Just got back from a trip down to Williamsburg for a few days on Sunday. Needed to catch up on a few things before posting about it.
I will say having not been there in many years the additions to the park that I got to experience were well done. I am still without a ride on Darkoaster as it was down for it's annual maintenance and no known date of reopening since parts need to come from overseas.
The park is still as beautiful as it was on my last trip and there definitely is a reason it keeps winning or being top 3 in US for park landscaping/theme. Though the themed areas this time got a little jumbled with the food and wine festival offerings from countries not represented in the park design being stuck into the park and having a little theming and music for the country of the food and drinks being served.
I need to say the new theming on and around Loch Ness Monster was well done it really adds to the ride and I am glad they paid attention to a classic coaster and gave it some love. Also I have to do the get a picture with the Clydesdale horse even though the park is not owned by the beer company anymore.
Ireland is kinda odd as it's only one ride right now and 2 shows. They really need to get either the old simulator ride (Corkscrew Hill) open with new theme and ride system or work on putting some kind of indoor dark ride in the building to the right as you leave the area headed towards the animal valley. I still love Celtic Fyre even though the story and songs are the same as my last visit. Dublin Over is a good small show/duo/trio in the midway outside the theater where Celtic Fyre is with great traditional music and modern music in the Irish vein. I say that because they admit they play some Scotish stuff.
After heading out from Ireland is the valley with a display of eagles, the valley where the wolves are let to run and then a show stage for animal shows. I love the fact that they tell you the show may or may not happen as the animals are in control and if they decide mid show they are done them that's what will occur. I had an almost aborted show with a barn owl that flew 4 times and then the last two balked but decided ok I'll do a shorter flight path after the handlers moved closer. If the owl decided not to do that path the handlers would have done the rest of their talk and ended the show a little early.
Wandering up through the France area I didn't attend Saturdays concert but it was "I love the 90s" with acts like Color Me Badd and Tone Loc. (i forget the other 2 acts). Other than the stage for concerts and a few stores and snack places the only ride here is Griffon. I love this ride the first drop looking at the A-B Brewery is stunning before getting held for 3 seconds over the edge of the dropp and then dropped straight down. A lot of coaster nuts hate these coasters since the design is pretty much the same elements after the drop but I don't see the problem with that. The splashdown at the end is also a good element I wish more coasters would utilize.
The next area is themed to New France (think Canada Timber business). It has one of the best food areas in the park in Trappers Smokehouse. It also is the location for the Log Flume, Scrambler and a Train Station. But the ride that is the centerpiece is a newer wooden coaster called Invadr. My daytime experiences with this coaster were not what I was expecting from the company that built it. But man at night did this little wonder pack in what I know that company does. It was odd that as the coaster sped up through the day it actually got smoother to me. The daytime rides through my 3 days at the park seemed to always being on the rough side but at night this coaster shines. I avoided the Log Flume as it was kinda chilly most days and I didn't feel like getting wet.
Cross a wooden covered bridge and you get into Germany/Oktoberfest and find Alpengheist. This inverted coaster is not aging well. I loved it years ago this trip it was down rough and even painful at night even to the point that it ended my Friday night upcharge event early as I smacked my head on the harness pretty hard and didn't feel great for 2 smaller coasters so I decided to pack it in and get back to my hotel and rest for Saturday's trip back to the park. In the Festhaus this year there is a new show based on Oktoberfest. It was fun and had some kids join in which is always good for the families. This is also a great spot to get german foods and maybe a Bier. Hidden to the right as you exit the building is the walkway back to Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge. Whoever made that name needs to go back to advertizing school it's just too damn long. The coaster on the other hand is well done with nice nods to the old ride and some new twists on the idea and it's still a great ride for kids to enjoy. No it doesn't swing but it gives some good lateral forces.
Also nearby are two sets of bumper cars (adult and kids) and the swings which are classic park rides.
Next up was Verbolten. A coaster ride themed to a nice drive through the haunted Black Forest. The neat fact of this ride is it follows the track layout of the original Big Bad Wolf. Fun times are always had on this ride even though it is not a high thrill ride. It's a good coaster to take the littles on.
Leaving Germany is a bridge that takes you over to the two areas that make up the Italian area of the park. With a show theater and the Italian food restaurant starting the area. Then there used to be a few flat rides that were reduced just to two kiddie rides and the swinging ship. They really need to add one or two rides in that area as the landscaping may be nice but it's still a barren area compared to when you cross the bridge into Festa which has tea cups, a music express, the rapids ride, a train station and 3... yes 3 coasters. Apollo's Chariot, or as I call it
Fabio, is the 200 foot airtime filled ride that most parks use to just pump riders through and they keep going back for more. These coasters rarely disapppoint. Right in front of Apollo's Chariot is Tempesto a launching tight loop coaster that for a small ride has some good inversions and hang time. The only issue I had was getting in the ride. I am not a large person and I even had an issue getting past the restraint and car to get to the seat. Whoever designed that was definitely not designing it for the American market.
The last coaster in the area and in Festa Italia is Pantheon. This multi launch coaster is the new jewel of the park. It was as good as I hoped and even had a little more punch than what I expected. The reactions of riders that had never experienced that style ride definitely add to the experience. The screams and words as the coaster banks at times you wouldn't expect a banking add on to the actual ride.
www.hfecorp.com
