Griffon (roller coaster)

Griffon is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg amusement park in James City County, Virginia, United States.

Griffon was well-received by media and enthusiasts, and it placed third in 2007 in the category of Best New Ride polled by Amusement Today for their annual Golden Ticket Awards.

On June 30, 2006, Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced that LeMans Raceway would be closing to the public on July 5, 2006 in order to make room for the next year's new attraction.

Then, the train enters a 146-foot (44 m) Immelmann loop before dropping back to the ground and making a banked upward left turn into the mid course brake run.

Following a small airtime hill, the train goes through a splashdown where the car's rear scoops spray two 50-foot (15 m) plumes of water into the air.

[15] Preston Wong from Hampton Roads said, "[The floorless trains] giv[e] riders a sense of vulnerability and, for those in the front row, an idea of what it must feel like to fly" and that enthusiasts would like the ride.

[20] Nicole Paitsel, Lisa Deaderick, and Joe Atkinson from Daily Press each rated the roller coaster for its vomiting and scream factors.

Nicole and Lisa rated the vomiting factor a one (out of five) for the roller coaster's smoothness; Joe gave a four as he began feeling ill after his second ride.

[22] In Griffon's opening year, it was voted the third best new ride for 2007 and the 27th best steel roller coaster in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.

One of Griffon's trains passing through the splashdown element