Alpengeist: The F-22 of Roller Coasters
From the first time I saw the ominous white lift high above the surrounding trees while on Loch Ness, I knew it would be a ride to remember. In my opinion, this is the king of the inverted roller coasters not just because of its height and speed, but because it delivers thrills with every ride. On inverted coasters riders are situated below the track in ski-lift style trains. I have to say I’ve grown to respect some of the more compact inverts out there, but Alpengeist is still the best.
First there’s the intimidating (almost 200′ tall) lift hill where you find yourself wondering when you’ll get to the top. The view past your dangling feet of the ground and even trees far below is
pretty unnerving. After the lift hill you fly down an enormous swooping drop that puts the train on its way to breaking the sound barrier (at least it feels like it). Then an Immelman inversion so tall and smooth you can just barely feel the inversion, followed by a tall vertical loop with some great g-forces. And now you’re on the way to meet Loch Ness down by the Rhine River where you hit an extreme, sometimes rough, cobra roll featuring two back to back inversions. Next, you move through a mid-course brake run, drop out of the run with a little pop of airtime through a short themed tunnel and into a sweet zero-g roll. The roll is followed by a nice corkscrew and helix combination. The sequence after the brakes is one of the best around in my opinion.
Where some rides tend to peter out towards the end, this one delivers right up until your
uproarious return to the station. So Alpengeist gets a rare 10 from me because: it’s a terrain ride (meaning it wasn’t just plopped down on a parking lot or some flat lot of land), it’s massive (over three minutes of ride time), it’s fast, it’s themed pretty well (with little touches many
won’t even notice), and it’s relatively smooth. You may experience an occasional headbang, but it’s far from a head-bang-athon like all of those Mind Eraser installations all over the country. On top of all that it delivers thrills and gives you a unique experience. That’s a 10 in my book! Final Rating – 10 (Superior)
Alpengeist is rated ‘IN’ for Intense. It’s a 4 out of 5 on my Thrill Scale for of its height, speed, and loops.
What’s Your Take?
What do you think about Alpengeist? Leave a comment below.
Coaster Critic 
33 responses to “Alpengeist @ Busch Gardens Williamsburg | Coaster Reviews”
I agree totally. This is the best inverted coaster I have ridden. There is the nice drop to start off with, cool G-forces through the hut (which is in the video) and the corkscrews are cool too. Overall VERY cool ride. I've been to Cedar Point along with many other theme parks and this is definitely worth the visit to Busch Gardens even if this is the only ride you ride! This park has bang for the buck.
Indeed. Bang for the buck is a good way to sum up Busch Gardens Europe. So many sleep on it because it doesn't have as many coasters as a lot of parks. BGE makes up for it with quality over quantity and Alpengeist is the perfect example. Thanks for stopping by Lewis.
Would this ride be too scary for people who have fun on fast wooden roller coasters but enjoy having a smooth ride without a lot of bumps?Is this ride a good for people who throw up when spun around for a long time?
Alpengeist is quite different from your standard wooden coaster. It's definitely fast and smooth, so bumps aren't really a worry. There is a sequence of loops than can get a little rough, but if you ride towards the front of the train you can minimize the roughness. And I wouldn't think Alpie would make you sick. The loops are fairly quick and only really back-to-back during that kind of rough cobra roll by the Loch Ness. Unless your stomach is extra sensitive and given that you don't fill up at Das Festhaus right before riding you should be fine. Enjoy! And let me know how it goes.
While I wouldn't say this is as good as the two older coasters in the park, I enjoyed myself trmendously on Alpengeist. I loved the theme touches (the fake skier sticking out of the top of a building makes me laugh every time). Definately don't eat before going on it, and DO NOT wear flip flops or any other loose shoes or you "will lose them forever and ever!" as the ride director announces before the train departs. Fun, memorable, and I'd ride it again and again.
actually I recently rode it with flip flopsa and they somehow stayed on.
i always wanted to ride this since its larger than montu (that sucks but that busch gardens europe for ya.) it does look great i hope i get a chance to ride it without youtube. speaking of montu do you have a review for it i didn't see it under reviewed roller coasters?
