Sad news for coaster fans came out this week. Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA is closing the Big Bad Wolf down on September 7th. The 25 year old coaster has “run its life” according to the park.
It really is a shame. The coaster was one of the first suspended coasters in the US, and I believe is still the oldest one still standing. Compared to today’s coasters it isn’t the fastest or the tallest, but the ride is still a great one. It remains and probably always will remain my favorite ride to do in the dark. This is mostly because of the setting, it’s back in the woods and you ride through a simulated Bavarian village (video below). In the dark, it’s just pitch black for most of the ride, except for lights in the house windows.
Why it’s being taken down I don’t know and they won’t really say. It can’t be for space issues, as the park has never put anything in the area another coaster “Drakenfire” was at. This ride was taken down as it was just a neck killer. They tried taking out loops and other stuff, but the coaster just left you hurting (though it was a fun ride).
One probable reason for the ending of the Wolf is mechanical. Anyone who grew up going to the park knows on any given day the coaster could be broken for a few hours or a whole day. I remember once it got stuck way out in the middle of the ride at night just when then park was about to close. I wouldn’t be happy if that was me!
I can’t help but think this is a ploy to get people into the park in the bad economy. However it’s my hope though if they do close the coaster that they will in its place put a Wolf II, bigger, badder and better 🙂
Too bad; it looked like a fun ride.
You are lucky to live so close to sooooo many parks. Out here in Seattle, we don’t have a decent park or roller coaster withing 300 miles. That park is across the street from the Aryan Nations compound in Idaho (Sieg Heil!!). If it were not for business travel, I would never get to go on coasters.