Pantheon is a steel roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park in Williamsburg, Virginia. Manufactured by Intamin, the roller coaster opened to park members on March 4, 2022 and features four launches, five airtime hills, and a 95-degree beyond vertical drop.[2] The 178-foot-tall ride (54 m) inverts riders twice and reaches a maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h). Its theme is set to ancient Rome with a focus on the ancient culture's deities Jupiter, Mercury, Minerva, Neptune and Pluto. Despite marketing for the ride, it has never held the fastest multi-launch coaster record. Soaring With Dragon (77.7 mph (125.0 km/h)) held this record from September 2016 until May 2024 with Cedar Point opening Top Thrill 2 (120 mph (190 km/h)).
| Pantheon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Busch Gardens Williamsburg | |
| Location | Busch Gardens Williamsburg |
| Park section | Festa Italia |
| Coordinates | 37°14′02″N 76°38′33″W / 37.2339°N 76.6426°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | March 4, 2022 |
| Opening date | March 25, 2022 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Model | LSM Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | LSM |
| Height | 178 ft (54 m) |
| Length | 3,328 ft (1,014 m) |
| Speed | 73 mph (117 km/h) |
| Inversions | 2 |
| Max vertical angle | 95° |
| Height restriction | 52–76[1] in (132–193 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train. |
 Quick Queue available | |
| Pantheon at RCDB | |
| Video | |
History
editThis ride was referred to as Project MMXX during the early construction stages and replaced an earlier project named Project Madrid, where Busch Gardens filed a 315 feet height waiver for a cancelled attraction.[3]
The initial planning application for the ride was filed in February 2019, and it was eventually announced to be Pantheon on July 30, 2019. The announcement was held in the globe theater at the park and streamed live on the park's Facebook page. Leading up to the announcements there was a series of teasers posted on social media.[4] By October 2019, photos indicated that construction of the track had begun.[5] Pantheon's opening was ultimately delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Virginia. Busch Gardens announced in September 2021 that the ride would open the following March.[6][7] The ride opened to the public on March 25, 2022,[8][9] following a soft opening on March 4.[10][11]
Characteristics
editPantheon is 178 feet (54 m) tall, 3,328 feet (1,014 m) long, and reaches a maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h) throughout the ride.[12] The ride's layout includes four launches – three of which occur on a swing launch between the vertical spike and top hat.[12] This swing launch can also be found on Toutatis at Parc Astérix in France.[13] Pantheon also has two inversions, which are a zero-g winder and a zero-g stall.[12] It runs two trains of five cars, each of which seat two rows of two riders for a total of 20 passengers per train.[12]
Theme
editPantheon's theming around the Roman gods is subtle. Plaques throughout the ride's queue explain how different sections of the coaster relate to specific gods from the Roman pantheon. According to the plaques, the first launch of coaster is related to Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom, because the rider requires her to keep them safe on the coming journey. In the second section, Mercury, God of Speed relates to the swiftness of the ride's beginning. Next, a high peak relates to the God of the Sea, Neptune, as a representation of his sharp trident. Then another peak relates to Jupiter, King of the Gods and God of Weather, because it ascends to the sky. Finally, the end of the ride relates to Pluto, God of the Underworld, because the rider's journey is at a close.[14][15]
References
edit- ^ "Pantheon - Opening March 2022 | Busch Gardens Williamsburg". www.buschgardens.com. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "Pantheon Member Preview Dates". Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ Zachary (May 17, 2019). "Born From the Ashes". BGW Fans. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ "Busch Gardens teases new ride". WVEC. June 27, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- ^ Fearing, Sarah (October 3, 2019). "Busch Gardens releases photos of latest Pantheon construction update". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
- ^ Tuttle, Brittani (September 8, 2021). "Pantheon opening March 2022 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ The Virginia Gazette (September 11, 2021). "Delayed by pandemic, Busch Gardens Williamsburg's roller coaster, Pantheon, to open in 2022". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ Collette, Christopher (March 25, 2022). "The wait is over! Busch Gardens Williamsburg's new Pantheon roller coaster officially opens to the public". 13newsnow.com. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "Attention, thrill seekers: Pantheon, Busch Gardens Williamsburg's newest roller coaster, is now open!". WTKR. March 26, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ Collette, Christopher (January 26, 2022). "'Ride among the gods' - Busch Gardens Williamsburg's Pantheon opens to the public March 25". 13newsnow.com. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "Busch Gardens Williamsburg to open newest coaster Pantheon to members for early-access rides March 4". WTKR. January 26, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Marden, Duane. "Pantheon (Busch Gardens Williamsburg)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ "Intamin Blitz Will Charge Into Parc Astérix in 2023".
- ^ Bishop, John J. (September 1977). "William L. MacDonald, The Pantheon: Design, Meaning, and Progeny: Harvard University Press, 1976. 160 pp., 154 ills., $12.50". Art Journal. 37 (1): 92–94. doi:10.1080/00043249.1977.10793402. ISSN 0004-3249.
- ^ "29513a, 1867-02-12, CHAPLIN (Mrs), no. 2 Hyde Park Gardens". Art Sales Catalogues Online. doi:10.1163/2210-7886_asc-29513a. Retrieved December 2, 2024.