Visitors Guide to Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

With lands themed to several nations in western Europe, Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened in 1975 as Busch Gardens: The Old Country, switching to its current name in 1992 before a brief change to Busch Gardens Europe from 2006-08.

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New for 2025

The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge - This 2,583-foot Bolliger & Mabillard family inverted coaster will open in the park's Oktoberfest land. The name is a callback to the park's Arrow Suspended Coaster that ran from 1984 to 2009 on the site now occupied by Verbolten.

What to Do

Roller Coasters

  1. Pantheon ★ ★
    A 3,328-foot Intamin coaster featuring four launches, two inversions, a maximum height of 180 feet, a 95-degree drop, and a top speed of 72 mph. Height requirement: 52 inches
  2. Alpengeist
    A 3,828-foot Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster with a 170-foot drop, top speed of 67 mph and six inversions. Height requirement: 54 inches
  3. Apollo's Chariot
    A 4,882-foot Bolliger & Mabillard hyper coaster with a 210-foot drop and top speed of 73 mph. Height requirement: 52 inches
  4. Griffon
    A 3,108-foot Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster with a 200-foot drop, top speed of 71 mph and two inversions. Height requirement: 54 inches
  5. Loch Ness Monster
    A 3,240-foot Arrow custom looping coaster with a 114-foot drop and top speed of 60 mph. Known for its unique, interlocking vertical loops over the water, Nessie is getting a partial track rebuild for the 2024 season. Height requirement: 48 inches
  6. Verbolten
    A 2,835-foot Zierer coaster themed to a drive through the Bavarian forest, with an 88-foot drop and top speed of 53 mph. (Follow the link for a spoiler that might be needed for sensitive riders.) Height requirement: 48 inches
  7. InvadR
    A 2,118-foot Great Coasters International wooden coaster with a 74-foot drop and top speed of 48 mph. Height requirement: 46 inches
  8. DarKoaster
    A four-launch indoor Intamin coaster, with a top speed of 36 mph, built within King Ludwig's abandoned fortress from the old Curse of DarKastle ride. Height requirement: 48 inches
  9. Tempesto
    A 863-foot-long, 150-foot tall Premier Rides Sky Rocket II coaster, with a multi-pass LSM launch and top speed of 62 mph. Height requirement: 54 inches

In addition to these "grown-up" coasters, Busch Gardens Williamsburg offers Grover's Alpine Express, a Zierer Force coaster in the Sesame Street Forest of Fun children's land.

Other Attractions

Note that certain attractions below might be open only on weekends.

England

  • Sesame Street Forest of Fun - children's play area

Italy

  • Escape from Pompeii - shoot-the-chutes flume ride
  • The Battering Ram - swinging boat
  • The Flying Machine - scrambler

Festa Italia

  • Roman Rapids - river rapids ride
  • Turkish delight - teacup spinner
  • The Trade Wind - Musik Express ride

Oktoberfest

  • Der Autobahn - bumper cars
  • Der Wirbelwind - wave swinger

Germany

  • Kinder Karussel - carousel
  • Rhine River Cruise - boat ride
  • Land of the Dragons - children's playground

New France

  • Le Scoot - log flume ride
  • Le Catapult - scrambler

Ireland

  • Celtic Fyre - highly recommended show, featuring Irish music and step dancing
  • Finnegan's Flyer - an S&S Screamin' Swing with a height of 80 feet and speed of 45 mph.

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Park Map

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is located off Interstate 64, about five miles south of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.