Roman Rapids
| Company type | Amusement park attraction |
|---|---|
| Industry | Amusement rides |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Williamsburg, Virginia , United States |
| Products | White-water river rapids ride |
Roman Rapids is a white-water river rapids ride located in Festa Italia at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia. The attraction, designed to resemble a canal race winding through ancient Roman ruins, delivers a thoroughly wet experience and first opened its gates in 1988.
The ride was shut down from Labor Day 2019 until May 26, 2023, due to staffing difficulties related to the Covid pandemic. Throughout this closure, enhancements were made including the introduction of new rafts with nine-passenger capacity, installation of a new turntable platform, and the addition of a new roof over the adjacent gift shop.
Ride experience
After boarding, the raft is released from the moving platform, beginning with a slow spin before accelerating. The journey starts gently but quickly escalates as water jets push against the flow, generating turbulent rapids and white-water effects. Riders narrowly pass by a statue fountain and then travel beneath a balcony equipped with quarter-activated water sprays designed to drench them. Following a brief drop, the raft speeds through a pool surrounded by column ruins arranged to create an obstacle course effect. The rapids then propel guests toward four sizable waterfalls that almost guarantee getting soaked. Finally, the raft climbs an incline leading back to the loading area. The unpredictable nature of the rapids combined with varying station chain configurations ensures each ride offers a distinct adventure.
Originally built to seat six riders, the rafts were upgraded in 2022 to hold nine passengers.