Pantheon

This is some story. Do you want to read?

Pantheon, Busch Gardens Williamsburg's newest coaster, was supposed to open in 2020, but the pandemic set that back until this year.

Because she's in a big coaster club, Jill got invited to media day, which was at 6:30 this morning. We live about 4 hours away, so we left around 1:30 and got there with time to spare. It was raining and lightning, so we all waited in our cars for word on what was happening. We heard it test a few times but were told nothing.

Several hours later, we were told we'd have to leave this parking area because our media day parking passes would not be eligible for regular park opening at 3. We decided to leave and do some shopping (I got new shoes, and we bought some food and drinks) before coming back at 3. Jill is a pass holder, and I got a free ticket for entrance with media day.

We rode some rides (got stopped on Loch Ness Monster's lift hill in the rain, Verbolten, Apollo's Chariot). We then heard rumblings that Pantheon would open at 6 to pass holders. We figured media day folks would be let in then as well.

We went to the bridge that leads to the entrance. I was stopped because I didn't have a pass. I also wasn't even allowed on the bridge for photos, which was frustrating and made no sense. Jill rode while I took pictures. Then she had a great idea: She'd buy me a pass on her phone. So she did that, but the employee at the bridge apparently didn't like that. She radioed the person at the entrance something and then let me go. We suspect it was to scrutinize my pass on Jill's phone, because when I went to the entrance, he almost didn't let me ride. We had gotten a locker to put our things away, and that made it more difficult because her phone was in it. We had to go back to the locker.

I eventually got let through. Jill stayed behind and crossed the bridge. She wanted to cross again and get our things from the locker, but the employee with the radio yelled at her. So Jill couldn't meet me at the exit, and she couldn't get our cameras and phones. She sat on steps that were roped off, and another employee yelled at her and told her she was a fire hazard.

The ride was really fun, but this trip was tainted. But when I met Jill on the other side of the bridge, she was sitting on a curb crying. She explained to me what had happened. The employee ducked away from the bridge for a second, and I slipped past to get photos (today's photo is one). When I was done, the employee was at the bottom of the bridge stopping people and looking at their passes. I stared at her name tag and left with Jill to write a complaint.

Jill was able to get what she paid for my pass refunded. I wasn't at the counter when she complained, so I don't know details. We got in the car and made the long drive home. The house was a mess because the dogs all pooped a lot. Also, my college's basketball team lost in the tournament. The perfect caps on a crappy day.

At least I bought some fun snacks at World Market.