Alpengeist Questions
Busch Gardens Williamsburg: Will I be able to handle Alpie?
How much more intense is Alpie compared to Apollo's Chariot? Will I be able to handle Alpie? I love AC and the speed. Alpie will be my first invert and I'm very nervous. I have heard everything from its intense to not so much because its so big... Help?!?!
If you've ridden Apollo's Chariot, you should be fine. Have a fun ride!
Thanks! Do you have any advice for first time riders on Alpie?
From steve lee
Posted August 21, 2010 at 9:54 PM
misread the initial post. nvm
I have not taken a visit up to BGW, but I can give you some advice based on the fact I've ridden five other B&M inverted cossters: Batman: The Ride, Silver Bullet, Montu, and Dragon Challenge (both sides).
You have no need to worry about restrainst, they are comfortable over the shoulder restrainsts that keep you very safe. The fact that your feet are dangling is actually a very fun experience, the only other thing feeling more like flying being a flying coaster!
If there are feet choppers (it appears from the POV there are) please first understand they do not literally chop your feet! They merely make the illusion you will when you get very close, and this is not something you should worry about.
As long as you are not prone to motion sickness or afraid of heights, Alpengeist will be a very fun ride!
EDIT: Also, any row behind the first row should not be as scary since you can't see as much as the first row can, but I still recommend the first row over every other, as it is much more fun to see the entire ride!
Kate, you must be new to the site. You broke a cardinal rule of the amusement park/coaster enthusiast: You must NOT refer to a roller coaster or any other ride by a cute nickname(Alpie, Nessie, Maggie, Millie, et. al.) until you have actually RIDDEN it. I'll let you off with a warning for now. J/K :))
Seriously, to answer your question(s)..inverts traditionally will provide a mor intense experience than a B&M hyper like Apollo's Chariot. A ride like AC is graceful, smooth, pretty fast, longer (timewise) and has no inversions. It's a totally different animal than a ride like Alpie (it's OK, Officer..I can use that..I rode it!) Although both rides have their fans (especially AC, among some TPI readers)..neither one of them is the best example of the type for me..I found both to be kind of "meh." Nick mentioned a few inverts above..I think Afterburn,Batman, Raptor, Talon,Volcano and Montu, among others, are all better than Alpengeist. That doesn't make it a bad ride. I hope you enjoy it...inverts are a blast!
@Mike, haha. I apologize.. I have just heard everyone else call it "Alpie" and it was easier for me to remember. :) You say Apollo and Alpengeist are two different beast. Do you think I could handle Alpengeist? I have rode Nessie(yes I rode it :]) and I have heard people say the loops are quite intense, but it never bothered me. Is it true that Alpengeist is not that intense compared to others (besides the back, which I've heard can be so intense its almost rough). I'm sorry for so many questions, I just think that if I need the answers that should get it from the experienced. :)
Also @Nick, thank you for your advice. I'm sure the restraints are comfortable as you say (it is a B&M Coaster after all).
Kate, I was funnin' witcha. Call it whatever you want.
I haven't been on Alp since '06, but I don't remember it being as intense as the ones I mentioned in my other post. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I think the intensity is diminished a bit since I don't believe the layout is as compact as some others. I may be going down second weekend in September for my birthday, so maybe then I'll have a point of reference.
I'm sure you'll be fine.
Alpengeist was my first inverted coaster, too. It's been a while, but I remember it being pretty enjoyable. Not too intense. If you decide to ride it, (or I may be too late), press you head on one of the sides of the harness on the first inversion. I think its an immelman. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Is there any certain reason you recommend putting my head to one side of the restraints on the first inversion? (I do believe you have it right). I am excited for my first invert.. Just nervous, which is natural for me for the unknown. The height and speed really has no effect on me.. Just the thought of being upside down and seeing my feet higher then myself.. :)
If you can handle Apollo's speed and air time plus the double inversions of Loch Ness I doubt you'd have a problem with Alpengeist in the least. You may scream your head off the first time but by round two you'll probably be in love with the feelings an Inverted can give you. ;)
What I noticed about Alpengeist is with BGE being more fluid with the terrain of park it doesn't seem as big or tall as it really is. It's a good way to trick yourself if your worried about it.
Go ride and enjoy!
Thank you. To tell you the truth I screamed on the loch ness monster's first hill (it was my first time ever on a coaster) but after I just laughed. Including the loops my friends and family feel can be too intense at times. Apollo's Chariot I never screamed.. I just threw my hands up and laughed/enjoyed the ride... I might scream on Alpengeist.. But then again I might just take the route I did with apollo and see what happens..
Thanks everyone for their advice!
