DarKoaster Opening in 2023 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

DarKoaster: Escape The Storm will open in 2023 at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in the former space of Curse of DarKastle in the Oktoberfest hamlet.

The new coaster will be Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s 10th coaster and the only one to be entirely indoors. The Intamin Family Launch Coaster will feature four launches, 2400ft of track, snowmobile-themed straddle seats, and reach speeds up to 36mph. Intamin has built 11 family launch coasters, and this will be the first one to be entirely indoors.

The coaster will build upon the Curse of DarKastle’s storyline:

King Ludwig’s abandoned fortress resurfaces as strange weather patterns have been recorded near the cursed castle grounds. Only the bravest souls will embark on snowmobiles in this dark expedition to discover the mysterious phenomenon. A supernatural force is imminent as explorers discover that they are evading more than just a raging storm.

The official animated promo video also has castle and storm theming, which looks similar to what riders may experience on coasters like Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Minimum and maximum rider height restrictions

The minimum rider height for DarKoaster is 48” (4’).

Update (9/6/22 4:00 PM Eastern): A maximum rider height is no longer listed on the DarKoaster web page.

The maximum rider height for DarKoaster is 76” (6’4”), which is the same as Pantheon’s max rider height. Intamin’s recommended maximum rider height is likely 196cm (about 77” or 6’5”), which is the guideline used by other theme parks. For example, Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster at SeaWorld San Antonio has a 77” max rider height. It’s not clear why Busch Gardens Williamsburg went with the 76” max rider height.