[cwgator]

Today was anouncement day for the new 2011 attractions for Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA. Also mentioned is the 2012 attraction.

Here is the annoucement from their website:

http://www.buschgardens.com/bgw/CP/?page=BigNews



[youtube]kSr2PcUttU4[/youtube]

For spring 2011 @ BGW: Mach Tower

http://www.buschgardens.com/bgw/Explore/Rides.aspx?id=2042

As you enter Oktoberfest and pass by the fun-filled halls of Das Festhaus, you see it rising into the sky – the massive spire known as Mäch Tower.

Craning your neck to see the top, you notice a group of revelers being lifted and spiraling into the stratosphere. Suddenly, in a rush of wind and screams, they drop. So does your jaw.

This is Mäch Tower, the highest ride in Busch Gardens. It’s 245 feet of adrenaline-pulsing thrills with a view of the park and surrounding countryside you have to see to believe. That is, if you can keep your eyes open.

Mäch Tower – Heart racing. Jaw dropping. Spring 2011.

Also the Oktoberfest area will be gettin a nice refurb:

After more than 30 years, we're updating the look of the iconic Oktoberfest area. The restaurants, games and everything in between will be new for visitors in 2011.

Water Country USA 2011: Vanish Point

http://watercountryusa.com/Wc/Explore/Rides.aspx?id=2044

Get ready for the slide of your life on Water Country USA’s epic new drop slide: Vanish Point. Inspired by the point on a wave where water and gravity form a perfect partnership, this summit supplies two wicked wet ways to drop out of sight.

The crest of this 75-foot tower challenges you with two wave paths. You can step into a skybox where you drop down when the floor drops out. Or get horizontal on the 300’ speed slide where you drop down as soon as you flop down … straight down.

Brace yourself for pure liquid adrenaline.

Vanish Point. Coming in 2011, only to Water Country USA.

For 2012 @ BGW: Multi-launch Coaster
(more info coming)


Intamin in 2012? Or will it be the new generation B&M (ala X-Raptor)?

[Jonathan]

I really hope the concept art is not accurate, because it makes the drop tower look like one of those portable types with like 8 seats lol. I assume the coaster will be very similar to next year's Tampa Intamin.

Here we go, a little more from a post at BGEscape:

There are also no specs on the video but from the info I gathered the drop ride will be 246-ft tall and will rotate upward and seat 30 riders at once. They also mentioned "special surprises" at the top of the tower (whatever the hell that may be)!

For Oktoberfest they confirmed a Pretzel Market and Beer Garden in the space between Katapult and Wirbelwind. Katapult will be taking up new residence in the Canadian Palladium theatre (funny how it's been located in 4 different countries).

2012 will have a MAJOR addition as they confirmed a multi-launch, electromagnetic coaster thats suppose to be unique and one thats never been seen before and may have dark ride elements and possibly pay homage to BBW in some way.

Christmastown - Italy will be open this year and have 1 million lights.

http://www.bgescape.com/forum/index.php ... entry37683

More here: http://www.buschgardensvablog.com/comin ... nd-coaster

[KenB]

Hmmm....homage to BBW? The real iconic parts of BBW to me were the dive to the "Rhine" and the run through the village. Either or both of those could be integrated into the new ride, which would be a nice touch.

[Jonathan]

Mäch Tower is being built by Moser, so the concept art is actually probably pretty accurate. Odd choice...

[coasterbruh]

I guess KD has a exclusive deal with intamin on drop dowers lol...

[Jarsh]

LOL! Nice one Jarvis...

[Skycoastin Steve]

Who cares about the drop tower, just give us the coaster!

[Jonathan]

A little more on the 2012 coaster from Screamscape:

2012 - New Multi-Launch Coaster - (12/1/10) Screamscape sources are sorting through the news articles and permit applications BGW has submitted for the big 2012 coaster project. The new permits call for a new large 26,000 sqft ‘event building’ that will be 80 feet “above the existing grade” along with a themed bridge 95 feet above the grade. The new ride will make use of the former Big Bad Wolf station building as well. The former BBW ravine area will be “flattened” and a balloon test will be held on Dec 8th to show off how the new building and bridge will look from outside the park limits. With a building this big, it seems almost a given that the ride will feature some kind of indoor segment, which would be a nice addition if done well.

[arby]

I'm going to have to make plans to visit BGW in 2012.

[cwgator]

More chills and thrills coming to Busch Gardens Williamsburg

WASHINGTON - Exciting news for roller coaster lovers: Busch Gardens Williamsburg is building a new roller coaster ride that is set to debut in 2012.

