DarKoaster Review Busch Gardens Williamsburg New for 2023 Indoor Multi-Launch Coaster
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- Опубликовано: 14 июл 2024
- Busch Gardens latest attraction is an indoor multi-launch family coaster from Intamin, located in the former Curse of DarKastle building. It's the parks 10th coasters, and fills the gap of a tamer ride needed for families, while also reutilizing a space that has sat empty for multiple years.
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From the povs, the lack of effects is really a shame. They had such an opportunity (especially considering the legacy of the old ride) and it just feels wasted. I definitely see your point about it having an identity crisis. It would definitely have scared me as a kid, but as an adult the whole ride could have been handled better with more effects, since all the darkness and cheap effects is very lacking and noticeable.
I agree it looks like they haven't even got a couple of artificial snow machines which i was kind of expecting with a snow theme
I also agree with you. I've seen POVs of the front and back rows, and the ride's scariest effect at the end doesn't hit as hard if you're in the front row.
Very very lacking
The og ride had much more immerse feel and ambience
The idea of a paranormal haunting should've at least been taking more literally other than adding the bare minimum in the queue area. Like fog machines, projections of ghosts, moving objects.
Something to make it feel like Hollywood tower hotel
The queue area is very empty and lacking or more creativity
The thing is is that it’s totalllly possible to make the changes you and the fans have suggested. I don’t think it would be too expensive to put in some more themed elements!
Take the amount they ususally spend on a new house for Howl-O-Scream and use it to to revamp the ride instead. Make it part of the event, like "the storm has grown more powerful." Heck, why not tie the entire event to the storm somehow and make King Ludwig the icon for Howl-O-Scream that year?
It really is a spirit Halloween coaster lol
@@mattcollins3591 I actually think that Spirit could produce a better (and scarier) ride that this!
BG Tampa needs an indoor themed coaster like this
A kid-friendly ride with a theme that could scare kids? It's like having a little bit of Alton Towers right in my backyard! Even has a castle!
I think this ride improves drastically if they add a pre show or narrated story explaining the original Dar Castle story and the storm we are escaping. It would help with its identity so much. It was great meeting you and Sarah at the opening!
My favorite on RUclips, I so much appreciate what you guys do for the coaster community. Anytime you upload a video it always makes my day!
This reminds me of Thirteen at Alton Towers, where intense & scary theming was applied to a family coaster
and Wickerman...burning alive as a sacrifice for a cult? Fun for the whole family!
@@AlexLikesToons wickerman is much more intense and better than 13 though
and similarly Thirteen has an identity crisis
People are surprised they skimped out on effects/theming, when they're in the same park where the station of a ride named Pantheon is just a shade cover and not _The Pantheon_
Rode this yesterday with my two 10 year old who loved it. One of them is a little scared of big coasters so this was perfect for her. As for me I liked it a lot. I think the theming could have been a lot better and agree with all your point, but I feel like the bar is pretty low for theming in this park. Pantheon is just sitting in an open field. It makes this one seem really polished by comparison in that department.
I was on the first train out for Passholder day on the 11th and I agree with pretty much all your points. Its great that its indoors now Busch Gardens is now year round operations this should be able to run even when the weather gets cooler. That being said it is a little bit of a mess but It also fun. I put it in the same category of Cobras Curse at Busch Gardens Tampa. I hope now they have this though they can get to work on the Drachen Fire replacement.
Sea World Entertainment should take a one-year break from new rides and use that cash to upgrade theming on all their new rides. Pantheon, DarKoaster, Emperor, Ice Breaker...
I dont think this will ever happen and from a business perspective, I can see how the argument doesnt make sense.
But it's cool idea. Theming can really change the experience a ride gives. Imagine Pantheon with columns, rockwork and water features as you're traversing the layout.
THIS. I’ve been saying this for years. They need to take some time to focus on how they can improve on things already there rather than quantity over quality.
I said from the get go that I thought the trains look nothing like snowmobiles. Cool idea but seems like the execution wasn’t all there but always cool to have a new ride!
For all of you non-locals. If you would like to visit this park and darkoaster without huge crowds and huge lines, visit on a rainy day and buy a poncho. Darkoaster had a 15 minute wait the past three times I’ve been (I’m a local). Alpengeist is a walk on and the line for the front is usually only 4 people. It’s a great time to go.
