Originally posted: 12/7/2002

Last updated: 8/7/2005

By Chris Cowan
themeparks@insightbb.com

Special thanks to Rick Buck and Jeremy Causey for providing brochure scans and other park information.  Also thanks to Buddy Ehrich.

 The Old Country: Busch Gardens Williamsburg

1975 – “The Old Country: Busch Gardens Williamsburg” opens after one year of construction.  The theme areas are:

     o  Banbury Cross/England,
     o  Hastings/England,
     o  Heatherdowns/Scotland,
     o  Aquitaine/France,
     o  New France/France and
     o  Rhinefeld/Germany.

1976:

A new theme area, Oktoberfest/Germany, opens.

Die Wildkatz (Schwartzkopf Wildcat steel coaster) is added in Oktoberfest.

1978:

The Loch Ness Monster (Arrow steel looping roller coaster) is added on 6 acres in the park’s Heatherdowns area for approximately $1 million.  It opens June 6. 

Admission this year is $8.75.

1979 –  No new rides added.

1980 – San Marco/Italy, a new theme area, is added.

1981 – The Battering Ram (pirate ship) is added in San Marco.

1983:

DaVinci’s Cradle (Zierer Flying Carpet) is added in San Marco. 

Die Wildkatz is removed at the end of the season to make room for a new coaster.

1984:

Big Bad Wolf (Arrow suspended steel coaster) is added on 5 acres in the park’s Oktoberfest area for a cost of $5 million.  The ride’s debut, which was originally scheduled for April, is delayed until June so that trim brakes can be added on the drop after the second lift hill because the trains are traveling 5 mph faster than expected. 

Admission this year is $13.95.

1985 – The "howl" heard on the first lift of Big Bad Wolf is added.

1987 – Festia Italia/Italy, a new theme area, is added.

1988 – Roman Rapids (white water raft ride) and Gladiator’s Gauntlet are added to Festia Italia.

1990 – Questor is added.

1991 – No new rides added.

 Busch Gardens Williamsburg

1992:

"The Old Country" name is dropped, making the park simply Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

Drachen Fire (Arrow steel looping roller coaster) is added in Oktoberfest.  (Drachen is the German spelling of Dragon.)

The backs of the Bavarian buildings in Big Bad Wolf's village, which were just bare wood "sets", are constructed to actually look like the backs of buildings because they can be seen from Drachen Fire.
 

1993:

Haunts of the Olde Country, a 3-D movie, is added.

Gladiator’s Gauntlet is removed.

1994:

Land of The Dragons (children’s area) replaces Grimm’s Hollow, the old children’s area, in Rhinefeld. 

The “diving corkscrew” element is removed from Drachen Fire after numerous complaints of roughness from park guests. 

Parking this year is $4.

1995:

Escape from Pompeii, a heavily themed shoot-the-chutes ride, is added.

1996:

Wild Izzy, a steel wild mouse, is added.  It's named after the mascot of the Olympic Games, of which Busch Gardens is a sponsor.

King Arthur's Challenge replaces Questor.

1997:

Alpengeist (B&M inverted roller coaster) is added in the park’s Rhinefeld area for approximately $16 million.

Wild Izzy is renamed Wilde Maus.

After the season, dummy tests are conducted on Drachen Fire which focus on the rider-restraint system and possible modifications to improve it.  Even after the corkscrew element was removed in 1994, the coaster continues to suffer from low ridership and complaints of roughness.

1998:

Pirates, a 4-D movie, replaces Haunts of the Olde Country.

Drachen Fire closes in July and will remain SBNO for the next 3 1/2 years.

1999:

Apollo’s Chariot (B&M Hyper roller coaster) is added in the park’s Festa Italia area for approximately $20 million.

On March 30th (press day for Apollo’s Chariot), model Fabio, riding in the front seat, collides with a goose at over 70mph on the first drop.  Fabio suffers a minor cut on his nose. (The goose dies.)

Busch Gardens begins trying to find a buyer for Drachen Fire.
 

2000 – Jack Hanna’s Wild Reserve is added.

 

2001:

Ireland, a new theme area, is added, replacing Hastings/England.

Corkscrew Hill replaces King Arthur's Challenge.

After no buyer is located, Drachen Fire is taken off the market.  The park begins testing the ride again to decide whether to reopen the coaster for 2002 or dismantle it.

2002 – Drachen Fire is removed and melted down before the beginning of the season.

2003:

On March 1st, a painter working on Big Bad Wolf dies when his high-reaching vehicle overturns.

R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse 4-D is added in the Globe Theater in Banbury Cross/England, replacing Pirates! 4-D.

Also new this year is Trappers Smokehouse, located in New France.  The building once occupied by the old smokehouse is renovated and becomes Three Rivers Snacks.

Wilde Maus is removed at the end of the season and relocated to Busch Gardens Tampa where it is renamed Cheetah Chase.

2004:

No new attractions are added.

Admission this year is $46.95.

2005:

Curse of DarKastle (highly themed dark ride) is added in Oktoberfest, Germany.

Admission this year is $49.95.