Verbolten • Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Location Comfort Too short Capacity

I personally think that Verbolten is one of the best Zierer coasters. It may be short, but that slideshow is awesome. You’re just taking a car ride, when your vehicle gets hit with a lightning bolt in the Black Forest or the Forbidden Forest, hence the name Verbolten. The Forbidden Forest makes me think about the Harry Potter backpack for women, but let’s get back to Verbolten. The slideshow consists of what you’re trying to avoid or something like that. It has the forest itself, the storm, or the Big Bad Wolf, obviously to honor it’s defunct predecessor. Then it goes over the lake just like Big Bad Wolf did. Verbolten fits in with the German themed section of the park. If Cobra’s Curse and Verbolten switched, even with no lake, I would still love Verbolten.

Theming Launch Fun Rattle

Verbolten is a very enjoyable ride that provides some nice surprises along the way. The indoor section is very thrilling and the rest of the ride has some solid laterals and pacing. The launches are nice and punchy. There is a noticeable rattle but it is not too bad. The ride is very fun so you do not focus on it. The theming is also probably the best I have seen at on a non Disney or Universal ride. A very unique coaster that is should not be missed at BGW.

Theming Lap Bar Fun

Verbolten may only seem like a well themed, low intensity family coaster that one would ride once or twice a visit. I will admit, that is what I thought until I visited the park 2 days ago. Before we get into the main point of this review, I would just like to add that I find myself graying out sometimes during the helix within the indoor section, and the second launch in the back row is decently intense. 2 days ago, I learned about something crazy you can do on this coaster. This being one click rides. For context, when pulling down your lap bar, a red light behind you will turn off when the restraint has adequately been pulled down. It might have just been the ops that day, but they freely allowed us to ride as long as the light was off- meaning we were able to ride the coaster with literally a single click on the lap bar. As a result, there is enough leeway to near fully stand up on the coaster (which is what we did). This is especially thrilling during the launches, drop track, and drop off the bridge. After my rides on the 6th, Verbolten is easily the best (and only) stand up coaster in Virginia, and I definitely recommend trying this out.

Theming Location Fun

This is an amazing family coaster, with top notch theming, a decently intense layout, and a massive fun factor.

Theming Nice surprise! Launch Rattle

My personal favorite in the park. The theming is fantastic. I really love the trains to this ride. The coaster rattles a good bit but I was expecting that so no big deal. The launches are surprisingly forceful and the indoor portion has some great moments of positives. The finale is fun as well with the drop over the river. Great coaster.

Nice surprise! Fun Intensity

Nice fun ride. Definitely the best family coaster I've ridden by far. The indoor section is actually kinda intense and fast paced and the drop track is a nice fun airtime moment and suprise.

Theming Fun Intensity Rattle

This is a perfect family coaster. It's pure fun for all. The helix is quite forceful, the drop track is cool, the theming is superb, and the ride is just long and really fun. It does have a bit of shakiness in the second half but it doesn't bother me at all. Overall a great family coaster

Theming Location Fun

As another reviewer has posted...and hopefully this can be kept as somewhat of a secret...you can stand on this coaster. I'm 6ft, 200lbs and I can almost stand straight up. I do it every-time now during the Big Bad Wolf's old drop. It makes for an insane ride. I also have noticed that I grey out inside the show building as well. This thing is a beast that seems to be getting better and better. I've had so many rides on it and it keeps growing on me. I've had lights on, lights totally off with no effects seemingly working, been stuck on it a few times over the years (kinda cool bc they have themed voice overs during it) and it just keeps getting better. It's super smooth, has intense moments, a killer surprise moment that is fun every-time even when you know its coming, killer theming, pays homage to its predecessor, a great layout, great drop, solid launches....it's hard to find a fault. In a park full of crazy good rides, Verbolten might be the best...? Awesome ride that keeps climbing my rankings.

Theming Capacity Intensity Dead spots

Verbolten is very well themed and is very intense, the first launch gives a good kick and sense you launch into darkness, it feels faster than it actually is. You undergo forceful helixes indoors with various effect surrounding you. You then hit a midcourse then a drop track which takes you by surprise. Then you hit the second launch which is even stronger, you make your way up to the creaking bridge where you will brake before plunging down. No airtime here but it great with the sound effects. You then traverse a family coaster like layout back into the final brake run. The station is heavily themed.

