Pantheon (roller coaster)
Pantheon is an upcoming steel roller coaster under construction at Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in Williamsburg, Virginia. Being manufactured by Intamin, the roller coaster is scheduled to open in 2020 and will feature four launches, five airtime hills, and a 95-degree vertical drop. The 180-foot-tall ride (55 m) will also invert riders twice and reach 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. It is also being marketed as the fastest multi-launch roller coaster in the United States, breaking a record previously held by Maverick at Cedar Point.[1]
| Pantheon | |
|---|---|
| Busch Gardens Williamsburg | |
| Location | Busch Gardens Williamsburg |
| Coordinates | 37.2339°N 76.6426°W |
| Status | Under construction |
| Opening date | 2020 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Model | LSM Blitz Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | LSM hydraulic launch |
| Height | 178 ft (54 m) |
| Drop | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Length | 3,328 ft (1,014 m) |
| Speed | 73 mph (117 km/h) |
| Inversions | 2 |
| Max vertical angle | 95° |
| Trains | 3 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train. |
| Pantheon at RCDB Pictures of Pantheon at RCDB | |
History
This 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 and unbuilt attraction.[2]
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 parks Facebook page. Leading up to the announcements there was a series of teasers posted on social media.[3] By October 2019, photos indicated that construction of the track had begun.[4]
References
- "Pantheon, Fastest Multi-launch Coaster in North America Debuts in 2020". Retrieved September 5, 2019.
- Zachary. "Born From the Ashes". BGW Fans. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- "Busch Gardens teases new ride". WVEC. 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.