

 

2014

January 24th, 2014 - Caribbean cuisine is coming to the Food and Wine Festival!

February 28th, 2014 - 2nd annual "Let BGW Landscape Your Front Yard" contest announced!

May 26th, 2014 - Report from the Food & Wine Festival!

August 24th, 2014 - Update: Festa Italia Ground Clearing and Howl-o-Scream Prep!

September 6th, 2014 - Update: Passholder Appreciation Day, blue walls, and more Howl-o-Scream prep

September 13th, 2014 - Blogger Preview Night for Howl-o-Scream!

November 21st, 2014 - Mini construction update of the new ride being built by Apollo's Chariot!

November 22nd, 2014 - Opening night of Christmas Town!

December 5th, 2014 - New ride construction update!

 

 

2015

February 26th, 2015 - Tempesto announced

Report from Passholder Preview Day--Tempesto "official" announcement

March 29th, 2015 - Photos of Tempesto Testing!

April 7th, 2015 - Busch Gardens' POV video of Tempesto!

April 18th, 2015 - Tempesto soft-opening photos!

April 25th, 2015 - Tempesto media day!

August 26th, 2015 - Bier Fest coming in September!

September 27th, 2015 - Opening night at Howl-o-Scream 2015!

December 5th, 2015 - Christmas Town 2015!

 

2016

January 29th, 2016 - BGW posts teaser video for "Project 2017"

February 3rd, 2016 - Second teaser video for "Project 2017"

February 9, 2016 - Third teaser video for "Project 2017"

March 19th, 2016 - Park confirms 2017 wooden coaster in released video teaser

March 20th, 2016 - Report from Passholder Preview Day

May 29th, 2016 - Food & Wine Festival/InvadR Update

July 17th, 2016 - New InvadR update

July 31st, 2016 - New InvadR update

August 28th, 2016 - New Invadr/Howl-o-Scream update

September 25th - Howl-o-Scream opening night

October 10th, 2016 - InvadR goes vertical

November 1st, 2016 - InvadR update

December 5th, 2016 - Invadr & Christmas Town update

 

2017

January 2nd, 2017 - First InvadR update of the year

February 22nd, 2017 - InvadR Hard-Hat Tour

March 19th, 2017 - Passholder Preview Day and More Invadr

April 7th, 2017 - InvadR Media Day report

May 27th, 2017 - Food & Wine Festival Report

July 14th, 2017 - Prepare to catch Frostbite at Howl-o-Scream

September 4th, 2017 - A look at Bierfest and Howl-o-Scream prep

October 8th, 2017 - Report from Howl-o-Scream

December 3rd, 2017 - Report from Christmas Town

 

2018

February 28th, 2018 - Battle for Eire hard-hat tour

March 30th, 2018 - Battle for Eire media day

May 20th, 2018 - Busch Gardens starts teasing details for the 20th year of Howl-o-Scream: XX New Era of Terror

May 27th, 2018 - Report from the Food & Wine Festival

July 31st, 2018 - Park releases details about Bierfest 2018

September 5th, 2018 - Park announces Screamin' Swing & water coaster for 2019

September 18th, 2018 - Information about Howl-o-Scream XX

September 27th, 2018 - Media day for Howl-o-Scream: 20 Years of Fears

November 11th, 2018 - Christmas Town "hard-hat" tour

December 5th, 2018 - A night at Christmas Town

 

2019

January 25th, 2019 - Large piece of Finnegan's Flyer delivered!

March 14th, 2019 - Construction tour of Cutback Water Coaster and Finnegan's Flyer

March 26th, 2019 - BGW announces Summer Nights Lineup

May 4th, 2019 - Media day for Finnegan's flyer

May 7th, 2019 - Finnegan's flyer POV video

July 3oth, 2019 - Pantheon multi-launch coaster announced!

September 18th, 2019 - A stroll through Howl-o-Scream 2019

October 3rd, 2019 - Pantheon track pieces begin to arrive at the park!

November 4th, 2019 - A quick look at Pantheon!

November 17, 2019 - Christmas Town opens!

 

2020

January 23rd, 2020 - Pantheon Hard-Hat Tour

March 1st, 2020 - Pantheon construction complete, coaster train delivered!

August 6th, 2020 - Coasters & Craft Brews Sneak Peek

August 29th, 2020 - A Taste of Busch Gardens in September!