I was there earlier today (Wednesday Aug 9). The wait was an hour. For comparison, the wait for Pantheon was about 10-15 minutes.
I rode this for the first time a few days ago. It's definitely the qwerkyist coaster in the park as far as theming goes.
Next I would put something in Draken Fyre's plot of land. Maybe an RMC or a B&M Wing Coaster.
You noted the height requirement was 42”. Unfortunately its actually 48” which makes it all even more odd. My son is 47.5” and can easily handle the much more intense Invadr, but was turned away from this ride. They should have done something to lower the height requirement given the lack of “thrill” involved.
Oops, my bad! Sorry to hear that though, that is definitely strange indeed.
But is the height restriction is because of the intensity or is it because of the restraints? I think both Arctic Rescue at SW San Diego and Wavebreaker at SW San Antonio are also 48"
I definitely think Darkastle had better theming. Adding a few more effects would pretty nice, but I think it’s still pretty fun! Feels just like Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure
Sounds a lot like Disaster Transport at Cedar Point. Theming is all over the place but just scary enough to scare off younger riders that the coaster itself is geared towards. I remember being little and crying in line for Disaster Transport because the queue was too scary.
Waited in line for 90 minutes for the ride. It's everything Skull Mountain at SFGADV should be!
i feel like that with a lot of alton towers rides such as 13 and wickerman where the themes are quite dark and scary and the rides are family coasters
Was at BGW today. The ride itself was pretty intense. I agree it needed more immersive theming, but again, it’s a pretty decent addition. And it says volumes that this coaster is 4, 5 months old and it goes through downtime after downtime… today included.
As someone who has had 12 rides on this now, I can say, with a high degree of certainty, that this is the fairest assessment of this ride, in it's current state. Kudos!
I say current state because I believe BGW has the ability to make improvements, as they've attempted to do with other rides in the past.
Are there any drops on this ride? It’s hard to see what exactly is going on. My kid wants to go on but is nervous about a steep drop
@@ericl20881no
Fantastic review, Taylor. Really great job.
The reason some parts are so shaky is the supports were built into the building designed for dark castle, the slab was not designed for a coaster to be built in it.
I'm not an expert on building coasters, but I would imagine that they cut holes into the slab and poured new footers for the supports.
@@kazeryu17 they never did that, because of construction cost and how long it would have taken.
Could've been cool to have a large snow bank as the centerpiece that the cars could twist in and out of, with projection mapped effects on the certain portions of it. Add some fog and you're all set
You guys are awesome
I think it was an amazing family coaster however it also could have had so much potential for like that straight dark section after you go through the lightning bolts. I agree with you Taylor when you say you wish you wanted more from it. I felt basically the same way
Great video, looks like a really nice coaster, and indoor coasters are always enhanced so much by darkness.!
YOU DID IT!!! 🎉🎉
I was really impressed with how good the station looks from the outside. The inside is good too, I just like the part that looks like a castle more than the part that looks like a pile of pelican cases
I thought a lot of these things as well. But thanks for putting words to it better than i could. At least it shoild help spread out park goers and make other lines shorter.
Excellent review.
GhostRider is impressed with the low capacity of DarKoaster xD
I think the coaster would’ve worked better as a spinning coaster or a Disney’s haunted mansion style ride
I liked it when I rode it on member preview. I went in with realistic expectations. I don't think they are too far from a finished product though, some more fog and some purple lights and I believe it would feel more complete. Maybe they can add some Roman pillars as head choppers to Pantheon while their at it.
I Just rode it Yesterday and I thought it was Fun. I love The cool temperature that you feel while your on the coaster.
The park definitely already has enough multi launch coasters.
Yeah, this thing added nothing to the park's lineup, I consider Verbolten to be one of the worst coasters ever built for being a glorified box coaster with a tacked on terrain ending on amazing terrain. However because that mistake still exists somehow (it wouldn't last long if I took over BGW), this ride doesn't need to exist either. A Powered coaster would have been a better addition than a mutli-launch coaster, would have probably had about the same capacity as well. The 2024(?) Drachen Fire replacement better not be another launch coaster of I'll lose the last shred of respect that I have for BGW.
