Imagine going 180 feet in the air, then a 95-degree plummet, five airtime hills, two inversions, and four launches. That describes the new record-breaking rollercoaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. It is called Pantheon, and it is the world’s fastest multi-launch roller coaster.
Jonathan Smith, Vice President of Design and Engineering for SeaWorld Parks and Engineering, joined “Live In The D” co-host Jason Carr to talk about the record-setting coaster.
Smith said this multi-launch coaster has four separate launch experiences with three launches in the forward direction and one launch in the backward direction. He said the Pantheon has incredible and exciting elements all back to back along 4,226 feet of track.
When it comes to speed, Smith says there is an element called a “top hat.” You get a great airtime experience right at the top, you get a great view of the Busch Garden topography, the Rhine River, and then you experience a 95-degree drop beyond vertical where you feel slightly inverted as you maneuver that element. He then says, at the bottom of that 180 foot drop, you will experience a record-breaking 73 miles per hour speed. He says that it is just one of the elements after those four launches that make this ride unique, complete, and once in a generation type launch coaster.
Smith says attraction development is usually a several-year process, and they are always looking for a way to create new, unique, and great experiences. He says they look at the demographics of the parks, what year they are going, and what type of attraction they want at the park.
This world-breaking attraction is located in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Watch the video above to see what it’s like to ride the coaster.