Nice surprise! Fun Intensity Dead spots

A couple years ago, this used to be my favorite ride (although I haven't been since then, I need to come back), now I think it's a great ride but it's not perfect. The theming is pretty good but I prefer a good ride over good theming, unlike Disney... this actually does the job. It's a great ride, the first launch kicks things off to a start, then into the "Black Forest". The indoor section is surprisingly forceful, that was probably the biggest roller coaster surprise that I had. There are different "shows", either a storm, a spirit theme, or a wolf one (as one of the many nods to the former Big Bad Wolf coaster), then comes probably the most intense part of the ride. There is a drop track, and it gives off a sudden pop of airtime. The car escapes the "Black Forest" into the second launch which is the most disappointing part of the ride, there is a ton of space to work... they could've made it go through a village like Big Bad Wolf did. That would make Verbolten a top-tier family coaster (even though it already is). Then the ride goes to a "broken bridge" as the trains go to a slow-down, then the biggest drop of the ride pays homage to Big Bad Wolf, as with a turn against the Rhine River, then upwards into another turn into the brake run. The turns in this scene are forceful. This is probably my favorite family coaster and it's in one of my favorite parks!

Theming Location Intensity Dead spots

This ride is amazing, the 1st half is intense and disorientating! But the second half after the drop kind of dies off even with the fun airtime hill. I think this ride might be better than the wolf but IDK. I would recomend this to those visiting BGW for sure! But this does get lines even with the high capacity.

Theming Location Fun

Verbolten is probably my favorite themed coaster in the world, which is saying a lot. With rides like Hagrid's, Everest, and Mummy, it has fierce competition. The indoor section is intense, the indoor drop is forceful, the launches are smooth and exciting, and the final section mirroring Big Bad Wolf is an awesome finale. It all comes together in a perfect package, as my favorite coaster at this park.

First Drop Theming Duration Rattle

Verbolten is a pretty good ride. Verbolten is definitely on the smaller end, so don't expect a world breaker. However, it is incredibly intense. The helix in the show building is incredibly forceful. There are plenty of surprises throughout this ride. The three versions of the ride are all well done. Unfortunately, the theming has been slowly diminishing. It's not gone, but it's not what it used to be. Verbolten also does suffer from a slight rattle, particularly where it's running over Big Bad Wolf's old footers.

Theming Capacity Disappointing! Layout

言われてるほど面白くないですが、屋内パートのハードさとテーミングは一見の価値ありです。

Theming Nice surprise!

I'm not a fan of dark rides, so the indoor section wasn't exactly my favorite. This seems to occupy the same strange no-man's-land as Backlot Stunt Coaster, too intense to really be a family coaster but not well paced enough to be a great thrill ride. It was pretty smooth, and the surprise was surprisingly great, but it suffers from trying to be too many things.

Nice surprise! Launch Disappointing!

6.0 out of 10. the last launch and the surprise at the beginning are fun but that is about it, just another coaster.

Theming Nice surprise! Intensity

If it is considered for families, Verbolten just might be the most intense family coaster there ever was — definitely moreso than Copperhead Strike! Both launches push you back into your seat, and the respectively twisted segments following offer crazy laterals taken at a frantic speed. The indoor helix even made me start to grey out, from what I little could see! My favorite part on Verbolten has to be the indoor helix, or... the special part, which I kept secret from my father — he enjoyed it so much that he claims Verbolten was his favorite coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg! On the whole Verbolten is a shockingly intense “family” coaster that will absolutely not disappoint thrillseekers. FireChaser Express has just been one-upped. Auf wiedersehen! (I think I have that stuck in my head forever now...)

Fun

Theming Nice surprise! Fun

Theming Fun Intensity Rattle Dead spots

Nice surprise!

Theming Nice surprise! Layout

Theming Nice surprise! Layout

Nice surprise! Intensity Smoothness Capacity

Nice surprise! Launch Smoothness

Theming Launch Fun