Busch Gardens Williamsburg TR 4/25/09

[B-RadG]

I stayed from 12:30 to about 5:30.

 

I got to ride Alpengeist once, Loch Ness Monster twice, Big Bad Wolf once, and Apollo's Chariot once. Quite an interesting day, a broken/rough B&M, a broken Arrow, and numerous stackings of all three trains.

 

So first thing we went to was Loch Ness Monster, I convinced my mom to ride it again, and after waiting about 45 minutes we hear the lift stop and see no trains popping up to the brake run (we were in the little hallway between the station and the queue building) and people flood out, we get to the station and the operator says it's having "minor technical issues" and will be down for 2 hours. So their was a train on either lift and one in the station, due to the excessive heat of 95 degrees, they took water to each train stuck on a lift.

 

I go to Alpengeist and notice that at the top of the lift it stops. I'd waited 20 minutes at that point, and there was a point where you could exit the queue without pushing through people. I get out and when we walk under the lift it starts again. Fml. I decided I'd ride it later.

 

We say screw it, and head over to Big Bad Wolf, I also convinced my mom to get on this. She remembers riding it back in 1984 with my aunt. We waited probably 40 minutes for this, and we got the very back car. The crew wasn't consistent, for a while they'd have the trains moving quickly, and other times they'd have all 3 stacked. It was a little bumpy, but not headbanging, just bumpy. Nonetheless it was incredibly fun, my mom held her tongue and actually enjoyed it. It also has 50,000 signs saying "25th Anniversary 1984-2009" throughout Oktoberfest. The station recording is "The Big Bad Wolf turns 25 this year, enjoy traveling at the speed of fright"

 

After that my parents go and get something to eat in Italy and I wait for Apollo's Chariot. The employee said it was an hour wait, but I got on in about 45 minutes. (Every single queue was full, the switchbacks included) I notice a train stop on the lift and was about to get pissed, but then I hear the operator say "Before the ride continues we ask you please secure all loose articles" (in other words- some clown had out a hat, camera, phone, etc) The crew here was amazing, as soon as one train got off the lift another left, and no stacking was involved. I get on and the new recording is "Hold onto your seat as this amazing roller coaster turns 10 this year." Let me say the back row on this coaster is absolutely spectacular. You get flung out of your seat so much.

 

I head back to Loch Ness Monster, see a ghost train and the queue filling, I figure why not and go ahead and get in line, I waited maybe 5 minutes, since it just opened. They've taken the "Celebrating 30 years" of the front of 2 trains, the fact sign out of the station, and the 30th Anniversary sign off the entrance. The crew here was also really good, they got all 3 trains out quickly and before another one would get to the brake run. This seemed to be running better than it was last year, and it also seemed to be running faster. It was very fun, and still remains my favorite coaster. After I get off I deem it necessary to re-ride, and wait about 15 minutes this time. I rode with these 3 ladies from New York, and one of them was absolutely mortified, she was screaming the whole way while we laughed at her.

 

I go back to Alpengeist right before we leave, and let me say it was horrible. I waited an hour to be banged around like an SLC would. I really didn't enjoy it. The crew was really slow, the operator would wait probably 3 minutes before locking your restraints. So needless to say I didn't like it. It was rough was the main thing. It shocked me how much I hit my head.

 

So after that we leave, go to one of the malls, and come back home.

 

I didn't ride Griffon or Grover's Alpine Express, due to lack of time.

[Eric_Smith]

I noticed the Alpengeist banging last year too. But I didn't know if it was because the park had just opened that week (it was the couple of weeks BGW was open for spring break last year). Another reason I think that the ride was bumpy for me, is that I was riding trains by myself or 4-5 other people that were in other rows. Can a park regular tell me if Alpengeist is always rough, or was it just my experience?

 

Other than that, sounded like you had a good time!

[B-RadG]

It's usually been rough, the few times I've ridden it it's not been smooth for a B&M.

[netdvn]

Alpengeist wasn't too bad for me the last few times I rode it (last year). It's currently my number 1 coaster. It seemed forceful and smooth for a 12 year-old coaster but that may be because Alpengeist is the only B&M invert I've ever ridden.

[Speeddeamon128]

Nice TR. Too bad things weren't working right. Alpengeist is my #3 steel roller coaster is it really rougher this year? I've always thought it was smooth.

[bgeguy]

I wouldn't necessarily say that Alpengeist is rough, although the back can be sometimes. With it's massive size for an invert, it's very forceful, but with a case of the B&M rattle.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Alpengeist has always been on the rough side, and when I say rough side I mean two spots cobra Roll, and transition into the MCBR. Other than that its a great ride.

