Chuck's Busch Gardens Williamsburg Thread

[Homeboy23]

I have been on two Saturday evenings in the past month and around 8 the line has been 15-25 minutes both times, including a front row ride to.

 

But when I first arrived both times the line was going out of the queue.

[Lenaapple1974]

Great updates! I also like the idea of one thread for the updates!

 

I am sad that I am going to miss BBW. I am not expected to go until next year. I am actually in a quandry trying to figure out exactly when the best time to go is. My husband can only take vacation between May and September. Also, the kids and school... So that leaves the dreaded months of July and August. So, in your opinion, when should be the better time for me crowdwise? (Just not Friday, July 3rd, right?) OH, yes, and are there any suite like hotels there? With the kitchens... Although I probably will stay closer to KD.

 

And yes, did I mention great updates?

[HCLcoasters]

How long do you think the lines for Griffon will be on a Friday?

[cfc]

^You shouldn't have much trouble--and there's a single-rider line.

 

^^There's an Embassy Suites on Moretown Road, and some other suite joints on the Richmond Road tourist corridor. There are a few hotels with "kitchenettes." Hotels near Busch Gardens tend to be a bit pricier than elsewhere in town.

[cfc]

Howl-o-Scream, my favorite time of year at Busch Gardens, starts on September 25 and runs through November 1. So, I ambled over to the park last Sunday to:

 

1. Squeeze in one night ride on the Big Bad Wolf in the front seat (excellent); and

 

2. See how the HOS preparations are coming along.

 

I also stumbled over a wee bit of a mystery. BGW has walled off a walkway that winds behind the Squire's Galley restaurant and up to the Forest of Fun. Why? Don't know yet--but I hope to find out.

. . . and curiouser. Is this for HOS? Christmas Town? Something else entirely? If I find out, I'll let you know. Or if you know you can let me know. That's all for now.

Curiouser . . .

Hmm . . .

OK, what's up with this?

Howl-o-Screaminess confirmed.

Looks like something rather Howl-o-Screamy is happening at the Royal Palace Theatre.

Hmm--somebody is either building a graveyard or starting a tomato patch here.

I wonder which fiend from the bowels of Hell will be taking residence this year?

This is the Drachen Fire station, aka Sleepless Hollow Manor and Grimm's Hollow.

"OK, come Sept. 25, we will be eating your brains!"

Giant stakes for killing giant vampires!

Drachen Fire's old barn hosted Tormented Tales last year--but what about this year?

Over the bridge to Germany. This was where the Beaten Path scarezone was located last year.

Not looking too spooky yet.

Hmm--just what is over this fence?

This was the home to Wicked Woods in past years, but I understand it's going to be something different this year. (It's behind Festa Italia.)

I took a ride on the "long legged one" to check things out.

No need to apologize.

Ah, yes--that magical time of year. If you're a zombie, werewolf, vampire, etc.

[Homeboy23]

Heh, I was there on Saturday night and walking from Apollos through Escape of Pompei to leave the park, I turned right at the railroad tracks to cut through that area just to see the wall there. And as I turned back around I got caught by the train.

[cfc]

The Last Day of the Big Bad Wolf

 

The Big Bad Wolf's last day got off to a rather dreary start--cloudy, gloomy, with a forecast of over two inches of rain for Williamsburg by tonight. But wild rides in the rain just seemed appropriate. Hell, I rode this sucker in the snow once. So I went to BGW to pay my respects to one of a vanishing breed--the Arrow suspended coaster.

 

It was pouring rain by the time I got to the queue (around 1:00). Labor Day crowds tend to be a bit light (Saturday and Sunday are the big days for this holiday weekend), but the rain kept quite a few people away, I think. The Wolf's queue house was about half full when I got there. It you wanted the sit any old place, the wait was about 20-30 minutes. (Only two trains were running--number 3 was out of commission.) But I wanted one last ride in the front--as did a lot of people--so my wait was about an hour. (This was pretty good, being as the line extended out of the queue house and down the bridge into Italy on Saturday and Sunday, I was told.)

 

The mood was a bit festive at times. The ride ops would ask riders for one last wolf howl, and the riders would howl away as the trains left the station. But people are going to miss this ride--a lot.

 

Still, as usual, Wolfie really delivered--it was great, damp ride in the front seat, floating over the woods, pouncing on and circiling the village, then plunging down to the Rhine River.

 

Big Bad Wolf, we'll miss you. But all things come to an end. Here's to the Wolf--and to the future.

