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originally posted on 7/7/2025

Photos: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

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A spring conference at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW) and Kings Dominion (KD)? Some thought it was an odd choice since ACE had visited those two Virginia parks in 2018 for Coaster Con 41 and would likely visit again when ACE’s 50th anniversary rolled around. But why not now? The parks were eager to host ACE, and a new coaster was debuting at each park. Coincidentally, both parks were celebrating their 50th anniversaries as well!

May 16-18 were the dates chosen for ACE’s 2025 Spring Conference, but for some, an unofficial part of the event began on May 15 with a visit to Six Flags America. On May 1, Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced that it would close the park permanently on November 2, so those who don’t live nearby and who wanted to pay their last respects and ride Six Flags America’s nine coasters for the last time made the Bowie, Maryland, park their first stop on the way to Williamsburg.

Oops. Someone missed a memo.
Photo: Linda Weisenstein. View full-sized image.

Many of the 700 attendees arrived at BGW early because they were scheduled to take part in media events for Busch’s newest and much-anticipated coaster, Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, the Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) family inverted coaster. Unfortunately, miscommunication about parking opening times meant that many attendees waited over an hour to get into the park, media event times had to be changed and registration volunteers wondered why they were facing empty lines instead of attendees eager to pick up registration materials and start their day. Eventually, parking lines opened, and guests made their way to check in and check out the mini-merchandise table, which included exclusive 2025 ACE Spring Conference and “The Legacy of Schwarzkopf” merchandise. BGW was expecting lots of groups on Friday, and because of the parking snafus, a number of non-Spring Con attendees found their way to ACE’s registration tables and learned something about ACE!

There was a lot to see at the check-in tables.
Photo: Linda Weisenstein. View full-sized image.

For those who had come from cooler climates, the weather on Day One was a quick introduction to summer. High temperatures and humidity made everyone grateful for the shady trees and walkways in the park that has won Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket for most beautiful park in 23 of the 25 years it has been awarded. Air-conditioned restaurants and stores were other popular spots to cool off.

For five decades, Busch Gardens has been a beautiful park.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Spring Con’s opening day happened to be the actual 50th anniversary of the opening of BGW, whose original name was Busch Gardens: The Old Country. Nothing official was scheduled for the Spring Con until evening, so attendees were free to explore the park, find their favorite rides and food sources and enjoy the Food and Wine Festival. A 10-item punch card was included in the registration packet, which was good both Friday and Saturday. Given the heat, a no-pressure start to Spring Con was a plus.

Attendees enjoyed an exclusive performance in the Abbey Stone Theater.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.

At 8 p.m. attendees met at the Abbey Stone Theatre for an ACE-exclusive showing of Celtic Fyre, a long-running show that explores the Irish tradition of storytelling through dance. After the park closed at 9 p.m., ERT followed in the Festa Italia section on Pantheon (Intamin launch coaster), Tempesto (Premier Rides Sky Rocket II), Apollo’s Chariot (B&M hypercoaster), Turkish Delight (Mack Rides teacup ride) and The Trade Wind (Music Express). Verbolten, the Zierer custom coaster with the linear synchronous motor launch and vertical drop track, was down, to the disappointment of many, but ERT was definitely busy. Snacks were available as well.

50th anniversary fireworks took place before ERT.
Photo: Warren Zhao. View full-sized image.

Pantheon.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

ERT on Apollo’s Chariot was a hit!
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Saturday was sunny and a bit cooler than Friday, which was a plus. It was also going to be a divided day — beginning at BGW and ending at KD. Early ERT from 8 to 9 a.m. was in the Oktoberfest section of the park on Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, DarKoaster (an Intamin family launch coaster that occupies the building of the former dark ride The Curse of DarKastle), Der Wirbelwind (swing ride) and Der Autobahn (bumper cars). The ERT line for The Wolf’s Revenge was long. No one expected its layout to copy that of Big Bad Wolf, but appreciation was expressed for the homage the new coaster paid to the original in the backstory, theming and exciting elements of the ride.

ACE enjoyed ERT on DarKoaster and Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge.

After ERT, attendees enjoyed a continental breakfast of assorted pastries in the Black Forest Picnic Village. During breakfast, animals with their handlers roamed the area for photo ops with attendees. ACE President Elizabeth Ringas welcomed everyone and thanked all the volunteers. She also presented ACE’s host gift to Park President Kevin Lembke.

ACE President Elizabeth Ringas presents a host gift to Park President Kevin Lembke (right) as well as Richard Smith of GuernseyTingle (left).
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.

During breakfast, Kevin Panchison and Richard Smith from GuernseyTingle, the company that worked with the park to develop the backstory and theming behind Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, spoke about the process of creating the theming and ride queue. They explained how they incorporated part of the history of the original ride into the story and then chose the props that appeared throughout the ride. The group photo was taken shortly after breakfast ended at — guess where? The entrance to Big Bad Wolf: The Wolf’s Revenge, of course!

Attendees were treated to a behind-the-scenes, lights-on tour of the Clown Town carnival-themed haunt, located in the Oktoberfest section of the park. This haunt, which is open during the park’s Howl-O-Scream days September through November, is set up year-round, and attendees were happy to get an advance preview.

ACE was provided a behind-the-scenes look at a haunt.
Photo: Bill Linkenheimer III. View full-sized image.

Alpengeist was running out of control.
Photo: Jodi Ketelsen. View full-sized image.

Although there were no more official Spring Con events scheduled for BGW on Saturday, attendees could stay and enjoy the park as long as they liked. Many took time to ride the Aeronaut Von Roll sky ride, one of only seven Von Roll sky rides still operating in the U.S. Coasters not to be missed at BGW were Alpengeist (B&M inverted), Griffon (B&M dive coaster), Grover’s Alpine Express (Zierer family coaster), InvadR (Great Coasters International, Inc. wood coaster) and Loch Ness Monster (Arrow Dynamics looper).

