Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[ernierocker]

^That's a good sign that the ride will open up very soon!

[cfc]

^If so, I'll definitely head over to the park to check it out.

[SharkTums]

^Please let us know Chuck! Can't wait to see your report and review.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Dammit. I might have to wait till Monday to do this.

[cfc]

According to the Amusement Wire, the ride is having a "soft opening" today. I'll head over there after work.

Edited August 18, 2011 by cfc

[Schotcher]

Opening was AMAZING! Line was no longer than 10 minutes. And they have a very efficient way of loading riders on. Though there were some delays (A lot of people got off after harnesses were locked, which means they had to reset the harnesses), the view was amazing. The drop itself was amazing. The seats shake a little and it stops for a split second and then you drop. Amazing Airtime (Obviously). Great ride. Definetley something to try next time you're there.

[Saldek]

Some video footage of Mach Tower with riders today.

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2011 by ernierocker

[ernierocker]

Well they got the ride open by mid-August, that's not so bad, right???

 

Seriously though, ride looks great!

[Saldek]

^My money was on a Christmastown opening!

[paiging_jen]

That does look fun, and drop towers scare to poo out of me (although I'm getting better, especially after the NE trip). And I'm sure the views it provides are spectacular. Actually looking forward to trying this one out at some point, probably next year.

[cfc]

In line for Mach Tower, but it just broke down for an est. 30 minutes. Stay tuned.

[Plasmasonic]

Whoa it takes a looong time to get to the top! I'm pretty sure I would be freaking out all the way up even more than during the actual drop haha!

[bejackso]

Whoa it takes a looong time to get to the top! I'm pretty sure I would be freaking out all the way up even more than during the actual drop haha!

 

wow no kidding, this ride cycle is gonna be looooong. does anyone know how much shorter this tower is than the one at KD?

[T-BONDIcoasterkid]

59 feet I think.

[coasterfreak101]

A 75-second climb for a two-second drop? Seems quite disproportionate. Drop Zone gives me a 30-second climb and a full five seconds of dropping.

 

Hopefully the shaking and the music features make this thing good.

[DiSab]

I've never understood why these drop towers begin braking so early. I mean, the brakes kick in around the middle of the tower, and by the last quarter, it's down to the constant speed it hold until the bottom. Is there any reason why they are braked so early?

[Moose]

It's been two hours, I wonder if Chuck has made it on yet.

 

The brakes do seem to engage very high on this tower which probably increases the climb time since it has to fight the pull that much longer. As far as why they go so high... Don't really know, perhaps a more gentle stop?

[ernierocker]

^He just posted on the TPR Facebook that he had! Can't wait for his review!

[RomanHORSEman]

Well so much for my Verbolten opening first prediction...

[Schotcher]

A 75-second climb for a two-second drop? Seems quite disproportionate. Drop Zone gives me a 30-second climb and a full five seconds of dropping.

 

Hopefully the shaking and the music features make this thing good.

 

Music is like Pompeii, it cuts out when reached to the top like when a CD is scratched. The shaking is more like vibrating, but the I think it adds a punch to the drop. The cycle is very efficient but as I said before sometimes they let people off the ride and you have reset your harness, which gets annoying if it happens more than once (it does). They hand out tickets at the turntable, Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green. You stand in the same color square as the color of your card (It's like a Four Square box) and direct you to the section of the car to sit in. Very fast, a bit odd, but it works. And the Ejector Air is all worth it. If the brakes didn't start where they do, I don't think a lot of people could handle it. Very unsettling at the bottom of the drop.

 

On a different note, Oktoberfest really ruined my day. The new buildings really ruin the beauty of everything and make it all fake and cartoony. Also, anyone else notice Griffon's efficiency has really gone down? Or was that just me?

 

Oh and edit: I think the Ejector air depends on weight. The lighter you are, the more air you get!

[cfc]

I got back from BGW about an hour ago, and here's my take on Mach Tower. I had to wait about 45 minutes or so, thanks to two breakdowns--after a drop, the carriage (or whatever they call the thing that hauls the passenger seats up the tower) tended to get stuck in the same place on the way down. After a few tests, the technicians seemed to have it ironed out, and it worked smoothly after that. I rode it twice before I headed home.

 

Although in terms of sheer "punch" I have to give the edge to KD's Drop Tower, Mach Tower, thanks to the additional gimmicks Busch and Moser have added to it, is a fun ride and a good fit for Oktoberfest. What really makes this ride, at least for me, is the rotation on the way up--no one has a "bad" seat and everyone gets a great view. This will be particularly nice when Verbolten opens next season. You get great views of Griffon and Alpengeist, too.

 

The music (a bit of Beethoven, I believe) is a nice touch. The vibrating seats are "interesting." (I guess this is the only drop ride equipped with "Magic Fingers.") The vibrations did seem to surprise some people, but I can take or leave them, myself. But at least you know that when the "butt massage" ends, the drop begins.

 

The drop provides a nice thrill with some good airtime, but without being too intense. This seemed to please some of the more apprehensive riders. A number of people commented that the drop was fun without being too scary for them. Call it a "family" drop tower.

Mach Tower through the trees on the way from Italy (where I had cannelloni for dinner).

Just in case you forgot why I was here.

There was a steady stream of people, but breakdowns aside, operations were pretty efficient. The public seemed to enjoy the ride, too.

When you reach the turnstile, you're given either a red, blue, yellow, or green card.

Here's mine. There are not baskets or cubby holes to put your loose items, but if you place them at your feet, they'll be waiting for you. Your seat always ends up in the same place where it started, despite the rotation.

The color on your card corresponds to the color of the decal over your seat--simple, eh?

Hmm--I'm guessing these tape boxes are just temporary.

It goes up.

It comes down! Yay, it works!

Being as this was a "soft opening," there was some tweaking yet to do.

I'll leave you with some purty lights in Italy.

[Moose]

Thanks for the review Chuck. Sounds like a goof addition to the park! Seems like a complicated boarding procedure.

[SharkTums]

^LOL yeah, pretty sure this boarding procedure is going to be too much for your average theme park tourist!

[Skycoastin Steve]

The boarding cards are a bit strange, did they say that was going to be permanent?

 

I also worry about people placing lighter items like hats directly under the ride. Big drop towers create a lot of downward/outward wind and it could blow stuff all over the place. But I guess as long as the stuff stayed within the ride area, it wouldn't matter. Just glad to see it's finally up and running.

[cfc]

I didn't ask, but the whole "boarding card" thing looked temporary to me. Guests, for the most part, seemed to be doing OK with it.