 

And now, some rather dark photos of the last day of the Big Bad Wolf.

Goodbye, Wolfie--see ya on the other side! That's all for now.

That's a wrap. For me, at least.

Back to the station.

See? I told you.

There's a train in there somewhere--trust me.

"A-w-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!"

"Had enough yet? Well 'prosit' this!"

"Take that, ya leiderhosen-wearin', wood-choppin' yokels!"

"Growl! Snarl!"

"I'm gonna terrorize the crap outta these villagers one more time!"

"I'm still in charge here today!"

"Move over bumper cars!"

Woot! Woot! W-o-o-o-o-o-o!

A-w-o-o-o-o-o-o!

Here's our train--shall we go?

And here's the security guy who made sure that no one line jumped their way to the front seat.

Here's the line for the front seat.

And, yes, it's still raining.

Ol' Number 3 is out of commission already. It went down over the weekend.

The queue was only about half full today.

But this is who we came to see.

A nice beer or cup of coffee in the Festhaus is pretty tempting.

Nessie's OK with it, too.

A little rain doesn't bother this swan.

And, so far, the newspaper is correct (no thunder and ligntning, anyway).

Hmm--the forecast does not bode well.

Always start your day with a nice cup of coffee--from your official Big Bad Wolf mug. (I apologize for my unshaven, first-thing-in-the-morning mug in this picture. I hope no one was unduly traumatized.)

[printersdevil78]

Man, that is so sad. Big Bad Wolf was my first "grown-up" roller coaster on a high school band trip back in 1994. Back then I had no clue what an "Arrow suspended" was or that there were others like BBW on the planet. Today I'm an Arrow suspended fan who came along just in time for the "death rattle." R.I.P., BBW. You died so young, yet gave pleasure to so many.

[pkdcoaster]

Well I was there the last time she ran all 3 trains. I guess that will make up for not being there today.

 

Thanks for the update on the day Chuck. did you stay till the end?

 

JEFF

[cfc]

^I bugged out around 5:00, when it started raining again. Train 3 was, apparently, tagged "do not use," so I guess something went seriously wrong with it over the weekend.

[Guy T. Koepp]

I am so glad I got my first and last rides in on this bad boy before it hit the great coaster scrap yard in tha sky. Funny thing, I moved from the DC area 2 weeks before it opened, and finally rode it 2 weeks before it closed for good. It was indeed a fun ride. I'm sad my kids will never get to ride it.

 

But all good things must come to an end.

 

Guy "Can't wait for that custom B&M terrain flyer to be built in it's space. Yay for a pretzel loop over the Rhine River!" Koepp

[ebl]

As a big fan of Arrow suspended coasters, I'm ashamed to say that I never got to ride Big Bad Wolf and any other one except Ninja.

 

I really hope that some other manufacturer is willing to resurrect this concept as more and more of these coasters disappear. Despite being called an "engineering nightmare," it can be done.

 

Eric

[Philrad71]

Gahhh...so sad to see such a fun coaster retire, but I am glad I got to ride it one more time in June. I am really gonna miss this one!!!

[carolinacaniac]

I think this very well could be a huge mistake as it was a good transition coaster for kids to go from little coasters at other parks to the big kid rides. But I can certainly understand that it is a business and they have to do what they feel is best for the company. I am glad that I got to ride this bad thing a few times, and I am going to miss riding at the speed of fright!

 

-Gary "21 rides on the Big Bad Wolf in my lifetime" T.

[cfc]

I went over the BGW today to see how the Howl-o-Scream preparations are coming along. There didn't seem to be much going on where guests could see it, but I imagine there was quite a bit of work behind the scenes.

 

Here's a look.

You can still buy Wolf merchandise, though. That's all for now.

Pop quiz 3--What's missing . . . oh, you already know.

The Big Bad Wolf Memorial Stump.

Pop quiz 2--What's missing here?

. . . and the exit.

Here's the entrance . . .

They've covered BBW's station in lath.

Pop quiz 1--What's missing here?

Look like they making this poor horse dress up for Halloween a bit early.

They're selling Dept. 56 stuff in Ireland, too. I wonder if they'll sell 56's Christmas stuff later on?

Hmm--I wonder. Is this attraction closed to make the transition to the soft-core "Screw Hill," or are they putting an HOS maze in there? (This was the site of BGW's very first HOS maze 11 years ago.)

