Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s next roller coaster will be officially named Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge.
The name, like the ride itself, pays homage to Big Bad Wolf, the suspended coaster which lived at the park from 1984 to 2009 and took guests through a faux Bavarian village.
“This attraction is unlike anything we’ve ever done before,” Kevin Lembke, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s park president, said in a press release. “We’ve created an experience that combines storytelling with family-friendly thrills. Guests will feel completely immersed in the story of the Bavarian village, as the sound of screams and the echo of a howling wolf creates chaos in the familiar town.”
The new Big Bad Wolf, which will open next year, will be a family inverted coaster built by Bolliger & Mabillard, the Swiss coaster firm behind other Williamsburg favorites such as Apollo’s Chariot and Alpengeist.
The new ride will be slightly shorter (2,500 feet vs. 2,800 feet) and slower (40 mph vs. 48 mph) than its predecessor. Big Bad Wolf was also 80 feet tall and sported a 80-foot drop, but Busch Gardens hasn’t provided those statistics for the new coaster.
When the ride was initially announced last month, Busch Gardens said the name would be chosen from one of the three options in a fan poll: WölfSturm (Wolf Storm), WölfsReign, or GeisterWölf (Ghost Wolf).
When Theme Park Tribune asked why a different, unlisted option was ultimately chosen, a Busch Gardens Williamsburg spokesperson said: “From the incredible feedback we’ve received from fans, the park decided to choose a name that pays homage to the beloved ride, Big Bad Wolf. The new name blends the nostalgic past and exciting future of the park.”