Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

Is Mach Tower topped off?

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Verbolten > Cheetah Hunt

Verbolten > All of the generic Cedar Fair names

I think Alpengeist is far from smooth off the tounge, but it's still an awesome name.

I couldn't agree more with all these statements.

^^Is it just me who thinks it's kind of...ugly?

^ It kinda looks big and bulky, somewhat out of place???

^Absolutely agreed. And the solid blue, and that shade of blue, just aren't doing it for me. And yeah, it just looks bulky.

In my opinion,this thing is ugly and the way the tower was made is ugly I think as well. Also I think this is going to be an boring drop tower,but I could be wrong.

Oh wow, that blue is awful and I must agree the tower is very bulky looking... Poor Oktoberfest! Hopefully it gets a kick-a$$ coaster next year to make up for the odd renovations it went through this year. The colors they are painting Oktoberfest seem like colors I should see in the Grove at KD, not in a German themed area of a park.

^The official colors of the state of Bavaria (where Oktoberfest is officially held) are blue and white, so how does the color scheme of this ride not fit in with the theme?

In my opinion,this thing is ugly and the way the tower was made is ugly I think as well. Also I think this is going to be an boring drop tower,but I could be wrong.

So, the drop tower will be boring because it is ugly or do you actually have some other explanation for your reasoning???

^I guess he was refferring to the fact that it was only 240ft tall. But I think at the top, we'll barely notice a difference.

But I do agree that the tower is very ugly

I think the tower looks OK, particularly in the long shots as it rises over the trees. Personally, I don't think it looks worse than other drop towers I've seen (KD's could sure stand a paint job, great ride that it is), and the rotating seat platform should be a nice touch.

A view of the construction site as of today.

Am I the only one that thinks it looks perfectly fine? I think it fits nicely both up-close and in the skyline of the park.

I highly doubt the tower has been topped off. Tivoli has the same model. See video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQR7s8dIrLg&feature=fvwrel

Also, these towers have a very cool light display at night. To me this looks a lot more interesting than the more common Intamin drop tower.

Am I the only one that thinks it looks perfectly fine? I think it fits nicely both up-close and in the skyline of the park.

I like the color blue, I'm with you that it looks fine. Definitely fits the "Oktoberfest" color scheme, so I don't see what the problem is. The Gawdawful color schemes of the Drop Towers at the former Paramount properties are FAR uglier.

Hmmm ... the color works and also blends with the sky well, but I can't help to feel the structure looks too mechanical.

It looks clunky. Looking at the Tivoli videos, the overall look isn't aesthetically pleasing. Basically, everything at Busch has a refined look. Intamin does a great job with aesthetics on their towers. Even S&S has a nice feeling to it. Up close, this sticks out like a sore thumb.

It isn't finished, so maybe they will attach covers and refine the feel of the seat ring. The mechanical tower look most likely won't change

I grew up at BGW. I'm glad they finally have a drop tower. It just looks carny vs. everything else.

Am I the only one that thinks it looks perfectly fine? I think it fits nicely both up-close and in the skyline of the park.

I like the color blue, I'm with you that it looks fine. Definitely fits the "Oktoberfest" color scheme, so I don't see what the problem is. The Gawdawful color schemes of the Drop Towers at the former Paramount properties are FAR uglier.

I don't see any reason to complain. I am kind of annoyed people ALREADY judge it before even riding it. I DO how ever wonder as of watching the Youtube video of the Tivoli version. Will BGE's version stop at the top before dropping or will it get get up there and just drop. I know BGE did say there are MANY surprises in store for it.

From what I've seen so far, the tower looks fine.

The ride isn't really finished yet and the ride is supposed to have Oktoberfest's white stripes down the side and a yellow piece on top (at least according to the park map). But from what I've seen so far, it doesn't look bad at all. At least not bad as KD's gaudy (and faded) Nickelodeon color-scheme at least.

I'll have a better look at the tower later today when I'm at the park, but so far it looks great from a distance and in pictures.

Verbolten >>>>>> Generic CF and new Blackstone names.

Hmmm ... the color works and also blends with the sky well, but I can't help to feel the structure looks too mechanical.

 

It looks clunky. Looking at the Tivoli videos, the overall look isn't aesthetically pleasing. Basically, everything at Busch has a refined look. Intamin does a great job with aesthetics on their towers. Even S&S has a nice feeling to it. Up close, this sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

It isn't finished, so maybe they will attach covers and refine the feel of the seat ring. The mechanical tower look most likely won't change

 

I grew up at BGW. I'm glad they finally have a drop tower. It just looks carny vs. everything else.

I couldn't agree more.

Intamin: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/1835403518_9abb3e7039.jpg

S&S: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/16-doubleshot.jpg

Moser: http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/6883/picplz20110429000018841.jpg

Moser's version feels much less refined than the Intamin and S&S versions. I really hope BGW has something up their sleeves to make this thing look better...

DarkStitch, it will stop and spin for a bit before it drops. The seats are also supposed to vibrate (that was the big surprise).

^"Less refined" than an S&S Double Shot with its exposed pipes and hoses? Hmm--I have to disagree with you on that.

Face it, folks--they're all big poles. Let's see what else BGW has in store for this ride.

It seems to me that everyone is complaining about the hexagonal shape of the tower vs the round intamin and the latticed S&S.

I know for a fact that the drop tower isn't complete:1)the plastic protector at the top 2)the brakes are positioned too high up which would mean that if it is in fact complete, it would have only 50 feet of drop or so.

Sad news from the park.

Tristan, a Clydesdale colt born at the park on April 5, has died of a bacterial infection.

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/04/first-colt-born-busch-gardens-dies-illness

^Yes, I was sad to hear that, too. I'd wondered why he wasn't in the stable last Sunday.

It seems to me that everyone is complaining about the hexagonal shape of the tower vs the round intamin and the latticed S&S.

I know for a fact that the drop tower isn't complete:1)the plastic protector at the top 2)the brakes are positioned too high up which would mean that if it is in fact complete, it would have only 50 feet of drop or so.

I was at the park yesterday and made some observations.

The tower isn't hexagonal in shape, it's actually round like the Intamin towers... The brakes on the sides just make it look that way.

The tower itself dominates the Oktoberfest skyline. It looks like just the brake sections are up right now and the tower already goes over the trees. Hopefully this doesn't mean that the brake sections take up a good portion of the ride.

I'll be at the park today (no pictures though) to note any progress.

Those attached plates and especially those clamps create the mechanical and flat 6 sided look. It looks carny. Yes, they are big poles, but this is the first big pole I felt looked bad. It's magnified even more being based in BGW! I think that's why I've expressed my opinion. It's BGW. If it were Six Flags, carny works.

S&S Towers look great due to their lattice design. It's like Intamin box track. The structure looks good from an architectural standpoint: architect or GP. They don't feel mechanical and clunky.