Busch Gardens Williamsburg Project 2023: DarKoaster (Multi-Lap Intamin Straddle Coaster)

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I love the name DarKoaster, but detest the "we aren't gonna pay for custom train molds so these are snowmobiles" nonsense and the totally dailed-in "idk, another storm?" storyline.

I have high hopes for the attraction overall, but I agree with @ControlsEE regarding the laziness on display in some aspects of the theme conceptually.
 
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Zachary said:
I love the name DarKoaster, but detest the snowmobile nonsense and the totally dailed-in "idk, another storm?" story.

I have high hopes for the attraction overall, but I agree with @ControlsEE regarding the laziness on display in some aspects of the theme conceptually.
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Some adventurers riding down the mountain side on snowmobiles get caught in a blizzard and decide to wait out the storm in an abandoned castle. However, they awaken the vengeful spirit of Ludwig and must escaped otherwise their souls will be trap for an eternity.

The story may seem forced but I guess that could work.
 
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Zachary said:
I love the name DarKoaster, but detest the snowmobile nonsense and the totally dailed-in "idk, another storm?" story.

I have high hopes for the attraction overall, but I agree with @ControlsEE regarding the laziness on display in some aspects of the theme conceptually.
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Anything short of the themeing / story Six Flags Fiesta Texas did with Dr. Diabolical's Cliffhanger will be a major letdown in my view.
 
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I think part of why you are seeing such wide difference of opinion is that some of us are filling in back story in our heads. Personally I envision that the original DK story was kinda middle ages in the timeline and then envision modern teens on snowmobiles caught in a storm and taking refuge in an abandoned DK only to wake up Ludwig and have to escape from his newly frozen castle. I mean it probably wont have any of this elements in the end but till I know that I will keep dreaming.
 
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horsesboy said:
I think part of why you are seeing such wide difference of opinion is that some of us are filling in back story in our heads. Personally I envision that the original DK story was kinda middle ages in the timeline and then envision modern teens on snowmobiles caught in a storm and taking refuge in an abandoned DK only to wake up Ludwig and have to escape from his newly frozen castle. I mean it probably wont have any of this elements in the end but till I know that I will keep dreaming.
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Not only that, but I like now that the two major Oktoberfest rides continue the "lost tourist" type theme to them but take the "modern tourist caught in ancient mystical area" theme.

To add on Neuschwanstein Castle would be likely to get covered in snow. It's actually really pretty when covered:
Fussen-5.jpg


Add in that it being a cold place in the first iteration of the ride makes the snowmobile theme fit even more to me. I don't mind at all that SEAS decided not to spring for a custom molding of the train. Especially if the budget came down to filling out the show room or having the train be something else. And who's to say that they didn't come up with this story first of a snow storm with a presence, then pick this train design based on it.

To add on: Intamin DOES have other shells to use:
Family Launch Coaster - Intamin Amusement Rides

If this is the Family Launch Coaster style, there's also an ATV shell, a motorcycle shell, and a traditional woodie train shell. They could have easily done ATV or Motorcycle too. Heck they could have done the traditional woodie shell and said it was a horse drawn carriage if they wanted to. Hell the Family Coaster (lift style) has the same track and train that they could have cribbed the jeep like shell from.
 
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horsesboy said:
I think part of why you are seeing such wide difference of opinion is that some of us are filling in back story in our heads.
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I can agree with that. I absolutely hope that it's a smash, but the recent history of neglect of their other themed rides says to not get too excited, hence the pessimism. Name opinions are 100% personal, but considering that the park hasn't really built a themeing heavy coaster in over 10 years, no one really knows what's in store outside that.
 
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warfelg said:
If this is the Family Launch Coaster style, there's also an ATV shell, a motorcycle shell, and a traditional woodie train shell. They could have easily done ATV or Motorcycle too. Heck they could have done the traditional woodie shell and said it was a horse drawn carriage if they wanted to. Hell the Family Coaster (lift style) has the same track and train that they could have cribbed the jeep like shell from.
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Yeah, so why the hell did SEAS decide "the jet ski trains from Wave Breaker—that's what we should buy for BGW." It feels like better off-the-shelf options existed, right?

What it honestly feels like to me is that someone made some REALLY hasty, budget-minded procurement decisions without any thought towards story, theme, setting, etc. and now another team is having to come in behind them and try to make it all make some amount of sense.

The story, as described, just doesn't sound organically conceived at all—and aside from "oh, there's Ludwig," it doesn't really seem like DarKoaster is trying to capture the deep, beloved lore of DarKastle like I would have hoped.

Obviously we're still early days and good ride media—especially in the preshow—could pave over all of this rough terrain. As I said before, I honestly am very optimistic about the project overall. Coming off years of just utterly thematically braindead attraction concepts though, I definitely can't help but notice a few red flags here right now.
 
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Zachary said:
Yeah, so why the hell did SEAS decide "the jet ski trains from Wave Breaker—that's what we should buy for BGW." It feels like better off-the-shelf options existed, right?

What it honestly feels like to me is that someone made some REALLY hasty, budget-minded procurement decisions without any thought towards story, theme, setting, etc. and now another team is having to come in behind them and try to make it all make some amount of sense.