September 5th, 2020 - Report from a Taste of Busch Gardens

September 24th, 2020 - Busch Gardens announces Halloween Harvest

October 12th, 2020 - Report from Halloween Harvest

November 15th, 2020 - A Night at Busch Gardens' Christmas Celebration

 

2021

February 7th, 2021 - Busch Gardens' Mardi Gras Celebration

March 14th, 2021 - Happy St. Patrick's Day from Busch Gardens

March 26th, 2121 - Pantheon Testing Photos & Video

April 19th, 2021 - Food & Wine Festival Report

May 22th, 2021 - Sesame Street Kids' Weekends coming in June

June 7th, 2021 - Busch Gardens Summer Nights

June 27th, 2021 - Summer Nights Opening Weekend Report

July 17th, 2021 - Bierfest coming on July 30th

August 10th, 2021 - Howl-O-Scream 2021 details revealed!

September 8th, 2021 - Pantheon opening March 2022!

September 10th, 2020 - Opening night of Howl-o-Scream

October 28th, 2021 - Christmas Town details revealed!

 

2022

January 24th, 2022 - Pantheon opening on March 25!

March 27th, 2022 - What Have the Roman gods wrought? Some thoughts on and photos of Pantheon (opening weekend)

April 14th, 2022 - Park releases Food & Wine Festival Info

April 25th, 2022 - Aquazoid Amped & more coming to Water Country USA

May 2nd, 2022 - A Sunday at the Food & Wine Festival

July 16th, 2022 - Speakeasy coming to Busch Gardens

August 8th, 2022 - Howl-o-Scream returns on September 9th

September 6,th, 2022 - Busch Gardens Gives Us a Look at DarKoaster

September 24th, 2022 - Howl-o-Scream Creeps Back to Williamsburg

September 27th, 2022 - Riptide Race Coming to Water Country USA

November 5th, 2022 - Christmas Town announcement

 

2023

February 1st, 2023 - Mardi Gras at Busch Gardens

May 19th, 2023 - DarKoaster Media Day

October 1st, 2023 - Loch Ness Monster: The Legend Lives On announced!

November 4th, 2023 - Media Town Hall: Loch Ness Monster & more

 

2024

April 4th, 2024 - Sneak Peek at the Loch Ness Monster & More

April 11th, 2024 - Loch Ness Monster Media Day Report

September 18th, 2024 - Family inverted coaster announced for 2025!

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According to today's Virginia Gazette, here's what will be happening at Busch Gardens in 2006:

 

1. The return of the summer concert series--there was no announcement of any specific performers, but the concerts will be part of regular admission (no upcharge)

 

2. "Emerald Beat"--the replacement for "Irish Thunder" will be (surprise!) another Irish dance show, but with new music and costumes and improved theming in the theatre, including the lobby

 

3. "Kinetix"--the replacement for "Imaginique" (another "Cirque-type" show)

 

4. "Curse of DarKastle"--Busch plans to enhance this already great ride for 2006 with "intensified fire vehicle propulsion" (that is, enhanced movement--perhaps they'll be beefing up that fireplace sequence, eh?)

 

Busch didn't formally announce what type of attraction they'll be installing for 2007, but they have applied for a "height waiver" for a planned attraction in France. This waiver is needed for structures taller than 60 feet. Let the speculation begin . . .

 

Chuck

 

EDIT: The height-waiver request is actually for "France" (or "Aquitaine") according to the Gazette, not "New France" (or "Fort New France"). This has been mentioned in later posts, but I've finally corrected it here as well.

Taller than 60'... ALMOST rules out a family ride. Hopefully it's a new B&M, but really, who knows.

 

I'm not heading down there until they build a new coaster, but I am looking forward to riding Darkastle, great to hear they CARE about the quality of the ride, and are already adding enhancements.

OOh, Emerald BEAT. i really thought you said "Emerald BEAST" there for a second. i was thinking that doesn't sound like the type of show just anyone can get into, new lobby or not. Nudge, Nudge, wink, wink, say no more.

^Hmm--perhaps "Emerald Beat" is some sort of leprechaun masturbatory fantasy.

Taller than 60'... ALMOST rules out a family ride. Hopefully it's a new B&M, but really, who knows.

 

I'm not heading down there until they build a new coaster, but I am looking forward to riding Darkastle, great to hear they CARE about the quality of the ride, and are already adding enhancements.

 

Keep in mind, they had the same kind of permit for DarKastle, and that was simply because the tower is over 60'.

 

I think it will be a coaster, but the permit offers no proof.

 

I'm kind of disappointed that this years new additions are just reworkings of things already there. I was hoping for some really new and original shows to come in as replacements.

