Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

P. 467: Media Town Hall Report

Recommended Posts

A Stroll Through Howl-o-Scream 2019

 

Busch Gardens kicked off Halloween a little early by opening Howl-o-Scream last weekend. This is the 21st year for the park's annual haunt. Much of what they did during last year's event is still in place, but there were some noteworthy changes.

 

For example, the event's old icon Jack, who returned to HOS last season, is playing a bigger role. Like last year, he has his own "No Escape" room--Jack's Twisted Terror. But his old show, Jack Is Back, has returned to Ireland. Yes, get down and boogie with Jack's stilt-walking scarecrows to ABBA and other disco music from the 1970s. It's definitely a family show, and guests seem to love it. There's a photo op with Jack after the show, too.

 

Fiends is no longer playing at the Abbeystone Threatre. Dr. Freakenstein, Igor, and his naughty nurses have instead taken up residence in the Vault: Overtaken maze in Germany. Speaking of mazes, Cornered (also in Germany) is gone, leaving six mazes. Here's how they stack up (from best to worst):

 

Distorted Dimensions--a dimensional vortex has scrambled reality in old Sterling Manor. Bizarre creatures now roam a "Wonderland" version of our reality in search of victims (Germany in the old DarKastle building).

 

Dystopia--a new world order of cyber people have risen after the Apocalypse, and it demands your total obedience. This maze tells a pretty good story, and I like the "cyber monsters." It could use a better finish (Italy, Escape from Pompeii).

 

Lumberhack--an old lumber camp is full of undead woodsmen with chainsaws who hunger for your flesh! This one was pretty weak last year, but now boasts a bit more action (Germany, entrance on the left of the Festhaus).

 

Vault: Overtaken--this one is a mishmash of old HOS mazes and icons from past year. It made sense during the 20th anniversary last year, but seems a bit off (too random) for this year. The stuff with Dr. Freakenstein is the best part--maybe they should've given him the whole maze (Germany, old Drachen Fire Station).

 

Frostbite--this "ice castle" maze has never quite worked, and this is the third time they've redone it a bit. It really needs a strong villain to hold it together, but they did throw in a new big monster this year (Germany, DarKastle building).

 

Circo Sinistro--this creepy circus maze was a bit weak, but it usually gets better as the season grinds on. Last weekend, it was a bit blah and not much happened in the tents (Festa Italia near the Roman Rapids).

 

I was a bit surprised that the Terror-tories (scare zones) were better than some of the mazes this year. There was more activity, and monsters, than in past years.

 

Shall we go in? This will largely be a tour of the Terror-tories, with a look at the shows and the Pantheon construction site. Follow me.

001.thumb.jpg.6d6fc3b2f3cd831e16be5ba374dca2d1.jpg

This Grim Reaper gets around. He was on the road to the parking lot one year, and also spent some time in France.

002.thumb.jpg.2134d1b9decf5ac1fc0085c1e4e33abe.jpg

Looks like the Red Skull found a new gig. Hail Hydra!

003.thumb.jpg.74c6d4ec66483b6fdb7f1350c5ae0a94.jpg

Sheesh! How careless, leaving your body parts just anywhere.

004.thumb.jpg.ab3ae9ccbc9abd2d49df92e1c510a079.jpg

Ripper Row is not quite open for business.

005.thumb.jpg.86a8b18e124f1614d1ecb45b2fab2777.jpg

Is he now?

006.thumb.jpg.278d9b4dfcf775938f83c822c9459522.jpg

Oh--there he is!

007.thumb.jpg.df379edb099b763f2db63cb90a5ffe38.jpg

And he's brought a few fiends, er, friends with him.

008.thumb.jpg.e515bccfde051aa567590338225b56cf.jpg

All will boogie in Ireland under pain of death!

009.thumb.jpg.b704e31f79ffa9437d3c740563ea63f1.jpg

Night Beats: Revamped is a jukebox show in the Festhaus (mostly 1980s-90s stuff).

010.thumb.jpg.6fcec7194eb39f7feffdd269081b42dd.jpg

The maze formerly known as Cornered.

011.thumb.jpg.6906994fb69c702fb643b185659e112e.jpg

Get yer HOS merch here!

012.thumb.jpg.ee3d2ba4b526bb5ffa3c2c6029f69334.jpg

Aw, aren't they adorable?

013.thumb.jpg.ffafcd40a2d8dfe3314073f116f82028.jpg

Teenagers can use this shirt in lieu of a costume when trying scam Halloween candy.

014.thumb.jpg.2a3dea9cd1e25f2656a6e713ad732116.jpg

The path to the Garden of the Souls (Italy).

015.thumb.jpg.f12346e0fa54187958113883d86bfd85.jpg

Here's the soul of an old Italian gondolier. He even speaks to you in Italian.

016.thumb.jpg.ba38a3c6d1046b85d864da865d17b511.jpg

Another lost soul.

017.thumb.jpg.29c9c91b9cc25948d9436b0cb4fa8038.jpg

OK, is everybody clear on which way to go?

018.thumb.jpg.957ada85cb8640eb6cd930c1b43453e6.jpg

Welcome to Sideshow Square in Festa Italia.