For me, I was actually a little disappointed in the ride. I've ridden four inverts: Alpengeist, Montu, Afterburn, and B:TR. The other three outmatch Alpengeist by intensity in my opinion, which came as a real shock. Because the ride is so huge, I expected it to be more intense than it was. I felt a lot more forces in the back of the train, but riding in the front seemed almost forceless. In comparison to the other inverts I've ridden, no matter where you sit, forces are always there. The cobra roll was the only intense part of the ride. I also found the zero-g roll to be very weak, as the train glides through it rather slow. Probably the biggest gripe I had was the break on the 1st drop before the train starts its dive, and how harsh the mid-course brakes are applied. It's still a good ride not to be missed, but it definitely did not mesmerize me.
I'll have to re-ride Alpengeist towards the front next time I'm at Busch Gardens. I remember it being the most intense invert I'd ridden. I can't imagine it as forceless, but maybe it's changed a bit over time.
Thanks for reading!
Malcolm, I can review Montu in the next few weeks. There are a few reviews that I've got to get to first. For now, here's a roller coaster moment post I did on Montu. It's a great ride!
well, when i went on, i was 7. i was about 1 centimeter short of getting me on the ride. so, even we both knew how dangerous it could be, my dad snuck me on. it was the best invert ever! i loved it so much, but we kinda got in trouble. not from the park people, but my mom. it was kind of intense, but otherwise perfect. they did not just plop it down on a parking lot like the dominator at kings dominion, but they actually did some nice landscaping with some snow on the ground. i wouldnt give it a ten but a 9. I hope that they will keep this one up for a while.
When i was going to this coaster for the first time, i was so surprised. I saw some of the best themeing on a roller coaster that ive ever seen. It had snow everywhere around the coaster. It also had skis on the cars. Well when i looked at this, i was expecting the ride to be great, and it didnt disappoint me. Entering the train the restraints werent uncomfortable. Its amaziing going up the life hill relizing how high up your really going. So you get to the top and you plunge 170 ft. to the ground at speeds of 67 mph. I really was amazed how fast we were really going. The inversions were very thrilling. They were pretty smooth with some g forces. The only thing that let me down were the zero g rolls. They were very rough. That really smooth ride had to have a bad ending. Well overall that is one of the best inverted coasters on the planet. Good job Busch Gardens!
Shame on me! I refused to do this ride AND Apollo's chariot beacause I FEARED THEM! Double-shame on me!
I have to admit Etienne, Apollos Chariot was pretty scary, but Alpengeist is not bad at all. Trust me its much better than it looks haha
if you are scared of heights, ride griffon. heh heh
i love roller coasters the fasters the better.
I have to agree whith you on that, I`m all for speed.
well, i dont know if this is the norm for it, but when i went in the summer a few years ago, Nessie had a 2 and a half hour wait, Apollo had a 5 minute wait, and Alppy had no wait…
I've got to say I don't agree with your review. Alpengeist has a great layout, terrain and looks visually impressive. However, I felt that the Vertical Loop was a little forceless and the second section was a little dull, even riding at the back. I think you were a little generous with the 10, as even though Alpengeist is one of the best inverts, it is not the king.
I agree. This is my favorite ride out of anywhere I've been! (but inverted coasters are my favorite anyways) I know for a fact that it has lost a little bit of the smoothness the past 5-8 years but it still is worthy of the 10 rating 🙂
Come on, Alpengeist isn't that good! There are so many better inverts out there.
Out of all the inverts i've ridden (Nemesis, B:TR, Montu, Pyrenees, Black Mamba, Silver Bullet, Talon, Patriot and Nemesis Inferno) This ranks pretty near the top. I wouldn't say it's the best invert i've ridden, but I'd say it comes a close second to Montu and Nemesis.
Alpie's now one of my favourite inverts. I don't remember being all too impressed on my last visit, but on my recent one I came off buzzing. Ties with Montu, in my opinion.
Alpengeist is the best inverted roller coaster, perhaps for me tied with volcano. Maybe c c should do a roller coaster showdown between volcano and alpengeist. Two highly themed and thrilling inverts. Alpengeist does have some head banging in the cobra roll like c c said and in the turn into the mid course break run. Also, it does put some pressure on my legs at such a high speed on an invert. But i can look past that for the incredible and thrilling ride it delivers. It is one of the best of the inverted roller coasters because it has great height, speed, and a good number of inversions and elements. Plus the themeing is excellent.
