originally posted on 4/22/2022
Photo: Courtesy of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. View full-sized image.
Virginia is a state with much coaster activity in 2022. The latest? Pantheon launched as the ninth roller coaster in the Busch Gardens Williamsburg collection. Theming brings the story of five gods offering unique experiences throughout this multilaunch coaster, the first from Intamin in the park. Festa Italia now spans the railroad tracks with a bridge that offers new views of the area. Pantheon resides in what was a pasture area for Clydesdales.
Crossing the new bridge, guests enter the new Pantheon courtyard featuring Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s impeccable landscaping with the remnants of what appears to be a Roman catastrophe of columns and pots. Entering the queue under a grand Pantheon arch, all riders confirm that they do not exceed the maximum height by passing under a bar of 76 inches; smaller guests acknowledge that they surpass the minimum height of 52 inches with their own smaller height check gate. Touring through the queue area, guests are greeted by Clydesdale horses and Scottish highland cattle, as well as signage highlighting each element the gods represent.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
Upon entering the station, it is decision time — front seat for the views or back seat for the maximum Pantheon ride experience. Rumor has it that the back left seat is the fan favorite.
The reverse point is one of the ride’s surprise features.
Photo: Aidan Brown. View full-sized image.
Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.
As passengers roll out of the station, the train launches riders into the first inversion, during which Minerva, goddess of war, rolls riders through an inversion and into a zig zag portion. As guests enter the straightaway launch segment, Mercury, god of trickery, takes control to propel the train forward over a bunny hill and up, up, up the top hat element while the transfer track shifts to create the next experience. It’s not time to rise over the apex yet because every ride offers a rollback — Mercury is still up to his tricks! Rolling backward into a launch, riders are propelled in reverse through the bunny hill again, across the transfer track that now takes them straight into the hands of Neptune, god of seas, featuring two seconds of weightlessness. After a moment of floating airtime, riders plunge back into the launch section a third time, increasing speed to rise over the tallest section. After a graceful trip across Jupiter’s top hat and an incredible view of Verbolten, the Rhine River and the James River, riders plunge 180 feet, reaching the fastest point in the ride of 73 mph in a 95-degree drop. Pluto, the god of death and the underworld, grabs riders and propels them through a sideways ejector airtime hill and a roll through an inverted stall that feels incredibly long. A zig, a zag, an inversion tease and a glide back into the station brings riders the opportunity to catch their breath.
Photo: Adam Napotnik. View full-sized image.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
Pantheon is a powerful experience that leaves one wondering which godly experience was the best! Busch Gardens Williamsburg has brought another incredible coaster experience to its lineup.
ACEers who want extra time on Pantheon with fellow ACE members will find some during ACE Dives on Saturday, June 4.
— Elizabeth Ringas, ACE Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative
Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
Photo: Derek Perry. View full-sized image.
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