Alpengeist is the massive Bolliger & Mabillard inverted coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
This Alpine themed coaster is nearly a hyper coaster, as it stands a whopping 195 feet
or 59 meters tall.
But is bigger better?
Find out in this review of Alpengeist.
Busch Gardens Tampa developed a fruitful relationship with Bolliger and Mabillard shortly after
the company was founded.
They erected Kumba in 1993, which was revered for its smoothness, intensity, and capacity.
So it’s no surprise the Tampa park added another coaster from the Swiss manufacturer
in 1996.
This time they’d add an Egyptian-themed invert named Montu.
This ride was even more popular than Kumba.
Therefore, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens would add two more inverts for the 1997 season.
SeaWorld San Antonio would receive Great White, a Batman the Ride clone.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg would receive Alpengeist, which would open as the world’s tallest
and fastest inverted coaster.
Alpengeist is German for Ghost of the Alps and the coaster was themed to a runaway ski
lift.
And I love this coaster’s presentation.
The coaster sports a white paint scheme and as of my 2022 visit, the supports were in
the midst of being painted an icy white.
This color palette suits a ski-themed coaster perfectly.
The station looks like a ski lodge and there are comical touches scattered around the entire
area from punny names to remnants of a crash.
The second half features a few cool looking snow-covered trenches.
And then the lift structure is very unique.
Rather than using the traditional column supports, Alpengeist has a tower structure.
This has a dual purpose.
Not only does it look more reminiscent of a chairlift, but it was also to prevent support
beams from disrupting the rest of the park’s German section.
Beyond the theming, the coaster looks imposing.
The gargantuan lift hill goes without saying, but that Immelmann and Cobra Roll both look
ginormous from the midways.
Alpengeist usually is a station wait most days.
This ride has a great capacity.
I have always seen this coaster run two trains, each seating 32 riders across 8 rows.
And the crew keeps those two trains moving at a steady rate.
The coaster did run three trains earlier in its lifetime, but it sounds like stacking
was quite common, negating the benefits of the third train.
If the coaster does have a line, you have two options.
First, you can purchase Quick Queue skip-the-line pass.
Second and more economically, you can utilize the single rider line adjacent to the main
entrance.
Alpengeist is powerful in any row, but I have a slight preference for the front for the
added sense of speed.
You will likely have to wait an extra 4-5 trains, but you should do that at least once.
Alpengeist has the familiar B&M over-the-shoulder restraints.
They’re mostly fine for me, but they are hard and do rest next to your ears, so they
can cause a little headbanging at one point in the layout that I’ll touch on later.
There were two notable changes with the trains.
Most B&M inverts use row 1 as a zero-car.
Alpengeist features a heavy zero-car weighing almost 1 ton in front of row 1.
This was added to increase the train’s weight to help it complete the course.
To help reduce noise, the coaster would run with polyurethane wheels as opposed to nylon
wheels.
B&M added the zero car as a contingency if the new wheels bled off too much speed and
help the train maintain its speed through the course.
Once dispatched, you immediately ascend the nearly 200 foot tall lift hill.
Once at the top, you get a great view of the surrounding area and then you head down my
favorite drop on any B&M invert in America.
This is a 170 foot or 52 meter tall plunge that twists 270 degrees on the descent.
Those in back get good whip at the start of the drop.
As the drop flares outwards, the speed rapidly increases.
Then the final third offers strong positive Gs that continue into the pullout and start
of the first inversion.
That first inversion is a giant 120 foot or 37 meter tall Immelmann.
The sustained Gs from the end of the drop and start of this element often cause me to
start greying out.
It’s one of the most forceful Immelmanns out there.
The flip itself isn’t too strong, but it does give a little float in the back.
The subsequent valley delivers another dose of strong positives and those forces are maintained
through the giant vertical loop.
It’s impressive how forceful this loop is given its size.
Alpengeist then roars through its best inversion, a wild cobra roll.
I usually find cobra rolls overrated, but Alpengeists’s is incredible.
Both inversions have violent snaps.
The train is abruptly inverted at the apex.
Then the ascent and descent also pile on the leg-numbing positive Gs.
You then have a long gradual twist into the mid-course, which is actually welcome after
the assault of positive Gs.
It gives your legs a breather.
Alpengeist’s first half is one of the best of any invert.
Between the size, speed, and force, Alpengeist is a powerhouse.
And Alpengeist still manages to be smooth.
However, there is one rough spot on this ride.
And that’s when you enter the mid-course.
This is a sudden and jarring transition that snaps the train upright.
So I strongly recommend leaning forwards at this point unless you want your head smacked.
The mid-course slows the train to a crawl.
In Alpengeist’s opening year, the ride rolled right on through to the second half, maintaining
the ferocity of the first half.
I wish I could have experienced Alpengeist in that form.
The drop off the mid-course dives into a quick tunnel.
It looks pretty unassuming, but it gives a pinch of weightlessness in the back.
You then glide through a zero-G roll.
It’s pretty slow, but it’s still good and able to give decent whip.
It just doesn’t match the older B&M inverts that place this element in their first half.
I imagine it would’ve ridden like the older inverts without the mid-course trimming.
Immediately afterwards is a solid corkscrew that whisks you sideways.
At this point, Alpengeist is crawling.
The ride does compensate with the visual of the snow-covered trenches at least.
You then ascend a 360 degree upwards helix.
Despite the lack of speed, it still manages to deliver a pinch of force.
You then meekly round one last turn into the brake run, ending the 3828 foot or 1167 meter
long coaster.
So what would I rate Alpengeist?
I would give the largest B&M invert an 8.5 out of 10.
Alpengeist’s first half is incredible.
That colossal drop, blistering speed, and forceful first four inversions are among the
best sequences on any looping coaster.
The second half does let its foot off the gas though- based on how the mid-course trims.
I still enjoy the final two inversions, but Alpengeist finishes with a whimper rather
than a roar.
The ride is mostly smooth minus one transition and the theming around the area enhance the
experience ever so slightly.
This coaster peaked as the number two steel coaster in Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket
Awards and it routinely places in their top 25.
While I don’t quite think Alpengeist is that good, it is my second favorite coaster
at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and it’s one of the better inverts out there.
I just love that first half so much.
So those are my thoughts on Alpengeist at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
What are your thoughts on B&M’s tallest invert?
Do you think it’s one of their best or do you think it’s overrated?
Let me know your thoughts down in the comments.
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