Busch Gardens says they plan in delivering a "world-class coaster experience like nothing before."

"This sleek launch coaster design utilizes electromagnetic technology to propel riders through a high-speed thrill packed with twists, turns, and plunges," park officials say in an email.

"The coaster will feature many 'first' when it debuts in the spring of 2012.'

Behind the thrills - a popular theme park news website -- reports that they've known the park "is going to be building a new coaster for their 2012 operating season since late 2010 when the park announced several new, major attractions to their season pass holders."

Photos show park officials have already begun clearing the land and modifying the site of the old 'Big Bad Wolf' roller coaster.

"We don't have anything solid, but our insiders have told us all kinds of information," says Eric Yates, editor of Behind the thrills. "We've heard it's going to be unlike anything at the park currently, or in the past."

Blueprints and technical mock-ups have leaked on the Busch Gardens fansite BGWFans.com. The plans show the coaster may actually funnel riders to an indoor track at one point.

The website Roller Coaster Database lists a sixth, unknown and yet-to-be-built roller coaster, slated to open 2012.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened in 1975 and is themed around the history and culture of old-world Europe. According to the park's website, the park hosts nearly 3 million visitors a year.

The park is already well known for its impressive roller coasters. The magazine Amusement Today listed Busch Garden Williamsburg's coaster, 'Apollo's Chariot,' among the top 10 best steel roller coasters of 2010.

"This is supposed to be a very big deal for Busch Gardens Williamsburg," Yates says.

Park visitors are also awaiting the launch of the newest roller coaster, Mach Tower. It was slated to open Memorial Day Weekend, but was postponed due to technical problems.

This coaster has been confirmed to be from Zierer.

From Screamscape:

2012 - VERBOLTEN - In Development - (6/14/11) According to this construction update posted Theme Park Review, quite a bit of work has started for the new “Verbolten” 2012 coaster project on the old Big Bad Wolf site.
(5/13/11) It looks like we have a name for the new coaster at last as trademark paperwork was registered for the name VERBOLTEN in late March. Also a special thanks to our friends at BGWFans.com for sending us the layout artwork that was discovered for the BGW 2012 coaster project. We are displaying it with their permission, hence the watermarking of the images. Indeed, it is from Zierer and these images pretty much reveal it all, from the themeing of a broken down covered bridge before the big drop down to the Rhine River, to pointing out exactly what we are going to see and feel inside the “event building” as our automobile themed coaster trains take on the evil spirit of the black forest.
(5/12/11) In a shocking bit of news, it has been confirmed that the new BGW 2012 coaster will actually be from Zierer and not Intamin has most of us had been assuming for months now. BGWFans has posted this along with some new drawings from the ride’s layout, showing off just what may be taking place inside that “event building”, which looks like it may also contain a free-fall drop-platform as well, similar to what we saw on Thirteen at Alton Towers last year.
They also add that the coaster cars will be given some kind of car theme (to go along with those Autobahn sounding names) and there will be some kind of “covered bridge finale” that will be placed in about the same location where the big drop on Big Bad Wolf was located.

[Jay]

Busch Gardens announced Verbolten today, though seemingly without too many details we didn't already know.

Here's a teaser:

[youtube]fVi3Az8ahcw[/youtube]

[RollerCoasterMommy07]

So I am assuming this is the best place to post this, but has anyone heard anymore news on the date of Verbolten opening? I have done some searches, but all I can find is Spring 2012. I am coming back to NC for a couple weeks March 27th and want to plan a trip to Busch Gardens since I haven't been there in years and haven't even ridden Griffon yet. I would like to plan my trip so I can go when Verbolten is open, especially since this will be the only trip to BG I will be able to do this year.

[cwgator]

On the parks website it says "Late Spring", which could be anywhere from May to mid June. My bet would be right around Memorial Day weekend. It kinda sucks they wont have it ready til then. They have had a much warmer winter than normal too. I guess they still have a lot to do with theming and testing.

[arby]

There was a media construction tour yesterday of Verbolten. Here's a report on it:

http://www.thrillnetwork.com/content/verbolten-construction-tour-3017/

Park officials would only say late spring yesterday no matter how much we tried to get them to accidentally tell us the date.

[RollerCoasterMommy07]

I suppose it just looks like I will have to try and save up for a special trip later in the season then. I had no clue that it had one of those tracks that falls, I'm am going to get my sister and mom on this and keep that part secret teeheehee . The ride looks like it is going to be pretty awesome, I am so excited for it.