The Curse of DarKastle, the newest and longest ride at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg features a haunted 17th century Bavarian castle frozen in time. The story behind the ride centers on an eccentric werewolf prince who seeks to trap guests inside the castle. Technicians use eleven 4-D projection screens to provide visual stimulation and a very large liquid nitrogen tank to keep the surrounding area, “cold enough to see your breath.”

Considered among the most technologically advanced rides in the world, Curse of DarKastle has several safety features such as on-board computers, airbags, and fog lights. Since its opening day on May 1st, expectant fans have stood in four-hour lines just to ride once. With such a long wait, the park deemed it necessary to hand out discounts for 30% off food and merchandise to those who waited in the line for DarKastle. The ride now has been open for three weeks and still draws as big a crowd as the day it opened.Elizabeth Lowry (Sr.) , a new Busch employee says, “I can’t wait to ride DarKastle! I haven’t had the chance yet because the lines are always so long, even on employee day. I hope the wait gets shorter later on in the summer.” People still may receive free food and merchandise discounts for waiting for the ride. “On average The Curse of DarKastle deals with perhaps 850 guests per hour, with the ride operating for 12 hours a day,” says current DarKastle employee Jacob Darrow (Sr.) On opening day, there were several malfunctions despite extensive testing, and while the ride’s efficiency is continually improving, there still occurs the occasional glitch or suspension. “Our efficiency has increased dramatically since opening day, though we still face technical difficulties every once and a while,” says Darrow, “On the plus side we do get our cool uniforms.”

The budget for the ride itself has not yet been disclosed. Since it involved the construction of a completely new, time period- appropriate building and very up-to-the-moment special effects, experts estimate near or more than 65 million dollars. In addition to all the expenses put forth for constructing the project, long lists of new cast members and maintenance crew add to the park’s fees. For example, employees who promise to return the following year are allowed to keep their brand-new uniforms that consist of embroidered vests with the DarKastle logo, red silk shirts and slacks. Despite initial experiences, park officials have high expectations for the new attraction.