Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW BGE) Discussion Thread

My understanding is that it was open at least one weekend (when it was rainy and a bit warmer). Just keep checking the temperature, but don't get your hopes up.

It's annoying, considering extending BGW's season made sense 4 years ago when I could still be wearing a t-shirt in December. Now, it's the coldest, snowiest "autumn" I've remembered.

^If only BGW had perfected its weather-control machine. This has been a colder-than-average December for Virginia.

BGW's FaceBook has stated that Griffon will not operate for the remainder of Christmas Town due to weather.

Disappointing, considering its hovered around fifty degrees the last couple of days.

^It may not be worth the trouble to keep a crew handy to run Griffon if the temps are just going to drop like a rock. According to weather.com, the high temps in Williamsburg will probably peak at 43, then drop into the 30s again from now through Christmas.

Note that the highs are during the day. Christmas Town runs at night.

You know, that new launch coaster could be the new project Maure Sohne was talking about. Well just have to wait till april to see was that project is.

You know, that new launch coaster could be the new project Maure Sohne was talking about. Well just have to wait till april to see was that project is.

While that's possible, I think it's an extreme long shot. Considering Busch's patterns for adding rides in the last decade or so (Montu '96, Alpengeist '97; SheiKra '05, Griffon '07) it would only make sense that Busch would strike a deal with Intamin to add two coasters, one to each park.

I just hope Blackstone knows what they are getting themselves into getting a new concept coaster BGT and potentially BGW. Intamin doesn't have the best record with new type rides. (TTD, Kingda Ka, Maverick, StR) Still surprised Formula Rossa opened with no prob.

^Personally, I'm glad they're trying something different, rather than just another B&M, whose rides are fun, but getting to be a bit interchangeable. The Big Bad Wolf, while not unique, was certainly different from what most parks offer. Why not try something "new" to replace it?

^^Also, Cheetah Hunt is basically iSpeed and Maverick with a different layout (full circuit sitdown with LSM launch). Maverick uses LSM's twice. So it's more of an expansion of an existing ride concept. I'd love to see something like this or Blue Fire come to BGW. Not so into Maurer Sohne. I'd take a Premier LSM as well but kind of have my heart set on Intamin or Mack!

^ I would say some of the "new" Premier rides like Sky Rocket don't seem like capacity monsters like BGW needs. From what I have heard, Blue Fire rolls through capacity like crazy. Maverick can cut through crowds like crazy!

^Yeah, I can't see a Premier launched shuttle type of coaster going there. Maybe more of a custom? Premier isn't high on my list for BGW's new coaster but I'd prefer them over Maurer Sohne.

^agreed. Blackstone should have a history of not liking Maurer Sohne... *HRRR*

^Personally, I'm glad they're trying something different, rather than just another B&M, whose rides are fun, but getting to be a bit interchangeable. The Big Bad Wolf, while not unique, was certainly different from what most parks offer. Why not try something "new" to replace it?

While I agree with this, I think BGT and BGW have, in the last 15 years, tried to have an eye for rides that definitely aren't cookie-cutter. Loch Ness Monster is the only place in the world you can find interlocking loops. Montu and Alpengeist were both built when B&M inverteds were still relatively new, and most of the existing models in the world at that time were Batman clones. Gwazi, built in '99, is quite different from anything GCI has built (until Joris en de Draak) and was only the second pair of dueling wooden coasters built (after Twisted Twins). SheiKra and Griffon are two of only seven dive machines in existence, and the only two in America.

So while the Busch Gardens may stick with things that seem more regular or normal at first look, I do believe that they try to make every ride something different than can be found at other parks across America. I do see your point though, and I am more than ecstatic that an Intamin will be appearing there, and a very unique Intamin to boot.

I went to Christmastown on Wednesday... TR might be coming.

I took this photo of the Mach Tower site. Re-bar is being laid and the foundations of a building nearby are already taking shape. I expect the cement to begin flowing after New Year's and for the tower to begin erecting about the last week of January. (depending on the speed of the cement's curring). The worker's were working into the night as well.

It's a winter wonderland in Virginia and Busch Gardens is closed today!

BGW posted some snow pics on their Facebook Page last week.

The local news had a short piece about Busch Gardens in "home town hot spot" segment last night. Its mostly about Christmas Town, but they do mention Mach Tower with some behind the wall footage.

Here is the link:

www.wavy.com/dpp/video/wavy-hometown-hotspot-busch-gardens

Interesting... Busch Gardens sent this out

See if you can brave the Black Forest on Busch Garden’s all-new roller coaster in the Germany area. What starts as a nice ride through the countryside quickly launches into a lightning-fast, multi-sensory dash through crazy turns, hidden hazards and heart-pounding drops. Inspired by the famed autobahn, the ride combines fast launches, special effects and indoor and outdoor elements to make it a one-of-a-kind coaster experience.

Following that are 4 name options and you had to select the most appealing out of Revenge of the Black Forest, Black Forest Turbo, Uber Bahn, and Verbolten.

I think that the description of the ride means it's gonna be pretty frickin sweet and personally I prefer Verbolten.

^Of the four names they gave, Verbolten is by FAR the best. And it sounds like Der Fallinfast.

The description actually sounds pretty zany! Given the description, I could see this turning out much better than Cheetah Hunt!

I'm psyched to start hearing about the new ride! Sounds great! I'll have to copy the Intimidatour ASAP after it opens.

I like the name Verbolten the best, and Black Forest Turbo the least.

It feels like they wanted an excuse to call it Verbolten.

While it sounds like the coolest play on words ever, I'm a little sad it appears they are abandoning the "coasters-based-on-mythical-creatures" naming and theming in both BGT and BGW. Still, Verbolten--the way the name flows for me makes up for the genericness of Mach Tower.

^Maybe Verbolten was once a terrible creature that roamed the German Autobahn giving out ticky tack speeding tickets, and this is the drivers doing their very best to get away from him.

Yeah, I came out pretty strongly in favor of Verbolten in the survey as well. "Revenge of the Black Forest"? That's almost as bad as Cheetah Hunt! What, am I being chased by trees??