Busch Gardens Williamsburg July 2025

Using our summer pass that we bought back on a previous trip, we went to Busch Gardens Williamsburg again at the end of July. The previous trip was early enough in the year that none of the water rides were open because the weather was too cold. At the end of July, it was plenty hot. Also, The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge was not completed back in April. Since it was a brand-new coaster, we went there first.

The park entrance

The Big Bad Wolf ride redux

The line was not too long and the hanging coaster was a fun trip through a Bavarian town plagued by a wolf. At one point on the route, a trap is laid in the ground. After that is an Oktoberfest picnic, so a lot of thematic decorations before getting back to the station. My daughter and I enjoyed it a lot. My wife had to hold bags and my youngest was not comfortable enough to ride.

The front of the coaster

Side view

Another ride that wasn't open last time was Verbolten. The coaster's theme is a car ride through a forest. This is a more traditional sit-down coaster with one or two surprises along the way. It was a lot of fun but more than my wife was happy with.

Verbolten decor

To calm things down we rode the Wirblewind, a swing ride.

Ready to ride

Is there one of these in every theme park?

Fancy sign

Last time, we were unable to ride Apollo's Chariot because of high winds. This time, the weather was calm enough to let us fly up to the sun. The ride is pretty intense but not the most intense in the park.

Apollo's Chariot

Nearby is the Battering Ram, another ride we didn't try last time. It's the classic back-and-forth boat swing. One dad had a gleefully cackling seven-year old on one side and a huddling, frightened three-year old on the other. I was much more like the seven-year old.

Battering ram

We tried to ride our first water ride, Escape from Pompeii, but it shut down just as we got to the front. To get a little wet (and cool off), we went to Roman Rapids instead, which was just opening (some rides had signs saying "Opening at 1100"). Roman Rapids is a large, circular-boat ride with a lot of bumpiness and a leaky aqueduct. 

We saw the big splash but didn't experience it

Least exciting part of the Roman Rapids ride

To dry off, we rode Pantheon twice since the line was so short--well, my daughter and I. Mom and our youngest rode something else. The Pantheon describes itself as challenging five gods and is a very intense and delightful rollercoaster.

Why does the track just end in the middle of the sky?

Dramatic entrance

Another ride closed back in April is Alpengeist, which I assumed had some ghosts on it. No, it's just a ski-themed race through an Alps-like terrain.

Going for Alpengeist

A favorite from last time, Darkoaster, was closed for repairs.

A fun, indoor roller coaster

It was close to lunchtime, so we met up at the Festhaus in the German neighborhood, though we ate the bread and cheese we had brought into the park. The cold water was the best thing ever! We had a bottle that we kept refilling. In here, we refilled it four times! We did not time our visit right because there was no show on the stage.

Festhaus

In order not to lose our lunches, we took a mild ride on the Aeronaut Skyride, a way to travel across the park. 

We were too many for one carrier

As we walked around, we saw the wolves were out in their pen. 

Brothers in captivity

Toward the end of the day, I finally rode a ride that I rode last time, the Griffon. I only rode it because my daughter wanted to. That first drop from the top, where riders hang over the concrete below, made some extra grey hairs on my head (again).

"Experience the power and speed of the legendary Griffon!"

We decided to go out of the park for dinner and to check into the hotel. We took the Skyride though it didn't really get us closer to the exit (also, it was my second repeat ride).

One last ride across the park

We checked in at the hotel, swam in the pool, and went to dinner. The plan was to go back to the park for more rides and fireworks but storm clouds were brewing. My wife and youngest were tired too, so they opted to stay at the hotel. That left my daughter and I to return to the park for more fun. We wanted to ride the Loch Ness Monster first. On the way, we saw a Clydesdale on display. It was a photo op but we opted out.

Take my picture!

The Loch Ness Monster

Equipment from a previous attempt to find Nessie

It was a fun ride, then we headed back to the Italian section where we finally rode the Pompeii ride. It has a lot of cool thematics at the top with a trip through Pompeii as the volcano is raining down fire. We didn't get too wet on the big drop.

We headed over to The Trade Wind to dry off a bit.

Not so enthusiastic about the winds

We rode Verbolten again in the Germany neighborhood. I was surprised to see a sign for an authentic beer company. Maybe they've been bought by Anheuser-Busch?

German monk beer!

We rode The Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf's Revenge again at night, which was less impressive since they did not have enough lights on the ground decorations. It was still fun.

Worst time to run into a wolf

The promised rain storm started as we walked over to Invadr, a wooden rollercoaster that is an intense, fun experience. On the way, we saw a light shining on the Darkoaster castle.

Hard to see the castle in the dark without more lights

Invadr entrance

Invadr is a fun ride but it was more perilous because of the rain. Since it moved so fast, the rain drops felt like needles jabbing at out faces (and we had to take off our glasses for the ride, so no protection there). 

