After an arduous two year wait, Busch Gardens finally debuted their brand-new & highly-anticipated Intamin multi-launch coaster: Pantheon. Originally slated to open spring of 2020, the worldwide pandemic had other plans and the opening was delayed indefinitely. Two trying years later, the coaster was finally ready to be unveiled, and trust me when I say this–it was totally worth the wait. See below for a recap of our first rides on this tremendous new attraction:
Taking a quick step back, as mentioned previously this coaster was originally supposed to open in the summer of 2020, but after COVID lockdowns lingered on SeaWorld parks (the owner of BG Williamsburg) decided to delay the opening of all their newest attractions. This was a curious decision but one that only served to build the anticipation further. After hyping the coaster for the last two years, Busch Gardens finally announced an opening date for Pantheon, in addition to three weekends of member exclusive ride-time prior to opening to the general public.
I have been a member for three or four seasons now, and as soon as I received the email invite to attend this event, I immediately began planning a day trip to the park. The membership rates are pretty solid for folks that plan to visit more than twice per year, so I was also able to convince my good friend Daniel to buy a membership and join me on the trek north. This was both of our first “opening day” events for a roller coaster, and as avid enthusiasts we were both super psyched to experience the festivities.
Daniel lives an hour south of Raleigh so he met-up with me around 10am and we both hopped in my vehicle to make the three hour drive north. We decided to go with a Friday as we figured the crowds would be a bit less, and this definitely turned out to be the case. Unfortunately, this also meant the park was only open from 3 to 8 pm. As Pantheon was our main objective this day, we were fine with the limited park hours and were able to make it to the entrance of the parking lot just before the gates were opened.
Of course, we made a bee-line for Pantheon as soon as the rope was dropped at 3pm, and we were fortunately some of the first few guests in line. This turned out to be a great decision as we were on the 4th public train of the day (in the front row, no less). The coaster did not disappoint in the slightest, and here’s how I would break down each individual element:
Starting off with a punchy launch, you are quickly whipped up into the zero-g winder which offered some great hang time in the front seat. Turning around 270 degrees before popping into two off axis airtime hills (which were fun but relatively forceless), you then traverse into my favorite section of the ride, the swing launch. The launch is a little strange since it isn’t as continuous as typical Intamin launch coasters, rather the launch occurs on each side of the airtime hill in the middle of the swing launch section. So it was a bit of a weird sensation but definitely cool.
The first time up the large camelback was awesome in the front row, and plummeting back towards the launch track was an equally as awesome feeling. Next, you are caught by surprise as soon as you’re back down at ground level, first from the stout reverse launch and second from the intense airtime as you rocket over the mid-launch bunnyhop. After that ridiculous hit of ejector, you are sent ripping into the sky up the large reverse spike. The view from the front was great, but even more ridiculous from the back seat (more on that later).
One more time through the swing launch and another intense blast of ejector, the speed is incredible as you successfully hurdle over the outside top hat, barely creeping over the top and giving you plenty of time to take in the beautiful scenery. A moment later, you are careening back towards the ground and the picturesque Rhine river. Again, this drop hits in the front but delivers even more force in the back seat.
Next up is the low swooping turn down by the water, followed by the enormous outer bank airtime hill. This element was fun but not nearly as intense as I expected. Another quick right turn and you’re catapulted into my second favorite element, the zero-g stall. This stall holds you upside down for what feels like an eternity, and by the time you are right-sided, you get a great near-miss element from the top hat support structure. After hurtling through two more super low speed turns, you hit the last element (the wall stall) with a ton of force and finish the 3,280 foot long coaster in style.
There is not a single dead spot on this ride, and even though it’s track length isn’t super long, it feels lengthy enough with the four turns through the swing launch. Pantheon is butter smooth and the trains are amazingly comfortable–there is really not much negative you can say about this coaster. If I were to nitpick, however, the theming is somewhat lacking and will hopefully be improved upon in the coming years. Other than that, Pantheon is an absolutely incredible addition to Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s coaster lineup and was more than worth the wait to finally ride.
The rest of the afternoon was spent slowly perusing the rest of the park and riding the remainder of the coasters that were open (Verbolten, Apollo’s, and Loch Ness). We also happened across a few new updates for the 2022 season, so be sure to checkout my recap video for footage of those.
Before we called it an evening, we decided to get a night ride on Pantheon to close out our visit–this time in the back row. The back was equally as intense as the front but offered some unique views (particularly on the reverse spike) and incredible forces. I would definitely recommend checking out both ends of the train on this coaster, as both offer very memorable rides. All in all, Pantheon exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to get back soon for a few more laps.
So that’s it! Thanks for tuning in for another trip report from beautiful Busch Gardens Williamsburg! I will for make a return visit to the park within the year, so be sure to stay tuned for more updates from BGW. If you wouldn’t mind checking out my YouTube channel, I post regular vlogs from all of my trips and amusement park adventures, so be sure to hit the subscribe button and follow along! Thanks again!
– Walker
Texas-Ranger Travels 