WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — Miss the old Curse of DarKastle ride at Busch Gardens? Don’t worry, the park is reimaging the space in the form of an indoor roller coaster.
“DarKoaster,” being billed as the “world’s first all-indoor straddle coaster,” is expected to open in 2023 and will bring the park’s current total of coasters up to 10. The park’s most recent coaster addition, Pantheon, opened earlier this season.
Each seat on the ride is meant to look and feel like riding on a snowmobile, with snow effects and spooky 3D animations to pay homage to the DarKastle ride that closed in 2017.
Ahead of the grand opening of the ride, the amusement park is asking fans to help name the snowmobiles that guests will be riding on! The name options are listed below:
- Bavarian BLTZ-0505
- Wild Wolf 9684
- Frostbite 17-19
- KNG LDVG 2023
Fans are asked to go to Busch Gardens Williamsburg Facebook page and comment their two favorite names underneath the post.
The ride from Intamin Worldwide will have four launches and a top speed of 36 mph, Busch Gardens says. It’ll be in the Oktoberfest/Germany area at the DarKastle site.
“As an indoor attraction, DarKoaster complements our collection of thrill rides and offers a new experience to enjoy throughout the year,” said Park President Kevin Lembke. “Plus, with only a 48-inch height requirement, DarKoaster is a ride for the whole family to conquer together.”
Beginning February 18 and for a limited time, Busch Gardens Williamsburg guests will be able to visit the new DarKoaster Preview Center, which promises an “immersive, behind-the-scenes look” at the new straddle coaster. The Preview Center will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. through March 12.
Busch Gardens released a new promotional video showing how the ride works on Twitter. For more information about tickets and the other rides, visit their website.