Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

[nemesis-storm]

I'm personally pretty 'hyped' about this coaster, even more so than when SheiKra was first announced.

 

It's the parks first coaster since Apollo's Chariot & I'm sure it will pretty darn good.

 

To all those people moaning about it *just* having 2 Immelmann inversion's. Compare it to the 'Grand-Daddy' of the B&M Dive Machines, 1 certain coaster called Oblivion & then say Griffon doesn't do much

[cfc]

 

Hell, I am thrilled BGW is getting SOMETHING!!!!

 

JEFF

 

Well, Jeff, looks like I got my dark ride in 2004, and now you're getting your coaster in 2007; actually, I think we both win here.

 

I think Griffon is going to be great. Heck, I loved Oblivion at Alton Towers, and it's just one big drop into a mist-filled pit.

 

The only complaint I would raise, oddly enough, is the loss of the LeMans Raceway, which wasn't my thing but was good for families. Maybe this classic car ride will return in some other form elsewhere in the park (Bonfante Gardens' car ride would be a good model to follow). BGE could use another good attraction or two for kids (and I'm speaking as a bachelor without kids).

[Imhotep]

Pkd coaster they probalbly have 5 trains like sheikra since the layout is somewhat similar.

 

To all the people that are hating on Griffon, have you rode Sheikra. Sheikra is an amazing ride and i know Griffon will be even better just becuase its longer and is uses terrain.

 

Maybe better because of the terrain, agreed.. But the ride time doesnt seem any longer than Sheikra. And if you want to get technical, Sheikra has an 80 ft advantage in track length over Griffon, but really it doesnt matter though. its the subtle differences that will make this ride unique anyways.. The 10 across seating and floorless trains are enough of a change to me. Maybe they wouldnt mind sending one of those bad boys down to tampa

[AennilQ]

I dunno, It looks like they are missing a couple golden opportunities with the design of this. First- it seems like the track is shooting over a path at the bottom of most of the drops. At the bottom of the first drop, it pulled up over the path, when it seems like that would be the perfect place to go shooting into a tunnel. Same with the bottom of the second big drop, it just doesn't seem to fit in with the terrain there. Maybe some houses next to the track like Montu.

[TheArchfiend]

Meh, this is no Aqua Trax but I guess it is okay.

 

Seriously though, this coaster cancelled my plans to go to BGE this summer. I can't wait to ride a dive coaster for the first time next spring/summer.

[DPdragon]

I'm excited they're getting a new coaster too... Busch Gardens doesn't have as many thrill rides as Kings Dominion but when they finally add something they go all out. I'm glad I live close to both and am looking forward to riding Griffon next year!

[easytoremember]

I dunno, It looks like they are missing a couple golden opportunities with the design of this. First- it seems like the track is shooting over a path at the bottom of most of the drops. At the bottom of the first drop, it pulled up over the path, when it seems like that would be the perfect place to go shooting into a tunnel. Same with the bottom of the second big drop, it just doesn't seem to fit in with the terrain there. Maybe some houses next to the track like Montu.

 

Actually it goes directly under a path after pulling out of the first drop

[DATman]

BGE puts in a 20 million, 205 ft, floorless dive machine and all some of you people do is complain???!!!! Why would anyone in their right mind complain about this sort of thing? They do not have to put in a coaster AT ALL. Yet, when they do, pople whine because their ideas are better. I don't see anyone crying about the SLC clones, or the Impulse coaster. But, I guess it's pretty lame when a theme park does have a mildly original ride, that improves on one before it. What on earth was BGE thinking? Some of you people are way too picky. A coaster is a coaster. No one is complaining about all the kiddie rides being built around the world, so why complain about a large coaster? Honestly....

 

 

 

I can't wait to ride this, as I love the layout, and it is more possible for me to get on this than Sheikra. It will be a HUGE draw to the park, and something that will be an awesome addition. Besides, as Wes said, it has two yays!

[NitroRider]

BGE puts in a 20 million, 205 ft, floorless dive machine and all some of you people do is complain???!!!!

 

Indeed. I am totally psyched about this ride, mainly because its like only 120 miles away from me and they named it after me!

[apollo210]

WOW! The ride lookms betterm than I expected! Airtime hills, two immelmans and the vetical drops! This should be a huge hit with guest! Too bad I'm not going to BGE next year.

[TheArchfiend]

I'm so digging the color scheme on this ride. That blue track will totally compliment my eye color in the onride photo. But I'm sure you all thought that as well.

[stormrider]

I'm guessing that this $20 million is better spent than the $25-30 million for X. But Busch has the operations (beer) that can back up their purchase, just like how Disney spent a cool $100 million for a somewhat short ride as well. But short or not, it's an easy way to get families on a thrilling coaster without a crapload of inversions.