This is late, but I want to know what everyone thinks of the intensity of the inversions.. How do they compare to say the double inversion on nessie? Which are so tight (and I guess intense?) that you feel almost right side up the entire loop in my opinion. (That was the first time I felt completely right side up through a loop before). So how does nessie's loop intensity compare to alpengeist. I know there will be different answers for where you sit so if you can compare the front of alpengeist, then middle and then back. I'm very interested in coasters.. Just a bit of a wimp until I get on them, then I love it.. weird huh? :)
Kate said: "Just a bit of a wimp until I get on them, then I love it.. weird huh? :)"
Not weird at all. But, Kate... stop overthinking it. Just get on the ride and enjoy it. After all, that's why it's there. We can analyze these rides until we're blue in the face, but no two people are going to have the exact same experience. Everyone brings something different to the party.
I understand. And thank you for your help.. Hopefully I'll get the guts to jump on it soon. I'm sorry if I irritated you in anyway.. Just a big interest in coasters, and slowly getting the courage.. Anyway thank you!
Kate..no irritation involved at all, so no apology necessary :)) I'm the one that's sorry if I sounded annoyed..not my intention in the least. I admire your desire to find out as much as you can and get as many opinions as you can before you ride.
I believe I've made my decision and will likely be heading down there in two weeks for my birthday.
Personally I love Alpie and have ridden it many, many times. But I do think it is a TAD rough. Just a tad. But for your first ride, because of this, be sure to go for either the front 2 rows or the back 2. Much smoother that way. First/front row gives amazing views.
Alpie is awesome IMO. The inversions are just one after the other, you really can get disoriented (but not in any way close to greying out, just -- am I up, down, or sideways relative to the ground right now?), the wind screams by, it's easy to imagine being on some kind of out of control ski run. Like I said, front row seats give the best views by far overall, though every seat gets a good view during the first drop because of that amazing curve. That is a truly stunning feature to me, the panorama opening beneath your feet as you go down a curving first drop!
I agree that a comparison to AC is not particularly apt just because the experiences are so different. Perhaps similar in level of thrill but a very different kind of thrill. AC glides and soars. Alpie is an up, down, and all around rush for the senses. But since you are obviously handling the height and speed of AC, unless something particular about the inversions is worrisome to you, you should definitely give Alpie a try.
@Donna, thank you for your honesty on the ride. I love AC... Well I love the airtime.. Height and speed is not a problem to me so that is not what worries me about alpengeist.. Its actually not the inversions ether.. (Although besides a loops I have yet to experience any other inversions yet. :/) The only worry I have is that I have heard of people saying the inversions are so intense at points that it makes your legs "tingle" and I have had that sensation before and did NOT enjoy that at all.. I don't mind the g force feeling or air time.. In fact I love it but at a point where its too intense is my worry.. I'm sure I would be fine if it did happen. I just wish it wouldn't. Any advice to prevent that or if that will happen on Alpengeist?
@Mike, its quite okay. :) I thank you for all your advice.. You really seem to know a lot about coasters.. Enjoy your trip to BGE!! I believe I am taking a trip on the pass member appreciation weekend which is the ending weekend of September I believe.
Kate, I've had nothing like tingling feelings in my legs. Although of course I can't say you will/won't I wasn't even aware of anyone having that sensation -- not that I'm doubting it but just saying it's not common enough for me or anyone I've ever gone to the park with or talked about the park's coasters with to have mentioned. I guess there's just the fact that your feet are unsupported?? plus the inversions??
Anyway, since you say you think you could handle it (even if you'd rather not experience it) you definitely shouldn't let this stop you experiencing Alpengeist. It is a great, repeatable, wonderful ride that really rounds out the coasters at the park -- well, as much as is possible without my beloved Big Bad Wolf -- but Nessie the classic looper, Griffon the brilliant dive machine, AC's hills and sweeps and air time, and then Alpie's twists and turns -- love it when your soles (souls? lol) kiss the sky on the cobra roll!
Have a blast on Alpie!
I know it sounds weird. The only time I got this sensation was not a roller coaster. It was actually on a fair ride (weird, but true). It was called extreme something or another. Anyway I went on for my friend who was scared.. It spun you quite fast and then the chair individually turned etc. It felt like a G force of a coaster but much more intense, it actually hurt my lets and then when I got off the ride it was like my legs were asleep ("tingling")and were very "rubbery?" feeling. But this motion was for the entire ride so I suppose the extended force of this ride for 1 to 2 mins could have caused this feeling... The only reason I relate this to Alpengeist is your feet hang just like that fair ride. I know I shouldn't compare a coaster to a fair ride, but it was just a feeling I didn't like. I like being pushed into my seats and I LOVE airtime.. So I'm slowly I guess turning into a coaster enthusiast.. My legs should be fine because the inversion are only so many seconds long and are a lot of fun! (or so I've heard). Ever since I wanted to ride coasters I've wanted on this one.. But I would not ride alone and its given me time to doubt myself which is never good... Anyway, sorry for the story.. And thank you for your advice it looks like a blast just as AC and LMN did before I rode them. :) Wish me luck!
This discussion has been archived, and is not accepting additional responses.