Yes. I’m bringing sexy back.
Are you ready for the newest ride at Busch Gardens Williamsburg? Today I got to head out and experience a sneak preview of Battle for Eire! It’s not quite ready to be open to the public yet but they gave me all the inside info to give to you!
The Battle for Eire is a motion-based theater simulator with state-of-the-art 360-degree virtual reality headsets. It really pulls you into the world they have created from the moment you walk in.
When you walk into the Castle the very first thing you have to do is pick headgear. It’s a plastic piece that looks kind of weird but it’s also comforting to know how easy it will be for them to keep clean.
I learned quickly inside that it is REALLY important your headset fit snugly. Many of the adult women I was with ending up needing child’s size head sets so don’t be scared to do that. There is a small knob on the back and you can tighten to be comfortable. Also be sure the back is all the way down- sort of on the bottom third of your head. I had mine too high when we started and it would have affected things once we got inside.
When you walk into the lobby you get to watch a short video that explains the plot of the ride. Ireland is in danger of losing it’s magic and in order to save it we must rescue The Sacred Heart of Ireland. Thankfully we have Addie, the fairy, to help as well as her trusty dragon friend Ollie.
In the second lobby they give you the safety instructions. This video was not running while we were here so I haven’t seen it. There are some tributes in the room to previous rides that were in the space- be sure to keep an eye out!
Once you enter the actual ride it’s the way you remember it- long rows of seats. You select your seat and buckle your seat belt (be sure you buckle your belt BEFORE you grab your VR headset or you won’t be able to see it). Once it is secure you can grab the headset to your back right and snap it into your headgear.
So the headset is pretty heavy but not too bad for the few minutes you need to keep it on. The tighter your headgear is the better the focus will be for the ride and the more evenly distributed the weight will be. This is why I mentioned earlier to PLEASE be sure you have the correct size for the ride- it will be a very different experience if things don’t fit properly.
You have just a few more days to save 50% Off Single Day Admission to Busch Gardens Williamsburg– only $45 instead of the regular $90 per person! If you are planning on bringing someone or just want to check it out this is your best option!
When I first put the headset on it really blew me away. I have never done anything Virtual Reality before so I didn’t know what to expect. I couldn’t believe how complete everything was- you can look up, down and to the sides and you are totally immersed in the world. You look down and your legs are gone. It really is a full 360 degree world.
The picture was a little blurry but once the ride started I really didn’t notice. There is SO MUCH TO LOOK AT. Bright colors, wonderful characters, a dragon you just want to hug and a bad guy. The knobs on the headset do not adjust your focus so there is no point in messing with them. When we talked to the BG reps they said right now the focus is their number one project and it will be taken care of before they open the ride to the public.
Note: You cannot wear glasses if you go on the ride because they fear the headgear will scratch them. So between the eye sight and the slightly out of focus camera this was super annoying to the friend I went with.
A few people who rode has some technical issues we did not experience and you can tell that the staff is still trying to work a few things out. But they are aware of the flaws and I have no doubt they will get them all figured out.
A FRUGAL CHICK ADVICE: I made myself dizzy trying to look at every little thing when the video started. Just lean into it and relax- you can ride it multiple times to pick up everything.
The ride was much less scary than I anticipated- almost to the point where I kind of hoped it would jerk around more. It’s VERY smooth. I would have no problem taking my 8 year old nephew or 6 year old niece on it. You do have to be 42″ to ride.
If you have not grabbed your annual membership you have until TOMORROW, March 31st, to get them at the discounted prices. On April 1st they will go up in price.
If this is too much for you don’t forget to check out the 2018 Fun Passes and the FREE Pre-School Pass!