The last-mentioned coaster unfortunately was not part of any ERT session, but no one wanted to miss a ride on this historic looper that is part of ACE’s history. Both the coaster and ACE “began” in 1978, and Busch Gardens: The Old Country was the site of ACE’s first Coaster Con. The first coaster to feature interlocking loops, Loch Ness Monster underwent a major restoration in 2024, which included retracking, retheming and new sound effects. Attendees experienced a new “Nessie” through new storytelling elements in the queue and an enhanced experience during the ride. Pieces of Nessie’s track could even be purchased in the gift shop.

Loch Ness Monster.
Photo: Jessica Knouse. View full-sized image.

Photo: Joe Radomile. View full-sized image.

Since Day Two also included KD, many were eager to travel up the road to Doswell to begin exploring that park, which also played a part in ACE’s history. In 1977, the movie "Rollercoaster" was released, which prompted KD to stage a coaster-riding marathon on the wood coaster Rebel Yell (now Racer 75) as a publicity stunt. Three participants in the marathon, who became the eventual founders of ACE, began discussing the formation of a club for those who shared their love of roller coasters, and the rest is history.

Rapterra.
Photo: Paul Daley. View full-sized image.

Evening ERT kicked off the KD portion of Spring Con and took place in the Jungle X-Pedition section of the park. From 9 to 10:30 p.m., attendees enjoyed time on Rapterra (B&M wing coaster), Tumbili (S&S 4-D free spin), Reptilian (Mack Rides bobsled), Backlot Stunt Coaster (Premier Rides launch) and Arachnidia (scrambler). The hope was that Pantherian would be included in ERT, but retheming was not complete for the former Intimidator 305/Project 305 (Intamin).

Rapterra, which opened in late March, probably had the longest line for ERT. The world’s longest and tallest launched wing coaster occupies the site of Volcano, The Blast Coaster, the beloved Intamin launch/inverted coaster that closed in 2018. Theming and the backstory for Rapterra include a lava pit, a tribute to the memory of Volcano.

Snacks again were available during ERT.

Twisted Timbers.
Photo: Jennifer Herchek. View full-sized image.

Those who are not eager early risers were undoubtedly pleased that Sunday morning’s ERT didn’t begin until 10 a.m. In the Candy Apple Grove section of the park, attendees could ride Twisted Timbers (Rocky Mountain Construction wood/steel redo of Hurler), Apple Zapple (Mack Rides wild mouse, formerly named Ricochet), Delirium (giant frisbee), Carousel and Bad Apple (Huss Troika). ERT on Apple Zapple was especially welcome because lines for wild mouse coasters are usually quite long.

Two behind-the-scenes experiences began at the end of ERT: a tour from front to back through Twisted Timbers and the first of two self-guided tours of the Blood on the Bayou haunt, which can be experienced during KD’s Halloween Haunt on selected nights September through November.

At 1:30, attendees gathered for a buffet lunch in a catered pavilion to enjoy smoked brisket, all-beef hot dogs and much more. Silent auction items were available for viewing, and bids could be made using ACE’s new all-digital system. Ringas presented a photo of Rapterra to Bridgette Bywater, vice president and general manager of KD, who thanked attendees for coming to enjoy the park. A group photo was taken from the base of the Eiffel Tower, which made it possible to see everyone in the large group. After the tower reopened, many attendees took advantage of a trip to the top to see the park from a totally different perspective.

General Manager Bridgette Bywater (center) is flanked by ACE President Elizabeth Ringas and Events Director Dan Jones.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.

Peer group meetups were held during all three days of the Spring Con. These meetups are organized during national events to help those with specialized interests find one another, but they are open to all attendees. The list was posted as part of the event schedule.

An ALFE meetup was popular with attendees.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.

All of KD’s coasters couldn’t be included in ERT, but many were disappointed that no wood coasters had been on the list. In addition to the major woodies Grizzly (Taft Attractions) and Racer 75 (Philadelphia Toboggan Company [PTC] racing coaster), not to be missed were Dominator (B&M floorless, formerly at Geauga Lake), Flight of Fear (Premier Rides launch coaster, formerly Outer Limits), Great Pumpkin Coaster (E&F Miler steel family coaster) and Woodstock Express (PTC wood, formerly Ghoster Coaster).

Racer 75 was a popular stop for attendees who wanted to pay homage to the coaster that inspired the founding of ACE — or who just like racing coasters! Designed by John Allen and opening with the park in 1975, the ACE Roller Coaster Landmark was running well and benefited from the addition in 2024 of The Gravity Group’s engineered precut track to the lift hill.

Racer 75.
Photo: Jennifer Gardner collection. View full-sized image.

Grizzly opened at KD in 1982, and the ride layout is based on that of Wildcat at Cincinnati’s defunct Coney Island. The coaster has undergone a multiyear makeover, which also included the addition of The Gravity Group’s precut track and the extension of the first drop. The result is astounding: a smooth and fast air-time-filled ride that led to repeat rides by those who discovered how wild and crazy it had become. The ride operators were amused at seeing the same faces in line over and over again. Just one more ride …

Grizzly.
Photo: Sue Yekel. View full-sized image.

Dominator.
Photo: Bill Linkenheimer III. View full-sized image.

Those three days flew by quickly. Given ACE’s history with BGW and KD, ACEers can expect to be visiting when another significant club anniversary occurs. Attendees were grateful to all the volunteers and park employees who contributed to ACE’s first national event of 2025.

— Lee Ann Draud, ACE News Managing Editor

These friends are always a favorite during a KD visit.
Photo: Linda Weisenstein. View full-sized image.

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