That and it seems to continue the trend of crap theming in the park since Verbolten started it with it's ugly building with some of the laziest and uninspired effects when they should have built a proper terrain coaster. People think that Pantheon was where the lackluster theming started, no it started with Verbolten, the only reason that you don't notice it is because you can't see inside the building to cover up the sheer lack of effort that was put into that waste of money.
If you can't tell I despise Verbolten, not entirely because it replaced Big Bad Wolf (that is a factor), but because instead of taking that great land and building a worthy successor of a terrain coaster, they built a box coaster and tacked on Big Bad Wolf's iconic ending as 'tribute'.
@@AceAviations2 I hate verbolten, mostly the announcement at the station. Very annoying
Riding a jet ski through a castle is actually ridiculous
This ride looks like a ton of fun! Especially since its located near Verbolten!
I was so sad when I realized they got rid of Curse of DarKastle. It was one of my favorite rides. I was thrilled when I saw they were adding a new ride with the same theme/story but am a little disappointed with the execution and lack of overall effects. Hopefully I can ride it in person soon.
I definitely get the points in this video, and that’s not to say that they couldn’t always add more effects. It’s still a fun ride, but it sits midway between having that thrill factor that makes up for theming, like Bolt, or tame but extensively themed and storydriven, like a Disney coaster. Just a handful of more props could probably do a lot of good for this ride. I figured that it was never going to reach DarKastle’s level of immersion, though. Great coaster, just with some room for improvement
Yeah, from all of the POV's that I've seen thus far, this looks like they put this together on the cheap. So, I agree with Taylor's comments on the lack of theming here. Maybe, in a year or two they can update the exterior with better snow effects on the rooftop (a la Wizarding World) and much better visual effects while on the ride: better (and more) animatronics, projection mapping, maybe even have a fake snow machine blowing snowflakes ❄️ while riding, or at the very least, some fog machines! That way, they can advertise it as "The new and improved DarKoaster! Now! Even scarier than ever before!" I just wish I had the chance to catch the original dark ride here before it closed for good.
Hit the nail on the head. I had no clue it was even related to Curse of DarKastle. The theming, even in the queue, was wildly confusing. There was no indication of a snowy escape except random skis next to what looked like roadie equipment. There was one screen of a weather radar but it was so small you couldn’t tell the Kastle was even on the screen. The random scattered snowmobile equipment made no sense in relation to the room prior. There was a box labeled “Ghost Tours” which was giving Ghostbusters vibes. The snowmobiles were not modified enough from their Jet-ski model. Literally looks like a Kawasaki jet ski. Which is fine…. Had they themed the entire ride properly. The most snowy/wintery thing about the entire ride is how COLD it is. The theming in the ride itself is so cheap and again gives you no inclination of what you’re trying to do/escape. It gives similar vibes to Rockin Rollercoaster but the Dollar General version. They really should have delayed the opening or had more focus group testing or something prior to opening. It’s going to be impossible to get the lines down with 2 trains. The ride is fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the track and the multi-launch but the theming really REALLY needs to be revisited. Make it make sense Busch Gardens!!!
I completely agree with the identity crisis.. 😂
Overall, DarKoaster is definitely not worth a wait outside of the castle, and I think SeaWorld could’ve done better. The riders per train doesn’t help, but it’s still gonna be fun to ride every now and then. I wanted to rank it above Tempesto in the park so badly, but I just couldn’t because I was too underwhelmed. Also does BGW have the most launches out of any park already?! Anyway, DarKoaster is fun with good theming in the castle, but not really during the ride.
Have you seen how close primordial at lagoon is from finishing. They are now testing
Yup, it’s very exciting!
I rode this as being the only person on the last train of the night and it was a cool feeling
I agree with everything you stated!
Revenge of the Mummy…..but no budget! 😜
As much as BGW tickets cost, they SHOULD have had a bigger budget. Maybe they’ll up the theming over time?
