http://wral.com/entertainment/video/1419806/
See my beautiful face in the second car for about 3 seconds at the beginning and 3 seconds at the end on WRAL
This is just a few of the photos. I posted 92 of them here: http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/t ... ?album=177
Today was the media preview day for Busch Gardens Europe's first coaster since 1999, Griffon. I decided it would be worth it to drive 3 hours up even with the rest of the park closed, because I don't want to wait in a 5 hour line during the summer to ride.
Speaking of 1999, here is my (still) favorite coaster in the park, Apollo's Chariot. No riding that today
And here it is.
There was a ton of press for the ride today. They were doing live interviews with people on the ride all day long.
The trains are huge and weird looking.
You go up...
Then you wait...
Then you come down.
They gave us snack vouchers to keep our riding energy up with lots of sugar.
The birds here are fearless.
Hyper under the bridge...
Here I be.
Oh yeah after you go up and come down a couple times you make a huge water splash.
It doesn't really get anyone on the train wet, but if you are standing near it prepare to get drenched.
The first drop is quite awesomefied.
The station looks nice as you would expect from Busch Gardens.
There were a number of remote triggered still cameras and video cameras rigged up here.
There's a nice pop of air coming over that hill into the water brake.
Make sure you don't accidentally get too close to the water brake while taking a picture.
This could result if you do.
They have to give ACE members their own door at the smokehouse.
It is pretty good, though.
Yeah let's form a line outside to ride when there are less than 100 people there...
I got enough rides on Griffon to last me for quite a while. It's a really fun ride, and the average park guest is going to be blown away by it I'm sure. It's a very visually appealing coaster with the water splash and the dive under the bridge, and on the ride itself you can see for many miles, plus actually look down at Alpengeist's lift hill right in front of you. Apollo's Chariot is still hands down the best coaster at Busch Gardens as far as I'm concerned, but Griffon is a blast.
Bye bye.
Before I went home I decided to stop by Jamestown since it's the 400th anniversary and all that nonsense.
It costs money to get in? Nevermind then here are the flags outside.
Here is what I will not be paying to go into.
Holla at North Carolina.
I took the ferry across and then it was on back to Raleigh.
As always I managed to find some crazy back road shortcut to take (see Dollywood trip report I will be posting later this week).
That's all for now. Have fun waiting in line all day to ride Griffon.
Make sure you check out all the pics http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/t ... ?album=177
GRIFFON
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