Below, I have a few illustrations sorta depicting a rough idea of a cleaned up New France ride area. It includes a reimagined InvadR, guest midways, and thrill ride addition. This is completely fan created and wishful thinking, not super realistic but figured I'd share nonetheless.
NEW InvadR Layout
Red - Existing track
Orange - New lift and layout
Blue - Existing Flume
Yellow - Existing Buildings
Green - New foliage / tree growth
Dark Gray - Service roads
While I love what InvadR is for Busch Gardens, filling several voids in the ride lineup, I've always hated what it's done to the feel of the surrounding area. The foliage removed opens views all the way from the covered bridge to the Maintenance Building backstage, and ruined the Le Scoot Flume ride experience in my opinion. While trying to keep InvadR in the park, I wanted to play around with alternative layouts, while perhaps keeping some of what currently exists. (I've never heard of or seen a track layout change on a wooden roller coaster before. But, seeing it done on roller coasters in general, I felt like it was a fun idea to mess around with.) After this, above is what I came up with: a simple out and back layout, which allows for foliage to grow in crucial spots and allows for easier maintenance on both the railroad and InvadR itself. Ride vehicles, as it stands now, have to be hauled to the maintenance building backstage after being pushed back to the brake run and disassembled there. In order to do that, forklifts and other large machines must drive through the Caribou Train Station, over the tracks and on the ride platform. What I have above, eliminates a whole lot of complication and looks much cleaner in my opinion.
New France Area
All above is depicting is a new plaza area that more or less eliminates the existing InvadR plaza area and simplifies it greatly. The reason for this is for better flow and access to the Caribou Train Station.
RELOCATED 36 Seat S&S Screamin Swing
Red - Tower Structures
Yellow - Buildings
Cream / Teal - Swings at 90 degree mid swing
Blue Arrows - Ride entry and exit
Before InvadR was built, I always believed the New France area of BGW needed a significant anchor between Alpengeist and Griffon but still off the heavily traversed path. The Catapult pad caught my attention as guests can see it from a distance when entering New France from the covered bridge or from Three Rivers Snacks shop. Something not too big like a large roller coaster or drop tower but still a sizeable thrill ride. This is where I would have placed "Finnegan's Flyer" back in 2015 when I first thought this up. If anyone who has ridden Barnstormer at Dollywood, this is what I am envisioning. Flying close to cabin style buildings and trees I believe is a decent trade off for flying over an ugly retention pond in Ireland.
NEW InvadR Layout
Red - Existing track
Orange - New lift and layout
Blue - Existing Flume
Yellow - Existing Buildings
Green - New foliage / tree growth
Dark Gray - Service roads
While I love what InvadR is for Busch Gardens, filling several voids in the ride lineup, I've always hated what it's done to the feel of the surrounding area. The foliage removed opens views all the way from the covered bridge to the Maintenance Building backstage, and ruined the Le Scoot Flume ride experience in my opinion. While trying to keep InvadR in the park, I wanted to play around with alternative layouts, while perhaps keeping some of what currently exists. (I've never heard of or seen a track layout change on a wooden roller coaster before. But, seeing it done on roller coasters in general, I felt like it was a fun idea to mess around with.) After this, above is what I came up with: a simple out and back layout, which allows for foliage to grow in crucial spots and allows for easier maintenance on both the railroad and InvadR itself. Ride vehicles, as it stands now, have to be hauled to the maintenance building backstage after being pushed back to the brake run and disassembled there. In order to do that, forklifts and other large machines must drive through the Caribou Train Station, over the tracks and on the ride platform. What I have above, eliminates a whole lot of complication and looks much cleaner in my opinion.
New France Area
All above is depicting is a new plaza area that more or less eliminates the existing InvadR plaza area and simplifies it greatly. The reason for this is for better flow and access to the Caribou Train Station.
RELOCATED 36 Seat S&S Screamin Swing
Red - Tower Structures
Yellow - Buildings
Cream / Teal - Swings at 90 degree mid swing
Blue Arrows - Ride entry and exit
Before InvadR was built, I always believed the New France area of BGW needed a significant anchor between Alpengeist and Griffon but still off the heavily traversed path. The Catapult pad caught my attention as guests can see it from a distance when entering New France from the covered bridge or from Three Rivers Snacks shop. Something not too big like a large roller coaster or drop tower but still a sizeable thrill ride. This is where I would have placed "Finnegan's Flyer" back in 2015 when I first thought this up. If anyone who has ridden Barnstormer at Dollywood, this is what I am envisioning. Flying close to cabin style buildings and trees I believe is a decent trade off for flying over an ugly retention pond in Ireland.