Two major Q's: First (Dad factor talking here) my son's eleven, is this one (Alpie) totally safe for those who are just making the height cut off by an inch or two? Namely slip out risk is a total Zero? Secondly, I have a back problem at the very base where lumbar meets sacrum (hip area) that I can sense really wouldn't like big compression forces so I'm wondering a bit about dangling legs / inversion aspect taking away any ability to somewhat control this. Anybody got any views on this or whether more traditional upright seated coasters would be better or just stay the heck off coasters entirely? Thanks.
This coaster is ridiculously intense! I have never been so clueless about what's coming next on a coaster before. Even in the 2nd row it's hard to tell what's happening. How about the special sound she makes. It's a weird whirring sound, So cool! Also I think she must have gained intensity with age. Yesterday was my first rides, and I can't imagine calling one moment of this ride "Forceless"
FYI… The furthest right seats seem to be more intense than the left.
Hey Mike, you may want to avoid it. It has a couple of rough jerks, Especially into the brake run. Also some very strong compression G's. Also avoid the loch ness she has a weird spot into the 2nd loop that tweeks my lower back a bit. Griffon and Apollo's Chariot are both super smooth, and super sweet! Griffon is best in the last row for airtime. The front is a must for the hang time. And I'm not sure about Verbolten yet. With that "vertical track drop" Section inside i'd be cautious. The rest of the ride will be no problem for you. the layout looks really smooth in person. I will be riding it when it opens and let you know. You may want to ask someone about the similar drop on Alton towers "th13teen"
Also..
No chance of slip out on Alpie. Very deep seats, high sides and crotch with a seatbelt connecting the bottom of the OTSR. (over the shoulder restraints) I saw some tiny kids riding her yesterday.
I loved Alpengeist, but I still have to give Montu the edge for inverted coasters. The batwing puts it over the top for me.
I rode the Alpengiest last week and when I went over the first loop the safety harness released from my chest. Thank goodness for the seatbelt as a second safety or I would have died. Not only did this happen but the park manager called me to tell me that it didn’t happen. He said that it would have broken and would not have worked after that and their investigation did not show that it was broken. Very disappointed in the way the situation was handled.
I am wondering if anyone who has already ridden thinks I will be ok on this. I simply won’t go on Apollo’s Chariot; I hate big drops one right after the other. I’m thinking the first big drop on Alpengeist might be different because you’re under the track? Also, I don’t mind jerkiness, and speed is pretty much ok too. I really, really don’t like the weightless feeling, but I can deal with it for a second or something. Thanks everyone!
Alpengeist will always be special to me. I was 11 years old when it opened, and I made such a big fuss about the ride at the time that my aunt arranged to take my cousins and me on a 300-mile road trip to go out and ride it. And boy did Alpengeist live up to my expectations. Fast, powerful forces on the inversions, great pacing, and even a nice moment of airtime. In 1997, this coaster was king.
Sadly, upon my subsequent visit to BGW years later, I learned that the ride experience just isn’t the same today. The trim brake after the crest of the lift hill kinda waters down the experience of gliding down that winding first drop, though the first half of the ride is still manages to feel intense. But it’s the rest of the ride that really suffers. Interestingly, while you specifically state that the second half doesn’t peter out, I think the park’s heavy use of the MCBR nowadays causes the second half of the ride to do just that. In the coaster’s debut season, the train pretty much ripped through those last two inversions (causing a little head-banging on corkscrew—but hey, it was worth it), but now it glides through somewhat gently. Consequently, my rating of the ride has fallen a little over the years.
But I choose to remember my first few rides during Alpie’s opening season. Truly amazing.
(In case you haven’t ridden it yet…) Oh yeah, if the main thing you want to avoid is “floater” airtime, you’ll be fine on Alpengeist. You’ll be subjected to a little of that weightless sensation coming off the mid-course brake run, but that’s pretty mild, thanks to how heavily the train slows down at that point. You’ll probably enjoy the coaster!
Thanks for replying! :). I rode Alpengeist about a month ago I think, and I loved it!! It’s my favorite coaster now, so now I’m trying to convince myself to go on Apollo’s Chariot and Griffon. How do those compare to Alpengeist? Thanks!
I rode this six times during two visits to Busch Gardens this summer, and loved it more and more each time. Absolutely fantastic from the front seat, especially in the early section where you go diving down toward the trees. I agree with your assessment of the use of terrain. This is in my Top 5 for sure.