I was lucky enough to only have to wait 15 minutes for darkoaster on the pass holder weekend, so I at least wasn’t let down by it haha
it might scare little kids who's parents do not expose them to anything that exists
Feels like with this and some other newer attractions with BGW...they get pretty close to pulling it off and having it be excellent, but they juuust miss it enough to leave you feeling a tad disappointed. Like "good" and "solid" is the goal. The potential is there with this park and specifically with this ride too. BGW obviously has good bones with all the theming and landscaping put into it decades past. I guess the overall expectations just have to be adjusted a little.
i have to say this ride is decent.
i rode this bad boy early and it did supprise me, that launch is punchy but i think the 2nd launch is more punchy and the restrains... MY GOD! they are suuupppper comfortable and it feels amazing, but also when i rode in the back i had some airtime (tiny floater) strangley. but do i wish there was more? yes absoluetly im not even gonna say it because taylor already says it
My wife and I were apart of the build...and because of restrictions I will only say that we agree
I haven't ridden it but I totally get why there weren't many special effects. Effects would light up all the tracks and spoil the surprise of what was going to happen to you next. Despite it's marketing animation, I think it was trying to go for spooky darkness like Space Mountain.
I’ve heard they aren’t 100% finished with the theming yet but idk when they will be adding more
I was scared shitless verbolten before I became a coaster enthusiast because A member of the general public explaining that ride to a kid makes it sound so much scarier. When One of my brothers friends came back from Busch Gardens, his explanation was that the building sucked you in really fast(talking about the launch lol), you’re Chased around by a monster that changes every time you ride, The track breaks, then you go into a huge drop. That put so many images in my head that made me think it was the scariest ride in the park.
I like it but it should have better theming. I think a way to make it more interesting without spending a ton of money would be for BGW to approach DarKoaster like an evolving outdoor Halloween display. A lot of people who have a home Halloween display will add a few new things year after year.
Imagine if BGW added only 2 to 3 new effects, audio-animatronics or sets every season to get people interested to know how it has changed. After 3 to 4 years I think people would start really liking it and they get excited to see how it had changed and improved.
kewl
This rides theme will fit like a glove in Alton Towers
I feel like that I need more rides on it to form much of an opinion on it (esp after waiting 2 and half hours for it). How ever, I was underwhelmed by it to say the least. The theming on the entrance was mainly just reused from the original ride. Like you said at the end of the video, bgw really needs to stop adding launch coasters. I am at this point praying for a rmc hybrid (similar to iron gwazi) for 2024/2025 with a traditional lift hill.
I would have been scared sh tless as a kid. Not gonna lie. I would have loved the coaster, but like you said: Don't know if the kinda horror theme and this family coaster fit together. Sidenote: It still is super strange that you ride snowmobils inside a freakin castle. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. We can only hope that it is a success enough that they maybe listen to feedback and improve the theming inside. I can only keep my fingers crossed for you guys overseas.
I’ve never clicked so fast 😅
Same lol
It also has a height limit of 77"
It is 1 of 2 coasters with a max height requirement in the park. The other is Pantheon with a max of 76"
@@hallcameron814 exactly. Pantheon is 76"
Wow 400 riders per hour
Dark Castle deserved more!!
great value revenge of the mummy
Great review. Love the criticism. I go there a week from today. I was debating on whether I wait in a line. Or if I pay the extra $30 for the fast lane?
It’s either wait for 3 hours for an underwhelming experience or pay $30 just to want your money back. Or just wait til the hype is gone and ride it
I hope they listen to you, Big T.
Was there last week and there was no fog
I tried to go on yesterday and we only had 15 mins left and the dark coaster line we would have to wait 115 mins.
It seems to me that what belongs in this building is not a roller coaster at all, but a real dark ride, much as was there before. But this is probably cheaper.
BGVA needs to add an extreme spinner if they don’t add a Giga
Is the quick queue line located in a different location?
you have to go up a narrow pathway to the right side of the entrance
I thought of a coaster like exterminator at Kennywood when I first seen this was coming out. But the final product looked quite underwhelming. I don't know how you'd rate the exterminator though, after seeing this video I'm kinda curious.
I personally don’t really know if there is enough of a coherent theme to be scary to the majority of children. Besides it being dark and all. Maybe the ghost projection in the pre show would be?
It’s a cool ride and idea, but that’s all that is. Seems like it was rushed in the board room.
