2 New Rides Will Open at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country for 2019 Season

Busch Gardens Williamsburg's 2019 Season has begun and is all set to meet expectations as well as delight park goers with some more new delights this year. The park has done a decent job each year for the past 9 at least adding a new ride, show or event and sometimes a combination. New food and drink items are regularly debuting and general enhancements. 

The most exciting news for thrill seekers for the 2019 season are the two new rides that are set to open in May.  Which are a screaming swing named Finnegan’s Flyer for Busch Garden’s Williamsburg in the Ireland Village and a water coaster named Cut Back Water Coaster at Water Country, which is taking the place of Meltdown. (Meltdown closed the end of the 2018 season).

Finnegan’s Flyer will take on heights of up to 80 feet and is operated with 2 pendulum swinging arms. This massive swing will seat about 32 people and reach speeds of 45 MPH, which is pretty fast for a swing. The ride will be located in Ireland just over the bridge on the side of the shops. Designers state the ride will remind you of swinging on a swing as a child, perhaps because everything was bigger as a kid it replicates that feeling. But those of us who are not into these types of thrills may not remember being on a swing that drove as fast a car. So for thrill seekers this is a must. It also adds another ride to the Ireland Village. (Battle for Eire was added in 2018, which replaced Europe in the Air).

Cutback Water Coaster will send riders down an 856 ft. waterway through tunnels and wide open saucer space. This water coaster which is still considered a family ride (though a bit more thrilling than Meltdown) by seating 4 people in a rectangular raft. Cutback Water Coaster is a RocketBLAST coaster and the only one on the East Coast. RocketBLAST uses a water jet propulsion system which helps launch the coaster and offers a smooth ride that travels at 35 feet per second. (about 24 MPH)

Both rides are planned to open in May. Water Country opens on May 18th for the season, no promises have been made on specific dates yet because of weather conditions which can cause delays.

To get guests excited for the upcoming Food & Wine festival a kiosk in France is selling sampler platters which include 2 different tacos, a chicken dish, dessert and a drink for about $17 including tax. Opening weekend we sampled the sample. The first item in the photo (left to right) is a shrimp taco, the second is beef and the third item is a chicken and rice dish. The dessert is a coconut mousse and the drink was lavender lemonade. It was all delicious.

There are a few anniversaries this year at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The park's fastest coaster Apollo’s Chariot will turn 20 this year and the Forest of fun will turn 10. (Sesame Street itself has turned 50!).

Here are some highlights and dates for the rest of the season. More details will be posted later as they become available.

Sesame Street Kids weekends April 5-28 : will feature additional kid’s activities in the Forest of Fun including scavenger hunts, dance parties, puppet making and games. The 4 separate weekends will feature a different character (Rosita, Super Grover, Cookie Monster and Elmo in that order)

Food & Wine May 17-June 30: 60 new food options, wine and specialty cocktails not normally available, plus themed decorations and information about the countries represented.

Summer Nights with Spark June 28-August 11: Spark the laser light show introduced in 2018, Summertime foods, fireworks and new entertainment in the Abby Stone will be on hand. Including Light Balance,  Dance Troupe Boogie Storm, Juggling act The Passing Zone,  William Close and the Earth Harp Collective, and Fighting Gravity.

Bier Fest August 16-September 2: 200 years of Oktoberfest traditions, foods, music come to life.

HowlOScream – September 14- October 27 ( Count’s Spooktacular weekends October 5-27 which includes trick or treating) : HowlOScream has seasonal food, creepy shows,  haunted houses and scare zones.

Christmas Town- November 16- January 5 : 10 million plus lights, shows, festive food and more.

Fun cards are on sale which offer guests the ability to buy entrance for $90 and come back as often as they like through September 8, 2019, excluding member only days. If you purchase soon you will be able to go to Water Country as well. (Free Water Country is a limited time offer that may or may not be offered again in the season). Fun cards do not include parking or discounts. But are a good option for those who want to come to the park more than once, or even to give Water County a try.

Single day tickets, packages are always available as well as Membership/season pass options. You can read more about those here.

UPDATED

I visited the park on April 4, 2019 just to be out in the fresh air and have some lunch.  I noticed on the park map there is a “Coming in 2020” little sign on the map on the outskirts of Fiesta Italia. I know nothing other than this for now, but hopefully more information will be forthcoming.

The park also has special treats for the 20th anniversary of Apollo’s chariot. Birthday cake cupcakes and enormous 8 inch (the size of a dinner plate) donuts for $8.