Grover's Alpine Express
Specific Type: Force 190
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Busch Gardens Europe announced in December 2008 that they would be adding a brand new themed area known as Sesame Street Forest of Fun which would consist of several attractions for younger children. This new area has attracted many children to enjoy a variety of rides and attractions in the Sesame Street themed area, including Elmo's Castle, an interactive stage and wet play area. Grover's Alpine Express is also located here, very close to the front of the park. Guests can enter in the main gate of Busch Gardens, walk through the shops area, and then veer left towards Grover's Alpine Express as well as the rest of Sesame Street Forest of Fun. The Zierer-built coaster sits twenty-four feet tall, is 600 feet in total length from start to finish. It tops out at a maximum speed of around twenty-two miles per hour. The pinkish track goes in a variety of directions, as it turns throughout its short and smooth course around a lot of the themed children's area. The coaster consists of sleigh-like trains with Grover leading the way in the front car ready to take a fresh set of riders around his course each circuit. The trains stand out well with their main color, a fairly bright shade of blue, as well as a bright pink border around the sides.
Riders enter into the queue and walk up to the station all while having track of Grover's Alpine Express completely around them. They get a good preview as they wait in line as fully loaded trains pass them on the left going up the lift hill as well as hitting the brake run to their right nearly a minute later. The trains start out of the stations, making a complete left hand U-turn, before heading up the twenty-five foot tire-driven lift hill to the coaster's maximum height. The train then dives down at a 45 degree angle and into an ascending, leftward 540 degree helix. Riders can look down at onlookers below as they pass directly over the midway between helices. The downward helix following the view over the midway takes riders around another 360 degrees, this time to the right, directly into the magnetic break-run, and back into the station. |
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