Planning Departments Have Clues About Next Busch Gardens, Water Country Rides

Planning Departments Have Clues About Next Busch Gardens, Water Country Rides

By Amber Lester Thursday, September 16, 2010

Water Country has submitted plans to the York County planning office for a 57-foot-high water ride.

On Saturday, Busch Gardens and Water Country will formally announce plans for expansion. While coaster enthusiasts and locals are tossing out guesses in the blogosphere, some hints about the parks’ plans already exist at the local planning offices.

Water Country submitted a site plan for a 57-foot-high ride called U.S.A. Plummet Speedway on Aug. 3. A second draft was submitted on Aug. 27 for county planning staff to review, and because the attraction falls under an existing special use permit, the plan will likely be approved soon, according to Al Maddalena, chief of development and compliance for the county.

The Plummet Speedway will be located next to the existing Meltdown flume ride, a 701-foot-long flume that propels riders into a splash pool. Both rides will be to the right of the main park entrance. To accommodate riders of the Meltdown, a new entry walkway would be built for that ride. Maddalena called the proposal “the most noteworthy to date.”

In James City County, Busch Gardens submitted a site plan to the Planning division on July 20 for a 2011 expansion to the Germany section of the Europe-themed park. The site plan proposes new food buildings, walkway modifications and a single tower attraction, for which the Board of Supervisors has already approved a height waiver.

John Reilly, park president, will reveal the extent of the expansion plans before an audience of the park’s most loyal fans during Busch Gardens’ Pass Member Appreciation weekend on Saturday. The two-year, multi-million dollar expansion plan has been billed by the park as “the largest investment in the history of the parks.” These will be the first major changes announced since the parks were purchased by the Blackstone Group last October.

Comments

+1 #1 Guest 2010-09-17 07:47

It's been they same old things for years. "This is sure the way to Go Blackstone Group "..!! :-)

Family of nine Platinum pass holders for many years and the family who all worked in the parks for years, years...
We are very glad to see some changes take place in the Williamsburg Parks.

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