DarKoaster
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
LocationBusch Gardens Williamsburg
Park sectionOktoberfest
Coordinates37°13′55″N 76°38′49″W / 37.232038°N 76.647045°W / 37.232038; -76.647045
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 19, 2023
ReplacedCurse of DarKastle
General statistics
TypeSteel – Launched – Motorbike
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelFamily Launch Coaster
Lift/launch systemDrive Tire Launch System
Length2,454 ft (748 m)
Speed36 mph (58 km/h)
Inversions0
Capacity350 [1] riders per hour
Height restriction48–77 in (122–196 cm)
Trains2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 10 riders per train.
WebsiteOfficial site
DarKoaster at RCDB

DarKoaster (also billed as DarKoaster: Escape The Storm) is an indoor launched roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in James City County near Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It replaced the former Curse of DarKastle attraction, with the ride experience building on its predecessor's storyline and reusing its building. DarKoaster opened on May 19, 2023.[2]

History

Background

Curse of DarKastle was a dark ride that opened as a part of the park's Oktoberfest area in 2005. The attraction closed on September 4, 2017, ostensibly to house a new Howl-O-Scream haunted house named "FrostBite".[3] DarKastle's closure was assumed to be temporary by many; however, the ride failed to reopen after the event and was instead re-utilized for a Christmas Market. When interviewed in November, the park's Vice President of Marketing, Dan Dipiazzo, admitted that the attraction was still operable, but the park still needed to decide on its return.[4] On January 24, 2018, Busch Gardens officially announced that Curse of DarKastle had been retired after 13 years of operation and subsequently reused its building for a new event space.[5][6]

Three years later, Busch Gardens Williamsburg handled various ongoing projects as part of SeaWorld Entertainment's heightened capital investment strategy.[7] Pantheon – a major new launched coaster supplied by Intamin – had been completed but wouldn't open until after the COVID-19 pandemic had subsided.[8] For similar reasons, development on a proposed 355-foot (108 m) tall coaster dubbed "Drachen Spire" had also been put on hold.[9] In May 2021, the park filed plans to build a major storage and event facility near Festhaus Park, somewhat rendering DarKastle's building obsolete as a warehouse.[10]

Development

In December 2021, local fansite BGWFans published an exposé on the under-development coaster project, using city permits to reveal the attraction's layout and nature.[4] Dubbed "Darkoaster", the coaster would utilize DarKastle's show building and use a switch track function to allow trains to navigate the compact layout twice; instead of proceeding back to the station upon completion, the coaster would instead access a bypass route after the first lap and cycle through the course a second time.

Track and supports for the coaster first arrived in late May/early June 2022.[11] Due to the project's size and installation inside the existing building, construction remained discreet throughout the summer as crews assembled the ride indoors.

Announcement & Preparation

Busch Gardens officially announced DarKoaster: Escape The Storm on September 6, 2022, a "straddle-seated" coaster that was at the time billed as the world's first "all-indoor straddle coaster" – this was later revised to a "North American first".[12][13][14] In addition, the park revealed the completed roller coaster to the media, with thematic work yet to take place.[15]

Busch Gardens continued to engage the public throughout the following months with DarKoaster's progress. During select weekends in February and March, the park hosted a "Preview Center", allowing guests to view the attraction's storyboards, blueprints, and artwork.[16] In March, fans were polled through social media on the names of DarKoaster's two trains, with all four options being callbacks to the former Curse of DarKastle.[17]

Characteristics

Layout

DarKoaster's physical layout primarily contains two Drive Tire Launches and a handful of twists. The station is located at one end of the building and between the theoretical beginning and end of the layout. However, a pair of switch tracks lead to a bypass route in parallel with the station platform, allowing the coaster to skip past the station after its first lap and complete the layout a second time.[4]

Statistics

Contained inside of the building, DarKoaster will traverse a total track length of 2,454 feet (748 m) and reach a top speed of 36 mph (58 km/h). The coaster runs a pair of 10-passenger, straddle-seated trains, which seat riders in five rows of two and are respectively named Wild Wolf 9684 and FrostBite 17-19.[18]

Theme

DarKoaster builds upon the storyline of Curse of DarKastle, with riders traveling through King Ludwig's abandoned fortress and encountering a supernatural force.[2] The extensive theming and special effects have been designed by Holovis, a media and design firm that had also worked on show scenes for Mystic Timbers at Kings Island and Wicker Man at Alton Towers.[19][20]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20230603/33516/review-darkoaster-fun-frustrating-family-ride-terrifying-teething-problems#:~:text=extrapolated%20out%2C%20that%20would%20give,reach%20600%20riders%20per%20hour.
  2. 1 2 catacora, Dominic (April 12, 2023). "Busch Gardens' new ride DarKoaster almost ready to launch". The Virginia Gazette. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  3. ↑ Entertainment, SeaWorld Parks &. "FrostBite | Howl-O-Scream | Busch Gardens Williamsburg". seaworldparks.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-08. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Zachary (November 3, 2017). "Future Unknown for Busch Gardens' Curse of DarKastle". bgwfans.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  5. ↑ Sidersky, Robyn (January 24, 2018). "Busch Gardens to close Curse of DarKastle ride". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  6. ↑ Tuttle, Brittani (January 24, 2018). "Curse of DarKastle now closed at Busch Gardens Williamsburg". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  7. ↑ Bilbao, Richard (August 6, 2018). "SeaWorld Entertainment shares details on the timeline, a major investment for future rides". Orlando Business Journal. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Delayed by pandemic, Busch Gardens Williamsburg's roller coaster, Pantheon, to open in 2022". Richmond Times-Dispatch. September 11, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  9. ↑ Zachary (March 2, 2022). "Drachen Spire Stirs – BGWFans". bgwfans.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Zachary (May 28, 2021). "Enormous Event Building Proposed Near Festhaus Park". bgwfans.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ @BuschGardensVA (June 3, 2022). "Looks like it's going to be a stormy night in the Gardens..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ "Busch Gardens unveils new indoor 'straddle coaster'". WTVR-TV. September 6, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ Davis-Friedman, Samantha (September 6, 2022). "Busch Gardens announces DarKoaster as world's first all-indoor straddle coaster". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Busch Gardens® DarKoaster™ - Launching 2023". YouTube. Busch Gardens Williamsburg. September 27, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  15. ↑ @BuckeyeCoaster (September 6, 2022). "Track work is already complete on this new coaster launching in 2023 at..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ↑ Wilkerson, Sian (February 17, 2023). "Busch Gardens previews new DarKoaster ride, set to launch this spring". The Virginia Gazette. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ @BuschGardensVA (March 12, 2023). "Attention DarKoaster fans ⚠️ We need YOU to help us name the snowmobiles..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ↑ @BuschGardensVA (March 20, 2023). "You voted and the results are in! This spring, riders will escape the storm..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ↑ Anstey, Tom (February 28, 2023). "Major Holovis projects set to open in 2023". Planet Attractions. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  20. ↑ Kleiman, Joe (March 19, 2018). "From Previz to Preshow, Holovis Brings Alton Towers' Terrifying Wicker Man to Life". InPark Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
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