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

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!
Status
The first entry in this thread is a WikiPost. As such, it can be edited by anyone with the appropriate permissions.
Not open for further replies.

Important Articles:​


Animated Pre-Creation:​

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Direct Link to Embedded Media Source

Major Updates:​

 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: Mr. Porkchop and chevyhd17
Click to expand...
Rheath said:
Just got off the ride, here's my very raw thoughts after one ride -

Fun little ride, effects are cool and more than I was expecting. Obviously prefer Darkastle, but this ride was never matching it.

Lack of story in the queue is obvious. Capacity is horrid. Having a coaster station in that building doesn't work, throws off the ambiance entirely. The entire ride feels like it shouldn't exist, but it is fun in its own right
Click to expand...
I went on it today and I can say abt the same, tho I’d add that it’s kinda like roller coaster junk food (for just abt the same reasons, tho I can imagine I’m not the first person to say that). That warehouse is just not big enough for a proper indoor roller coaster that could do DarKastle full justice, but it’s an alright ride for what it’s worth
Also smthg abt the trains that could be a me thing or might not be - I had a cramp in my upper thigh throughout it up until I was able to get out. Could just be that I’m a fatass idk :p
 
Griffonboy said:
Got my ride yesterday; well, experienced half the ride before we were evacuated at the booster… ( lights on inside and everything) was unfortunate and they only gave us a re ride ticket. Which would have required us to get back in line and wait over an hour for an unfinished experience. Appreciated the gesture but wasn’t getting back in the line.
Click to expand...
Which launch are you referring to? The first or second one? Also did you hear or smell anything weird? Probably an odd question but I've never been on an Intamin tire launch before.
 
AlpenChariot said:
Which launch are you referring to? The first or second one? Also did you hear or smell anything weird? Probably an odd question but I've never been on an Intamin tire launch before.
Click to expand...
Didn’t smell anything weird, it was at the tire booster launch in the middle of the ride with the emergency brake run. It was like the whole building shut down and it was pitch black for about 5 minutes before the ride ops called to us and cut the lights on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Coasternerd
Griffonboy said:
Didn’t smell anything weird, it was at the tire booster launch in the middle of the ride with the emergency brake run. It was like the whole building shut down and it was pitch black for about 5 minutes before the ride ops called to us and cut the lights on.
Click to expand...
I do recall hearing that if the switches don’t align (same deal as pantheon) correctly, it will shutdown the ride, and by extension, the theming. Not sure how true that is though.
 
I rode it on Sunday shortly after the park opened, maybe around 11, after hitting Apollo and Pantheon. Line was pretty short, maybe 20-25 mins, but certainly felt a little slow for the length. I thought the theming was pretty good at that short of a line and understood it was some ghost hunting in a wintry dark and stormy night. I'm 5' 9", 175 male, and had the same upper thigh cramping at end of ride someone else mentioned. Theming on ride was okay, with the final ghost eating effect the best, but there could be more props and production values on them could be higher. Ride itself was quite fun, especially the speed after each launch, which was surprisingly fast. Good ride, but I wouldn't wait more than 30 minutes for it (but I rarely wait that long on any ride since we're very particular about days and showing up first thing). Once my kids are a wee-bit older, I think they would lose their minds loving the ride, though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlpenChariot, Alf33, Le Moose and 4 others
I keep seeing people mentioning walk of shame hindering an already terrible rider throughput. Are these straddle trains just more restrictive to size? Is there not a test seat out front?

Seems strange to me to not have anything in place to make sure the already slow operations don't get slowed down even more due to stuff like people routinely not fitting. If these trains are more restrictive it is all the more reason to advertise a test seat, just because you have never gotten walk of shamed before doesn't mean this coaster will fly. Kinda like Pantheon being a tighter fit than most.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tankb4real, enaosaka, Coasternerd and 2 others
Ice said:
I keep seeing people mentioning walk of shame hindering an already terrible rider throughput. Are these straddle trains just more restrictive to size? Is there not a test seat out front?

Seems strange to me to not have anything in place to make sure the already slow operations don't get slowed down even more due to stuff like people routinely not fitting. If these trains are more restrictive it is all the more reason to advertise a test seat, just because you have never gotten walk of shamed before doesn't mean this coaster will fly. Kinda like Pantheon being a tighter fit than most.
Click to expand...
My understanding is there will be a test seat but much like when Invadr opened it was not setup before preview. On a side note I think that DarKoaster is probably one of the more accommodating coaster at BGW for heavier riders.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tankb4real, DE_Creative, Coasternerd and 2 others
I am 6'5", with disproportionately long legs. As such, I have been height-checked almost every time before riding Pantheon, but when I sit down my head is below the top of the head rest, so no problems. I struggled fitting in DarKoaster. The ride attendant had to push the restraint down and I experienced the upper leg cramp that others have described. That is a very long line for folks to wait in and potentially find out that they cannot properly fit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary, Tankb4real, Mr. Porkchop and 1 other person
Ice said:
Are these straddle trains just more restrictive to size?
Click to expand...

I think different people are getting booted on DarKoaster than on most coasters at BGW. Like @Kreese said, height–specifically leg length–seems to be an issue. The trains are low-key awful. They have little cubbies your feet have to fit into so you get zero ability to change the position of your feet to try to get your legs/knees/calves into a better, more reasonable, more comfortable orientation.

When I got my ride, I didn't see a single person getting walked. That said, I do know of people who have been walked so it definitely is happening. Other problems are probably more dire though–like the impending arrival of QuickQueue–including all the free ones they have out to members last year. 😬
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tankb4real, Alf33, Coasternerd and 2 others
Zachary said:
That video does a great job of showing why the light bleed is so bad. You can see straight through the entire ride area with basically no obstruction. 🙁
Click to expand...
Don't see why they shouldn't install some wall inserts along the areas with the most leakage. Could even do a couple of backdrop projections against it. Just seems like it is missing a couple of things to call it a masterpiece.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tankb4real, Mr. Porkchop, Alf33 and 2 others
CoasterMac said:
For the 7:30pm member rides tonight, I assume it's the same one-ride policy? Debating if I should go tonight or bear the crowds & go for multiple rides tomorrow.
Click to expand...
With as bad as capacity has been reported, you may only get 1 ride before close...


I305Evan said:
"One of the most anticipated coasters of 2023"
Click to expand...

By BGW logic, a long line = anticipated ride, therefore bad capacity = long line = most anticipated ride. Next year it will be most popular because they had an 8 hour wait every weekend with only 4000 people all day...
 
  • Haha
  • Like
Reactions: Tankb4real, Zachary, Alf33 and 6 others
Status
The first entry in this thread is a WikiPost. As such, it can be edited by anyone with the appropriate permissions.
Not open for further replies.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad