Big Bad Wolf (roller coaster)
Big Bad Wolf | |
---|---|
250px
The 99-foot drop over the Rhine River.
|
|
Busch Gardens Williamsburg | |
Park section | Oktoberfest |
Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Status | Closed |
Opening date | June 15, 1984 |
Closing date | September 9, 2009 |
Cost | $6,000,000 |
Replaced by | Verbolten |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel – Suspended |
Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
Designer | Ron Toomer |
Model | Suspended roller coaster |
Track layout | Terrain |
Height | 113 ft (34 m) |
Drop | 99 ft (30 m) |
Length | 2,800 ft (850 m) |
Speed | 48 mph (77 km/h) |
Inversions | 0 |
Duration | 3:00 |
G-force | 4.0 |
Height restriction | 42 in (107 cm) |
Big Bad Wolf at RCDB Pictures of Big Bad Wolf at RCDB |
Big Bad Wolf was a suspended roller coaster in the Oktoberfest section of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. First opened on June 15, 1984, the ride operated for 25 years, and was closed on September 7, 2009. The footers, queue line, and station were left standing and have been re-purposed for Verbolten, an attraction introduced in the 2012 season.[1] The complete #2 train, some sections of track, the ride control panel, and other artifacts from the ride such as lift chain segments and chain dogs were sent to the National Rollercoaster Museum.[2]
Contents
Ride experience
Following a safety announcement and recorded departure message, "Thank you and enjoy traveling at the speed of fright!", the ride would start out with two small dips out of the station, turning left then right before ascending the first lift hill. It would then travel down the first drop. The train would then steer its way though a mock Bavarian village, narrowly missing houses and shops. The ride completed three turns, first to the left, then the right, then the left, each of approximately 180 degrees. After the third turn, the ride hit a straight piece of track, then headed towards a helix through a wooded area adjacent to the village.[3]
The train then enters a set of Block Brakes. Following the brakes, the train then turned right, and began to ascend a second lift hill. The second lift hill climbed towards the park's mock Rhine River. At the top of the 100-foot (30 m) lift, the ride turned 90 degrees to the left, before traveling down a 80-foot (24 m)drop, barreling straight towards the river at 48 miles per hour (77 kilometres per hour), swooping to the left in close proximity to the water.
Originally, mist machines were used to enhance the effect that the train was too close to the water. In the early 90s, however, the mist machines were removed. After passing by the mist machines, the train made a 180 degree turn up and to the right, followed by a straight section where the trains would swing freely, before a final 180 degree left hand turn into the final brake run, which then returned riders to the boarding station.[4]
History
Prior to the construction of Big Bad Wolf, Anton Schwarzkopf had designed a prototype ("Flying Coaster") for the park. Even though three-quarters of the new ride had been built, the ride was never completed, and was later completely scrapped.[5] Busch Gardens then handed the contract to Arrow Dynamics, who built the ride known as the Big Bad Wolf.
After the failure of The Bat at Kings Island, Arrow Development/Arrow Huss refined its own suspended roller coaster concept and opened XLR-8 at Six Flags Astroworld in 1984. Big Bad Wolf was supposed to open on March 18, but it got delayed. Despite this, it was completed and opened shortly thereafter in June. XLR-8 continued to operate until the closure of Astroworld in 2005.
On July 24, 2009, it was announced that the Big Bad Wolf would be retired after 25 years of operation. The land on which Big Bad Wolf stood was cleared at the end of the 2011 season to make room for the construction of Verbolten that was opened in 2012.[6]
While the Drachen Fire roller coaster was in operation, guests would get a spectacular view of the village portion of the ride, as the pathway which lead to the Drachen Fire area went directly past the Big Bad Wolf village, and offered a viewing area. This area was closed off when Drachen Fire closed in 1998. The final drop and turns were visible to guests on the Rhinefield Bridge portion of the park, and today continues to provide excellent views of the Verbolten roller coaster which follows a near-identical path to the final portion of the Big Bad Wolf.[7]
Technical information
The ride used three trains, each comprising seven cars with four seats in each, for a total capacity of 28 riders per train. During the circuit, the ride ascended two lift hills.
Incidents
On May 2, 1993, a park employee was struck and killed by a moving train while working in a restricted area. According to his family, he was sent into a restricted area of the ride to clear a fallen branch that was obstructing the view of one of the ride's security cameras. Two guests on the ride who saw the man before impact claimed that he appeared to be unaware of the oncoming train.[8] The ride was closed for a week during the investigation.[9][10] The employee's family attempted to sue Busch Entertainment Inc., however a judge dismissed the case because of state law that prevented the recovery of civil damages for job-related injuries.[11]
On March 1, 2003, a contractor hired to perform off-season painting work was killed while painting the Big Bad Wolf. The man was painting on a high-reach vehicle which overturned. James City County fire officials said the man was dead by the time they reached him.[12]
See also
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Flying Coaster at Schwrzkopf Coaster Net
- ↑ https://www.buschgardensnews.com/page/verbolten
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Big Bad Wolf. |
- Pages with broken file links
- Roller coasters by name
- Steel roller coasters
- Suspended roller coasters
- Roller coasters manufactured by Arrow Dynamics
- Commons category link is locally defined
- Roller coasters introduced in 1984
- Roller coasters in Virginia
- Busch Gardens Williamsburg
- Defunct roller coasters
- Roller coasters operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
- Amusement rides that closed in 2009