GuernseyTingle Architects
GuernseyTingle - Themed Entertainment

Verbolten: Forbidden Turn

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Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Face the mysterious depths of the Black Forest in an edge-of-your-seat coaster experience where state-of-the-art special effects meet terrifying traditional tales.

Services Used
  • Concept Design
  • Creative Direction
  • Theming and Show Set Design
  • 3D Visualization
  • Architecture, Interiors and Facility Design
  • On-Site Art Direction
  • Construction Administration

Tasked with reimagining this legendary steel coaster, our team developed a brand new story, and the characters, scenic elements, and effects to ensure a thrilling trip through the Black Forest. The new ride integrates animatronics, rotating media sequences, and ambitious sculptural additions, along with several nods to the original attraction.

An elevated queue experience now entertains guests before they even leave the station, while inside the show building, massive new showpieces required some creative solutions, like sliding the 52-foot tree sideways into the building. Enhancing the ride’s signature vertical drop was a focal point in the design process. The journey culminates as guests exit directly into a themed shop within the Oktoberfest Pavilion, where observant guests can spot more of Frau Hexel and Brüm!

Elevate your theme park portfolio with masterfully executed coaster environments that deliver maximum thrills and stunning visual storytelling for any budget.

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What Clients Say

"One of our go-to architectural firms"

GuernseyTingle is one of our go-to architectural firms. They consistently produce beautiful, creative and fun designs, down to every little detail. We appreciate the time and hard work they put into all projects, and we always enjoy working with them.

-Haley Duffy, Busch Gardens Williamsburg
"Committed to doing what's best for the project"

We've had the opportunity to work alongside GuernseyTingle on numerous themed entertainment projects, including roller coasters, water attractions, restaurants, and other immersive guest experiences. These complex projects require more than technical expertise—they depend on strong partnerships, open communication, and a shared commitment to solving challenges as a team. GuernseyTingle has consistently demonstrated those qualities. They are collaborative, solutions-oriented, and committed to doing what's best for the project, even when design challenges require flexibility and creative problem-solving. Their partnership has played an important role in delivering successful projects and memorable experiences for our clients and their guests.

-Brandon Nice, David Nice Builders
Verbolten: Forbidden Turn at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

The layout inspired the new design from the start, particularly the classic scream-inducing drop- which occurs right before the coaster takes riders back outside into the light after disappearing into the darkness of the Black forest, which is largely set inside a multistory building. “I wanted to make the story centered around that.” -Richard Smith, Creative Director.

-Skyler Hartgerink, Virginia Media, Inside Business Newspaper
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