Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[King]

Yeah, I don't get why people have such a big problem with clones when they're good rides. I'd understand the complaining if BGW was getting a low-quality clone like a Boomerang or a Volare, but from what I've heard, S:UF at SFDK is a great ride, and I'm sure that this coaster will be great too. After all, isn't that really all that matters?

 

I wish B&M would clone Kumba...Please clone Kumba!

[VF15]

-People are out here bitching about getting a "clone" of a ride which only has 3 other copies in the entire world.

 

- People commenting on a ride they have never ridden

 

- People thinking they can play the role of park GM.

 

Yes this sounds about right for an enthusiast forum. Every needs to calm down and enjoy the fact that BGW is adding a new quality attraction. BGW isn't known for making boneheaded mistakes when adding rides, so I highly doubt this will be a dud. We don't even know all the details yet without the announcement. Who knows how they are theming it with landscaping etc. Busch knows what they are doing, have faith.

 

Yep, this bickering is starting to get old. I feel like lot of enthusiasts are setting the bar way too high when it comes to new ride expectations. Just because this coaster is a clone (which really isn't that common) doesn't mean it can't potentially be great. Even if BGW was getting a clone of El Toro or Outlaw Run, I'm sure there would still be plenty of complaining.

[Nozzy]

 

I'll start off by saying that this is definitely a strange move by the park. Comparable to their other coasters (and others across the chain), it seems like a cheap impulse buy. Whether it be to draw in some attendance, boost pass sales, or for some other unforeseen reason, I do not know. I stand firm in my belief that Festa Italia always has been, and probably always will be the bastard child of Busch Gardens. This ride seems to be taking that one step further.

 

 

Hmm--considering that Festa Italia is already the home of both Apollo's Chariot and Roman Rapids, I'm don't agree with your "bastard stepchild" comment. I'm am curious to see how the area will look once the new coaster is finished, though.

 

I'm thinking maybe he means that it doesn't quite mesh with the more classically themed areas throughout the rest of the park?

 

To me, Festa Italia has always seemed to be a carnival atmosphere, which I believe was the original intention- the Roman gods are having a grand old time and whatnot. I think the colors look fine (though perhaps after being a student at Bucknell and Virginia Tech I've become used to the pairing of orange with random other colors) and are fitting for a brightly colored area. The location practically on top of Apollo seems cool for the views. It's gonna look crazy, that's the point- now that it's gone vertical I can see how it will be so visible from the parking booths, which is great- I already get hyped up pulling in and seeing Apollo, this will add to it.

 

I'm much more disappointed with how Darkastle and Roman Rapids have trashed their original capacities by not running as they were designed than I am at any currently theoretical issues in the new rides capacity. Sure, it'll have huge lines next year, and hopefully will have lines for years to come cause everyone enjoys riding it.

 

I think the most confusing part of all this for me is that we're getting a roller coaster. They are not ripping out a classic attraction. They are taking up next to no land. We aren't building a ride that will prevent us from getting an existing Intamin version that would actually break down less and have better capacity. And best of all, they are ripping out that atrociously gaudy water wars that I associate with Farmer Brown's mini-golf, yet from the moaning seems that people prefer this in a "world class theme park" to an actual ride.

 

Anyway, I'm excited for this.

 

I'm also excited to share some more of my mediocre photos from Christmastown yesterday. I don't know if the rainy Saturday played a part but it was PACKED! I arrived at 2:30 and had to park in Italy, and they ended up using the overflow Scotland lot as well. Luckily for me I was content to walk around adoring the lights, riding Verbolten, and check out a really cool candle shop I had no idea existed in New France. Plans to check out the Festhaus menu were thwarted by the huge line to get into it, but I enjoyed some donuts, wassail, and cinnamon cranberry pretzel. The park was busy enough that at around 8 they extended the closing time to 10 PM, though the crowd had really thinned out by then. It's a nice gesture, but when the main attraction is shows, and extending the hours doesn't make any new showtimes I'm not sure how much it helps. Glad to see the event is so successful though, and hoping they can figure out ways to expand the offerings to be even more awesome next year.

With Santa managing the construction I'd say we're in good hands.

So pretty from the outside. I wasn't waiting 2 hours to party with Santa again though.

Do you wanna eat a snowman?

So much lights.

Reminds me a bit of Tangled's lanterns, which is awesome.

Still impressed at the festive Peppermint Swirl.

Happy Christmas!

A lovely evening in the gardens.

