Busch Gardens Williamsburg | InvadR | Family GCI
- Thread starter GuyWithAStick
- Start date
MestnyiGeroi
Giga Poster
Oh my. I'll be there April 10th, something I planned several months ago.
GuyWithAStick
Captain Basic
Ok, that's actually really fab. I have no idea why I ignored this. So many hills!
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MestnyiGeroi
Giga Poster
You can tell it still has that new-coaster smell.
Clearly not about the steep drops there, but it looks like fun. Amazing that I'll be on it in a couple of weeks!
Clearly not about the steep drops there, but it looks like fun. Amazing that I'll be on it in a couple of weeks!
owentaylor121
Giga Poster
It looks fun but I'm really not that impressed at all. I guess it will be excellent for the family market though.
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GuyWithAStick
Captain Basic
The ride soft-opened today, and seems to be doing very well.
Some of the airtime looks really nice. Hopefully I can make it out to BGW soon!
Some of the airtime looks really nice. Hopefully I can make it out to BGW soon!
I feel like this coaster needs a couple of years for the trees to grow and shelter the coaster more. I think it looks like a really nice little family coaster, but it does feel a little bit sterile at the moment. Time will definitely help.
Although I do wish they hadn't gone for the boring concrete trench after the first drop. I can't see that ever really blending in well. Suppose it's cheap though...
Although I do wish they hadn't gone for the boring concrete trench after the first drop. I can't see that ever really blending in well. Suppose it's cheap though...
Pink Cadillac
Giga Poster
That zero-car is way too big.
You'll find an even bigger version of it at the entrance though
source: behind the thrills
Makes that other zero-car with the bear straining it's neck a bit random however
You'll find an even bigger version of it at the entrance though
source: behind the thrills
Makes that other zero-car with the bear straining it's neck a bit random however
I went the media day and this is how I got on.
The event started at 6am and I was scheduled to have my reverse POV filmed at 6:15am, so I headed for the station as soon as I checked in. However there were problems with the lap bar restraint sensors and everything was put on hold while they worked on the trouble. After standing around for a couple of hours I was informed that I didn't need to wait in line as the schedule would remain intact and I would be on the second train no matter how long it would take to get started. So I decided to take advantage of the breaking daylight and get breakfast.
By the time I made my way back up the exit, the second train was being transferred onto the track. After a few more test runs, it was time to get started and before you know it I was in the front seat ready for my first ride.
Needless to say, the coaster wasn't warmed up yet and not running at its best, so the ride was a bit disappointing. At least it was in the daylight instead of the dark, as it would have been without the delay, so I'm not complaining.
After about another hour I decided it was time to give the back seat a go. I wasn't sure if it was because the coaster was warmed up a bit more or if it was simply because of being in the back row, but this ride was a lot better than my first.
I wanted to film a front row POV next, but they were only allowing people to ride the Grizzly train. The Dragon train was running empty due to the earlier delay, so that they could dispatch the train with the mounted reverse camera faster. Since I couldn't get back in the front row of the Grizzly train due to the reverse POV filming going on and the camera mount would be in the way, I asked if it would be alright for them to allow me to ride solo on the Dragon train to film a POV. They said that they would see what they could do and for me to stand by.
After about another hour of waiting around they finally gave me the go ahead.
By now the coaster was warmed up and running much better and I was able to determine that the back row was indeed the better, especially that first drop in the tunnel. Being pulled over the top without being able to see the bottom of the drop is by far my favorite part of the ride.
Next up were the interviews with GCI's co-founder and president, Clair Hain Jr...
...and Suzy Cheely, Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Director of Design and Engineering.
Another half hour later it was time for the opening ceremony to start. Park president David Cromwell was interrupted about 10 minutes into his speech as Vikings, along with members of the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula, took over the proceedings. At the ceremony's conclusion, the first riders were escorted into the station and the coaster was now open to the public. Here is a video of the entire ceremony:
With all that out of the way, we were escorted along the nearby train tracks and to an area below the first drop where I filmed some off-ride footage.
Although, like most of you, I was a bit disappointed that the park's first woodie wasn't more of a thrill ride, I think the coaster is great for families and fits perfectly into the New France section of the park. I'm sure it will look even better in a few years once vegetation grows in around the track layout.
Is it worth traveling to the park just to ride InvadR? Probably not, but it's still a nice addition to the park.
The event started at 6am and I was scheduled to have my reverse POV filmed at 6:15am, so I headed for the station as soon as I checked in. However there were problems with the lap bar restraint sensors and everything was put on hold while they worked on the trouble. After standing around for a couple of hours I was informed that I didn't need to wait in line as the schedule would remain intact and I would be on the second train no matter how long it would take to get started. So I decided to take advantage of the breaking daylight and get breakfast.
By the time I made my way back up the exit, the second train was being transferred onto the track. After a few more test runs, it was time to get started and before you know it I was in the front seat ready for my first ride.
Needless to say, the coaster wasn't warmed up yet and not running at its best, so the ride was a bit disappointing. At least it was in the daylight instead of the dark, as it would have been without the delay, so I'm not complaining.
After about another hour I decided it was time to give the back seat a go. I wasn't sure if it was because the coaster was warmed up a bit more or if it was simply because of being in the back row, but this ride was a lot better than my first.
I wanted to film a front row POV next, but they were only allowing people to ride the Grizzly train. The Dragon train was running empty due to the earlier delay, so that they could dispatch the train with the mounted reverse camera faster. Since I couldn't get back in the front row of the Grizzly train due to the reverse POV filming going on and the camera mount would be in the way, I asked if it would be alright for them to allow me to ride solo on the Dragon train to film a POV. They said that they would see what they could do and for me to stand by.
After about another hour of waiting around they finally gave me the go ahead.
By now the coaster was warmed up and running much better and I was able to determine that the back row was indeed the better, especially that first drop in the tunnel. Being pulled over the top without being able to see the bottom of the drop is by far my favorite part of the ride.
Next up were the interviews with GCI's co-founder and president, Clair Hain Jr...
...and Suzy Cheely, Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Director of Design and Engineering.
Another half hour later it was time for the opening ceremony to start. Park president David Cromwell was interrupted about 10 minutes into his speech as Vikings, along with members of the Boys & Girls Club of the Virginia Peninsula, took over the proceedings. At the ceremony's conclusion, the first riders were escorted into the station and the coaster was now open to the public. Here is a video of the entire ceremony:
With all that out of the way, we were escorted along the nearby train tracks and to an area below the first drop where I filmed some off-ride footage.
Although, like most of you, I was a bit disappointed that the park's first woodie wasn't more of a thrill ride, I think the coaster is great for families and fits perfectly into the New France section of the park. I'm sure it will look even better in a few years once vegetation grows in around the track layout.
Is it worth traveling to the park just to ride InvadR? Probably not, but it's still a nice addition to the park.