Busch Gardens' Newest Coaster On Track for Spring Opening

By WYDaily Staff Thursday, January 26, 2012

Contractors bolted the final piece of the 2,835-foot steel track that will hold Busch Gardens’ newest roller coaster, Verbolten, last week. The milestone shows the ride is on schedule to open in late spring.

Verbolten will take riders through two high-speed electromagnetic launches, stunning sensory effects and a dizzying array of twists and turns for “an out-of-this-world coaster experience,” according to a press release.

“Completing the track is a major achievement. We still have a lot of work to do on the ride’s theme elements and special effects, but we anticipate the ride will be ready for a late spring opening,” said Larry Giles, Busch Gardens’ vice president of engineering.

Construction on Verbolten began last summer, but was not revealed to the public until Sept. 17 (click here to read a story about it). According to the press release, Verbolten is similar to the park's other coasters in that it uses the park’s natural hills. See a video of the construction by clicking here.

The park also constructed a special effects enclosure that conceals much of the coaster’s theme elements and helps drive Verbolten’s ride narrative.

“The designers are creating an immersive environment that transports riders to the Black Forest,” Giles said. “The creative team behind Verbolten is now packing the building with special effects and surprise elements that will complete the illusion for riders.”

The ride’s back-story features a German couple who run a scenic driving tour business. According to the press release, riders will quickly realize their scenic drive through the countryside has veered out of control when they speed into the pitch-black enclosure that takes them on a journey through the forbidden Black Forest. Sound and lighting effects, graphic elements and the track itself will disorient riders as they zoom through the inky darkness.

“Verbolten is not a typical roller coaster. It will be a completely immersive experience. Riders will be part of the story from the time they walk through the queue until they see their expressions on the photo and video monitors at the end of the ride.” Giles said.

The station house is nearly complete and the theme elements are being installed. Designers are scooping up authentic steamer trunks, old televisions, cabinets and other props to add a realistic feel to the ride, according to the press release.

Verbolten will feature five themed coaster trains that can each carry up to 16 passengers. The vehicles are modeled after a classic European roadster, and each train has its own personality. The first car has arrived at the park, and the remaining vehicles are being delivered over the next several weeks. The cars have built-in video cameras that will record passengers as they enjoy Verbolten. On-ride photos and videos of their experience will be made available at the end of the ride.

The ride will join Mäch Tower as the anchor to the park’s newly rejuvenated Oktoberfest village.

Busch Gardens opens March 24 for the 2012 season. Park guests can follow the Verbolten construction progress on www.buschgardens.com and www.facebook.com/buschgardens.