PIRATES SET SAIL FOR VIRGINIA AS BUSCH GARDENS WILLIAMSBURG PREPARES FOR A SWASHBUCKLING, 4-D ADVENTURE FOR THE 1998 SEASON
WILLIAMSBURG, Va., October 17, 1997--Hold tight to yer sword matey and don your battle garb--"PIRATES" sets sail for Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Debuting at the European-themed park in 1998, a state-of-the-art 4-D adventure--"PIRATES"-- will star Leslie Nielsen and feature the latest special effect technology to create a new dimension in entertainment. Guests will feel like they are in the middle of the action as they experience sprays of water and a boatload of surprises during their journey with the sea's most daring band of scavengers.
The sensational voyage begins aboard a pirate ship in the exotic isles of the Caribbean. Nielsen leads his cast of greedy ocean rebels as Captain Lucky. Best known for his role as Lt. Frank Drebin on the television series "Police Squad" and "The Naked Gun" motion pictures, Nielsen delivers a king-sized portion of humor as he and his gang search for a pirate's treasure which holds riches and glory. Guests are whisked to a remote island where Captain Lucky abandons his crew and keeps the now found pirate booty for himself. Unbeknownst to dastardly Captain Lucky, a young lad named Davey, played by Adam Wylie of the television series "Picket Fences," has survived the journey and secretly waits on the island to plot his revenge.
Davey kicks off the adventure as he prepares side-splitting surprises for Captain Lucky and the band of greedy thieves. Davey cleverly crafts booby traps that send the buccaneers on a frenzied escapade. The pirates battle fierce bats, angry hornets and journey through a dark, mysterious cave. Sensational high-tech effects and 4-D images pull guests into the midst of the action. The nautical adventure was written by Eric Idle who also stars as Pierre, Captain Lucky's loyal first mate. Idle, a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, lists "National Lampoon's European Vacation," "Splitting Heirs," "Casper" and the Monty Python films among his credits.
"Pirates adds a new dimension to the quality family entertainment Busch Gardens offers every season" said Joe Fincher, executive vice president and general manager of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The state-of-the-art 4-D adventure will dock just in time for Busch Gardens' opening date, March 28, 1998.
The Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks include Busch Gardens and Water Country USA in Williamsburg, Va.; Busch Gardens and Adventure Island in Tampa Bay; SeaWorld marine life parks in Orlando, San Diego, San Antonio and Cleveland; and Sesame Place, a children's play park near Philadelphia. Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks employ more than 15,000 people. To learn more about the Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks, visit their interactive web sites at www.buschgardens.com and www.watercountryusa.com or call toll-free (800) 4-ADVENTURE.