019.thumb.jpg.4e27495de252bb4c7b8a8bd845759696.jpg

Not even the park staff is safe from the evil clowns!

020.thumb.jpg.33403033d483c0d16025ac2a70f46e02.jpg

"Ya wanna bite of my sucker? It's soooo good!"

021.thumb.jpg.2a6b95319b83f9bd8fc04f89568a0f66.jpg

Shall we have a look at the Pantheon site before it gets too dark?

022.thumb.jpg.a10cce7b301c0ca3a868aa00fc312aab.jpg

The Festa Italia train station was closed for a few weeks, but it's open again. They ripped out all the plants behind this construction wall, though.

023.thumb.jpg.fc9b6d0c4facd3650f4fb25d81eb9ec1.jpg

They also cut this path in the hill on the other side of the station.

024.thumb.jpg.b2461858c301c352c6caaa9a4533ab20.jpg

Here's a closer look at it.

025.thumb.jpg.fe728bc63aa3ad7b81915ea495174f97.jpg

A big crane in the sunset.

026.thumb.jpg.c3a20d6cdb4a9b9c70885d0edc7da0c4.jpg

Lots of dirt . . .

027.thumb.jpg.94ce668a9238d167bc76cae70f92add1.jpg

. . . and lots of footers, which look kind of spooky in the dark. More to come.

Edited by cfc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great "startup stroll" through this event, Chuck! And I would rather see t-shirts like that on some of the local teens who pass by on The Night for candy. They don't even try, at times. A Haunt Shirt would definitely improve things, heh.

 

And nothing like (somewhat) fresh dirt to bring a smile to a coaster fan.

 

Looking forward to continuation of the same good stuff from ya.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let's stroll through the Terror-tories as it gets dark, shall we?

028.thumb.jpg.baf6d28cbe96239c8092c0e166b9000b.jpg

The sun sets on the Rhine River, and HOS takes on even more terror . . .

029.thumb.jpg.d690dfb197ccc931993c2d8b777f2acb.jpg

. . . with some cuteness.

030.thumb.jpg.fc333c93048a657929534d32a6cd6883.jpg

Looks like trouble brewing on Ripper Row.

031.thumb.jpg.a586d79e3729501a986ca8c4e6e54d5f.jpg

Yep--the Ripper has been busted! Or has he?

032.thumb.jpg.4cc281a4d2e825de28d735c4382639f9.jpg

I like the lighting in Ireland.

033.thumb.jpg.43a9b691967e7d0ecb1162a9f566f925.jpg

Jack has redecorated in his own fashion.

034.thumb.jpg.9f79cdbd02ae8f3a4ddfb70159c0ea74.jpg

This is the Control Bar, where you can trigger scares at various places in the park at the touch of a button--for a fee, of course.

035.thumb.jpg.659af22028b95f345e625406bd6c5a1d.jpg

One must be careful when walking from Ireland to France.

036.thumb.jpg.95e9878c076fa9a62c4667d1e98eb901.jpg

There are werewolves . . .

037.thumb.jpg.21493ce24333cfe2ba6147eedd2e9507.jpg

. . . and the Dreaded Blue Fog of Doom.

038.thumb.jpg.fec71458801dc6e2df0c40b609b70b75.jpg

France is the home of the Fool's Court.

039.thumb.jpg.d340af13128a3fae69fa73d90b7de8f9.jpg

"Why aren't you laughing? I'm a fool!"

040.thumb.jpg.052c4253491647d45849bd69315b4ef2.jpg

This is a scare-and-party zone.

041.thumb.jpg.2d401e7a043e207808a3b34548cb360f.jpg

This fool is ready to party with you . . . to the death!

042.thumb.jpg.b1a054a0d5d963941ec78d0a3791444c.jpg

Angry Viking spirits haunt Axe Alley in New France.

043.thumb.jpg.d6b08bbe4d7e33ce9a5a3f614db22ce1.jpg

Nice job parking the boat, Sven!

044.thumb.jpg.ea21283f0397de699e12cf2c0febf1f8.jpg

Er, I hope this isn't "Sven."

045.thumb.jpg.c00dcbc0ed005a920ee1ad54cbeb7c17.jpg

"Oh, Sven is gonna have your head--bet on it!"

046.thumb.jpg.4d3ba6478951a7321c9b0abe66cd37ab.jpg

They have some flexible bloodsuckers in Vampire Point (Germany).

047.thumb.jpg.f08fd3fbd691c646a829ae1a9c0a8093.jpg

I like the little projection show on the "No Escape" rooms building.

048.thumb.jpg.3e8322cd41e27aa2b750526dc841ceac.jpg

Hey, no smoking over there! Ya wanna burn the place down?

049.thumb.jpg.dbf089220f7eff501a3e8480d878acdd.jpg

The Garden of the Souls path is creepier after dark.

050.thumb.jpg.8fcc9a54a6caba4879268a73f24cdbbd.jpg

Ghostly bride and groom.

051.thumb.jpg.0e6f0fc694d92f0ad99c092ddcb7e5f5.jpg

Time to head out.

