Busch Gardens Curse of Darkastle ride closed

[29yrswithaGApass]

Screamscape reports that there is a possibility that Busch Gardens Williamsburg may close its Darkastle ride due to budget cuts.  That would be a major loss as this ride rivals Universal's Spider-Man ride in the scope.  

 

http://www.screamscape.com/html/busch_gardens_williamsburg.htm

[Yoshi]

I hope it remains open, my last trip to Busch Gardens was in 2003 and that has been a ride I have been looking forward to trying besides all the coasters I didn't ride in past trips.

[GAcoaster]

There's a reason why no other parks have added a ride like this (besides Universal). They just cost too much to build and maintain. It's like Kingda Ka/TTD- No one else has built one as big for the same reason. 

[29yrswithaGApass]

It's a shame that the current management team doesn't see the value in keeping a unique signature attraction like this like previous operators did since 2005.  Seems like this may be the first of many desperate moves to come.  

[Matt Kaiser]

I only got to ride Darkastle once, a few years ago. It was actually my first attraction of its kind, before I experienced Universal, etc.

 

I did go through the haunted trail this year at BGW that went through Darkastle's track. That was pretty cool with the projection screens tying into the haunt. The trail basically kept to one side of the track's guide rail, and it was hard to tell which sculptures/props were from Darkastle and which were brought in for the haunt.

[GAcoaster]

My understanding is ridership is also pretty low for Dark Castle. I know the last few times I've been at BGW the ride was a walk-on. SeaWorld Parks is in a position similar to what Six Flags was in where they have to cut costs where they can and unfortunately some attractions may be on the block. As much as it hurts to think of losing Dark Castle, at least they still have their skyrides running (when almost every park has removed theirs), and their steam trains still running. Those are things that if they lost would never be replaced. If they remove this, they could replace it with a new Sally dark ride for a fraction of the price. 

[robertleax]

I was one of the few rides my wife would go on.  We will miss it

[Lemur]

Themeparktourist.com did a pretty good write-up on this ride, seems like BG has been letting it decline for a while now - https://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20170826/33120/modern-marvels-curse-darkastle

[Yoshi]

It's official, the ride is closing:

 

[29yrswithaGApass]

That is a shame.  I would imagine Loch Ness monster is also at risk.  

[GAcoaster]

There's a reason why no other parks have installed a ride like this. It was too expensive for a seasonal park to purchase and then maintain  without the backing of Anheuser Busch being there any longer.

[dougdrummer]

On 1/23/2018 at 7:33 PM, GAcoaster said:

There's a reason why no other parks have installed a ride like this. It was too expensive for a seasonal park to purchase and then maintain  without the backing of Anheuser Busch being there any longer.

 

 

And to think I remember the days when you could take a tram ride over to the AB brewery, get a tour and a free beer!

[Coasterharrison'98]

On 1/23/2018 at 6:25 PM, 29yrswithaGApass said:

That is a shame.  I would imagine Loch Ness monster is also at risk.  

I hope not, it's one of the last good arrow Loopers.