Park News
Park World News in association with
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
launches DarKoaster straddle coaster Busch Gardens Williamsburg has launched its new DarKoaster, billed as North America’s first all-indoor straddle coaster.
The family-friendly attraction is located in the building the housed the theme park’s former Curse of DarKastle dark ride, which shut after the 2017 season.
Busch Gardens explains the DarKoaster storyline: “King Ludwig’s abandoned fortress resurfaces as strange weather patterns have been recorded near the cursed castle grounds. Only the bravest souls will embark on snowmobiles in this dark expedition to discover the mysterious phenomenon. A supernatural force is imminent as explorers discover that they are evading more than just a raging storm.” Riders travel on snowmobile-style ride vehicles across 2,454 feet of track, including areas of total darkness. As the weather strikes, guests enjoy four accelerating launches.
Park president, Kevin Lembke, states: “As an indoor attraction, DarKoaster complements our collection of thrill rides and offers a new experience to enjoy throughout the year.”
C
Zamperla opens Wild Mouse at Cedar Point
edar Point leaned into its past as inspiration for its newest area, the Boardwalk. The park took three classic attractions from around the property and moved them to the new area, added a beautiful eating
area called the Grand Pavilion and anchored the entire area with a new Zamperla Twister Freeform. The coaster, called Wild Mouse by the park, is a throwback in spirit, but
offers a brand-new ride experience. “The Twister Freeform is an updated version of our classic Twister Coaster.
When we spoke with Cedar Point they asked us to provide an experience that gave a nod to the past, but offered a modern ride experience. We believe it is a great example of the next generation of Zamperla coasters,” said president and CEO Antonio Zamperla. “The addition of Wild Mouse perfectly balances the setting and attractions
of The Boardwalk – our new lakeside midway area,” said Carrie Boldman, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. “Being a part of family tradition is extremely important to all of us at Cedar Point. Wild Mouse allows young kids and adults to enjoy a ‘first’ roller coaster thrill together, and the spinning action of each car just makes it fun!” Six of the ride vehicles are themed to different mice, while the seventh is the
cheese car. This vehicle isn’t just snackable, it serves as the vehicle for guests utilising ADA access. “Working to go beyond ADA compliance is extremely important to us,” said
Ramon Rosario, sales director of the Americas. “The cheese car not only looks great it features a hinged door that opens allowing riders transferring from a wheelchair easier vehicle access.” This new Twister Freeform has a lot of small upgrades from the Twister
Coaster the company has sold for over twenty years. “Cedar Point challenged our design team in a lot of ways,” said Adam
Sandy, Roller Coaster sales and marketing director. “We went back to the drawing board and created a custom layout just for the park. We are thrilled with not only the layout, but the ride as a whole. It delivers in the way that Zamperla promised with the re-introduction of the Roller Coaster Business Unit in 2021. The ride is exciting, smooth and features the latest coaster technology. It is a huge step up from older Zamperla coasters and lays a new benchmark for our coaster quality.”
Transforming stories into unforgettable attractions.
6 MAY 2023
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