Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[CoasterNerd87]

Platinum Members only 3/4. All members 3/5, 3/6, and 3/11 - 3/13.

[redfoot12]

I'm heading to Busch Gardens tomorrow for Pantheon.

Any other Platinum holders going?

[anonymouscactus]

As suspected, I just read that when the line finally dies down and everyone uses their one ride, they opened the queue to rerides later in the evening since no first time riders were around anymore and trains would have been empty. Not to say it will always happen, but just an FYI

[coasterbill]

PSA: It's going to be 81 degrees and sunny tomorrow and they have 3 coasters open to the public plus Pantheon one time for certain guests and a bunch of understaffed food booths.

It's going to be an apocalyptic shitshow of epic proportions and I want to let everyone know right now that if you show up on here Sunday night or Monday complaining that you went and had a miserable time I'm going to laugh at you... hard.

[thrillseeker4552]

I'll be here for the first time on April 9th and 10th - after *almost* visiting in 2019 but opting to wait for Pantheon instead. Didn't think it'd be 3 years...

Fingers crossed the rest of the coasters (or major ones at least) open by then. It is a weekend during one of their spring break weeks but given how the park is operating now I am not holding out hope for everything to be perfect.

[VegasBaby]

15 minutes ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

I'll be here for the first time on April 9th and 10th - after *almost* visiting in 2019 but opting to wait for Pantheon instead. Didn't think it'd be 3 years...

Fingers crossed the rest of the coasters (or major ones at least) open by then. It is a weekend during one of their spring break weeks but given how the park is operating now I am not holding out hope for everything to be perfect.

I'm headed to the park soon after you on April 15th, so I am hoping everything is back open by that time as well!

[teacherkim]

17 hours ago, thrillseeker4552 said:

I'll be here for the first time on April 9th and 10th - after *almost* visiting in 2019 but opting to wait for Pantheon instead. Didn't think it'd be 3 years...

Fingers crossed the rest of the coasters (or major ones at least) open by then. It is a weekend during one of their spring break weeks but given how the park is operating now I am not holding out hope for everything to be perfect.

 

16 hours ago, VegasBaby said:

I'm headed to the park soon after you on April 15th, so I am hoping everything is back open by that time as well!

We will be there on 3/31 &  4/1, a Thursday and Friday, will post a report on what's open for you

[CoasterAuditor]

Pantheon is fantastic!

Rode it Friday during the previews six times.  It was cold but very worth it after all those years waiting and looking at that intamin beauty sitting in its field.  The backwards section is not to be downplayed.  I had never quite encountered "backwards launching ejector airtime" before until Pantheon and now it's all I want.

But yeah the ride is great, the Zero G Winder has nice hangtime.  The small outer banks transitioning to the launch track are pretty fun and funky, then when it gets to the swing launch it really picks up the pace and when you start going backwards from the top hat the ride just starts going bananas for a minute.   The spike is really tall and you certainly realize that in the back car.  The small airtime hill on the backwards pass and the final pass is FANTASTIC with ejector air time.  Some minor air at the top of the top hat.  The drop is great nothing too wild but still fun and steep enough.  The large outer bank turn is very floaty and funky but not quite what I was expecting in terms of forces when I first saw it, I chalk that up to the fact it was in the 40s when I was there but I still found it really fun which is really all that matters.  The stall is fun feels more extended and sustained than VelociCoasters and has head choppers but in terms of forces largely the same.  Then the head chopper under the drop is a very cool visual and the small wave turn at the end is a great way to end the ride with a bang.  

I certainly enjoyed Pantheon, new BGW king for me for sure.  The ride is rather bare bones in terms of theming/presentation and there is certainly a smell of cow poop as you cross the bridge but at the end of the day in the grand scheme of things I didn't consider it much different than Apollo's Chariots set up and just let it go.  I prefer VelociCoaster personally but as an attraction that ride is tough to beat.  You could make the argument if you stripped both coasters bare that Pantheon is better for sure but unfortunately for Pantheon, VelociCoaster is not stripped bare and covered with Comcast $s.  Overall Pantheon is fantastic and worthy of a visit to BGW alone.  I can't wait to ride many times this summer.  

[boldikus]

49 minutes ago, CoasterAuditor said:

and there is certainly a smell of cow poop as you cross the bridge

[bg12345]

Hello!

 

I was hoping to attend the park (first time, but have been to BGT) this upcoming weekend. However, I noticed that a decent number of the roller coasters (Alpengeist, Griffon, Tempesto) are listed as "temporarily closed" on the park website. Does anyone know if this is accurate and if there is any timeframe for when they might open?

 

Many thanks for any help

[coasterbill]

It's accurate. They open the coasters for the season when they feel like it. There's absolutely no real schedule.