 

And I wonder, I heard rumors of ten seat wide, floorless trains before the announcement and how the hell did they get the info in the first place? I thought there wasn't supposed to be employees giving out info

[niiicolaaah]

So yeah... I'm quite excited for this one. BGW is definitely on my 2007 wishlist.

[commander jigga]

Oooohh, Busch is cool now. It has TWO inversions.

[TheArchfiend]

May I just add...

 

Who gives a sh*t how much this ride costs. Why is that even addressed at all be it good or bad compliments towards this coasters cost?

 

It could cost ten dollars or ten billion for all I know and I wouldn't care to ever look it up or ask of it's cost.

 

I like pie.

[ECZenith]

I for one, am very excited about Griffon.

 

YES, it's similar to SheiKra, a much improved version with some unique twists. This is what B&M provides as a product... what else do you expect them to do with the concept? This looks like it's reached the limits of what can be done with a dive machine thus far.

 

Busch deals with B&Ms for most of their big coaster projects, don't expect Intamin megacoasters to spring up just out of nowhere...

 

A presumably better dive machine half the distance away, I'll definately take it.

[CoasterFanatic]

Personally, I think that if they put in an EXACT clone of SheiKra that it would still kick ass.

 

Some of you are forgetting that less than 5% of the patrons will actually ride both.

[TexTitan01]

OH MY GOD!!

 

This looks amazing, I can imagine the 3 seats on the side will be incredible, since you basically are hanging over the track, they mightaswell call these wingwalkers. However that wouldnt be politically correct, so we'll just call it Kick-ass Floorless Dive Machines.

 

Man, this is combining the best of both worlds here, I've been on a floorless coaster, and even in the 2 middle seats, its still a rush being able to see the track beneath your feet; and when you throw in 90* drops, there isnt anything beneath your feet

 

Hey Robb, since we are taking a Mid-America trip next summer, would it be at all possible to potentially plan-out an East Coast trip sometime aswell? Because between the 100 years of Hershey, this, and the already world-class parks that dot the coast, I dont think it would be a bad idea to set something up, I'd definately go if anything becomes solid. Just my 2 cents

[Screamomatic]

I'm interested in how the Trains will look. I can imagine that they will weigh tons so I'm wondering how they will support that with the trains being floorless... Maybe a supportive I Beam?

[Angry_Gumball]

Being a floorless, how is the retractable floor setup going to work? As you know, normal floorless retractable floors kinda sink into the ground as they open up like doors. Are these just going to slide open as these trains are a whole lot wider than your normal floorless? (like the sliding doors you find at store entrances)

[willski]

^I wondered the exact same thing. Also, how are they going to tier the retractable floors?

 

 

 

 

 

---doesn't understand why people think SheiKra is so great---

 

 

 

It looks ok, not great not bad. I see maybe one airtime hill, and very little terrain use. It's no Boulderdash here folks, it just gets close to the ground.

 

 

And with that, I'm done with Griffon until it opens....

[easytoremember]

---doesn't understand why people think SheiKra is so great---

 

 

 

It looks ok, not great not bad. I see maybe one airtime hill, and very little terrain use. It's no Boulderdash here folks, it just gets close to the ground.

Of couse it is no boulder dash! It is a dive machine, which by nature go high in the air then take a dive, then go up and take another dive. It is not trying to interact with the terrain like boulder dash does. That is not what busch gardens is aiming for, and I don't think busch had the terrain to make it like boulder dash. Just becuase it isn't something out of nolimits like Beemerboy said does not mean it wont be good! I liked sheikra a lot, and I am not sure if this one will be better or not, but it looks good to me. I just dont get why everyone is ripping on it because it is resembles Sheikra's layout and doesn't utalize the terrain like you would in a video game.

 

John"Sorry if I was ranting" H.

[okinawaboy11]

VERY cool.

 

I wish I could see a Vertical Loop on a Dive Coaster but I would imagine it would be almost impossible due to the 10 people wide rows...

 

 

Hehehhehehe...Dive...SMACK!

 

 

Anyhwho cant wait.

[kennywood!007]

Already got the awesome coaster as an Avarar Guess I'm a fanboy! Oh well. I should hopefully be going on this next sumer.

[mforce79]

The end seats are gonna be very awesome on this ride.

JEFF

 

I couldn't agree with you more. I think we're gonna be fighting over those front row end seats all next year. Even on a regular floorless the front row ends sorta give you a feeling like you're hanging over the edge... this will be so great.

 

I also can't believe how many people seem dissapointed in this announcement. For one, it was strongly rumored all season, and two... anyone who visits Busch Gardens on a regular basis would be satisfied with any type of coaster, but something of this magnitude is very exciting news.

 

Can't wait for late spring (fingers crossed for an earlier opening though, Busch always has their rides finished on time).