The story, as described, just doesn't sound organically conceived at all—and aside from "oh, there's Ludwig," it doesn't really seem like DarKoaster is trying to capture the deep, beloved lore of DarKastle like I would have hoped.

Obviously we're still early days and good ride media—especially in the preshow—could pave over all of this rough terrain. As I said before, I honestly am very optimistic about the project overall. Coming off years of just utterly thematically braindead attraction concepts though, I definitely can't help but notice a few red flags here right now.
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I don't disagree that it can be a red flag, but the fact that there's other options out there means they chose this shell. Given Intamin has those shells, it's likely the same cost for all of them. The only way I can justify BGW having this forced on them is if SEAS commissioned that Wave Breaker shell specifically for them and wanted to get more "bang for the buck" out of it.

My greater point was that, based on the climate the castle is set in, snowmobiles do fit along with the snow theme, even if it's not the best on the surface.

But like you said, it's early days and there isn't much to go on other than a storm around the castle that might have a different force behind it. Just on how I am seeing things and reading things, it seems as though many people have in their head what this should have been and it isn't that. My assumption all along has been a dark ride area with some generic trains, so all of what I'm reading is a nice surprise. Maybe that's why I'm not unhappy with this, because I was expecting the bare minimum in the first place.
 
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Zachary said:
Yeah, so why the hell did SEAS decide "the jet ski trains from Wave Breaker—that's what we should buy for BGW." It feels like better off-the-shelf options existed, right?

What it honestly feels like to me is that someone made some REALLY hasty, budget-minded procurement decisions without any thought towards story, theme, setting, etc. and now another team is having to come in behind them and try to make it all make some amount of sense.

The story, as described, just doesn't sound organically conceived at all—and aside from "oh, there's Ludwig," it doesn't really seem like DarKoaster is trying to capture the deep, beloved lore of DarKastle like I would have hoped.

Obviously we're still early days and good ride media—especially in the preshow—could pave over all of this rough terrain. As I said before, I honestly am very optimistic about the project overall. Coming off years of just utterly thematically braindead attraction concepts though, I definitely can't help but notice a few red flags here right now.
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I absolutely feel like some of the other options would fit better. Motorcycles have been around for ages and could help bridge the theming gap better than a vehicle that is primarily used for recreation. Heck, just one look at the trains and I feel like you'd be like "nah, those don't really look like snowmobiles". But whoever inevitably did look into that, be in before or after the concept art was done up, I think might have been stuck with it. I'm also curious about cost options based on the existence of wavebreaker in chain and the other FLC for San Diego.

This theme sucks, is confusing, and exists from SEAS being cheap.

Overall, this project came out of nowhere(which might explain why it seems to be rushed and lack cohesion). The park is getting a ride that fills a spot in the lineup, they are adding a coaster where a non coaster ride was, and the ride itself looks to be decent. These are all great and this might be the best project for the park since Invadr depending on who you ask.

My take on all this is to just laugh. The park got backlash for pantheon. They managed to find a project for 2023 that *does* incorporate theming, is another freaking roller coaster, and fit into the budget. I fell like this project really reflects all that is wrong with the chain rn internally. There still are people that care and seem to be making every effort to better the parks, but clearly things are stopping that goal from happening. The irony of constantly adding new rides and massive capital investments while also cheaping out on them is not lost.
 
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I was wondering if there might be a slower dark ride segment, but going with DarKoaster seems to exclude much of that, it's a koaster.

Snow should be easy to do. And that shell on a coaster chassis looks at least as much like a snowmobile as a jet ski.
 
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Fur Dozy said:
Overall, this project came out of nowhere(which might explain why it seems to be rushed and lack cohesion).
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Based on what @horsesboy and @BGWnut have alluded to based on who they know it was more out of nowhere for park goers but not for the park itself.

I personally think this feeling of lack of cohesion for many would have been there no matter how long they took to do this. It’s more a matter of the quality of the team working on it than the amount of time you have to get it done.

All in all we still know very little overall about this ride. Less than any other ride that was themed that. I can remember regardless of the park.

Like, I get these feelings of disappointment. I do. But I don’t feel like it’s fair to “beat down” (and you are not the only poster doing this) those of us that have optimism for this.
 
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warfelg said:
Based on what @horsesboy and @BGWnut have alluded to based on who they know it was more out of nowhere for park goers but not for the park itself.

I personally think this feeling of lack of cohesion for many would have been there no matter how long they took to do this. It’s more a matter of the quality of the team working on it than the amount of time you have to get it done.

All in all we still know very little overall about this ride. Less than any other ride that was themed that. I can remember regardless of the park.

Like, I get these feelings of disappointment. I do. But I don’t feel like it’s fair to “beat down” (and you are not the only poster doing this) those of us that have optimism for this.
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I'm quite optimistic for this ride, I just find the Jet-Ski-Mobile's hilarious along with the fact that it's so close to great yet so far. Don't see how that's beating down in any way.
 
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warfelg said:
But I don’t feel like it’s fair to “beat down” (and you are not the only poster doing this) those of us that have optimism for this.
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Someone having an opinion different to you isn't beating you down. I don't see anyone here vividly attempting to dissect your view and shit on you for being optimistic, just individuals who aren't optimistic about the ride sharing why they aren't. If it upsets your optimism, maybe because those of us with the not-so-optimistic view are making good points.
 
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