[disownedpear]

Looks like they've recently announced on the website that Alpengeist and Tempesto will open this weekend. So all coasters except for Griffon by the 25th!

[prozach626]

I went to a homicide training/seminar last week. Long story short, one of the incidents involved parents pushing their deceased infant through the park in a stroller, knowing he was dead. True story.

Enjoy your next visit. Cheers.

[AmyUD06]

7 minutes ago, prozach626 said:

I went to a homicide training/seminar last week. Long story short, one of the incidents involved parents pushing their deceased infant through the park in a stroller, knowing he was dead. True story.

Enjoy your next visit. Cheers.

Dude...just...wow.  I've heard and seen the same (or worse), but there's still never any words.

[njcoasterguy34]

Just when you think you've seen/heard it all...

[teacherkim]

On 3/17/2022 at 6:25 PM, njcoasterguy34 said:

Just when you think you've seen/heard it all...

Oh that isn't even close to seeing it all, you should talk to the guidance counselors and school resource officers that have to make home visits to students in rough neighborhoods. 

[Invertalon]

Be at the park in a few weeks, somewhat hoping the height limit goes bye bye or gets modified by then... As it stands, no chance for me with it's current silly limit of 6'3"...

Why is it that a brand new ride opens with such a stupid height limit? I am 6'6" and have been turned away from only one single ride in my entire life (Green Lantern at SFMM!). Been close on a few, but never denied. Even KIDDY COASTERS!

I could ride Taron, Velocioaster and other similar rides without issue... But this one, nope.

Really dumb. Oh well... Don't look nearly as good as the others, anyway   But honestly, there is no reason why Intamin could not design this thing in such a way that allows for people that are in the mid 6ft range to ride a modern day adult attraction.

[boldikus]

It's 6'4, not 6'3, not that that helps you at all.

And unless they alter the supports under the first drop (that create that wicked little headchopper moment), they are not modifying the max height requirement for this thing.

[Haymaker]

2 hours ago, Invertalon said:

Be at the park in a few weeks, somewhat hoping the height limit goes bye bye or gets modified by then... As it stands, no chance for me with it's current silly limit of 6'3"...

Why is it that a brand new ride opens with such a stupid height limit? I am 6'6" and have been turned away from only one single ride in my entire life (Green Lantern at SFMM!). Been close on a few, but never denied. Even KIDDY COASTERS!

I could ride Taron, Velocioaster and other similar rides without issue... But this one, nope.

Really dumb. Oh well... Don't look nearly as good as the others, anyway   But honestly, there is no reason why Intamin could not design this thing in such a way that allows for people that are in the mid 6ft range to ride a modern day adult attraction.

Id try it anyway, let them tell you youre too tall

[Invertalon]

Oops, thanks for the correction! And yeah, still plan to try... Cant hurt!

But the fact that Intamin has a height limit due to that support, which could have been designed to be non-issue, is just so... Intamin.

[anonymouscactus]

7 hours ago, Invertalon said:

I am 6'6" and have been turned away from only one single ride in my entire life (Green Lantern at SFMM!).

Lucky.

Edited March 25, 2022 by anonymouscactus
Full disclosure I've never been on the ride, but know enough about it...

[Invertalon]

Yeah... I'm sure! Given how much I hate the S&S freespins, I really don't mind missing out.

[grsupercity]

21 hours ago, Invertalon said:

Be at the park in a few weeks, somewhat hoping the height limit goes bye bye or gets modified by then... As it stands, no chance for me with it's current silly limit of 6'3"...

Why is it that a brand new ride opens with such a stupid height limit? I am 6'6" and have been turned away from only one single ride in my entire life (Green Lantern at SFMM!). Been close on a few, but never denied. Even KIDDY COASTERS!

I could ride Taron, Velocioaster and other similar rides without issue... But this one, nope.

Really dumb. Oh well... Don't look nearly as good as the others, anyway   But honestly, there is no reason why Intamin could not design this thing in such a way that allows for people that are in the mid 6ft range to ride a modern day adult attraction.

Don't some inverts and SLC's have a height limit of 6 foot 6?

[bill_s]

I noticed the new recorded ride spiels at SFA last year for Superman and JJ stated height not as a minimum, but as a range "to 76 inches" or 6'4". Though it didn't affect me, I was surprised. Could become widespread. The limit may not relate to, and preceded Pantheon's head-chopper support. 

[thrillseeker4552]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but does the 50% off QQ for Platinum holders apply to all parks? I have a Florida Platinum pass and am going to BGW in 2 weeks and wondering if my 50% off QQ applies there. I know the parking, admission, and retail discounts apply there but my single-use daily QQ ticket does not apply, so this was a gray area. Thanks for any info!