[cfc]

Festa Italia represents a festival in honor of Marco Polo's journey to China, which is why it has its colorful, carnival-like atmosphere. I agree that it could use some "freshening" up, as the park did with Oktoberfest and Ireland (it used to be called Hastings and had more of a "medieval" England feel to it).

 

I ate at the Festhaus last Friday night, and it was mobbed then, too. I think I'll sample their holiday fare at another restaurant this Friday.

Edited December 9, 2014 by cfc

[DrachenfireOP]

I'm much more disappointed with how Darkastle and Roman Rapids have trashed their original capacities by not running as they were designed than I am at any currently theoretical issues in the new rides capacity.

 

Just out of curiosity, what did they do to trash their capacities? DarKastle isn't a ride I really enjoy, so I haven't really been on it since 2006/2007 (though I rode it a LOT in 2005/2006), and no one in my family ever wants to go on Rapids. Did they change something on those rides in the last few years?

 

Also since Hastings got mentioned, maybe I'm just being overly nostalgic, but I really preferred Hastings to Ireland

Questor really hasn't been topped by any of the motion simulator rides since. Corkscrew hill was ok, but I remember thinking that it was lacking in comparison. Europe in Air and King Arthur's Challenger were both... yeah it doesn't even need to be said.

I also really enjoyed the shooting gallery there when I was younger, LOVED Thread Needle Fair (which I'm guessing is gone due to liability reasons. Some of those games were a bit dangerous!) And lets not forget the best feature BGW ever removed, the monorail that led straight to the brewery tour!

 

And speaking of removed rides and old school Festa, I wonder whatever happened to The Sea Dragon? It was a rather thrilling flat ride that used to be where the Apollo station is now. I've never seen a ride like it anywhere else in the world. I know Gladiator's Gauntlet got sold to a park in spain somewhere, I wonder if the same happened to the Sea Dragon?

 

Here's a video if anyone forgets what it is/never saw it and is curious

[cfc]

I agree with half the statement regarding the operations of Roman Rapids and DarKastle. On the former, the park now brings three rafts into the station, then stops the loading turntable (rather than running it constantly, as in the past)--this really slowed down the loading time. As for DarKastle, I haven't noticed any real issues with operations and wait times, except that they rarely use the double unloading station (although they still load two sleds at a time on most days).

[coasterbear30]

^^I have seen that ride at a couple of other parks. I am almost positive that Carowinds has one in their kids section. I think I may have seen one at WOF too.

[cfc]

Ah, the Sea Dragon--that was a fun ride (and I'm not a big fan of flat rides). Gladiator's Gauntlet was good, too, but it had a number of mechanical issues.

Edited December 9, 2014 by cfc

[Keetz]

It's funny, a few months ago I was looking at an aerial view of BGW to try and determine where they might fit another coaster. Let me just say, at the base of AC was not anywhere on the list. It's quite clever how they figured out that they can fit an awesome new ride in such a small space. I'll be making a return trip in the spring

 

They didn't take up any valuable real estate, and BGW gets a new coaster, very smart move in my opinion.

[Gnome]

^ thats what Im saying. The only impact it will make is to the park's operational budget.

[DJeXeL]

Gladiator's Gauntlet was good, too, but it had a number of mechanical issues.

 

It was a Vekoma flat ride!! What was to be expected?!?

[cfc]

^Learn something new every day. Didn't know it was a Vekoma creation.

[DJeXeL]

^Vekoma's off-the-shelf name for it was "Canyon Trip."

 

The Rack @ Camelot:

[youtu_be]http://youtu.be/WBAv8S6M83o[/youtu_be]

[cfc]

I thought it looked like a giant taffy-pulling machine.

[DJeXeL]

^I agree!

 

[youtu_be]

[/youtu_be]

[AstroDan]

My god.

 

Of all the rides I expected to see in this thread, The Rack at (defunct) Camelot was not it!

 

I remember riding that around 2002.

[Jcoaster]

I was just thinking, with all the talk about how awesome the ride will be to watch from Apollo's lift hill.....Imagine they were able to put the Zero-G or some of the track around the lift hill?

[DrachenfireOP]

Wow, that video brings back some nostalgia of the sounds that thing made! Very distinct sounding ride for sure!

 

You aren't kidding about the mechanical issues on that thing either! I'm pretty sure the only year I went on Gladiator's Gauntlet was 1992 (I think it was only in the park from 1990-1992). I may have rode in in 91' and forgot about it. Anyhow, of my one or maybe two years of rides on it, I got stuck on it twice, saw it stuck many other times where I wasn't on it, and one time we were stuck up in the air for over an hour >< That had to be 92' because the compensation the park gave us was Drachen Fire swag. I'll have to go digging to see if I can find the hat I got from the ordeal!

