DarKoaster, the Immersive Motorbike Coaster for Busch Gardens Williamsburg

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originally posted on 2/24/2023 3:58:00 PM

Busch Gardens is set to open a thrilling new indoor roller coaster, DarKoaster, this spring. The ride promises to be a unique experience for visitors, with quick turns and a complete darkness environment that sets it apart from other rides in the park.

Park President Kevin Lembke has expressed his excitement for the ride, stating, "It's going to be intense. Yeah. Just because the turns are so quick and, again, being in complete darkness, it's a really unique, great experience." He also notes that with a height requirement of 48 inches, DarKoaster should have a broad appeal: "Especially with 48 inches very wide appeal, you know, for everyone."

Vice President of Design and Engineering at Busch Gardens, Suzy Cheely, has explained that the park has been looking forward to repurposing an old attraction site for DarKoaster. Being indoors allows for enhanced theming through lighting and sound, making the experience even more enjoyable. Cheely states, "Basically, we've been looking forward to repurposing DarKastle for years. And the fact that we have an all-indoor coaster is going to make the best use for it ever. So we're real excited about that."

DarKoaster's entrance is themed as a haunted castle.
Photo: Aidan Brown. View full-sized image.

Despite the challenges of building a roller coaster within an existing layout, Cheely notes that the benefits of repurposing the site outweighed the cons: "I think the benefits far outweigh the cons."

Some of DarKoaster's theming.
Photo: Aidan Brown. View full-sized image.

The coaster cars used for DarKoaster are identical to those used for other rides, but with different theming (decals). The ride will take two laps around the track and feature a total of four launches. ACE members Jill Ryan and Evangelos Ringas have previewed the ride, expressing their excitement for the unique experience that DarKoaster promises. Ryan states, "I think riders are in for a lot of surprises with all the theming and the elements." Ringas adds, "I think the tops of these are only 36 miles per hour. But as enthusiasts know, it's not just speed; it's the relative speed. So yeah, it's going to feel faster, especially when you're zipping around turns and coming off launches."

Lembke shares his enthusiasm for the family-friendly ride, noting, "The big coasters like Pantheon are great, but I love the idea of even more kids and families being able to ride, that's really exciting."