In 2024 Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW) invested in updates to one of their signature coasters, Loch Ness Monster. New theming elements in the station, at the base of the lift, inside the cave, and under the interlocking loops was added. Add in the new track and audio elements and we were given Loch Ness Monster: The Legend Lives On. It was great to see the park show love for the ride and it appears to have been a hit with visitors.
Now here we are in 2026 and yet another beloved coaster at BGW has reopened with all new theming. Verbolten is now Verbolten: Forbidden Turn and I was itching to get back down to the park to give it a ride. So was Sam, Jen, and our friend Scott, who has visited BGW with us in the past. From what we had seen teased online leading up to this trip, it looked promising. I actually refrained from watching any POV’s though as I wanted to have some surprises.
Focused My Photography on a Forbidden Turn
If you’ve been keeping up with We Were Inverted over the last few months you know that I’ve been adding thousands of photos to the site’s Galleries between all the parks I’ve been visiting. On this trip, however, I wanted to focus on rides and having fun with my friends. While I did take my camera to get in some shots of Verbolten: Forbidden Turn for the Busch Gardens Gallery, no other coasters saw new photos added. The only other photos I took came during one of the shows at Festhaus while we ate. We were right up by the stage, so I said, “Why not?”
Verbolten: Forbidden Turn
Aside from the new photos I took of this ride, getting to ride it and experience everything I couldn’t catch with my camera was amazing.
I love the new changes to the area outside the ride, especially the car crashed out front. The new signage on and around the station looks great. I especially enjoyed the animatronic inside the first building. It will surely entertain guests waiting in line. Sadly my friends ran through this section of the queue to get to the station so I wasn’t able to sit there and watch its skit play out. Next time I want to sit there and take it all in. I might even record it and post it to the site’s Instagram (@WeWereInverted_IG).
As for the station, it was my one gripe. I think the old station looked so much better. And when I say “so much better,” I mean by a ton. It now looks barebones with the screen addition being the most noteworthy change. There is a fun animation that takes place every so often, but it doesn’t feel like it matches with all the physical theming and props used elsewhere. Screens can be hit or miss. This one feels closer to a miss.
The changes to ride do make up for it, though. I love the new billboard, spinning arrow, and fake left turning track. I grabbed some photos of it with and without trains riding by that you can see in the gallery below.
Once inside the show building I did find things to be a bit dark at first. Once the new props come into view, however, they sure do look better than the old glow painted leaves and trees you. The large tree you dive through and the scene before the final “element” you experience before leaving the show building are a major improvement. Yeah, I still hate spoiling that for people who haven’t experienced the ride yet.
I am sad to see the three variations of the show discontinued though. I always liked guessing which one we’d get while our restraints were checked. Does anyone know if there is any variation at all to what plays out now, or is it the same every time?
Sadly, I only got one ride on Verbolten: Forbidden Turn this visit. I will be sharing more on this ride with you in the future when we head back down in October.
Tempesto
I’m not going to say too much here, but thank you so much BGW! Thank you for getting rid of the dreaded comfort collars on Tempesto’s trains. They were always a nuisance and made getting in and out of this ride’s already stuffy, uncomfortable trains, even worse. It’s now one less thing to have to struggle with once you’re able to figure out how to position your body to actually walk into (or off of) and sit down on (or exit) the trains.
Now Premier Rides… Can you please do some research and testing on a new train types moving forward? Between these and the spaghetti bowl trains, this is one area your company needs to improve upon in a major way.
Alpengeist
Aside from wanting to ride Verbolten: Forbidden Journey, I was most looking forward to getting back on Alpengeist. I never grow tired of this ride and one of these days I’m going to tackle riding every seat on the coaster during a single visit. This is a sentimental coaster for me and is my favorite invert.
I do wonder what it would be like, however, if the park built a building over the ride’s second half? Has anyone ever wondered this? Sounds kind of weird, right? That’s what I thought when only days before this trip I read someone on Facebook saying the park should do this.
Like… what?
Le Scoot and a creek run below the ride. That would be one massive building too, which would be an eyesore. Plus, could you imagine just how loud Alpengeist would be echoing inside a building?
Seriously? What are people thinking sometimes?
Final Ride Counts
Alpengeist (2)
Apollo’s Chariot (1)
Busch Gardens Railway (1)
Escape From Pompeii (1: Patrick, Scott)
Finnegan’s Flyer (1)
Le Scoot (1)
Loch Ness Monster (1)
Pantheon (4: Jen, 3: Sam, 2: Scott, 1: Patrick)
Tempesto (1)
Verbolten: Forbidden Turn (1)
I Wish the Park Was Closer
We tend to visit BGW once or twice a year. Every so often we might go down three times, but with a 3.5 hour drive both ways (without traffic) is not the easiest day trip. We have stayed in a hotel a few times too to spread the 7 hours of driving over two days. That isn’t always in the cards with everyone’s work schedule though. This is exactly what we’re currently debating for a return trip coming up in October.
Regardless, this is a park I am always looking forward to visiting and will continue to visit for the foreseeable future. Well, unless it starts being run like its sister park in Tampa. No need to bring up the past again though. See you in October BGW!
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Photo Gallery - August 3, 2026
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CREW MANIFEST
The following flight crew members attended this park, & earned the respective credits below:
Patrick
CAG
New Credit(s): n/a
Sam
Admiral
New Credit(s): n/a
Jen
Admiral
New Credit(s): n/a