052.thumb.jpg.3bbd48f0f20c9f010b39fe84aa1f56ae.jpg

Be sure to come back on October 2 for Monster Stomp on Ripper Row . . .

053.thumb.jpg.8b7fc33bb46f49b39f5e72beb98b71da.jpg

. . . er, or not. Thanks for reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tampa's event is significantly better in my mind but Williamsburg puts on a very, very good event for a regional park.

 

It's not an "upcharge" event in Williamsburg (unless you spring for Quick Queue, of course), so it doesn't have the scale of the Tampa version. But it adds a fun dimension to a fall day at the park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Track pieces for Pantheon has begun to arrive onsite at Busch Gardens Williamsburg! The park has shared this first look on its social media channels:

 

 

BGW1.thumb.jpg.bfd26006be50d810529ac6e8b70494ba.jpg

BGW2.thumb.jpg.77a8d43e205ddc62ab6d2ab3dbeb8352.jpg

BGW3.thumb.jpg.46910a6fc879b5e2c2edce19580ab516.jpg

BGW4.thumb.jpg.5bd397658eb910c0c860e7c57e80a95c.jpg

 

And a couple I took through a fence on Sunday when we were down at the park. You can see it very well from Apollos lift, and even a little bit through the trees from the Verbolten bridge.

 

BGWJB1.thumb.JPG.489e71d3b0b55ebefc9af893bde22439.JPG

BGWJB2.thumb.JPG.dd728a38b1110377b218e5ddcba44410.JPG

Edited by jedimaster1227
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So excited to watch this coaster grow!

 

I wonder if the new track has been swarmed by wasps yet...

 

With how in touch they are with animals of all sorts I'm surprised they haven't treated Griffon with some sort of repellent this time each year. That has to exist right? And they're wasps. Wasps bad, bees good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if the new track has been swarmed by wasps yet...

With how in touch they are with animals of all sorts I'm surprised they haven't treated Griffon with some sort of repellent this time each year. That has to exist right? And they're wasps. Wasps bad, bees good.

 

We missed Griffon by like two trains on Sunday. Probably around noon we went to ride it, were @ the ride plaza taking photos of it/putting our crap in a locker when the ride went down for the day due to the wasps. We ran over to Alpengeist and then Apollo as Bill read online its a problem on those too. We made it on both but were literally rolling through a swarm of wasps at the top of each lift. Apollo was much worse than Alpengeist but still terrifying in both instances. I can't imagine the slow roll around the top and then being held there on Griffon with that many wasps flying around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Project 2021: 355 ft giga?

 

https://wydaily.com/local-news/2019/08/07/supposed-leaked-documents-give-insight-into-busch-gardens-possible-plans-for-355-foot-attraction/

 

Documents obtained by a fan group of Busch Gardens Williamsburg indicate there could be another roller coaster — possibly a giga coaster — on the way in 2021.

 

A group of coaster enthusiasts who, in the past, have predicted other rides based on documentary evidence, believe the leaked documents to be authentic.

 

A Busch Gardens spokeswoman said the park would not comment on its procedures on how to handle confidential information, including whether the park tries to find the source of the leak.

 

 

A request for confirmation on whether the documents are authentic was not immediately returned Wednesday.

 

The fan group has not published the documents themselves, but instead released an article with recreations of the plans.

 

The group believes Project 2021, which obtained a 355-foot height waiver in June from the James City County Board of Supervisors, will be a roller coaster that uses the former station building for coaster Drachen Fire.

 

Drachen Fire was shut down in 1998 and later disassembled.

 

“… we’ve seen something that strikes us as legitimately extraordinary,” the group administrator wrote in the article.

 

In the article, the administrator wrote the document would be the best fake “the industry has ever seen,” if it turns out to be a sham.

 

If the ride is a coaster, it could be an “absolutely monstrous giga coaster” because of its 355-foot height waiver. The documents show trains will have four cars each in a two-by-two formation, according to the group.

 

Busch Gardens officials have previously said the coaster will be spirelike at the top and be about 10 feet wide at its highest point.

 

“Putting all of this information together, assuming this document is to be believed, it seems that we could be looking at a speed-focused, launched giga coaster of some sort debuting in Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Festhaus Park area sometime in or around 2021,”

 

They closed the article by imploring readers to remember park plans and rides can change during development.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is actually really old news now. There's updated info released by the same site that leaked that info, and it's all very legit, and very clearly for a roller coaster. It's possible that the 355 foot height waiver won't be the full and total height of the coaster, but it also seems very likely the highest part of the coaster will be close to that height, and has been described as "looking like a knife blade" from the closest nearby community. In other words, it's very possible it's just a top hat element like Red Force, but with more to it than that, and TTD and KK have.

 

Personally, I'm hoping for the tallest traditional lift hill giga, but honestly, suspect that's not what it'll end up being. Either way, it's going to be an awesome addition, and yes, SEAS parks are absolutely KILLING it right now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, everybody settle down, please. The height waiver has been knocking around for a while and is a matter of public record. The link posted earlier is from a local e-newspaper reporting on the rumor, so we're allowing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/