(Also, with the snow storm idea, the only thing I find, “winter” is how cold it is. And it doesn’t feel good to me.)
I got to ride it early since im a member, I even got to sign it and it was nice, but when you had to wait 3 HOURS and have it temporarily brake down, yeah it was NOT worth it!
It’s not even a straddle coaster…. Just a snowmobile themed train. Straddle coasters are ones like Tron in disney
It def does not live up to DarKastle, but it is a great coaster for little kids! I honestly think it could have had a preshow to continue the story (Even Frostbite had a preshow for HOS which is shocking) for the people who never rode the original rather than just having props being placed around. Another thing I don't understand is why on earth they would go so far into the future with a ghost hunter theme when LITERALLY BGW is not meant to be themed to modern day Europe even though that's what management is sort of pushing nowadays which sucks.
Its such a shame i was expecting more particularly after what Alton towers did to duel which is now the curse of Alton manor and looks and rides better than ever with new effects i was kind of expecting DarKoaster to be similar with loads of special effects but on a coaster instead but it kind of looks unfinished. It kind of gives me 13 vibes since its a family coaster but also has a theme that would probably scare some kids
It was ok some of the other rollercoaster more fun
What park is in the background of the outro?
Portaventura in Spain!
Would you say this is smooth. I have not got a chance to ride it yet.
The first half is smooth, the second half is shaky
They should have just kept the old dark castle theme and just themed around that. What i am confused about is sea wold is spending untold millions on coasters but has the most lack luster themeing ever.
Me in first grade loving tower of terror 💀💀💀kid me don’t mind dark themes
I don’t think this is scary elementary school kids for the most part. My kindergartner thinks it’s awesome!
Good to hear!
I’m not a fan of this new wave/post-pandemic Busch gardens tendency to skimp on the theming :( they could have done so much better with all of their recent attractions like darkoaster, pantheon, and even iron gwazi
I completely agree, darkoaster is good but not better than curse of darkastle :/
They’ve been doing this for years. The last heavily themed ride they built was cobras curse back in 2016. Which shows they have great potential to theme their rides amazingly but they never do.
For anyone who rode this, how intense is the stomach drop feeling?
The 400 people an hour… 400… 400…
400?!?!
I just don’t understand why i can’t wear my glasses on this ride
The best launch coaster with a switch track in the park
Dude there is no way you have the track length state right! 2400 feet that you do twice?! That’s be almost a mile of track at relatively low speed. 2400 is the length you traverse so 1200 per lap
I rode this with my 1st grade son. He’s 49 inches. There are 4 big coasters for him at bgw… but 9 big coasters at kings dominion. No one talks about that but if you have a 48 inch kid that likes coasters kd might be the top park in the world for them? That said, if you are tall enough for all the rides bgw is prob the better park and overall experience. But that gap is what I think dark koaster is trying to fill?
This is such a bizarre story… second only to Rita’s rebranding as a ‘haunted dragster track’. Whut
They fucked up taking dark castle away.
I’m sorry it looks really whack. Really don’t know why they got rid of the dark ride. That was a good attraction. Once the newness wears off it won’t be that long of a wait. All that money they wasted turning it into a coaster could have gone to the upkeep of the old attraction. Don’t even have to ride it to know it’s a let down. Thank you for the video.
I wonder whether it would have been possible to turn the trains into like armoured horses (just the top halves, you would imagine the legs below the track) , obviously would required at lot more money for a new train design but really cool to be hanging onto like a reigns design handlebar. Like a next gen steeplechase. Would have maybe been more appropriate for the theme. But yeah I think the major thing that kills it for me is the throughput. Is 400 per hour really acceptable apart from on the quietest days. If it was a walk on looks like it would be fun for a couple of laps.
If pantheons themeing was piss por what would make you think dark castle would be any better?lol
Just rode it it is whack as hell will be popular until everyone figures out just how whack it is . The one plus on a hot day it is nice and cool inside and the ride air felt amazing but the effects were garbage and it’s a glorified kiddie coaster too bad they couldn’t have figured out how to either update or upgrade the dark castle dark ride that was amazing
Anndddd it’s broken. Waiting for parts.
Universal or Disney would have had much better theming, they got the budget!