 

Also, the ride is supposed to unlock at the center and and have both sections flip upside-down laterally, which is why it had OTS restraints. Thankfully Busch decided not to let it do that since they were already having so many issues with it. I also had no clue it was Vekoma!

[Nozzy]

I'm much more disappointed with how Darkastle and Roman Rapids have trashed their original capacities by not running as they were designed than I am at any currently theoretical issues in the new rides capacity.

 

Just out of curiosity, what did they do to trash their capacities? DarKastle isn't a ride I really enjoy, so I haven't really been on it since 2006/2007 (though I rode it a LOT in 2005/2006), and no one in my family ever wants to go on Rapids. Did they change something on those rides in the last few years?

 

Also since Hastings got mentioned, maybe I'm just being overly nostalgic, but I really preferred Hastings to Ireland

Questor really hasn't been topped by any of the motion simulator rides since. Corkscrew hill was ok, but I remember thinking that it was lacking in comparison. Europe in Air and King Arthur's Challenger were both... yeah it doesn't even need to be said.

I also really enjoyed the shooting gallery there when I was younger, LOVED Thread Needle Fair (which I'm guessing is gone due to liability reasons.Some of those games were a bit dangerous!)

 

As Chuck said, they essentially don't use the turntable as a turntable, which frequent stops and running around. I only occasionally ride, partly due to weather but more due to the long waits to get on, followed by a good chunk of time sitting waiting to unload. I may have been overdramatic concerning Darkastle (perhaps it's contagious) but the dual unload station isn't used, which I've seen make running both load stations pointless (the first sled is gone before the second has advanced from unload). Anyway, my main point was supposed to be I'm excited for the new ride.

 

I never got to visit the park before 2005. I'm curious what was Thread Needle Fair games were like? Thanks for posting the video.

[DarienLaker]

Was the Thread Needle Fair games an arcade?

[cfc]

^Threadneedle Fair was the home of a bunch of "medieval themed" carnival games, such as "Whack a Toad." The saucy staff there would taunt players and passers by. It looked like a mini Renaissance faire.

 

^^I understand what you mean about waiting to get off the Roman Rapids. I've sat on that lift, soaking wet and shivering, a few times, myself.

Edited December 10, 2014 by cfc

[coastercoaster5]

I recently rode S:UF for the first time and it was fun I guess, but nothing exceptional. MUCH prefer Yolocoaster like a million times more. Weird choice by park.

[DrachenfireOP]

Like Chuck said, Thread Needle Fair was like a mini renaissance fair. It started after where the Abby Stone Theater is now, basically all throughout where the wildlife sanctuaries are now. It ended just before France, where on the left (walking towards France) was a bird show where they had birds doing fun tricks (including riding roller skates, and one that sang showtunes from musicals) and on the right was the station for the Monorail to the Brewery.

 

Probably my favorite (but most dangerous) game they had there was a log role game, where you had to shimmy sidewise across a spinning log. I never saw very many people get all the way across, and even though there was padding, falling still wasn't fun. (Same reason they closed the children's play area that used to be under the log flume that had a giant moon bounce/ball pit etc.)

 

Also, many moons ago the Catapult was indoors and in Hastings! It was later moved to Festa Italia inside the tent that is now a a food stand, before being moved to Oktoberfest where Mach Tower is now, and Mach tower finally saw it moved back to New France. Before Katapult was in Oktoberfest, the Waveswinger was there, and where the Waveswinger is now, was one of those old Octopus traveling carnival rides.

 

Honestly, the only things there before 2005 that you really missed out on were the Wild Maus (which obviously you can still ride at Tampa) and Drachen Fire (which I'm sure PLENTY of people will tell you, you weren't actually missing out on all that much if you didn't want to take a beating, but I obviously loved that coaster!) I really miss Le Manns badly, but that didn't go away until 2006.

[DrachenfireOP]

Sorry to double post, but that same user I posted a video of earlier has some really neat things in his channel!

 

He has a video of Loch Ness back when the trains could still do a double looper

 

Alpengeist before the netting was put up to catch loose articles

 

And some nice Drachen Fire off-ride footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUTlu6prv30&list=UUa_yjubvOkgu46H6DVz8Tog

[mike541x]

Back when Alpengeist used to haul ass and didn't try to make you go deaf climbing the lift hill.