Griffon

Roller coaster in the United States
Watch the on-ride POV
Griffon
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Location Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
Coordinates 37°14′05″N 76°38′52″W / 37.2347535°N 76.6478391°W / 37.2347535; -76.6478391
Status Operating since May 18, 2007
Cost $15,600,000 USD
Rider height 54 inch minimum
Replaced Le Mans Raceway
Statistics
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Product Dive Coaster
Type Steel - Floorless - Hyper - Diving
Riders per train 30
Hourly capacity 1400
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 205 feet
Drop 200 feet
Top speed 71 mph
Length 3108 feet
Inversions 2
Drop angle 90°
Duration 3:00
G-Force 4
HELP

Griffon is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. It is themed after a half-lion/half-eagle mythological creature called a Griffon, known for diving on unsuspecting prey.

Opened in 2007, the ride was built by Bolliger & Mabillard and was the tallest and fastest Dive Coaster until it was surpassed by Valravn at Cedar Point in 2016.[1] It is also the first to have multiple inversions and floorless trains.[2]

History

On June 30, 2006, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that Le Mans Raceway would be closing down to make room for a new attraction set to open in 2007. The attraction officially closed on July 5.[3]

On August 23, 2006, it was announced that Griffon would be coming to Busch Gardens Williamsburg.[4] The highest point of the ride was topped off in December 2006.[5]

Griffon opened on May 18, 2007.

In 2017, Griffon was repainted with a darker shade of blue in some areas.[6]

Design

Elements

Griffon has two vertical drops, two immelmanns and a splash effect. The first big drop dives under a pedestrian bridge. The second immelmann loops over the Rhine River near Loch Ness Monster.

Color scheme

Griffon has a blue track and white supports.

Trains

3 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 10 across in a single row, for a total of 30 riders per train. A car from Griffon was on display at B&M's IAAPA 2007 booth.

In video games

In Frontier Development's theme park simulation game Planet Coaster, the B&M Dive Coaster model (Aethon) has a color scheme matching Griffon's. The trains in the game are also ten across.

Images

References

  1. "Cedar Point debuts newest record-breaking roller coaster".
  2. "Busch Gardens roller coaster tour part 2: Griffon". Coaster Critic. 2009-10-03.
  3. Busch Gardens To Close Le Mans Raceway July 5 - Ultimate Rollercoaster
  4. Gieszl, Eric (2006-08-23). "Busch Gardens Building World's Tallest Dive Coaster". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  5. "Busch Gardens Europe Tops Off New Dive Coaster". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  6. "Invadr, Project 2018, & more: BGW preview day 2017". Busch Dominion. 2017-03-19. Retrieved 2022-02-24.

External links

  • Griffon on the Roller Coaster DataBase.


Articles on Busch Gardens Williamsburg