We went to the bridge between Germany and Italy to watch the fireworks, a popular spot that already had a bunch of people. As time approached and the rain didn't stop (though a lot of rides had been stopped), they announced a delay in the fireworks. We decided to head for the car, figuring the fireworks would not happen. Halfway to the lot, we heard the fireworks going off. We could sort of see them through the trees. By the time we got to the car we had a better view, though it was still raining.

Only decent pic of the eight I took

The park was fun to visit again though I don't think we will go back for the rest of the season.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg April 2025

On our spring break trip, we went to Busch Gardens, Williamsburg. The kids were excited to ride rides, my wife wanted to watch shows, and Grandpa wanted to take it easy. The entrance has an old-world field that fits the European theme of the park.

Is this Busch Gardens or Historic Williamsburg?

Walking through the obligatory sales area

Grandpa, Mom, and our youngest went off to try the tamer rides that he wanted to go on. That left my daughter with me as her ride companion. We went on the more serious rides. Our first was Finnegan's Flyer. The line was short (the park had just opened) and we got right on before I saw what the ride does. 

Finnegan's Flyer

The riders swing back and forth, eventually reaching heights where riders pass a ninety-degree angle with the ground below. It doesn't loop but there is some hang time at the top of each swing. And passengers are on the front and the back of each swing, so one group is looking up into the sky while another is looking down at the ground. It was a bit terrifying.

Meanwhile the other group was riding Prince Elmo's Spire, a ride that lifts passengers maybe a story and a half high before gentle returning to the ground. They also rode the Worms ride, a gentle coaster in the Sesame Street section.

Elmo's ride

Stolen from my wife's phone

My daughter and I found a more terrifying ride than Finnegan's Flyer. The Griffon is a steel coaster that whips around in all sorts of directions. We got in the front row (again the lines were very short), which turned out to be more intense than we thought it would be. At the first drop (a ninety-degree descent), the car hangs at the edge, leaving the front row facing down for three seconds that felt like thirty minutes. 

Walking to the coaster

Later view of the hang time

We walked over to the Invadr, part of the border between the French area and the German area. The Viking-themed ride is a wooden rollercoaster that was fun and thrilling. And not really terrifying.

Invadr entrance

We walked over to Alpengeist, one of the best coasters, but it was closed for annual maintenance. 

No luck in riding here

Another unlucky guy on the roof

We went next to Darkoaster, where the other group had gone after the Elmo rides. They were in line about an hour ahead of us (the park wasn't that empty), so we waited and exchanged cell phone photos.

Darkoaster entrance

By some thematic decor

More decor

Getting on the ride

Trying to copy my son's photo

We planned to meet up for lunch. While my daughter and I still waited in line, the others went on the bumper cars (called "Der Autobahn"). 

Happy to bump into you

They had extra time, so they visited some of the nearby shops before heading to Das Festhaus to meet us for lunch when we were finally done with Darkoaster.

Patron saint!

Clock shop

Grandpa in his element

I think this was in the Germany part?

Festhaus!

The show was not running at the Festhaus (too early in the year) and the food selection was not to everyone's liking, so we went over to Italy (only a short walk!) for lunch.

A lot of room at the Festhaus

With a full meal, we stuck together for a while riding some nearby rides. 

Okay for after eating

Escape from Pompeii, a water ride, not open in sub-70 degree weather

The park has some wildlife exhibits. We saw some bald eagles near the France/New France (i.e. Canada) area. 

Bald eagles

New French food

It started raining while we were in line for Le Catapult. The kids and I stayed in line while Mom and Grandpa sought shelter (and hot coffee).

Le Catapult

Mom was close enough to get this picture

Daughter on her own

He re-rode it later

For a relaxing change, we took the train around to the Italy section. The sky riders were closed because of windy conditions (which came with the rain). 

The mildest coaster ever!

A nice family shot (almost)

My daughter and I broke off and rode Tempesto, a thrill coaster that has a short run and a long line. It was worth the wait.

Tempesto entrance

Tempesto tracks

We tried to ride Apollo's Chariot, but the line was shut down for high winds just as we got to the front. After waiting a while, my daughter checked a weather app and saw the winds wouldn't die down for another hour or two. We went to join the rest of our crew at the Celtic Fyre, the Irish dance show.

No chariot for us

Stage at Celtic Fyre

Some of the dancing

Our last coaster was Loch Ness Monster, which was a lot of fun.

Thematic stuff to look at on line

The final ride was the swings. My daughter and I managed to ride Nessie fast enough that she replaced Mom as a rider on the swings.

Final go around, not the merry-go-round

Just to be clear, Busch Gardens does in fact have gardens in it!

The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la!

We had a fun visit. The Summer-long pass was only five dollars more expensive, so we bought it. Hopefully when we come back, rides like Alpengeist, Verbolten, and the water rides will be open!