Daredevils will have a new destination next year when Busch Gardens—the amusement park in Williamsburg, Virginia—unveils what they’re touting as the largest and fastest multi-launch roller coaster in the world. The park announced Wednesday that mega-coaster Pantheon will open in March 2022, towering at 180 feet tall and topping off at 73 miles per hour.
Each section of the behemoth ride, located in the park’s Festa Italia area, is designed as an homage to Greek gods and their strengths. In addition to high speeds and imposing heights, the coaster features four launch—or acceleration—points that propel riders through two inversions, a 95 degree drop, and five air-time hills (the part of the journey where you feel like you’re floating in zero gravity).
The DC area is already home to a number of impressive rides. Look no further than King’s Dominion in Doswell, Virginia for the Dominator, a 4,210 foot excursion that is the current record holder for the world’s longest floorless roller coaster. That park is also home to one of the tallest drops in the world—it’s Intimidator 305 drops thrill-seekers 300 feet.
Take a look at the Pantheon below:
[su_youtube url=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oqcki6-uKk&t=1s”]
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
