Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens takes guests on a new journey in 2012 with the addition of a pulse-pounding roller coaster, sensational family attractions and the return of exciting seasonal events. An autobahn touring experience through Germany’s scenic countryside takes a thrilling detour that pushes guests to the edge of their seats aboard Verbolten. Families will twist and turn through the forbidden Black Forest in a harrowing, action-packed adventure on the park’s newest roller coaster. And that is just the beginning of the excitement at the Williamsburg-area theme park. Guests will experience fun at new heights on the park’s new drop tower Mäch Tower. IllumiNights, the park’s summertime nightly celebration, will dazzle the whole family with unique performances and a nightly fireworks show each evening. Fall marks the return of Busch Gardens’ bone-chilling Halloween event, Howl-O-Scream. Gruesome creatures will be waiting for daring guests during this park-wide spooky celebration. During the winter season, Busch Gardens will transform into a holiday wonderland with one hundred million Christmas lights, holiday shows and seasonal attractions like none other during Christmas Town. Guests will get into the holiday spirit with culinary specialties, a variety of unique shopping opportunities and even a visit with the jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus. For more information on Busch Gardens’ exciting offerings, visit www.buschgardens.com/va or call (800) 343-7946.

Kid-Friendly Attractions: 

Sesame Street Forest of Fun: Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? Just follow the signs to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Elmo, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby and other Sesame Street characters are now at the world's most beautiful theme park. Sesame Street Forest of Fun is just for children and their families. This area features family-friendly rides and playgrounds. Kids can meet their favorite Sesame Street characters and get their pictures taken with them as well.

Pulse-pounding Thrills:

Verbolten: Get ready to climb aboard Verbolten, an all-new multi-launch, indoor/outdoor roller coaster at Busch Gardens. A German tourist center serves as the ride entrance and as the launching point for an autobahn touring experience. An unexpected detour launches riders into the verboten Black Forest. A lightning-fast, multi-sensory dash through the dark and foreboding woods ends with a terrifying 88-foot plunge toward the Rhine River that will leave everyone breathless.

Mäch Tower: As guests enter Busch Gardens’ Oktoberfest they will see the massive spire known as Mäch Tower. This thrill ride takes guests on the ride of their lives. The tallest ride in the park, Mäch Tower lifts up to 30 riders nearly 240 feet above Oktoberfest. After rotating at the top of the tower and getting a few seconds to take in the view, riders drop at breathtaking speed. State-of-the-art special effects, including enhanced audio and other surprises, elevates Mäch Tower to new heights in ride design and engineering.

Griffon: Set amid a French village, Griffon carries riders up 205 feet, then hurtles them 90 degrees straight down at 75 mph. And that’s just the beginning. Griffon evokes the power and speed of a mythical beast that is part eagle part lion. It plunges, twists and turns, giving riders an adrenaline-pumping adventure that's unlike any coaster experience in the world. Griffon is the tallest dive coaster in the world, the first floorless dive coaster; and the first to incorporate two Immelmann loops (an inverse diving loop named for a WWI German fighter pilot).

Curse of DarKastle: Busch Gardens’ exciting adventure sends passengers careening through a castle frozen in time. Integrating state-of-the-art ride engineering with the latest in image projection and 4-D technology, Curse of DarKastle produces a profoundly moving and unique thrill ride experience.

Alpengeist: A snow monster notorious for once stalking the French and German Alps, Alpengeist is rumored to be lurking in the shadows of Busch Gardens. Marks of its mischief are evident as the ski-lift-style steel roller coaster winds through treacherous territory, propelling riders on a dynamic journey.

Apollo’s Chariot: Gut-wrenching adventure awaits aboard Apollo’s Chariot, Busch Gardens’ hypercoaster. Experience the ultimate in airtime as passengers plummet 209 feet on this steel roller coaster’s first drop.

Loch Ness Monster: Continually rated a favorite by park guests, this classic interlocking, double-looping roller coaster gives guests a peek at Scotland’s most infamous serpent. “Nessie” hurls its passengers along 3,240 feet of steel track into the air, over water and through a dark cave.

Sizzling Entertainment: 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is recognized as much for its live entertainment as it is for its extraordinary rides. The park’s signature stage shows offer guests a diverse lineup of award-winning live musical performances, including the park’s newest production, Entwined: Tales of Good and Grimm. Busch Gardens’ Das Festhaus transforms into a forest wonderland where fairy tales come to life and weave a story told once upon a time. Take a journey with amazing acrobats, delightful dancers and spectacular singers as they take to the stage in this all-new musical masterpiece.

Italy’s Il Teatro di San Marco comes to life as a team of chef-inspired musicians cook up fabulous fun in Mix It Up!. Watch the plot thicken as our crazy chefs and waiters compete to serve up their musical menu. It’s a fast-paced feast for the ears and the eyes.

Cool off your sunburn at Water Country USA 

Guests are in for the slide of their lives at the Mid-Atlantic's largest water park. The epic new drop slide VanishPoint gives riders two thrilling ways to plunge, including an incredible skybox with a break away floor. Water Country USA also features 43 acres of pools, children’s play areas, lazy rivers and water rides. For guests who want to relax, the park offers 1,500 free lounge chairs or 16 private cabanas for rent. Check out www.watercountryusa.com for more details.

Experience the slide of your life. 

Vanish Point is free-falling fun at Water Country USA.

Are you ready to ride a wave of pure liquid adrenaline? The incredible new Vanish Point is dropping into Water Country USA—and you’re invited to come along for the slide of your life.

It starts with the climb. Make your way up the tallest tower in the entire park, then choose between two wickedly wild ways to get wet. Go horizontal on the 285-foot super-speed slides. Or challenge yourself to step into the skybox, where a terrifying trap door awaits. Once it snaps open, there’s nothing stopping you from spiraling straight into the 390-foot vertical tube below.

In other words: When the floor drops open, you drop out.

Inspired by the point on a wave where water and gravity form a perfect partnership, construction on Vanish Point began last fall and will debut in time for Water Country USA’s opening day on May 21.