Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
In November 2025, followers of Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Virginia) were surprised to hear news of future changes to Verbolten, the Zierer launch coaster that debuted in the park in 2012. On November 8, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that the coaster would close on January 5, 2026, and be transformed and rethemed into Verbolten: Forbidden Turn. The track layout and ride system would remain the same, but a new storyline, characters, visual effects and animatronics would be added.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
The location of Verbolten in the park has some important history behind it, as it was the site of Big Bad Wolf, the beloved Arrow suspended coaster that closed in 2009 when the park said it had reached the end of its serviceable life. At that time, the fate of the “big bad wolf” in the coaster’s storyline remained unresolved.
Enter Verbolten with a related storyline. In 2012 a travel agency named Black Forest Motor Tours, operated by siblings Gunter and Greta Schwartzwald, opened on the outskirts of the Black Forest. Guests traveled through the woods, even though the wolf had never been captured. A thunderstorm arose, and a bolt of lightning struck the car, which caused it to go off on a forbidden path, aptly named “Verbolten,” which would be the new name of the coaster. As guests traveled this new path, a faint warning was heard: “Don’t look back as you brave the Black Forest.”
Zierer created Verbolten as an indoor-outdoor launched coaster. Guests traversed the Black Forest in one of five trains. Each train had a unique license plate: YLB DROPN, WOLF X ING, FAL NROX, BLK 4ST and BRIDG OUT — all Easter eggs about the former coaster and a hint of what was to come. Each train traveled at approximately 53 mph and had multiple linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches to speed through the Black Forest, narrowly escaping the threats that awaited.
The three different threats that confronted riders were the Spirit of the Woods, the lightning storm or the Big Bad Wolf. Guests faced these threats head on, but eventually they would narrowly escape the Black Forest and traverse the same bridge that once was on the outskirts of the tiny German Village, again by diving toward the Rhine River and eventually arriving safely back at the travel agency. A warm and melodic “Auf Wiedersehen” could be heard as guests were leaving.
On January 4, 2026, park guests heard their last warm “Auf Wiedersehen” and finally escaped the Black Forest once and for all — or so they thought…
Frau Hexel greets riders before they head out for the German countryside.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
On May 20, when the ride reopened as Verbolten: Forbidden Turn, guests faced a new reality. The travel agency was now under the management of Frau Hexel. As guests enter the queue of Frau Hexel’s Magical Motor Tour, they are warmly greeted by her and her magical assistant, Brum, wanting to give guests a tour of the beautiful German countryside, along the autobahn. Frau Hexel is one of the new animatronics added to Verbolten: Forbidden Turn to make the ride even more immersive to guests. She warns them that dangers still await those who go into the Black Forest and not to turn right. Brum can be seen in the queue. Throughout the queue and the ride itself, Easter eggs are there alluding to both previous rides, Big Bad Wolf and Verbolten.
The five trains have the original license plates, but this new model reflects the coaster’s new name.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
As guests arrive at Verbolten: Forbidden Turn’s gates, the same trains await guests as those in the coaster’s original incarnation. Each train is the same color and retains the same license plate. They have now been upgraded with newer restraints and a more comfortable headrest.
One of the obstacles the Verbolten train faces is a tree more than 50 feet tall.
Photo: Jill Ryan. View full-sized image.
As guests begin their journey down the autobahn, Frau Hexel reminds everyone again not to turn right. Guests leave the travel agency and quickly enter the Black Forest through the first of two LSM launches, where the cries of the Big Bad Wolf are still heard throughout the twists and turns of their journey. Then, against Frau Hexel’s advice, guests turn right and dive through a tree that is more than 50 feet tall, where the path unexpectedly stops. Frau Hexel and Brum magically appear through the storm, and the cries of the Big Bad Wolf and the calls of the Spirit of the Woods are heard, alluding to all three previous stories of Verbolten.
Photo: Elizabeth Ringas. View full-sized image.
Guests are then saved by Frau Hexel and Brum, with the promise to give her magical travel agency a five-star review, after which they speed off toward the bridge that overlooks the Rhine River, where a beautiful view of the park can be seen. Guests then dive 88 feet toward the waters below, to return to the safety of Frau Hexel’s Magical Motor Tour. Auf Wiedersehen for now…
— Amanda Hilliard
A behind-the-scenes tour revealed other interior props for the updated ride.
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