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

Important Articles:​

• BGWFans' full "Project DarKoaster" leak:
  
  

  Busch Gardens Williamsburg's New-for-2023 Roller Coaster

  BGWFans.com has exclusively obtained a bevy of information regarding a yet-to-be-announced, fully-indoor, multi-launch, family coaster currently in development for Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

  bgwfans.com
• BGWFans' summary of the DarKoaster: Escape the Storm announcement:
  
  

  DarKoaster: Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Indoor Roller Coaster

  Everything we know about Busch Gardens Williamsburg's officially-announced, new-for-2023, multi-launched, family roller coaster, DarKoaster

  bgwfans.com

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Major Updates:​

• July 15th, 2021: ParkFans member, @horsesboy, posts a rumor regarding possible DarKastle redevelopment plans
• November 25th, 2021: BGWFans begins teasing a Curse of DarKastle replacement
• December 2nd, 2021: Building permit filed for "modifications to existing Germany village building" valued at $3.5 million
• December 6th, 2021: BGWFans confirms that the Curse of DarKastle replacement is a roller coaster
• December 30th, 2021: BGWFans leaks "Project DarKoaster"
• February 10th, 2022: @Jahrules discovers a utility markings request for the area around DarKastle
• February 16th, 2022: DarKastle has been cleared out
• February 18th, 2022: Photos from inside DarKastle
• April 7th, 2022: DarKoaster plumbing and electrical permits found
• April 20, 2022: @horsesboy reports that stagged construction materials have been decreasing suggesting ongoing construction
• June 1, 2022: BGWFans reports that DarKoaster track is on-site and subsequently posts the first photos
• June 2, 2022: Busch Gardens Williamsburg teases Project DarKoaster for the first time
• June 14, 2022: BGWFans publishes DarKoaster photo and locker building plans
• July 18, 2022: Outdated photos from inside DarKastle leak online
• September 6, 2022: Busch Gardens announces DarKoaster: Escape the Storm opening in 2023
• April 20, 2023: Busch Gardens announces May 19, 2023 as the opening day for DarKoaster, with a Members Only Preview starting May 11, 2023.

 

[ijerngvidsnvk]

Line was posted at 215 minutes earlier

 

[Irishlad]

Line was posted at 215 minutes earlier

 

[RKRCC]

Line was posted at 215 minutes earlier

Wow!!! Wonder if that is 215 minutes factoring in the once or twice a day Intamin breakdown…

Broke down once on us Friday last week. A 45 minute wait turned into a hour and a half. Fun ride though. Hope they work out the reliability end.

 

[Zachary]

once or twice a day Intamin breakdown

 

[AIR]

Well it's running 1 train so that wait time makes sense.

 

[Irishlad]

Well it's running 1 train so that wait time makes sense.

Oh god no

 

[Gavin]

Congrats BGW, you built a coaster with worse capacity and potentially more issues than Volcano.

 

[Zachary]

Add DarKoaster to the list of BGW coasters that desperately need a third train to hold in reserve for when one of the other two goes out of service.

1. Loch Ness Monster
2. InvadR
3. DarKoaster

 

[AIR]

Add DarKoaster to the list of BGW coasters that desperately need a third train to hold in reserve for when one of the other two goes out of service.

1. Loch Ness Monster
2. InvadR
3. DarKoaster

Loch Ness Monster still has about 4 trains worth of parts after buying the two new trains but no extra 7 bodies. InvadR still has the last 8 chassis from Gwazi from the two 12 car trains so they technically could build a third, but they have nowhere to keep it stored for quick access in the event of a train going out of service.

 

[horsesboy]

Add DarKoaster to the list of BGW coasters that desperately need a third train to hold in reserve for when one of the other two goes out of service.

1. Loch Ness Monster
2. InvadR
3. DarKoaster

You forgot Pantheon

In all seriousness yesterday dispatches seemed to be running smoother and faster then during preview period with the train in the station dispatching right as the train on the ride approached the pre station breakrun.

 

[Coolguy15]

The wait time isn’t actually 215 minutes. They meant two hours and 15 minutes.

 

[Zachary]

The wait time isn’t actually 215 minutes. They meant two hours and 15 minutes.

They should probably fix their sign then.

Also, given all the downtime it reportedly had today and the fact that it was running one train most (all so far?) of the day, 215 minutes may be more accurate.

 

[Coolguy15]

I didn’t notice much down time today, granted I only rode it once (due to the aforementioned wait time)

 

[rswashdc]

Congrats BGW, you built a coaster with worse capacity and potentially more issues than Volcano.

Hypersonic would like consideration in this race too.

 

[CoasterMac]

The wait time isn’t actually 215 minutes. They meant two hours and 15 minutes.

Nope, that is 215 minutes. On Saturday, I waited through the full queue*, 2 trains, advertised at 135 minutes. It ended up being 140 minutes.
From my experience, it seems pretty evenly spaced between indoor & outdoor sections of queue. The outdoor section was 1h17m, indoor section was about 1h.

*line was to the 180° corner behind the big tower, so about 98% queue

 

[pizzathieff]

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[horsesboy]

Highly confused and disappointed in BGW right now they said October Fest and DK would open at 10:30 then went ahead and opened ONE route to them right away but held anyone going the other way till the advisored 10:30 resulting in the line being outside of the Kastle for guest that rope dropped and followed directions.

 

[Aidansn07]

Highly confused and disappointed in BGW right now they said October Fest and DK would open at 10:30 then went ahead and opened ONE route to them right away but held anyone going the other way till the advisored 10:30 resulting in the line being outside of the Kastle for guest that rope dropped and followed directions.

Which route was open first ?

 

[horsesboy]

Which route was open first ?

Through Italy was apparently never blocked. The wait time on the entrance sign for DK was 150 at 10:33 when I got there. To be very clear we were told by staff at the blocked off stairs that the area and ride didn't open till 10:30. We went through Ireland and New France and were held a both location and were told repeatedly by multiple staff at both locations that there was no access to October Fest or DK till 10:30 this was NOT a handful of staff not being properly informed but either a complete disregard of what they told guests or an inability to communicate to their staff what opens when. On every occasion there were one or more people in leadership uniforms so not just front line employees not understanding either.

 

[October13]

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I actually think most of this theming looks pretty good given the parks recent history for theming new rides. I really like the wraith-looking dudes, they are quite cool. And I know not everything will be perfect when theming a coaster (I still don't know what granny says on the Copperhead Strike launch). I say all this because those clouds.....I hope they look better in the dark. Because they are.....a choice.