I heard that BGW was getting a dive machine for New France in 2007, although I can't confirm how accurate the source was.

To keep the speculation going, I heard a while back that there was green track in the Drachen Fire lot. Apparently, it was B&M track with dark green ties and light green rails. Anyone else hear this?

 

And to go along with the Dive Coaster rumor. OMG I WOULD LOVE THAT! I just got back from BGT and rode SheiKra, the holding brake 200 feet in the air is amazing. If one comes to BGW, I will force my parents to take me!!!

Sounds like a new coaster to me. But what would it be called and what would it be themed to? Especially because your saying they filed for a height waiver in New France.

---Brent

I don't know, but BGW always sparks my interest since it is probably my favorite all-around theme park (combination of atmosphere, coasters, theming, landscaping, etc) right in front of IOA, EPCOT, and Hersheypark.

Actually, I'm not surprised that BGW is coasting a bit this year. DarKastle was a large investment (that's paying off nicely, I believe). I am pleased that they want to enhance DarKastle.

 

As for what's going on in New France, I've heard the dive-coaster rumors, too (especially after Sheikra). Works for me, it that's what they're doing. I wonder where in New France. The current location of the Le Scoot log flume would be perfect, I think (it is getting pretty old).

The whole location thing would be easy to work around with a Dive Machine. I have been to BGT penty of times and when I heard they were building SheiKra in Stanleyville I was pretty shocked because I had no clue there was any room left in Stanleyville, but it fit in quite nicely

The application for the height variance said "France", not "New France". I thought this was interesting since there was a rumor that the LeMans cars were going away (or moving). They take up a lot of space, and are on the edge of the big drop to the Rhine. That would be an ideal area for building a new coaster.

^That makes sense--France doesn't have much in the way of attractions except for Le Mans and a skyway station (and I doubt the big theatre is going anywhere). There are some "virgin" woods between France and Ireland.

 

But time will tell.

 

EDIT (for clarification): The Gazette article did mention "France" and not "New France." Apparently, a test balloon was seen floating in the vicinity of Alpengeist, which had me thinking "New France"; however, 'Geist is fairly close to the LeMans Raceway (in "France"), too. Hmm--not sure I clarified anything here . . .

I predict terrain woodie!

 

 

(random, I know, but I think the dive coaster will come later!)

^With the not so great response Gwazi got, I would not expect BGW to get a wooden coaster.

If I recall correctly, isn't there some restriction with BGW and wooden coasters? Aren't they not allowed to build one because of the noise levels and King's Mill? I'm not sure about this, but Im pretty sure there's something with BGW and wooden coasters

^You're probably right, although I'm not certain about this. Anytime BGW builds a new coaster, Kingsmill residents go ape about noise, "that damn amusement park," etc. So a restriction against rumbling woodies wouldn't be surprising.

 

I guess those folks didn't notice the huge theme park in their backyards when they purchased their $1,000,000 homes. But Busch does a pretty good job using terrain to hide the "offending" structures from the upper-crust golfing set.

If they do build a dive machine in France, "Surrender To Your Fears" would be a great tagline for the ride

Whatever they're getting,it's fine with me. As for Curse of DarKastle,when I rode it,it was ok. SES

Here is a newly filed trademark by Busch Ent.

Wonder if it has to do with the new ride going in BGW.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=3fcfnm.12.3

That link isn't working. What did it say in the trademark application?

Try this one and click on Aquatica its the most recent one filed 9-15-05. Doesnt say anything like the Mavrick one does for CP. Just a filing certificate. Sorry the other links expire. Go to this link http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=89b4st.1.1 Then enter BUSCH ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION in the SEARCH TERM. Then change the FEILD to Owner name and address. Hit Submit. You should find the recent filings by Busch. Click on Aquatica as its the most recent file.

Gahhh, I bet it's a 61' tall diving board for a new show.

Hmmm....put a Dive Machine in France and theme it to a guillotine! And every time a car dives down the drop, you could have a "whoosh" and blood could spurt out! (heads would roll!)

 

Or maybe not! But I do hope they go with a Dive Machine. Sheikra is great!!

Aqutica, how about a Mack water coaster something like Journey to Atlantis or could be a new flag pole for all we know. Could also be a new spinner mouse something like Spinning Dragons at WOF as BGW took out there mouse ride a couple years ago..

Anybody familier with when Apolos or Alpe was built. Does Busch have to file for a higher variance if a ride is going to be say over 150 feet. Or as it seems that the park only has to file for a variance over 60 feet. Does the park have height limits that they would need special approvel for.

J.