Hey all,
Well, I finally made it to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Don't try and rely on Mapquest 100%--it gave me more directions than I needed! You CAN get to BGW right off of I-64! Anyway, this may have been the BEST theme park trip I have taken all summer! How many nice things can I say about this place! This was only the third time that I've been there, and the second time that I actually rode any rollercoasters. This park may not have quantity (like SFGAdv & CP), but it sure does have quality! I've been saying that this place is a step below Universal and a step above Hershey. And now, on to some coasters and random notes!
Alpengeist--This beast moved up on my top ten list. Actually, I may have liked this one the most out of all the coasters there. I did ride it the most that day (7 or 8 times). Anyway, it seemed to get more intense as the day progressed. Probably the most intense part of the ride is the cobra roll. Medusa's doesn't compare with this puppy! The worst part of the ride, though, was the leveling out into the midcourse brakes. The seat that I rode most in was either the last row or second-to-last row, left hand outer seat. This is a good one for the flat spin. Anyway, I took a bunch of pics of this one, as it is one of the easier ones to photograph here.
Wild Maus--We got a double ride thanks to no one in line! I didn't realize that this is slightly different than HP & Dorney's version, as it doesn't have that camelback hill, but rather a long upwards ramp. This one is also braked more so than HP's. It's not a BAD ride, but it's not as "wild" as HP's.
Big Bad Wolf--The BEST suspended coaster that I've ever ridden--which isn't many, as I've only ridden BBW, Iron Dragon, and Roller Soaker. I didn't realize that they ran 3 trains on this one, which they did, but for only part of the time. It's a decent ride at night. It would be nice if they could replace the old trains with ones where your feet dangle and still keep the swinging part. Imaging the views on that! Those Arrow cars aren't ideal for tall people like myself.
Loch Ness Monster--It is in nice condition, especially for how old it is. It's a picturesque, decent old Arrow looping coaster. The indoor helix is a nice touch. Both BBW and LNM have 2 lifts, which may hurt the pacing to some. As long as they don't let it go the way of Drachen Fire!
Apollo's Chariot--It seems they only ran 2 trains all day, but the lines weren't too bad. I still probabaly prefer Nitro to this one, but it's still a good ride. One of the best parts, IMO, is in the back seat (with lapbar space), going down that third drop that turns to the left. I only got stapled once, and it wasn't a major stapling--just one click. I didn't realize that you could see this coaster so well, as it's very near the parking lot, and it provides nice eye candy as you approach the parking toll.
--The cablecars are very nice! Please do not get rid of them!
--The train is a nice other means of transportation, and you don't have to get off at the next stataion!
--The park is very pretty, and the theming is done well.
--Corkscrew Hill was the surprise ride of the day. Check it out if you get the chance.
--Pirates could have used more in-theater special effects, but it was still a nice attraction. The theater is a good size, too.
--All the water rides are nice, but the best-executed one there is Escape from Pompeii. It is cool looking, and the theming is done well, at least for a non-Disney park.
--We talked to employees and guests. My buddy's Six Flags shirt elicited some attention : )
--The park is well-organized and well-run. They were even nice enough to give us a paper at the parking toll stating that Apollo's Chariot wouldn't open until 11:30 due to routine maintenance or something--how nice!
If you ever get the chance to go, take it!
Oh, BTW, here's a plug : ) My website, CoasterPICS, is becoming the official photo site of The Rollercoaster Cavern. There are a bunch of BGW photos that will be going up, so keep an eye on the site. It also took on
somewhat of a new look.
http://coasterpics.coastercavern.com Ben
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Ben Ashley
Webmaster--CoasterPICS!
coasterpics.coastercavern.com
"So ya want thrills? Get God and your life will NEVER be the same!"
