Before anyone decides to yell at me, “fahrt” comes from the German verb “to drive,” and thanks to a wonderful t-shirt design, my sister now owns a shirt that says “I fahrted in the Black Forest.” Of course, this all has to do with Verbolten, the new multi-launched coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. This ride has had very high expectation, especially when needing to be a fitting replacement for a ride as legendary as the Big Bad Wolf.

A ride as legendary as the Wolf will always be remembered by those who rode it, as well as by many who never got the chance to ride it as well. I don’t think many would argue that the Big Bad Wolf was probably the best coaster of its breed, a breed that is nearly dead, as only a handful of suspended coasters remain in operation today. With all that being said, it was fairly obvious back in 2009 that replacing the Big Bad Wolf would be no easy task, and one that would be under a gigantic microscope as its replacement would eventually take form.

Fast-forward to 2012, and we now have the long-awaited replacement for the Wolf, and it is a ride that early one was met with very solid reviews, as it was no doubt a good ride. As far as which ride is better however, some initially preferred the Wolf, and some instantly declared Verbolten an exceptional ride that more than takes over for the Wolf, because a ride like the Big Bad Wolf can never truly be replaced.

Yesterday, I finally was able to make my way to Busch Gardens to snag a few spins on what is one of the most anticipated coasters in recent memory. Immediately upon crossing the bridge, I was greeted with the atmosphere of a small German village, with scenery and theme elements that can only be matched by Disney. As I slowly walked through the queue, I was reminded of Expedition Everest, and the execution of the theme that the queue line of that ride pulls off. Each time through the line (we rode four times total), I noticed something different, much like heavily themed attractions should be.

The station is exceptionally colorful and decorated with luggage, crates, and even car mufflers that designate the rows for each train. The line for the ride ranged from fifteen minutes to about thirty during our four rides, so we got to see all five trains in action, each of which sports its own striking paint job complete with racing stripes and clever license plates.

Rather than describe each of the four rides, I will describe the ride as a whole and then point out the differences with each of the three storylines that you can experience inside the event building. The ride slowly rolls out of the station by an old beat-up punch buggy turning over and revving. You then start to drive out into the countryside before taking an unexpected right turn and are launched into the Black Forest.

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not ridden Verbolten and do not wish to read about details, please skip this paragraph and the next. As the darkness greets you, lightning flashes and trees immediately race overhead as you dive into the Forest. A surprisingly forceful helix is hidden by more thunder, lightning, and gusting wind. After a few more twists you come to a brake section as more effects are displayed and you begin to hear the beginning of what storyline you will see. A quick dive off to the left and then you are lead up to the drop section.

At this point you will either be ambushed by a pack of wolves (a fitting tribute to the Big Bad Wolf), be caught in the middle of a terrifying lightning storm, or be lured into the clutches of the “Spirit of the Black Forest.” Just as you think the scenes are over, the track drops fifteen feet in freefall, a first ever feature for a North American coaster, before finally seeing the light again. The drop section, a highlight of the ride, will wonderfully surprise even those who know the drop exists.

The second launch, which is the faster of the two, twists you up to the top of the hill where the Big Bad Wolf once stood. You are slowed almost to a stop as the old wooden bridge creaks and beams snap. You are then sent plummeting down to the Rhine River, and it is like visiting an old friend as many have said, following nearly an identical path to the Big Bad Wolf back to the station, with twists, turns, and even a little bunny hop before you finally see signs of civilization again and your ride comes to an end.

It was here that I realized that this ride is much more than a roller coaster. This ride is a complete ride experience that only a handful of rides on the planet can offer. An incredible back story and in depth theme combined with old school coaster thrills and state-of-the-art technology that arguably makes this one of the best coasters at the park among a group of world-class coasters.

This ride more than makes up for the loss of the Big Bad Wolf, and in my opinion is not so much a replacement ride as it is a passing of the torch from and aging classic to a new-school thrill machine. As far as straight up coaster thrills go, I still think Skyrush may be a better roller coaster, but there is no question that Verbolten is the undisputed superior ride experience. The challenge now for the park is to keep all of the special effects functional, because they truly turn this good ride into a great ride.

While Verbolten is being called a family coaster, it is certainly an intense ride that will surprise inexperienced riders as well as seasoned enthusiasts. I had heard that the storylines now go in a pattern rather than randomly appearing, and by watching the ride carefully while in line, we successfully saw all three storylines on our first three rides, with the wolf scene (the consensus favorite among most) being the one we saw a second time.

I strongly urge anyone and everyone to get to Williamsburg as soon as possible and sample Verbolten, even if you never got the chance to ride the Wolf. You are certainly in for a very special treat.