[Kingbooba]

I went yesterday (Friday) for a school field trip and they weren't too busy at all. The longest line I waited in was probably for Griffon (both times). 10-20 minutes both times I rode it.

[justint87]

Oh good, I wasn't the only one. When I went on Alpengeist, I too thought it had some spots that were a little rough. I only been on it twice and what seem to always stand out when I think back about the ride is the rough part on the cobra roll. There was another part too but can't remember, maybe the transition into the MCBR as said before.

 

Don't have much to compare to though as the only other B&M inverts I been on are Montu and the Dueling Dragons. However, this is still a top five coaster on my list.

[cfc]

The roughest part of Alpengeist has always been the cobra roll (never had a problem with the rest of it though). The operations have been "off" on this ride for a few seasons.

 

I was there for a few hours on Saturday night, and the place was hopping (the music festival was still going on). It didn't start to clear out until after 8:00, but I did sneak in some night rides on Apollo's Chariot, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Loch Ness Monster. Griffon had a 45-minute line at 9:00.

[montezooma]

I head back to Loch Ness Monster, see a ghost train and the queue filling, I figure why not and go ahead and get in line, I waited maybe 5 minutes, since it just opened. They've taken the "Celebrating 30 years" of the front of 2 trains, the fact sign out of the station, and the 30th Anniversary sign off the entrance. The crew here was also really good, they got all 3 trains out quickly and before another one would get to the brake run.

 

They run 3 trains on Loch Ness? With three trains running shouldn't the trains interlock in the loops automatically?

[B-RadG]

No they had it so that it wouldn't interlock.

As soon as one completed the first drop another would leave the station, and somehow it was timed from there on so that they didn't interlock.

[coastergirl26]

I love Alpie, Its my number 1 steel coaster. the only roughness I get from it(and I have ridden it 4 times THIS season) is in the cobra roll, and the brake run. Other than that no roughness at all to me, and always ride in the very back.

[B-RadG]

I rode in the second row, the cobra roll, the quick snap back to flat before the MCBR (this was worst), the zero-g roll, and the corkscrew all hurt just a bit.

[bgeguy]

Actually, there are quite a few B&M inverts that have hard snaps into the block brakes or final brakes. Look at Raptor's turn into the final brake, I've heard that it's worst than Alpie's.

[BuschSchoe]

I head back to Loch Ness Monster, see a ghost train and the queue filling, I figure why not and go ahead and get in line, I waited maybe 5 minutes, since it just opened. They've taken the "Celebrating 30 years" of the front of 2 trains, the fact sign out of the station, and the 30th Anniversary sign off the entrance. The crew here was also really good, they got all 3 trains out quickly and before another one would get to the brake run.

 

They run 3 trains on Loch Ness? With three trains running shouldn't the trains interlock in the loops automatically?

There usually is one train loading in the station, one on the first lift hill, and one either on the second lift hill or entering the second loop.

[coasterer]

I was there Saturday as well, and rode Alpengeist for the first time. I don't remember rough off the cobra roll so much as an insane amount of power and forces, but there was that snap into the MCBR. But even so, it became my number one steel coaster out of over 100. I absolutely loved it.

[netdvn]

Strange everyone thinks the cobra roll is the roughest part of the ride because I've always found the cobra to be one of the more-intense parts.

[Capitalize]

Alpengeist has always been on the rough side, and when I say rough side I mean two spots cobra Roll, and transition into the MCBR. Other than that its a great ride.

 

I wouldn't call that "rough" really. Just very forceful, intense transitions. After a ride or two you are better prepared for what is coming. I always found Alpie to be a good ride because it was just smooth enough while still having enough forces to be an intense ride.

 

Actually, there are quite a few B&M inverts that have hard snaps into the block brakes or final brakes. Look at Raptor's turn into the final brake, I've heard that it's worst than Alpie's.

 

Very true, imo. The final turn on Raptor has more of a whip to it then Alpie's MCBR turn.

 

I guess it all depends on what you like. If you want to ride a coaster that will toss you around a little bit in the inversions, you'll like Alpengeist.

[snowboard83]

Yeah, I completely dismiss any claims of Alpengeist being rough. I personally love the transition into the cobra roll. That snap takes your breath away. Who rides a coaster with a limp neck anyhow? Thats just asking for a hit to the head, on just about any coaster. Alpengeist is no rougher than it used to be in my opinion. My #3 coaster out of over 160, and by far my favorite invert.