Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[Skycoastin Steve]

I rode Mach Tower today, thought it was a neat ride. The rotation on the way up is definitely a very cool experience, as you get an awesome view of EVERYTHING around the park, including a great bird's eye view of Verbolten construction. I only waited half an hour, and I thought the loading process was good, save for the fact that a couple of different times they handed out too many cards and had an extra person with no seat to sit in.

 

The drop itself actually surprised me, it was a longer free fall than I was expecting. Is the drop as good as the giant drop towers? No, but it still wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination. The vibrating seats were a nice touch, as well. The music didn't do much for me, just standard theme park cheese. I'll give them kudos for enhancing the drop ride experience, just wish the damn thing had opened sooner.

[BG Noeit Al]

Crows from England last year have been sighted next to Sesame Street. They are nicely spread out behind the fence behind the train tracks next to Pompeii and next to Groover's Alpine Express. Think we can expect them this year? Also, lights have been changed and ready for HoS.

[netdvn]

I don't understand why they have a tower that holds thirty riders and has a minute-and-a-half ride cycle. I'd rather ditch all the effects and wait in the much shorter line for Drop Zone, with its 56 riders and thirty-second cycle.

 

The effects have absolutely NO effect on the ride capacity whatsoever. The only thing that affects the ride capacity is guests not knowing how to folllow directions + the occasional guest that is too large/takes loose articles onto the ride. When done right, the line is constantly moving (even during the ride cycle time) because there are two loading areas.

 

My point remains, though. Even with 28 seats open, Drop Zone has a 30-second cycle. That puts the line as moving close to three times as fast as Mach Tower's, minus human error. Now, I've never been on Mach Tower, but I can't imagine that some music, spinning, and seat-shaking is worth the extra hour in line.

 

Drop Zone has a higher capacity, nuff said. You have a ride that seats 50 over a ride that seats 30, you're gonna have better capacity.

 

Also, this is where your logic fails. Don't judge the ride before you ride it. All the effects really add a lot to Mach Tower making it pretty unique. Plus the rotating gives a fantastic view of the park.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I can tell you right now, the line for Drop Tower does NOT move as fast as the Mach Tower line did yesterday. Not only do they load half of Drop Tower, they also take nearly five minutes per cycle. You spend more time sitting in the ride on the ground waiting on them to FINALLY finish checking restraints than you do actually riding the ride!

[DJeXeL]

^Sounds about right from my experience on Drop Tower when I visited KD last year.

[BG Noeit Al]

You guys still on Mach Tower??? Can we just get along and move on to Howl-o-Scream, Christmas Town, and the new 2012 Coaster?

[ernierocker]

You guys still on Mach Tower??? Can we just get along and move on to Howl-o-Scream, Christmas Town, and the new 2012 Coaster?

 

It's a discussion board, so as long as it is about Busch Gardens and not being annoyingly repetitive, talking about Mach Tower is just fine. I mean it IS the brand new ride by the way...

[b&mforever]

No drop tower does it for me freefall wise better than the good old now rare Intamin 1st Generation freefalls. That initial shock on those is so unreal.

[DJeXeL]

I prefer 1st Gen free falls myself. Nice airtime was had on FreeFall at SFMM.

[rollin_n_coastin]

The music didn't do much for me, just standard theme park cheese. I'll give them kudos for enhancing the drop ride experience, just wish the damn thing had opened sooner.

 

Oh come now, at least Busch has the best cheese music of them all that would totally make the climb up worth it. Listen to how great the banjo music in the France section works

 

I actually really wouldn't mind trying this one out as the theme and experience seems like it would remove some of the terror knowing that it'll be about to drop...kind of like the one at Morey's.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^In fairness, the banjo plays in the New France section, which is Canada, which has backwoods areas, which I guess can be connected to banjos.

[rollin_n_coastin]

^Although that tie-in makes it worse, I'm sure there is a connection there somewhere

[BG Noeit Al]

I think New France is probably the worst area of the park, seeing how it basically has nothing to do with Europe. Especially with all the indians and such. Plus, to them Alpengeist is considered in New France? How is a german-named beast even get to Canada? It is one thing that really drives me crazy. At least when they have a theme they go hardcore with it, sorta :/

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Isn't the Alpengeist entrance right where Germany begins, right after you cross the bridge out of New France?

[Synshine]

Weird, I always thought that was Switzerland.

[netdvn]

^ Because Switzerland is so well known for mining and timber?

 

Alpengeist is technically part of Rhinefeld/Germany, not New France.

 

But I have to agree with Al about New France being the oddball land in the park. That area looks nice and is well-themed, but it would go better as Switzerland or something instead of Canada, which isn't even part of Europe.

[Geauga Dog]

Considering the themeing in New France it would be hard to re-theme it as something else without doing a total makeover. The remake of Hastings into Killarney seemed to result in minimal change to building exteriors.

 

Spain has been long rumored to be the next country added to the park but I wonder if that will ever happen.

[XYZ]

They should've kept Big Bad Wolf and replaced the track with new Vekoma suspended track and have new Vekoma trains.

[cfc]

^Which would've been, technically, "replacing" the Big Bad Wolf.

[DJeXeL]

I'm still bummed I missed BBW by a year.....

Anyone know what they did with the parts? Sell them to a park with an Arrow suspended or scrap?

[Skycoastin Steve]

They should've kept Big Bad Wolf and replaced the track with new Vekoma suspended track and have new Vekoma trains.

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

[BG Noeit Al]

Actually, Alpengeist is considered to be in New France. After all they open up the coaster before opening Rhinefeld, Germany. Now if they used the bridge as the border, it would work out better. Sadly, they don't. New France needs to go and we need a get a new country to replace it. Does anyone have any suggestions? I hate having Spain as an idea. I think if they were to do Spain it would relate to Mexico too much. I would love to see Switzerland or even Holland/Netherlands.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Why not Poland? Or Liechtenstein? Maybe even Slovakia? Actually, I got it. Belarus!

[crazywolf88]

After looking at some BBW vids on youtube, I realised that NOTHING could replace the charm BBW had.

 

I really hope that BGW decides to paint Verbolten red.

[netdvn]

Actually, Alpengeist is considered to be in New France. After all they open up the coaster before opening Rhinefeld, Germany.

 

Mach Tower technically opens with San Marco/Festa, but it's not part of Italy.

 

Considering the themeing in New France it would be hard to re-theme it as something else without doing a total makeover. The remake of Hastings into Killarney seemed to result in minimal change to building exteriors.

 

I was thinking about giving the area a complete overhaul (replace the log cabins with Swiss Chalet-type buildings instead). The only thing remaining would be the flume, the train station, and the scrambler, which could be part of a ski resort-type theme to compliment Alpengeist.

 

A Spain expansion would go beyond Oktoberfest into the former Festhaus Park/DF area, under the train tracks and continue toward the park's boneyard. There's definitely plenty of room to fit a coaster (hoping for a high-thrill GCI/GG woodie or another launcher).

 

Festa needs to be overhauled too, especially after the Oktoberfest upgrade. They should add a few more Italian-based themes instead of opting for a generic carnival theme outside of Rapids.