Now that is one big, honkin' pumpkin. "Frankenfood," indeed.

Yep--Jack's coming back to Ireland.

I know a few people who would probably keep this lamp in their living rooms all year long.

Hmm--seems that they're trying to unload a bunch of Masquerage shirts from last year.

And don't forget that Halloween merchandise. This is in the Festhaus.

The Grim Reaper is backstage, awaiting his cue.

How would you like to be on the tattered-rag-hanging detail?

This split-rail fence keeps getting bigger.

Looks like a bit more work's been done on the old Drachen Fire barn.

Of course, they have put up these uber scary wreaths! Oh my God! The horror! The horror!

. . . Christmas Town on the other.

They're handing out these flyers at the pakring-lot booths. Howl-o-Scream on one side . . .

[sugart]

Wow that left side of the park map is EMPTY. They better have something good up their sleeve.

[themeparkman25]

That map is depressing! It is so naked. I have never attended the halloween event at either BG park, but I imagine they are awesome.

[astromattical]

Great pictures, CFC - I'm guessing you're Chuck? Saw a few things I didn't come across on Saturday. I'm going to try to make it out there just about every weekend for the rest of the season as long as I can swing it, even if for only a few hours. This is the first season I've really had the opportunity to watch the progression from "normal" to "Howl-O-Scream".

[cfc]

^Yep--I'm Chuck. I started this thread to put all my BGW stuff in one place.

 

I found it interesting that BBW's station and queue remain on the map without the ride. Might not mean much of anything, but who knows?

[netdvn]

Seeing those BBW pics makes me really sad... But I can't believe what they've done to that horse! That seriously looks uncomfortable.

 

I really hope BBW's replacement is as good as if not better than BBW was. I'm gonna try and set my expectations high for what's ahead for Busch.

[cfc]

I spent a little time at the park yesterday, just to check out how Howl-o-Scream is coming along. Looks like Jack and his minions have been fairly busy, but they still have a ways to go.

 

Still, there seemed to be quite a bit of progress since last weekend. There had better be--HOS starts on Friday, September 25.

 

Here's a look.

Presenting the BACKSIDE OF DEATH! See you all at Howl-o-Scream.

The Jack banners are up.

Yep--that's what I figured.

They had sneak previews of "Monster Stomp" over the weekend.

Noted.

Werewolf! (Just a "wolf," actually.)

Aghh! More TERROR TWINE!

They've added quite a bit of detail to the walls they installed by the Royal Palace Theatre.

The wreaths in France are much scarier than those in England.

"The ribs you're eating are cursed! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

You never know what will be lurking behind it.

Behold the TWINE OF TERROR!

Hmm--they've been boarding up windows in Rhinefeld. I hope Hummel Boy is packing some wolfbane in his satchel.

The SHREDDED NETS OF HORROR have appeared in Pompeii's queue. Will they have their "Revenge" on you?

Still not sure what the story is behind the walled-off path--but they are decorating back there.

"We're adorable, yet terrifying!"

"I'm gonna haunt the hell outta the stroller parking!"

DF's old station is a mansion of vampires this year ("Bitten").

"In life, I was the barn of Drachen Fire, a cursed coaster! Now I bear the burden of 'Hunted,' a Howl-o-Scream maze!"

Beware the TENTS OF DOOM!

Looks like some scareactors in training behind Germany.

Coming along nicely.

From the train--looks like the witches are up to something behind Festa Italia (home of the "Cursed" maze).

The bones of a crazed Scotsman are, no doubt, buried here.

Graveyards are popping up in Scotland.

And there were festive Halloween garlands on the big clock.

England's fountain was fulla punkins.

"It's a Mr. Grim? Something about the reaping?"

[kidcoaster 2]

Great photos! Was there anything done to the wolf yet?

[cfc]

^They may have disassembled the trains, but I'm not sure (didn't see one parked in the barn). No sign of any new work, though.

[dammie16@vt.edu]

I'm a little miffed that they took out Masquerage but I guess it is better to get new then to keep old right?

 

Anyway thanks for the pics I'm going the weekend of the 17th so this helped shed some light on where they are doing their mazes this year, as well as exciting me greatly!

[cfc]

^I also liked Masquerage because it was unusual. It had a Poe/"Masque of the Red Death" vibe, instead of the usual evil clowns, vampire night clubs, etc.

 

But what I like about BGW's Howl-o-Scream is that they're sticking to the park's European theme (not shoehorning in unrelated stuff).