Busch Gardens’ Mach Tower to close in January — for good
Busch Gardens Williamsburg has decided to permanently close Mäch Tower, the amusement park announced on its website.
The 240-foot drop tower, which first opened for visitors in 2011 in the park’s Oktoberfest area, provides a birds-eye view of the park and surrounding area. But the ride will close for good on Jan. 8. It will remain open through Christmas Town.
On its website, the park invites visitors to “drop in for one more ride.”
When operating, the ride rotates slowly as it raises guests up, holding riders for a brief moment before plummeting to the ground at speeds of about 50 mph.
“Busch Gardens Williamsburg continually evaluates our in-park offerings as we strive to provide the best experience for our guests,” a Busch Gardens spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “After review and consideration of overall guest satisfaction, we have made the decision to close Mäch Tower permanently on January 8, 2023 (ride availability subject to change).”
The ride’s closing is the latest major announcement related to Busch Garden’s German-themed area. The park has been constructing DarKoaster, a new attraction housed in the Curse of DarKastle building.
DarKoaster is being billed as the world’s first all-indoor straddle coaster and the first straddle coaster built in Virginia. The upcoming ride will feature four accelerating launches with speeds of up to 26 mph and a grand total of 2,454 feet of track.
The new coaster is expected to open during the first half of next year. There are no current plans to replace Mäch Tower, Busch Gardens said.
Dominic Catacora, 757-798-9833, dominic.catacora@virginiamedia.com
