Busch Gardens Williamsburg recently released a new teaser video for their highly anticipated 2012 roller coaster, Verbolten. It’s basically an extension of the 30 second teaser that the park released last fall.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s new teaser video: The Verbolten Experience
As some hoped, it looks like there may be a reference to our dearly departed Big Bad Wolf. You can see glowing eyes in the dark forest and what may be a wolf leaping out at you. There’s also bats flying overhead, weather changes, and an avalanche of rocks. There’s some kind of mechanical monster that I was hoping was going to breath fire (Drachen Fire’s ghost) and scariest of all a pack of creepy gnomes!
If Verbolten can deliver on a multi-sensory experience close to this teaser, then I think they’ve got a winner. I can’t think of a roller coaster that has this much going on and a that fun dive to the Rhine River that we’ve seen come together. It’s a short teaser, but I’m glad that the park put something out.
Verbolten Construction Update
BGWFans has been all over construction of Verbolten. Thanks to the park’s winter event Christmas Town, coaster geeks have been able to get a peak at the ride’s progress well into the off-season. The event building where the drop track was spottedwas enclosed some time ago. And last month, the track for the dive to the river was completed.
Check out these construction photos on the BGW Fans’ latest blog post here:Verbolten construction photos.
Thoughts on Verbolten’s Family Appeal
Reminder to some of you thrill junkies that might be a little underwhelmed by the ride (as seen in these poll results). Stop for a second and think of the warm and fuzzies you get when you remember your first roller coaster. Even better, read some of the comments on this post: Your First Roller Coaster Ride. Thousands and thousands of kids may have this ‘family thrill ride’ as their first bigger coaster ride. If the prospect of something like Universal Studios Mummy’s Revenge doesn’t excite you, then at least think of the kids! I guess as a 32 year old father of two that’s far from his first roller coaster ride, my perspective on family rides has evolved a bit.
What’s Your Take?
What do you think of the video? Have your expectations for Verbolten gone up, down, or stayed the same? Leave a comment below. Construction photo courtesy of BGWFans.
January 14, 2012 at 04:04
That drop in the final photo looks pretty steep.
January 15, 2012 at 15:31
I think it's basically a remake of the final drop of the Big Bad Wolf, which was in exactly the same place and was pretty steep.
January 16, 2012 at 09:11
Probably.
January 14, 2012 at 06:44
Believe it or not, they had 3 verbolten teaser videos that they released throughout the fall with the QR codes, and now they just mashed them together… sorry to break it to you, but nothing is new here
January 14, 2012 at 07:47
Thanks for the heads up. I'm sure it's still new to those who haven't been following updates as closely. Did they just now merge the videos? The date for the video on youtube was only a few days ago.
January 15, 2012 at 12:50
I believe BGW and Kings Dominion are still on my 2013 trip radar. That, or a cross-Missouri trip to Six Flags, WOF, and SDC. One of my first coasters was a Zierer–What is now called Pepsi Orange Streak at Nickelodeon Universe. They've come a ways from POS, but how far is the envelope away from its starting spot?
January 25, 2012 at 19:46
I've been wanting to do a cross-Missouri trip too. I'd love to hit those three parks in a two or three day blitz. Since Canda is my major destination this year, Minnesota and/or Missouri will be next for 2013.
January 15, 2012 at 15:25
I get excited these days about news of family coasters for exactly this reason: I want rides I can share with my kid, now or in the near future. My local park has something of a gap between their kiddie coaster and the big rides.
Height requirements aside, though, it will be a few years before she's up to riding something with spooky dark-ride elements like Verbolten; the idea of a ride going through a simple tunnel is still too much for her.
January 25, 2012 at 19:52
Same for me Matt. My oldest daughter is interested in coasters, but I wouldn't dare take her on a heavily themed dark ride. She's only 4. What's your local park by the way? Does it have a mine train coaster? They can be nice in-between rides.
January 16, 2012 at 05:41
I'm excited about Verbolten because it's Busch Gardens. They never seem to dissapoint or come up short, especially with thier coasters (well, except Drachen Fire). This new teaser just gets me even more excited, as the theming looks great.
January 16, 2012 at 08:34
Zierer did do what sounds like one relatively intense coaster, Wicked at Lagoon in Utah, which has a 110-foot vertical launch and drop and a zero-g roll. They do seem to specialize mostly in family and kiddie coasters.
January 16, 2012 at 14:34
Do you think that this video will keep getting longer and longer until they release the entire layout?
February 20, 2012 at 13:43
I really like dark rides like this. It's more of a visually exciting experience and may not be as thrilling, but it's still fun as hell and is a nice break from the action.